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Property Services Guidance - G010

Property Management Handbook

NCC Community Schools

This document provides information to help Northamptonshire County

Council’s Community Schools manage building projects, maintain their

premises and remain statutory compliant.

It is intended that schools use the handbook as a guide to their

responsibilities in managing their premises and then use the contacts

provided to obtain any further information needed from the LGSS

Property Services team and/or seek to appoint LGSS to carry out the

works on the School’s behalf.

Issue 3a – (July 2014)

Written by

James Thorpe (Standards, Governance and Commercial Manager)

e: [email protected] | t: 07734 983042

Approved by

James Wheeler (Head of Property Services) e: [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


LGSS Property Services Guidance

Property Management Handbook – NCC Community Schools G010

July 2014 (Issue 3a) of 186

DOCUMENT VERSION CONTROL

Version, Date & Author Description Date for Review

Issue 1 – January 2003 Earliest issue on file. -

Issue 2 – January 2010 Update. (possibly also updated in 2012 but not referenced).

-

Issue 3 – July 2014

James Thorpe

Wholesale review and reformat of document, update of legislation, best practice and contact details, etc.

January 2015

Issue 3a – July 2014

James Thorpe Minor amendments and corrections following Issue 3. January 2015




PREFACE

The environment in which education is delivered conveys messages and affects the

self-esteem and well being of its occupants. Effective property management of

schools encompasses a wide range of duties and responsibilities, many of which are

placed on Head teachers and Governors.

This Handbook has been developed to assist Head teachers and Governors of

Community Schools in recognising and undertaking their responsibilities. It is intended

to be an information source and a point of reference on the many issues concerning

property management of school buildings.

This Handbook has been written with the intention of minimising technical

terminology. However, it should be recognised that there are many issues covered

and often technical and regulatory requirements may require interpretation or further

information. For this reason a comprehensive list of contacts has been provided in

Part J stating key personnel who are referred to in the text throughout the Handbook.

It should be noted that where legislation, standards and guidance references are

included in this document, these get revised from time to time and the School should

check that they are still current before relying on them, especially before commencing

on a project. The latest versions should be used at all times. Property Services are

happy to offer advice but often a check on Google can tell you if there is a revision to a

specific reference.

LGSS Property Services are available to carry out any or all property maintenance,

statutory compliance works and soft services on behalf of the school, if the school so

wishes. As a not for profit council shared service organisation, we believe that we can

offer these services at a competitive rate to the school, plus giving the school access to

the wider FM Helpdesk provision. Furthermore, it helps to retain and strengthen the

depth of knowledge in Property Services, and the authority as a whole. Examples of

typical services are available on the following page or you can email lgss-

[email protected] with your requirements and we will pull

together the most cost-effective solution to meet your needs.

This Property Management Handbook has been developed for Head teachers and

Governors of Community Schools. If you have any comments or suggestions in regard

to the contents or future information you would like to see included, please contact

the Construction Project Manager in Property Services, listed in Part J2.3.

mailto:[email protected]?subject=School%20Services%20Enquiry

mailto:[email protected]?subject=School%20Services%20Enquiry




LGSS PROPERTY SERVICES – SHARING A VESTED INTEREST IN

EDUCATIONAL PROPERTY

What Can We Do For You?

LGSS Property Services are a Local Government team of Professionally Qualified staff

offering a full suite of technical and project support services to assist you with

effective value for money property management.

Either by entering into a service agreement or using our services ad-hoc, our teams

will ensure that your Regulatory & Legislative, Property and Project requirements are

met and offer you peace of mind. We provide access to wide range of property

services contracts, which have been refined and tested through the robust public

sector procurement process, to ensure the sustainability and future proofing of your

asset.

Below is a sample of the services available to you, with indicative fees. To build an

agreement to suit your needs, or obtain access to the full range of services on offer,

please email [email protected] where we will be

happy to discuss your requirement.

Services We Can Offer You

Education accommodation

initial design and feasibility

Developing project briefs in line with

establishment objectives, government

guidance, and building bulletins. Developing

specifications on behalf of clients to enable

successful delivery of projects.

POA

Construction Project

Management

A range of professional services including:

Project Procurement support, Design Team

Management, Construction Project

Management support (RIBA stage support)

and advice relating to FF&E and educational

matters. We can also work with schools to

develop a long term Forward Maintenance

Plan (FMP) based on their Building

Condition Survey data.

POA

(Indicative 1-2%* of

Works contract)

DfE Building Condition

Surveys

A detailed Building Condition Survey

provides an assessment of physical property

conditions. The survey will identify

deficiencies and maintenance issues and

provide a clear understanding of the current

£0.75*

per M²





condition of operating systems and facilitate

an informed decision making process for

matters of forward maintenance planning

and Capital investment. The survey meets

the requirements of DfE Condition

Assessment.

Building Standards

Consultancy

A wide range of technical support services

to assist with ensuring that schools comply

with the plethora of legislation and

standards associated with the design,

construction, commissioning, operation,

maintenance and decommissioning of

buildings.

£294 per day

Property Term

Maintenance & Statutory

Inspections

A range of fully managed periodic

maintenance and inspections for critical

building services including but not limited

to: electrical, heating and plumbing, fire,

lifts mechanical, structural, and air

conditioning. All of these building systems

have the potential to cause harm and are

integral to increasingly onerous and wide

ranging legislative and regulatory duties on

the occupier. The services are provided by

LGSS’s own frameworks and are designed to

provide schools with the assurance that

their statutory and regulatory compliance

risks are properly managed.

POA

Facilities Services

A range of fully managed services necessary

to the operation of all buildings including

but not limited to: cleaning, security, waste,

grounds maintenance and pest control. We

are committed to provide schools with first-

class facilities services, allowing them to

concentrate on their core educational

activities. The services are available via

LGSS’s own frameworks and are designed to

provide clients with convenient services at

exceptional value for money.

POA




Energy and water

management

Monitoring and Targeting of utilities

consumption to enable comparative

benchmarking and the development of

energy reduction initiatives.

Professional advice and support to ensure

the most efficient and effective use of

energy and water commodities.

including attending site meetings (to a

maximum of 3 hours per annum including

travel time - thereafter the standard hourly

rate will apply).

Annual cost £320*

Additional support -

£40 per hour or £294

per day

DECs and EPCs

Provision, and renewal, of Display Energy

Certificates and Energy Performance

Certificates.

POA

Asbestos Surveys

Management

Provision of a school Asbestos Management

Plan and Policy. Maintenance of schools

asbestos information and records. Enable

schools to comply with general duties under

the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and

associated regulations including the Control

of Asbestos Regulations 2012. Management

of refurbishment / demolition surveys,

including attending site meetings (to a

maximum of 3 hours per annum including

travel time - thereafter the standard hourly

rate will apply).Site visits and additional

consultancy work on any other asbestos

related matter, including the provision of

asbestos management training (up to 10

people maximum), may be arranged on

request and charged at the additional hourly

rate.

Annual cost £650*



per day




Radon Management

Provision of a school Radon Management

Policy and Plan. Management of an

appropriate radon testing regime including

provision and analysis of monitors and site

visit (up to 3 hours per annum including

travel time– thereafter the standard hourly

rate will apply).

Maintenance of schools radon information

and records, access to telephone and email

advisory services, project management of

radon mitigation works, including

attendance at site meetings (to a maximum

of 3 hours per annum – thereafter the

standard hourly rate will apply)

Annual cost £310*



per day

Procurement Services

LGSS Procurement, in partnership with

ESPO, are now offering the following

procurement services for schools:

Access to multiple contracts.

Procurement health-checks.

Technical advice on tendering and

contracting.

Support on all Procurement issues.

The aim of the service is to support schools

in achieving best value in their purchasing,

along with saving time by using NCC and

ESPO contracts which already fully satisfy

the requirements of competitive tendering

etc.

For full details, please

see the ‘Information

for Schools’ section

of the NCC website

* Price indicated is a guide and will depend on size and complexity of the property / project.

http://www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/en/councilservices/educationandlearning/services/schlfin/pages/procurementforschools.aspx






LGSS STRATEGIC ASSETS

What Can We Do For You?

The LGSS Strategic Assets team compliments the work of Property Services by

managing the Council’s property portfolio through acquisition, occupation and finally,

disposal. Staffed by qualified surveyors and highly experienced individuals, Strategic

Assets are responsible for ensuring that:

The Council has sufficient property to meet its operational requirements.

Relationships with landlords, tenants and other landowners are properly

managed and recorded.

Properties are used in accordance with legal and planning constraints.

Below is a sample of the services available to you. To build an agreement to suit your

needs, or obtain access to the full range of services on offer, please email

[email protected] where we will be happy to discuss

your requirement.

Services We Can Offer You

Rating

Each property will have a rateable value

which is then multiplied by the commercial

rate in the pound to arrive at your rates bill.

We routinely challenge rateable values

where we believe they have been assessed

incorrectly often resulting in substantial

rebates.

POA

Third Party occupation

Sharing premises with third parties should

be properly recorded to avoid complications

and ensure adequate recovery of costs.

