Fire safety and security in schools

To guard against this, an ‘onion skin’ approach to security is recognised as the best defence.

Good fencing should be used to delay intrusion and impede the removal of stolen goods. Doors and windows should be specified to provide a high level of security without compromising safety. Facades and roof should be secure enough to provide significant resistance to criminals.

Items of information and communications technology equipment, such as projectors and desktop and laptop computers, are often targeted in a break-in. These can be protected by installing equipment using secure mounting systems and/or denial-of-service technologies such as PIN code access, tilt switches and movement detectors.

Alternatively, ‘spoiling’ the equipment’s appearance with extremes of colour will make it less disposable. Security marking or tracking can also be applied, removal of which will cause damage, lowering the re-sale value.

Raising awareness of the measures taken to protect the equipment and the school itself will also reduce the number of attacks. In this respect, the informed co-operation of pupils, parents, staff and the community is invaluable.

Equipment will be satisfactory if it meets the standards of an independent certification body such as the Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB). This organisation assesses the effectiveness of fire safety and security products and also installers according to loss prevention and other standards.

Details of loss prevention standards in use to protect the community can be found at www.securedbydesign.com, or by calling BRE Certification on 01923 664100.