DEFENSIVE DESIGN - HOW A SCHOOL BUILDING CAN PROTECT ITSELF AGAINST ARSON

摘要

Over the past thirty years school buildings have not fared well against the devastating effects of arson. Many have been destroyed and in 2004 arson cost tax-payers pound 83 million. Original school designs were not conceived to resist the level of attack they were subsequently exposed to. However, with the Government pledging to replace and renew all of the country's secondary schools over the next 10-15 years through the Building Schools for the Future programme, now is the time to design defensively and protect our new school buildings and sites. It is with this in mind that UK's leading insurance and risk management provider to the public services, Zurich Municipal, has compiled best practice advice in a newly updated guide - The design and protection of school buildings and sites. Typical examples of design problems resulting in the quick spread of fire include inadequate firebreaks in wall, ceiling and roof voids, which allow fire to spread through buildings unchecked; and a lack of appropriate waste storage areas - many fires are started by casual intruders setting fire to rubbish, which then spreads to main buildings.