We can advise on the appropriate process

and put agreements in place.

POA

Caretakers Houses

Leases of caretaker’s houses will need

renewing or rents reviewed at regular

intervals.

We can advise on current market rents and

agree terms with tenants.

POA





Boundary disputes, tree

preservation orders,

easements and restrictive

covenants

There may be restrictions on the use of

property or encroachment from neighbours.

We can advise on the appropriate action in

most dispute situations.

POA

* Prices are dependant on the complexity of your site and will need to be assessed individually.




CONTENTS

DOCUMENT VERSION CONTROL ................................................................................................................................. 2

PREFACE ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3

LGSS PROPERTY SERVICES – SHARING A VESTED INTEREST IN EDUCATIONAL PROPERTY ........................................... 4

WHAT CAN WE DO FOR YOU?.............................................................................................................................................. 4

SERVICES WE CAN OFFER YOU .............................................................................................................................................. 4

LGSS STRATEGIC ASSETS ............................................................................................................................................. 8

WHAT CAN WE DO FOR YOU?.............................................................................................................................................. 8

SERVICES WE CAN OFFER YOU .............................................................................................................................................. 8

PART A - INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................................... 15

A1 PURPOSE OF DOCUMENT ......................................................................................................................................... 15

A2 DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION .................................................................................................................................. 16

A3 PROPERTY SERVICES’ RESPONSIBILITIES ........................................................................................................................ 16

A4 SCHOOL’S RESPONSIBILITIES (HEAD TEACHERS AND GOVERNORS) .................................................................................... 17

A5 ASSET MANAGEMENT PLAN (AMP) ........................................................................................................................... 19

PART B – SCHOOL PREMISES OPERATION & HEALTH AND SAFETY ............................................................................ 25

B1 HEALTH AND SAFETY MANAGEMENT OF PREMISES ....................................................................................................... 25

B2 WORKPLACE HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE REGULATIONS ........................................................................................... 27

B3 FIRE SAFETY ........................................................................................................................................................... 29

B4 ELECTRICITY AT WORK ............................................................................................................................................. 31

B5 GAS SAFETY ........................................................................................................................................................... 32

B6 WATER MANAGEMENT (LEGIONELLA) ......................................................................................................................... 33

B7 CONTROL OF ASBESTOS ............................................................................................................................................ 34

B8 MONITORING OF RADON GAS ................................................................................................................................... 36

B9 MANAGEMENT OF TREES AND ECOLOGY ON SCHOOL PREMISES ...................................................................................... 37

B10 LIFTING OPERATIONS/EQUIPMENT REGULATIONS AND PRESSURE VESSELS .................................................................... 38

B11 CONSTRUCTION DESIGN AND MANAGEMENT REGULATIONS ....................................................................................... 38

PART C - PROPERTY MAINTENANCE .......................................................................................................................... 41

C1 FUNDING FOR SCHOOL BUILDINGS.............................................................................................................................. 41

C2 HEAD TEACHERS AND GOVERNORS’ RESPONSIBILITIES .................................................................................................... 41

C3 TERM MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION CONTRACTS ...................................................................................................... 42

C4 INSURANCE INSPECTIONS FOR HIGH RISK EQUIPMENT .................................................................................................... 43

PART D – SCHOOL PREMISES MANAGEMENT............................................................................................................ 45

D1 PROPERTY INSURANCE .............................................................................................................................................. 45

D2 CONTROL OF ASSETS ............................................................................................................................................... 45

D3 ACTIVITIES REQUIRING A LICENCE OR PERMIT............................................................................................................... 45

PART E – SCHOOL PREMISES ASSET MANAGEMENT .................................................................................................. 47

E1 RATING ................................................................................................................................................................. 47

E2 OCCUPATION BY THIRD PARTIES AND EXTENDED SCHOOL USE ........................................................................................ 47

E3 CARETAKERS HOUSES ............................................................................................................................................... 48

E4 DISPOSAL OF SCHOOL PREMISES ................................................................................................................................ 48




PART F – SCHOOL MANAGED PROJECTS .................................................................................................................... 49

F1 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS ......................................................................................................................................... 49

F2 USE OF CONSULTANTS ............................................................................................................................................. 49

F3 CONSENTS, TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS .................................................................................. 50

F4 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTIONAL STANDARDS ................................................................................................................ 54

PART G – TENDERING AND CONTRACT PROCEDURES ............................................................................................... 55

G1 LGSS PROCUREMENT SERVICES ................................................................................................................................. 55

G2 PRINCIPLES OF PROCUREMENT .................................................................................................................................. 55

G3 GENERAL ............................................................................................................................................................... 56

G4 SELECTION AND APPOINTMENT OF CONSULTANTS AND CONTRACTORS ............................................................................. 57

G5 TENDERING AND CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS ................................................................................................................ 58

PART H – ENERGY MANAGEMENT, ACCESSIBILITY AND SECURITY ............................................................................ 61

H1 ENERGY MANAGEMENT ........................................................................................................................................... 61

H2 ENERGY PERFORMANCE AND DISPLAY OF ENERGY CERTIFICATES ...................................................................................... 63

H3 ACCESSIBILITY REQUIREMENTS IN AND AROUND BUILDINGS ............................................................................................ 65

H4 PERSONAL SECURITY CHECKS ON CONTRACTORS ........................................................................................................... 67

H5 GENERAL SECURITY IN AND AROUND SCHOOLS ............................................................................................................. 68

H6 CLOSED CIRCUIT TELEVISION (CCTV) REQUIREMENTS .................................................................................................... 68

H7 ICT MANAGEMENT ................................................................................................................................................. 71

PART J – LIST OF CONTACTS ...................................................................................................................................... 75

J1 BUILDINGS AND CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT ..................................................................................................................... 75

J2 PROPERTY SERVICES & STRATEGIC ASSETS.................................................................................................................... 75

J3 OTHER DIRECTORATE SERVICES .................................................................................................................................. 79

PART K – HOW TO OBTAIN PLANS OF THE SCHOOL SITE/BUILDINGS ........................................................................ 81

APPENDIX 1 - QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE FOR ROUTINE MONITORING, INSPECTIONS AND MAINTENANCE ............... 83

APPENDIX 2A - AMP INFORMATION SHEET: FULL PROJECT NOTIFICATION ............................................................... 87

APPENDIX 2B - SCHOOL MANAGED PROJECT – COMPLETION/CANCELLATION NOTIFICATION .................................. 89

APPENDIX 3 - SUMMARY OF THE PARTY WALL ETC ACT 1996 ................................................................................... 91

APPLICATION ................................................................................................................................................................... 91

KEY POINTS ..................................................................................................................................................................... 93

APPENDIX 4 - LIST OF DFE BUILDING BULLETINS ....................................................................................................... 95

APPENDIX 5 - HOT WORKING RULES IN SCHOOL BUILDINGS ..................................................................................... 97

INTRODUCTION:................................................................................................................................................................ 97

BEFORE WORK STARTS ...................................................................................................................................................... 97

WHILST WORK IS IN PROGRESS ........................................................................................................................................... 97

AFTER THE WORK ............................................................................................................................................................. 97

APPENDIX 6 - MANAGEMENT OF SCHOOL CARETAKERS’ HOUSES ............................................................................ 99

THE MANAGEMENT OF THE PROPERTY ................................................................................................................................. 99

OPTIONS FOR THE PREMISES .............................................................................................................................................. 99

ONLY STAFF EMPLOYED BY NORTHAMPTONSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL WILL BE APPROVED TENANTS ................................................. 99

PROPOSED TENANCIES AND ANY CHANGE OF USE MUST BE NOTIFIED TO STRATEGIC ASSETS. ..................................................... 100




RENT REVENUES ............................................................................................................................................................. 100

PROPERTIES THAT REMAIN EMPTY ..................................................................................................................................... 100

APPENDIX 7 - OCCASIONAL USE OF THE SCHOOL HALL AS A PLACE OF ENTERTAINMENT ....................................... 101

LICENSING REQUIREMENTS ............................................................................................................................................... 101

GENERAL ARRANGEMENTS ............................................................................................................................................... 101

SPECIFIC SAFETY AND FIRE ARRANGEMENTS ........................................................................................................................ 102

STAGE .......................................................................................................................................................................... 105

PORTABLE FIRE FIGHTING EQUIPMENT – FRONT OF HOUSE .................................................................................................... 106

PORTABLE FIRE FIGHTING EQUIPMENT - BACKSTAGE ............................................................................................................. 106

PORTABLE FIRE FIGHTING EQUIPMENT – GENERAL ................................................................................................................ 106

FIRST AID ...................................................................................................................................................................... 107

LIGHTING – PUBLIC AREAS ................................................................................................................................................ 107

MEANS OF RAISING THE ALARM ....................................................................................................................................... 108

STAGE ELECTRICS ............................................................................................................................................................ 108

HEATING AND VENTILATION ............................................................................................................................................. 109

SANITARY ACCOMMODATION ............................................................................................................................................ 109

PERFORMANCE SAFETY .................................................................................................................................................... 111

MANAGEMENT ............................................................................................................................................................... 113

