INDEX Occupancy
Buildings used for gathering of 6 or more persons, 4 or more hours a day, or more than 12 hours a week, for the purpose of instruction, through the 12th grade. (Examples include schools, academies, and kindergartens.)
People in educational occupancies vary in their ability to deal with an emergency condition depending upon their age, and mental and physical condition.
Pre-school, kindergarten, and first grade students must not be located above or below the floor of exit discharge. Second grade students must not be more than I floor above the floor of exit discharge.
Occupant Load. Signs should be posted near main exit and accurate.
Corridors. Should be at least 6 feet wide without any restrictions. Exit paths should be visible from any point in the corridor. Usually must be enclosed by I hour or 20 minute fire rated walls. Also, should have self closing-latching doors. Doors must not restrict the corridor, must swing 180 degrees.
Windows. Every student occupied room must have window or door for ventilation and rescue when not protected by sprinklers. Windows should measure 20 X 24 and be so labeled for rescue.
Interior Finish. Check classroom walls. Students artwork must not exceed more than 20 percent of the wall area.
Hazardous areas. Some schools use laboratories in which hazardous chemicals, liquids, and gases are used. Ensure flammable liquids are stored in suitable containers and in reasonable quantities. How are the chemicals discarded? Check chemical shelf life and stability. Check the operating conditions of fume hoods.
Fire Protection. Examine records of fire drills for conformance to frequency and time required to evacuate building. Is the fire alarm signal different from the signal to change classes? Are fire alarm pull stations low enough for students in wheelchairs to reach them?
| The leading cause of school structure fires is incendiary or suspicious activity (32%), followed by cooking (29%), and heating (9%). Fires in preschool and day cares are predominantly due to cooking, whereas incendiary or suspicious activity is the leading cause of middle and high school structure fires. The three leading areas of fire origin in school structure fires include restrooms, kitchens, and general assembly areas. View the Report in PDF format. |
| WASHINGTON D.C. - The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) has issued a special report that explores the causes and characteristics of school fires. The report, School Fires, developed by the National Fire Data Center under the Federal Emergency Management Agency's USFA, is part of the Topical Fire Research Series and is based on 2003-2005 National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) data. The report looks at all school fires, including those occurring outdoors on school property and compares such characteristics with those of school structure fires. View the Report in PDF format. |
INDEX Occupancy
FPT 102 - Fire Prevention and Inspection // Instructor: Kevin M. Kolb Slide #3