APPENDIX 8 – METER READING AND WEB BASED MONITORING GUIDE ................................................................. 115

HOW TO READ YOUR UTILITY METERS ................................................................................................................................ 115

ELECTRICITY METERS ....................................................................................................................................................... 115

GAS METERS ................................................................................................................................................................. 117

WATER METERS ............................................................................................................................................................. 118

USING THE WEB BASED MONITORING SYSTEM - SYSTEMSLINK ................................................................................................ 119

SYSTEMSLINK GENERAL INFORMATION ................................................................................................................................ 119

LOGGING IN TO SYSTEMSLINK ............................................................................................................................................ 119

ADDING NEW METER READINGS ....................................................................................................................................... 121

VIEW PREVIOUS METER READINGS..................................................................................................................................... 123

SITE REPORTS ................................................................................................................................................................. 124

PROFILE REPORTS ........................................................................................................................................................... 126

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ......................................................................................................................................... 131

APPENDIX 9 – ESTABLISHING A LOCAL SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM ................................................................. 133

WRITING A SCHOOL SAFETY POLICY ................................................................................................................................... 133

TABLE A - ORGANISATIONAL CHART (LARGE SCHOOL)............................................................................................................ 139

TABLE B - ORGANISATIONAL CHART (SMALL SCHOOL) ........................................................................................................... 140

APPENDIX 10 - WORKPLACE SAFETY INSPECTION CHECKLIST .................................................................................. 141

APPENDIX 11 - MANAGING TRAFFIC SAFETY ON SCHOOL SITES .............................................................................. 147

WHO IS THIS GUIDE FOR? ................................................................................................................................................ 147

WHY DO YOU NEED TO MANAGE TRAFFIC SAFETY? .............................................................................................................. 147

WHAT ARE SCHOOLS’ RESPONSIBILITIES? ............................................................................................................................ 147

WHAT HELP WILL THE COUNTY COUNCIL GIVE? .................................................................................................................. 148

RISK ASSESSMENT ........................................................................................................................................................... 148

POSSIBLE CONTROL MEASURES ......................................................................................................................................... 150

BUSES........................................................................................................................................................................... 150

SUPERVISION ................................................................................................................................................................. 150




SIGNS ........................................................................................................................................................................... 151

SPEED CONTROL ............................................................................................................................................................. 151

VEHICLE ACCESS AND PARKING ......................................................................................................................................... 151

PARENTS CARS................................................................................................................................................................ 152

STUDENTS’ VEHICLES ....................................................................................................................................................... 152

PEDESTRIAN ROUTES ....................................................................................................................................................... 152

SCHOOL TRAVEL PLAN ..................................................................................................................................................... 152

AFTER THE RISK ASSESSMENT IS COMPLETE ......................................................................................................................... 154

APPENDIX 12 - DOOR SAFETY IN SCHOOLS .............................................................................................................. 155

BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................................................................ 155

SUBSEQUENT ACTION TAKEN ............................................................................................................................................ 155

ACTION REQUIRED .......................................................................................................................................................... 155

SELF ASSESSMENT GUIDE FOR FINGER PROTECTION ON DOOR HINGES ..................................................................................... 156

SUPPLIERS OF FINGER PROTECTION DEVICES FOR DOOR HINGES ............................................................................................. 157

APPENDIX 13 - FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT ................................................................................................................... 159

GUIDANCE FOR MANAGERS .............................................................................................................................................. 159

USING THIS RISK ASSESSMENT GUIDE ................................................................................................................................. 159

APPENDIX 14 - ARSON PREVENTION CHECKLIST ..................................................................................................... 175

APPENDIX 15 - PONDS / WATER FEATURES............................................................................................................. 183

APPENDIX 16 - A QUICK GUIDE FOR CLIENTS UNDER THE CDM REGULATIONS 2007 ............................................... 185

HAVING CONSTRUCTION WORK DONE? .............................................................................................................................. 185

WHAT HAPPENS IF I DON’T COMPLY WITH MY CLIENT DUTIES? ............................................................................................. 186




PART A - INTRODUCTION

A1 Purpose Of Document

A1.1 General

LGSS Property Services, on behalf of Northamptonshire County Council, have

developed this Handbook. It has been compiled for Head teachers and Governors of

all Community Schools. It identifies, under sectional headings, matters relating to the

management of school premises including maintenance, adaptation, alteration,

accessibility, energy, health and safety etc. It describes the School’s responsibilities

under relevant statutory legislation and offers guidance when undertaking any activity

that affects the property. In addition, it provides information on support services

available from Property Services and other services of Northamptonshire County

Council.

1. Part B provides information on the duties of schools for a range of on-going

premises related health and safety issues and essential maintenance

requirements for plant and equipment. In addition, guidance is included to

assist schools when planning construction work.

2. Part C of the document sets out the responsibilities of the Department for

Education (DfE), Property Services and Schools with regard to the maintenance

of the school premises and management of the delegated and devolved

funding.

3. Part D provides information on the general management issues relating to the

general management of the premises and assets.

4. Part E provides information on the general management issues relating to

agreements for lettings and occupation by a third party to ensure effective

management of assets.

5. Part F covers School Managed Projects and sets out guidance and procedures

to be followed when considering adaptations, alterations and extensions to the

premises. The guidance and procedures should also be followed for installation

and modification to services, i.e. IT equipment, alarms, mechanical, electrical

etc.

6. Part G provides information on tendering and contract procedures and assists

with selecting competent consultants and contractors and monitoring of

contractors whilst working on school premises.

7. Part H provides information and guidance on matters relating to effective

energy management, accessibility for disabled persons, general security issues

relating to schools, requirements imposed on CCTV use and details on ICT

management.




8. Part J provides contact information and details about the services available

from Property Services and/or Northamptonshire County Council, including

who to contact for assistance with emergencies, design and procurement of

maintenance and improvements works, support for facilities management etc.

9. Part K details how to obtain a set of 1:200 scale layout plans of the school

buildings. These are a copy of the plans held by Strategic Assets. They may be

useful when planning projects, carrying out works and submitting applications

for School Managed Projects.

10. Appendices - referred to throughout the Handbook including Health and Safety

Procedures and a list of current DCFS DfE Building Bulletins that give advice on

a number of issues ranging from environmental design to area requirements

and design guidance for specific areas of the curriculum.

A2 Department For Education

A2.1 Policy Framework and Setting Standards

1. The DfE set the policy framework and context for Asset Management Plans

(AMPs), setting national criteria and providing guidance. This includes how to

manage and measure improvements of school buildings.

2. In disseminating information and good practice, the DfE will respect the

priorities of Local Authorities where they are demonstrably based on sound

and robust AMPs

3. The DfE will seek to increase national funding in order to ensure that the needs

identified in the AMPs can be addressed

A3 Property Services’ Responsibilities

A3.1 General

1. Northamptonshire County Council, as the Local Authority (LA), has a key role to

play in ensuring the effective management of school buildings. In regard to

property management issues, Property Services will be responsible for: -

Developing policies, priorities and action plans.

Coordinating and consulting with schools on the Asset Management Plan

prioritisation process.

Ensuring that schools understand their roles and responsibilities and that

prioritisation of funding allocation is fair and transparent.

Advising schools on good practice.

Developing, where required, technical standards such as asbestos

management, heating, fire management etc.

Monitoring schools management of projects and their custodianship of

premises.




Preparing the statutory Schools Access Strategy

Provision of premises related health, safety and environmental advice.

A3.2 Monitoring Arrangements

1. In addition to the above and as part of the arrangements to satisfy

Northamptonshire County Council’s responsibilities retained under the Fair

Funding provisions, Property Services will put in place effective means of

confirming through monitoring that Community Schools have developed

appropriate strategies for the management of their delegated responsibilities

in accordance with Northamptonshire County Council’s standards and in line

with the Asset Management Plan.

2. With specific regard to property matters, Property Services will, through

systems for the monitoring of health and safety, undertake regular Building

Management Audits (BMA). The BMA is currently undertaken at Community

Schools on a 3-year cycle by Property Services and includes the assessment of

the following items;

Management and Record Keeping

Contract Management

Inspections and Monitoring

Electrical Services

Mechanical Services

In-House Maintenance

3. The BMA findings are provided direct to individual schools for action as

appropriate and are used by Northamptonshire County Council and Property

Services as part of its monitoring and review arrangements.

A4 School’s Responsibilities (Head Teachers And Governors)

A4.1 General

1. The Head teacher and governing body are responsible for ensuring the good

stewardship of school buildings and that the requirements described in this

Handbook are met. However, by statute, individual Governors are not

personally liable in respect of anything done in good faith in the spending of

their delegated budget for the purposes of the school, having followed the

advice and requirements outlined in this Handbook.

2. The following is a summary of the key property management issues that are

the responsibility of the school: -

To work with the Local Authority in the continuing development of the

Asset Management Plan.

Prioritise maintenance within available budgets and using the school’s

AMP and Development Plan.




To employ competent Property Advisers to ensure that work is carried out

to an acceptable standard and complies with statutory requirements.

To manage repair and improvement projects and budgets allocated for

these to acceptable standards.

To prepare local arrangements for the school for managing health and

safety risks including security and fire safety.

To produce the statutory School Access Plan

A4.2 School Managed Projects

1. In order to ensure that work is executed to an acceptable standard, schools are

required to obtain the approval of the Head of Property Services for any

proposed work which affects the building structure or services including

planned expenditure on the following items:

New buildings and extensions

Remedial works to the structure of the building

Alterations and refurbishments

Re-roofing

Replacing windows

Installation of new boilers

Replacement of the major components in a heating system

Partial or total rewiring

Installation of IT cabling, intruder alarms and similar services

2. Refer to Part F for the relevant procedures to be followed that shall apply

equally to planned maintenance work as well as to adaptations and extensions.

A4.3 Failure to discharge health and safety responsibilities

1. In the following cases, the LA, through Property Services may, after notification

to the school, undertake essential work that the governing body has failed to

carry out, and charge the relevant cost to the school’s budget share:

Health and safety work, or capital expenditure for which

Northamptonshire County Council is liable, where funds have been

delegated to the governing body for such work.

Making good defects in building work funded by capital spending from the

School’s budget share.

Work necessary to safeguard the fabric of the building and to ensure the

continuing availability of the premises for use by the School.

2. Governing bodies are required to have due regard to duties placed on

Northamptonshire County Council in relation to health and safety.

3. It is a legal requirement that governing bodies disclose to the Insurance Team,

or the School’s insurance provider (if different), all material information that

could affect the policy of insurance that covers the School.




A5 Asset Management Plan (AMP)

A5.1 Introduction

1. Northamptonshire Education AMP mission statement is to:

‘Provide a framework for the optimum utilisation of all new

and existing assets, all capital and revenue funds (irrespective

of source) in line with the agreed aims and objectives,

ensuring overall best value and continuous improvement in

educational standards from investment in school buildings’

2. Targeting spending to provide a well-maintained school environment, sufficient

pupil places and a suitable accommodation for the curriculum delivery play a

key role in helping to raise educational standards. The Northamptonshire

Education AMP provides the required information and sets out criteria to

achieve the agreed local and national aims and objectives in respect of the

school buildings.

3. The physical fabric of the learning environment conveys messages and affects

the self-esteem and well being of its occupants. Our schools should aim to

reflect the principles and values taught in them. Adopting a structured and

planned approach to the management of building maintenance and

improvement has a positive effect on the morale and motivation of both pupils

and staff.

4. DfE, OfSTED and Education Services consider the implementation of the Asset

Management Plan as essential in ensuring that the resources available for

school buildings are used in the most effective way.

A5.2 Aims of AMP

1. The principal aim of the Northamptonshire Education AMP is to set out the

information needed and the criteria used to make decisions about spending on

school premises, which will help achieve the following aims:

Raise standards of educational attainment in all categories of schools.

Provide sustainable and energy-efficient buildings.

Provide innovative design reflecting the future needs of ICT-based

education.

Increase community use of school facilities.

Maximise value for money.

Ensure efficient and effective management of new and existing capital

assets.




A5.3 Objectives of AMP

1. The main objectives of the Northamptonshire Education AMP are to:

Provide an agreed basis for local decisions on spending priorities and to

link with other plans of Northamptonshire County Council

Help the development of partnership projects

Provide assurance to stakeholders that capital projects are soundly based

and represent good value for money

Provide school accommodation in accordance with the principles of Best

Value.

A5.4 Scope and elements of AMP

1. The AMP covers all maintained schools from all three categories in the new

framework: Community, Foundation and Voluntary schools. These include

nursery, primary, secondary, special education, as well as joint-use provision.

2. The AMP covers all capital and revenue spending on school premises.

Education Services retain the responsibility for monitoring schools and ensuring

that buildings meet educational needs. The AMP will show, over a period of

time, how schools are maintaining and managing their buildings.

3. The AMP process identifies the approaches to balancing initial capital

expenditure against running costs. Under-investment at the outset can often

lead to disproportionately high recurrent expenditure over the life of the

building. Similarly, under-spending on essential recurrent items such as

planned maintenance can result in more expensive unplanned repairs at a later

date.

A5.5 Elements of Education AMP

A5.5.1 Condition

1. Condition needs focus on the physical state of premises to ensure their safe

and continuous operation and other requirements that may involve building

regulations and other non-statutory provisions.

2. Establishing the condition of school premises is necessary to enable repairs and

maintenance works to be estimated, prioritised and planned. Condition

information helps inform strategic decisions on a larger scale (County-wide &

DfE), as well as the management of individual school budgets. This enables the

targeting of the resources where they are most needed. Schools are expected

to use the resulting information in preparation of their school improvement

programmes and prioritisation of works carried out from devolved and

delegated premises-related funding.

3. Condition surveys are carried out at least every three years and cover all

Community Schools in Northamptonshire. They provide systematic and




uniform information on the condition of premises and identify the

maintenance needs over a five-year planning period. The surveys are updated

annually to take account of improvement works or any deterioration in the

condition. Improvements resulting from maintenance and refurbishment works

are recorded through the ‘School Managed Projects’ procedure detailed in Part

F, whilst any further deterioration is considered only when requested by

schools.

A5.5.2 Suitability

1. Suitability is defined as how well school premises meet the needs of pupils,

teachers and other users and contribute towards raising educational standards

and levels of achievement. Suitability assessments are concerned with the

number and characteristics of each type of internal space and external areas.

Assessments also deal with some aspects of health and safety requirements

(relating to building layout).

2. Suitability assessments are carried out jointly between the Head teacher,

Governor representative and the Strategic Assets team. Northamptonshire

County Council and the DfE, to inform decisions on prioritisation of

improvement works related to the shortfall or unsuitability of premises in

meeting the curriculum delivery, use the resulting information. Schools are

expected to use the resulting information in preparation of their school

improvement programmes and prioritisation of works carried out from

devolved and delegated premises-related funding. In conjunction with

condition surveys, suitability assessments help target resources where they can

have the greatest effect in raising standards and maximising value for money.

Suitability assessments can be updated on request to reflect the changes in

pupil numbers and curriculum changes.

A5.5.3 Sufficiency

1. With the implementation of the New Framework for Schools,

Northamptonshire County Council retains the statutory responsibility to ensure

the sufficient supply of school places.

2. An annual review of the existing level of demand for school places based on the

current MOE (more open enrolment) formula is carried out and published in

the School Organisation Plan (SOP), together with a detailed forecast of

demand for places covering a four year period.

3. A new method of assessing the capacity of primary and secondary schools was

introduced as a third final strand of the AMP process. Sufficiency assessment

represents a different way of measuring the capacity of schools covering both

number of the pupil places available and the total overall area of the buildings

and grounds.




A5.6 Roles and responsibilities under AMP

A5.6.1 General

1. Northamptonshire County Council have overall responsibility for preparing the

Education AMP, which is developed through partnership with Head teachers,

Governors and Diocesan Boards. The AMP reflects the needs and priorities of

individual schools and aligns them with the Council’s plans and strategic

objectives.

2. Responsibility for managing building works in schools is consistent with the

pattern of ownership and the respective delegated responsibilities set out in

Fair Funding and the Code of Practice on LA / School Relations.

A5.6.2 Role of Northamptonshire schools (Governors and Head teachers)

1. Northamptonshire schools play a vital part in the preparation, review and

maintenance of the AMP through undertaking the following tasks:

Identifying school priorities for the AMP in the context of their School

Development Plan (SDP) and making clear what outputs, either physical or

educational, will be achieved in meeting those priorities

Contributing to the development of County - wide priorities

Acting as responsible custodians of premises

Planning, budgeting and managing projects for which they are solely

responsible including those covered by devolved or formula funding and

those which are self-financed, all in accordance with the AMP priorities

and aims

Assessing the contribution that capital investment makes to the

attainment of pupils

Co-operating in the preparation of the AMP

A5.6.3 Role of Property Services

1. Northamptonshire County Council undertake the main duties involved in the

preparation, review and maintenance of the AMP through the following

activities:

Developing policies, priorities and action plans as part of its statutory role

in supplying school places, creating specialist units, planning and delivering

the annual capital programme etc.

Preparing and obtaining agreement to a Council-wide policy statement on

AMP roles, responsibilities, scope etc.

Treating schools in all categories fairly

Maintaining a dialogue with schools and other partners about the link

between investments and outputs, both physical and educational, and how

this informs priorities and agreeing and monitoring delivery of outcomes




Planning, budgeting and managing projects for which the authority is solely

responsible, including those in nursery schools, complementary education

centres.

Giving advice and being responsible for information collection (a significant

issue in ensuring consistency)

Monitoring the carrying out of governing body responsibilities and making

clear how good stewardship by schools is rewarded (i.e. when

maintenance programmes are appropriately funded and managed)

Compiling and disseminating information relating to school buildings

including promoting sustainable development.

Promoting local partnerships

Brokering agreements amongst the relevant parties (schools, dioceses etc.)

Integrating, where applicable, plans for schools with those of other

Authority and Council services

Planning in order to ensure the efficient and effective use of new and

existing assets

Providing the necessary information on inputs and outputs, and co-

operating with the DfE in appraising the local processes.




PART B – SCHOOL PREMISES OPERATION & HEALTH AND SAFETY

B1 Health And Safety Management Of Premises

B1.1 School Policy and Organisation

1. Northamptonshire County Council is the ‘Employer’ in Community Schools and

therefore has overall responsibility for health, safety and welfare, as defined

under the Health and Safety at Work Etc Act 1974. Responsibility for

implementation of health and safety, including management of premises, is

placed on school governing bodies by delegation of duties to ensure schools

operate within a safe and healthy environment. The governing body influences

the overall management and culture of the school and is required to take

responsibility for the health and safety policy.

2. All schools are expected to have in place an effective health and safety

management system that has been initiated and approved by the school

governing body. It must properly address all aspects of health and safety,

including property issues that should be managed on behalf of the School and

what the School can expect to be undertaken by others. Northamptonshire

County Council Health and Safety Team have prepared detailed guidance in a

document entitled ‘Safety Policy and Safety Management Systems Guidance in

Non- PFI Schools.’ This document is contained in Appendix 9.

3. The governing body should ensure that an adequately trained ‘Responsible

Person’ is appointed for health and safety matters who has the duty of carrying

out or arranging a risk assessment of their premises. They must also implement

and maintain appropriate and adequate fire safety measures to minimise the

risk to life from fire - see section B3 Fire Safety for more detailed information.

4. In respect to property related risks, the school’s AMP will be a means for

recording and prioritising work to school premises. It should however be

recognised that defects and problems reported, do not detract from the

obligation of schools to manage health and safety.

5. When school managed projects are undertaken it is the responsibility of the

school to ensure they satisfy health and safety requirements, and that the

procedures contained within Part F of this document are followed.

6. When equipment is purchased, either new or second-hand, it is the

responsibility of the school to ensure that its installation and use conforms to

health and safety requirements and the manufacturer’s recommendations.

7. The Governors should consider the costs of implementing the Health and

Safety Policy relating to property and equipment. Sufficient funds for

implementation should be set aside and where necessary applications made to

through the AMP process.




8. Northamptonshire County Council Health and Safety Team are available to

provide advice and guidance on all matters relating the health and safety and

contact details are included in Part J3.3.

B1.2 Principal health and safety legislation relating to property

1. The Health and Safety at Work Etc Act 1974 and Regulations made under it set

minimum standards that apply to and must be implemented in Community

Schools by governing bodies. In regard to property these include the following:

Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 L24 (Second

edition) Published 2013

Lighting, ventilation, temperature, glazing, traffic routes etc.

Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005

Ensuring provision of suitable arrangements for fire safety and evacuation.

Electricity at Work Regulations 1989

Maintenance of safe fixed and portable electrical equipment.

Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998

Installation and maintenance of safe gas equipment.

Control of Substances Hazardous to Health 2002

Water management to reduce risks from Legionella and LEV systems.

Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012

Asbestos containing materials in the school building are monitored and

maintained in a safe condition.

Ionising Radiation Regulations 1999

Ensuring radon levels in buildings do not exceed stated levels.

Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998

Ensuring that passenger lifts and other lifting devices are maintained and

subjected to statutory inspections at specified intervals.

Construction (Design and Management Regulations 2007

Ensuring that all construction work in schools is properly planned, uses

competent duty holders and is notified to the HSE where required.

B1.3 Monitoring Property Management

1. Within each school there shall be arrangements for evaluating the effective

implementation of property management. Schools should therefore:

Establish suitable and sufficient arrangements for carrying out health and

safety inspections. It is recommended that these take place by a

designated person at 6 weekly intervals to tie-in with school terms.

Guidance on inspections is contained in Appendix 10.

Ensure accidents, or incidents with the potential to cause harm, are

reported to Northamptonshire County Council’s Health and Safety Team

stating, where appropriate, problems with property or equipment.




2. Property Services will undertake Building Management Audits, at least every 3

years, to assess compliance with legislation and schools should assess the

results of the Building Management Audits and implement recommendations,

where the school is responsible.

3. It is recommended that each school establish a Safety Committee made up of

staff, management and governors, covering all aspects of the schools’

operation, including health and safety related to premises.

4. Where applicable, Union appointed Safety Representatives should be invited to

attend Safety Committee meetings and site safety inspections and be provided

with copies of all policy documents.

5. Under the Education and Inspections Act 2006, Northamptonshire County

Council are entitled to a right of access to a school to conduct any essential

health and safety inspection, which includes the purpose of gathering

information to enable exercising of its functions.

B2 Workplace Health, Safety And Welfare Regulations

B2.1 General Requirements

1. The Workplace Health, Safety And Welfare Regulations 1992 L24 (Second

edition) Published 2013 set minimum standards on a range of general issues

including temperature, ventilation, lighting, sanitary conveniences, drinking

water etc. Requirements are generally met in the design of buildings and

occupants should generally be comfortable in regard to general issues

identified above. Further information on the standards, if required can be

obtained from the Health and Safety Team in Part J3.3.

B2.2 Traffic Management

2. There is a significant safety risk where vehicles and pedestrians are present.

This situation often arises in school entrances and car parking areas. To

minimise risks, schools should consider:

Physical separation with bollards or barriers.

Restricting vehicular traffic at times of high pedestrian movements.

Ensuring effective signs and road markings are in place.

Supervision is present at times of high movements.

3. It is the School’s responsibility to manage traffic and pedestrian conflict, where

significant risk is present. ‘Managing Traffic Safety on School Sites’ is included

at Appendix 11 to assist schools. If further information is required, the Health

and Safety Team should be contacted (see Part J3.3).




B2.3 Safety Glazing

1. Glazing shall be of a safety material or be protected against breakage where

necessary for reasons of safety. Additionally glazing must be marked to make it

visually apparent where there is a risk of collision due to the presence of the

glazing not being obvious. These requirements apply to existing glazing as well

as glazing in new buildings.

2. All Community Schools were subject to a glazing inspection between 1993 and

1996 and high-risk areas of glazing should have been replaced with safety

glazing, protected with film or access restricted in close proximity.

3. When it is necessary to replace existing glazing due to breakage schools must

determine the appropriate specification for replacement glazing assessed on

the level of risk and having regard to current standards.

4. When replacing existing glazing, schools must also have regard to critical

situations and take account of other safety issues, for example glazing in fire

resisting elements or glazing protecting a change in level.

5. Glazing to stairway enclosures, in compartment and other fire resisting walls

should have been specified as fire resisting. In many locations this will be

wired glass, in recent buildings special fire resisting glass (not wired) might

have been used. This may not be readily identifiable. Until recently wired glass

meeting safety-glazing standards was not available. A special wired safety glass

is now obtainable. Replacement glazing should be specified to meet fire

resistance and safety requirements as appropriate.

6. In existing buildings there may be non-fire-resisting elements glazed in wired

glass. It is possible that, historically, such glazing was specified in the belief

that, if the glazing were broken, the wires would retain the broken glass and

provide some degree of safety. If it is necessary to replace such glazing, and it

is considered that safety glazing is required, then an appropriate safety glass

should be specified, as wired glass is not considered to be safety glass.

B2.4 Door Safety

1. There are safety risks to very young children of finger injuries in doors.

Effective education of children to avoid the risk is considered good practice;

however where nursery and reception children are present in high numbers

throughout the school day, the precaution of installing finger guards is

recommended.

2. All Community primary schools should have finger guards fitted in nursery and

reception areas where doors present a significant risk.

3. Primary schools should have undertaken a risk assessment to consider where

door guards may be required. ‘Door Safety in Schools’ is a guidance note




prepared by Northamptonshire County Council Health and Safety Team to

assist schools in this task and is contained in Appendix 12.

4. Further advice or information on door safety and finger guard provision may be

obtained from the Northamptonshire County Council Health and Safety Team

(see Part J3.3).

B3 Fire Safety

B3.1 General

1. To manage the risks from fire in buildings and to ensure the safe evacuation of

the school in the event of an alarm being raised, the school will need to carry

out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment, ensure that buildings have

appropriate means of escape, equipment is provided and maintained, to

enable safe evacuation and that training is regularly undertaken of the

evacuation drill.

2. All Community Schools should have a copy of ‘The Management of Fire

Precautions’ folder provided by Northamptonshire County Council Health and

Safety Team. This contains details on the issues schools should consider in

relation to fire management and also used to record the inspections and

maintenance regimes the schools can follow to ensure equipment is

maintained in appropriate condition.

3. The following information summarises the more detailed provisions referred to

in ‘The Management of Fire Precautions’ folder.

B3.2 Fire Risk Assessment

1. A Fire Risk Assessment procedure has been developed by Northamptonshire

County Council Health and Safety Team for use by schools and is contained in

Appendix 13. Schools may record the findings of the risk assessment by using

the Appendix.

2. An ‘Arson Prevention Check List’ produced by the Northamptonshire County

Council Health and Safety Team has also been included in Appendix 14. This

provides guidance to schools on what actions should be considered and taken

to minimise the risk of arson, which is potentially the highest risk of fire

starting.

3. The School’s completed Fire Risk Assessment should be retained in

‘Management of Fire Precautions’ folder. Northamptonshire County Council

Health and Safety Team can provide guidance for schools on completion of the

Assessment. The assessment should be reviewed at least annually or following

any incident or changes to the building.




B3.3 Fire Management Responsibilities

1. Community Schools should have in place the following systems in relation to

fire safety management covered within ‘The Management of Fire Precautions’

folder:

An appointed, and trained, ‘Responsible Person’ to be responsible for the

building’s Fire Safety.

An up to date Fire Risk Assessment (See B3.2).

An appointed competent person to develop and implement the Fire Safety

Plan following the Risk assessment.

Appointed Fire Wardens responsible for clearing their specified areas.

Training staff in the evacuation procedure.

Ensuring practice drills are undertaken at least on a termly basis (3

times/year).

Making special arrangements to accommodate disabled or special needs

people.

Ensuring visitors are informed, on arrival, of fire evacuation plans where

appropriate.

Ensuring escape routes are clearly marked and kept clear of obstructions.

Managing areas of ignition sources (kitchens, science labs, hot works etc).

Investigating all incidences of unwanted alarms or damage and taking

measures to reduce recurrence.

B3.4 Routine Fire Inspections of buildings and equipment

2. The school will have been constructed to comply with the Building Regulation

requirements applicable at the time of construction in relation to fire safety.

However, standards change and current building regulation requirements are

different in buildings constructed many decades ago. It is important to

undertake inspections in buildings to ensure fire compartmentation of the

building(s) and safe exit routes are maintained:

Fire door integrity.

Operation of self closers and automatic release doors.

Efficient operation of fire exit doors.

No breaches of fire resistant construction.

Functioning, and regular testing, of emergency lighting.

Operation and testing of alarm call points.

Fire extinguishers are in place, are appropriate to the fire risks in the area,

regularly tested (and are in date) and functional.

Exit routes are clearly marked and remain clear and free from obstructions.

Sufficient fire exit signs are in place and conspicuous.




Where fitted, sprinklers are maintained (four times per year, or as

recommended by the installer).

Where fitted, fire detection equipment is maintained.

3. The Management of Fire Precautions folder should set out the procedures and

records of inspections and tests should be retained.

B4 Electricity At Work

B4.1 Fixed Electrical Testing

1. Fixed electrical systems in Community Schools are required to be maintained

to ensure they operate safely. Schools are responsible for implementing an

inspection and testing routine and should carry out inspections at least every 5

years.

2. The 5 year interval must be reduced in higher risk areas such as theatres and

kitchens. Initially it is advised that annual inspections of these higher-risk areas

are carried out, however this can be extended on the advice of a competent

person subject to inspection results. Schools must cross-reference or retain

test results in Part K of this Handbook.

3. A competent contractor must be appointed to undertake the inspections, who

is either, National Inspection Council of Electrical Installation Contracting

(NICEIC) Approved and/or Institute of Electrical Engineers (IEE) approved.

B4.2 Portable Appliance Testing and User Inspections

1. Schools must undertake an inspection and testing regime that complies with

guidance from the Health and Safety Executive: Maintaining portable electrical

equipment HSG107 (Third edition) Publuished 2013. The intervals for inspection

depend on the type of equipment (earthed, double insulated) and the

environment it is used in.

2. Most organisations adopt a regime of annual testing for all portable electrical

appliances over 12 months old. However the annual intervals may be

extended for low risk equipment and depending on results of testing over a

period of time.

3. A competent contractor with suitable testing facilities must carry out portable

appliance testing.

4. Any identified faulty equipment from the inspection process must be taken out

of service immediately and repaired prior to further use, or replaced.

5. Schools must cross-reference or retain test results from portable appliance

testing

6. It should be recognised that to supplement the above testing regime, those

that use portable appliances should carry out visual inspections on a daily

basis. The School should put in place a ‘reporting of faults or defects’ system




to ensure appliances are immediately taken out of use and disposed of or

replaced.

7. Personal equipment should not be connected to the school electricity supply.

Any personal equipment that is bought into the school, whether for school use

or not, must be tested in accordance with the above regime.

B5 Gas Safety


1. Gas installations present health and safety risks associated with carbon

monoxide poisoning and explosions. All gas appliances therefore are required

to be correctly installed and maintained as determined by the above

Regulations.

2. Schools are required to ensure the following duties are therefore undertaken

for every gas appliance:

Ensure gas fittings and flues are maintained in a safe condition; Gas

appliances must be serviced in accordance with manufacturer’s

instructions. If these are not available then services must be undertaken

annually unless advised otherwise by a Gas Safety Engineer.

Ensure an annual safety check is carried out on each gas appliance.

Ensure all installation, maintenance and a ‘Gas Safety’ registered engineer

undertakes safety checks.

Retain a record of each safety check for at least 5 years.

3. A Gas Safety Engineer should always carry a card that identifies their business

registration number and personal licence number. The card will contain a

photo of the Engineer. The reverse of the card will detail what kind of gas work

the Engineer is registered to carry out.

B5.2 Gas escape and Emergency Situations

1. If there is a smell of gas or a suspected gas escape, or a carbon monoxide leak,

Schools should immediately carry out the following:

Open all doors and windows in the area.

Shut off the gas supply at the meter control valve.

If gas continues to escape call the Gas Emergency free phone on 0800 111

999.

Ensure any investigation and repair is carried out by a Gas Registered

Engineer.




B6 Water Management (Legionella)

B6.1 Health risks from Legionella

2. The COSHH Regulations include requirements to protect people from harm

associated with biological organisms. In water systems used within buildings

there is a recognised risk associated with Legionella bacteria in water systems.

The risk to people is from inhalation of water released as a spray containing the

bacteria. That complies with guidance from the Health and Safety Executive

Legionnaires' disease. The control of Legionella bacteria in water systems.

Approved Code of Practice and guidance on regulations (4th edition 2013).

3. The risk of Legionella in water systems is significantly reduced if they are

maintained in a clean sealed system and water temperature is controlled

outside a range of 20 to 43 degrees centigrade. Within this stated range the

Legionella bacteria quickly proliferate.

4. To ensure risks are managed, a school must have a specific water management

assessment carried out by a competent contractor in accordance with the

Approved Code of Practice L8 entitled ‘The Control of Legionella Bacteria in

Water Systems’.

5. A regular and routine water management system should be developed and

included within the assessment. This should include details on how schools, or

their contractor, should monitor temperatures at outlets and undertake

cleaning at specific outlets at specified intervals.

6. Water Management Log Books, including the original assessment and the

results of the routine inspections, should be retained by the school.

B6.2 Safety Risks from Ponds and Water Features

1. Many schools enjoy water features; however they do present risks that require

effective management.

2. There is no legislation concerning ponds etc, however the school should carry

out a risk assessment and physical and supervisory measures introduced as

appropriate. To aid schools, Northamptonshire County Council Health and

Safety Team have developed guidance and a copy is contained at Appendix 15.

B6.3 Local Exhaust Ventilation Systems

1. Where schools have installed local exhaust ventilation systems, such as fume

cupboards or other types of extraction to capture hazardous substances, it will

be necessary to ensure a competent person carries out annual inspections.

2. In addition to the statutory annual inspections required by the COSHH

Regulations, procedures will need to be in place to ensure effective design and

selection of LEV systems, appropriate instructions for safe and effective use




and regular routine inspections and monitoring to ensure efficiency is

maintained.

B7 Control Of Asbestos

B7.1 Introduction and General Requirements relating to Asbestos

1. Many school buildings have within them asbestos containing materials (ACMs)

ACMs are more likely to be present in buildings constructed or refurbished

between 1950 and 1985. Although asbestos was used prior to 1950 it was used

in fewer materials, although it was not banned for general use in building

materials until 1999.

2. Site Supervisors, parent helpers, carpenters, electricians, plumbers and other

construction workers may be at risk if ACMs are disturbed when alterations,

refurbishment, repairs or maintenance work is carried out. Occupants of the

buildings will also be placed at risk if there is disturbance of ACMs and fibres

are released into the environment.

3. In existing buildings, where ACMs are likely to be present, the Head teacher or

an appointed representative should know, and act on, the following:

The location of ACMs.

The form of ACMs (ceiling tiles, partition board etc.).

The condition of ACMs.

Provide the asbestos information to anyone carrying out maintenance

work on the premises, before they start any works on site.

Keep all records up to date.

This information will be contained in what is known as an Asbestos

Management Plan.

B7.2 Asbestos Survey Information

1. All Community Schools in Northamptonshire were surveyed between 1985 and

1992 to identify ACMs. These surveys were visual only (no samples were taken

and analysed to confirm the presence of asbestos) and covered those areas

accessible at the time. Concealed locations such as roof voids and ducts were

not surveyed.

2. It was recognised the contents of the above survey information could not be

relied upon, and therefore from 2001 all Community Schools were subjected to

a further more detailed survey to meet the requirements of Health and Safety

Executive guidance. The surveys, currently held by Community Schools (where

ACMs are present), have been based on visual assessment with representative

bulk samples collected and analysed to determine the presence (or not) of

asbestos. This type of survey is commonly known as an Asbestos Management

Survey.




3. The Asbestos Management Survey information held by schools can be relied

upon to positively identify ACMs, for the purpose of day-to-day management.

However, if refurbishment or building work is planned that may involve

disturbance to hidden locations where ACMs may still be present, i.e.

penetration of walls with composite construction, breaking into ducts etc, then

an Asbestos Refurbishment/Demolition Survey is required to be undertaken.

B7.3 Asbestos Containing Materials in Buildings: NCC Policy and Procedures

1. This document should be held at all Community Schools built before 1985,

unless the school has written confirmation from Property Services that a survey

has been undertaken and no ACMs were found to be present. This written

information, if held, should be retained by the school for inspection by anyone

carrying our works to the property.

2. The document provides guidance on managing the day-to-day risks from

ACM’s, identifies management responsibilities and details procedures to be

followed when planning projects.

3. The document should contain the Asbestos Management Survey, which should

be utilised to effectively manage the ACM that are present within the school.

4. Head teachers are responsible for ensuring that the requirements contained

within the above document are followed and that the asbestos survey

information is updated as and when appropriate. Any request for

interpretation or advice on this document should be directed to the Asbestos

and Radon Manager in Property Services identified in Part J2.

5. In addition to the asbestos survey information held at schools, Property

Services maintains an ‘Asbestos Register’. The Asbestos Register comprises

asbestos survey information from all establishments. Any request to replace

missing information should be made to the Asbestos and Radon Manager.

B7.4 Emergency Arrangements

1. Where the presence of asbestos is suspected (this may be on the survey

information or otherwise), and it has been, or is likely to be, disturbed in an

uncontrolled manner or it has become damaged, the Asbestos and Radon

Manager in Property Services must be contacted as soon as possible by

telephoning (01604 366946 or 07540 672570). He will arrange for the

following to be undertaken:

Assess the risk from the damage/disturbance.

Sample if necessary to identify asbestos presence.

Advise or take action depending on the findings.

Arrange for an air test and visually inspect treated areas if appropriate.

2. ACMs that are in a dangerous or potentially dangerous condition shall be

removed, or in exceptional circumstances encapsulated or sealed. The




Asbestos and Radon Manager, following inspection, will provide advice and

guidance.

3. Depending upon the nature and severity of the emergency, there may be a

charge for this service from LGSS. However, this should not preclude contact

being made promptly.

B7.5 Planned disturbance associated with remedial, alteration or refurbishment work

1. It is essential that careful preliminary investigations take place to determine

whether any proposed works are likely to affect existing materials/products

containing asbestos. If ACMs are identified it will be necessary to develop a

strategy for dealing with the situation. Those responsible for managing the

work must ensure that effective procedures are in place for managing this

potentially high-risk activity. In the first instance advice should be sought from

the Asbestos and Radon Manager in Property Services, details in Part J2.

2. Any costs associated with asbestos related work arising from remedial,

refurbishment or alteration work on School Managed Projects will be the

responsibility of the School. As costs can often be substantial it is essential to

establish these at an early stage. Assistance should be obtained from the

Asbestos and Radon Manager, who will be able to offer, in many instances,

cost effective methods for managing the risks.

3. Further details of the required procedures are provided in Asbestos Containing

Materials in Buildings Policy and Procedures, held by the School.

B7.6 Updating and on-going management of asbestos information

1. Head teachers are reminded that any changes to the asbestos survey

information should be referred to the Asbestos and Radon Manager in

Property Services, to enable updating of the centrally held Asbestos Register.

B8 Monitoring of Radon Gas

B8.1 General requirements for radon gas

1. Radon is a radioactive gas that may be present in the ground below buildings.

Where it occurs in high concentrations and enters into a building, it can pose a

risk to health for occupants who are subject to high exposure over long

periods. Precautions against exposure to radon in buildings are necessary in

some Northamptonshire schools.

B8.2 Radon Monitoring and Mitigation

1. Radon levels have been assessed and are subject to on going monitoring in all

Community Schools. Normally monitoring is carried out over a three-month




period, during the winter. The action level for school buildings, above which

mitigation measures are considered necessary, is 400 Bq m3.

2. Community Schools have been measured for radon levels from 1992, by the

Property Services Team. Where radon levels above the action level were

recorded, mitigation work was carried out. This was generally by installation of

an extract fan(s) and ducting to extract air from below the ground floor thereby

reducing the amount of radon penetrating the building.

3. Where extraction fans have been installed it the responsibility of the school to

check the extract fan on a termly basis to ensure that it is working effectively.

Property Services has provided schools with an inspection checklist and record

sheet.

4. Schools that have had mitigation works carried out and those with measured

radon readings between 200 and 400 Bq m3 are subject to re-testing at 3 year

intervals. Such testing is the responsibility of the School but can be arranged

through Property Services as a chargeable service.

5. Other premises are tested at 10-year intervals. Such testing is the

responsibility of the School but can be arranged through Property Services as a

chargeable service.

6. New buildings should be monitored within 18 months of completion. Such

monitoring is the responsibility of the School but can be arranged through

Property Services as a chargeable service.

7. Radon measurement for all schools are held centrally by Property Services and

further information or advice is available from the Asbestos and Radon

Manager in Property Services; Part J2. Any measurement and test

results/records from works arranged by the school directly must be copied to

Property Services for retention in the property file.

B8.3 Radon mitigation in new buildings and extensions

1. Consideration must be given to the need for radon precautions in the design of

new buildings or extensions. The level and type of protection necessary, if any,

will depend on the level of risk and the building design.

2. Those undertaking the design of new buildings should comply with the

requirements of the Building Regulations, and more specific information on

levels of radon protection can be made available from the Asbestos and Radon

Manager in Property Services; Part J2.

B9 Management Of Trees And Ecology On School Premises

B9.1 Management of Trees

1. Before carrying out any work to, on or around trees, it is essential that the

impact on Tree Preservation Orders and Planning/Development rules is




assessed. Please contact the Development Control department for further

advice in this matter before any works are commenced. Their contact details

are included in Part J Section 3.1.

B9.3 Ecological Impact

1. Before carrying out any works involving construction and/or demolition or the

possible disturbance of protected species (e.g. bats, newts and other species),

it would be necessary to carry out an environmental/ecological impact study.

Please contact the Development Control department for further advice in this

matter before any works are commenced. Their contact details are included in

Part J Section 3.1.

B10 Lifting Operations/Equipment Regulations And Pressure Vessels

B10.1 General

1. In the case of schools that have opted into Northamptonshire County Council’s

Property Insurance Scheme, the Insurance Company will inspect the following

equipment on the stated intervals:

Pressure vessels/Air receivers 12months or defined by competent

person

Hoists and lifting gear 12months if not used by people

Passenger Lifts or lifting gear 6 months

Teaching gas installations 12 months

2. These inspections are minimum requirements and additional inspections and

maintenance may be organised by those responsible for equipment.

B11 Construction Design And Management Regulations


1. All construction work can be dangerous and the risk is significantly increased

within a school environment. Even the smallest projects require effective

planning and risk assessment to identify responsibilities for working areas and

to implement suitable controls.

B11.2 Construction Works and the application of the CDM Regulations

1. The Construction (Design & Management) Regulations 2007 (CDM Regulations)

apply to all construction projects, regardless of time scale and whether or not

notification to the Health and Safety Executive is required.

2. The CDM Regulations require notification is made to the Health and Safety

Executive if a project involves construction work where any one of the

following statements are applicable:




The construction phase will be longer than 30 days.

The construction phase will involve more than 500 person days of work.

3. The regulations require that clients procuring the works appoint, at the outset

of the design works, a CDM-Coordinator to advise and guide them through

their responsibilities under the Regulations. These duties are extensive and

only a competent person or organisation with professional experience of

construction and health and safety related to construction would be able to

undertake the tasks required.

4. The term ‘construction work’ is widely defined in the CDM Regulations and

includes maintenance, rewiring and redecoration in addition to work that

would generally be understood to be ‘construction work’ such as alteration

works, extensions, demolitions and new buildings.

5. It should be noted that under the CDM Regulations designers are required to

give adequate regard to health and safety matters as specified in the

Regulations for all construction projects. Under Regulation 11 (Designers Duty

Holders responsibility) a residual risk register is required where risks cannot be

fully designed out.

6. The CDM Regulations place duties on all those involved in construction projects

including Clients, Designers and Contractors. The Regulations also place duties

on the CDM-Coordinator and the Principal Contractor.

7. For the purposes of the CDM Regulations, the duties of the Client will generally

be placed on the School. Further advice is provided in Appendix 16, which

covers Client responsibilities.

B11.3 School Managed Projects

1. For construction projects managed by schools the ‘Client’ for the purposes of

the CDM Regulations will be the school governing body. Property Services

have set out guidance in relation to specific CDM Regulation requirements in

the following clauses.

2. It is the responsibility of the Client to appoint a CDM Coordinator who is

competent and has allowed adequate resources to carry out their health and

safety responsibilities for the project.

Appendix 4 of the CDM Approved Code Of Practice details the criteria for a

two stage competency assessment.

It is unlikely that school caretakers/site supervisors or other school staff

will have sufficient training and experience to be considered as competent

for this role.

A competent CDM-Coordinator, once appointed, should be able to advise

and guide the governing body on all aspects of health and safety relating to

the project.




Failure to appoint CDM-C , or indeed any Duty Holder, automatically

results in the Client assuming responsibility.

3. It is the responsibility of the Client to appoint Designers and Contractors who

are competent and have allowed adequate resources to carry out their health

and safety responsibilities for the project. Advice on assessing competence is

contained in Part G2 of this Handbook.

4. For projects carried out in school term time it essential to ensure that

measures are included to safeguard the health and safety of pupils, staff and

visitors. The following are examples of issues that should be addressed and

included within the Principal Contractors Health and Safety Plan:

Physical separation of the contractors work/site area from internal and

external areas occupied by the school.

Management of the contractors’ access to and from the work/site area to

avoid conflict with pupils staff etc at school arrival and departure times

and to separate the contractors’ traffic from areas used by the school.

Maintenance of adequate means of escape in case of fire.

Maintenance of the fire alarm system at all times of occupancy.

5. The CDM Regulations require a ‘Health and Safety File’ of the project is

provided to the Client on completion of the construction work. The Health and

Safety File is required to provide information that will assist the School or other

persons maintaining and using the building or carrying out future construction

work. The File should be retained on the premises and made available for

inspection by those who need it.




PART C - PROPERTY MAINTENANCE

C1 Funding For School Buildings

The Financial Management Handbook details the current funding mechanisms for

schools. This document can be found at:

http://www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/en/councilservices/educationandlearning/servi

ces/schlfin/pages/finhandbook.aspx

C2 Head Teachers And Governors’ Responsibilities

C2.2 General

1. The Head teacher and Governors of all Community Schools are responsible for

the maintenance of all of the school premises and site. This includes any

mobile buildings, caretaker’s houses, swimming pools and all external areas

including access roads, playgrounds, fences and boundary and retaining walls.

Such work will include:

All day-to-day and planned maintenance such as repairing or recovering

roofs, replacing failed boilers, rewiring, renewing damaged or dilapidated

fences, rebuilding unsafe or collapsed boundary or retaining walls,

resurfacing playgrounds, etc.

Ensuring that the building complies with various statutory regulations

including those in regard to fire, environmental issues, safety glazing,

asbestos regulations, etc.

Arranging, monitoring and retaining records of the results of a variety of

regular inspection and servicing contracts – see Part C3.

2. Schools must ensure that defects are rectified in order to prevent damage to

property or injury to persons using the premises.

3. A number of adjoining schools share common features such as heating boilers,

access drives, incoming services, fencing and boundary walls, etc. In such cases

the cost of repairing or replacing such items need to be shared on an agreed

equitable basis

4. This responsibility includes fulfilling their duties under the AMP and utilising

devolved and delegated funds in accordance with the agreed AMP priorities.

5. Under no circumstances will a school be permitted to close as a result of a lack

of funding for essential maintenance work. Unavoidable expenditure may

therefore be incurred on items that, if not dealt with immediately, would lead

to the closure of all or part of a school, for example:

Boiler/heating system replacements.

Electrical rewiring of discrete blocks.

Major roofing failures.

http://www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/en/councilservices/educationandlearning/services/schlfin/pages/finhandbook.aspx





Similar major breakdowns/structural repairs.

C3 Term Maintenance And Inspection Contracts

C3.1 Statutory and General Requirements

1. Certain mechanical and electrical equipment and installations are required by

statute to be inspected and maintained on a regular basis. Records of the

inspections and any resulting actions must be held on the premises.

2. There is an over-riding general requirement, under equipment and premises

related health and safety legislation, that the workplace and work equipment

are maintained in safe working order and in good repair. Accordingly, it is

recommended that certain items of equipment etc are inspected, cleaned and

serviced at regular intervals in order to ensure optimum performance and

freedom from breakdowns.

3. To assist schools in understanding their obligations, the regular term

maintenance and inspection contracts, together with other related inspections

are scheduled in a quick reference guide, which is contained in Appendix 1.

C3.2 Tendered Inspection Services Available to Schools

1. Property Services has selected, through appropriate procurement methods,

contractors to undertake a range of statutory inspections following competitive

tendering processes and careful assessment. Utilisation of the inspection

services is available to schools at the appropriate cost. Schools are however,

responsible for direct appointment of these contractors and making payments.

Further information can be made available to schools on request. Please refer

to the appropriate contact in Property Services in Part J2.

2. Schools not wanting to take advantage of the services referred to above for

statutory inspections organised by Property Services may make their own

arrangements. Further information on requirements and obligations may be

obtained from the appropriate Property Services contact provided in Part J2.

C3.3 Asbestos Information for Contractors

1. Many schools have asbestos containing materials. In addition to the school’s

responsibility to monitor the condition of these on a regular basis, such

products can be disturbed when maintenance work is undertaken. It is

therefore essential that pre inspections be undertaken by a responsible person

and that maintenance contractors are provided with information from the

asbestos survey, where appropriate. Areas should be inspected on completion

of work where asbestos is known to be in the vicinity of the works.




C4 Insurance Inspections For High Risk Equipment

C4.1 Insurance Requirements

1. Schools, which have opted into Northamptonshire County Council’s Property

Insurance Scheme, will have the following equipment inspected on a regular

basis by the Insurance Company:

Pressure vessels/Air receivers.

Hoists, lifts and lifting gear (fixed to the structure).

Hoists and lifting gear (portable).

Gas installations used for teaching purposes.

2. These inspections are minimum requirements and additional inspections and

maintenance may be organised by those responsible for equipment.

3. Schools are responsible for identifying to the Insurance Team and the

Insurance Company’s Inspector all items of equipment within the above

categories. In particular new items and items which have been removed from

service require identification. Any items that are obsolete or require

maintenance must be removed from service immediately.

4. An Inspection Report will be forwarded to the school by Property Services and

list any items of maintenance required. This certificate must be retained and

made available to the Insurance Inspector on request. In addition, any items of

maintenance noted as being required must be executed immediately in order

to ensure that insurance cover is maintained.

5. Schools that arrange their own insurance should check the procedure required

by their proposed Insurers in regard to the inspection of equipment.

6. Further advice in respect to Insurance Requirements can be found in the

Financial Management Handbook available at

http://www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/en/councilservices/educationandlearnin

g/services/schlfin/pages/finhandbook.aspx any queries should be directed to

the Insurance team whose contact details can be found in Part J3.2. Comment [j1]: Check with Insurance Dept






PART D – SCHOOL PREMISES MANAGEMENT

D1 Property Insurance

D1.1 General

1. It is the responsibility of Head teachers and Governors to ensure that a valid

insurance policy is in place to cover all the buildings and their contents that it

either owns or is responsible for.

2. Further details can be found in the Financial Management Handbook available

at


g/services/schlfin/pages/finhandbook.aspx

D2 Control Of Assets

D2.1 Inventory of Movable Assets

1. In accordance with standard Northamptonshire County Council policy, schools

are required to maintain an inventory of all movable non-capital assets with a

capital value over £100 or ‘desirables’ under £100.

2. Schools are at liberty to record assets in a manner which best suits them.

Inventory books suitable for this purpose can be obtained by contacting Audit

and Schools Finance or schools may wish to use the SIMS Equipment Register.

D2.2 Disposal of Moveable Assets

1. Schools may dispose of moveable assets except in cases where the asset was

purchased with non-delegated funds. The proposed disposal of moveable

assets purchased with non-delegated funds shall be referred to the Strategic

Capital Project Delivery Team.

2. The disposal of all assets must be recorded correctly in the school’s inventory.

3. Income from the sale of assets may be retained in accordance with the Scheme

for Financing Schools. Details on the retention of income are set out in Section

5 of the Scheme.

D3 Activities Requiring A Licence Or Permit

D3.1 General

1. Schools using their premises for a variety of events (public entertainment,

theatre use, sale of alcohol etc) should consider if the activity requires a

licence. Advice with regard to this is available from the local council. Costs can

be significant and therefore early discussions are recommended.






2. A Premises Licence will effectively make the applicant the licensee for the

duration of the event and therefore liable for any infringement in the

legislation.

3. On receipt of an application for a Premises Licences, an inspection of the

premises may be carried out to assess the suitability for public use.

4. Every application for a Public Licence must be advertised and public notices

displayed for 28 days. Notices are also served on a full list of Authorities

(Police, Fire Service, Environmental Health etc).

5. Often, local councils, in considering the application will require plans and

information on a range of premises related issues.

D3.2 Use of the School Hall for Entertainment

1. Use of the School’s hall for occasional school related entertainment, such as a

Christmas Show for parents, does not require a licence, as parents are not

deemed to be members of the public.

2. Health, safety and welfare issues will however require careful assessment of

the risks involved. To assist schools in managing health and safety

requirements when performances are held, the Health and Safety Team have

developed guidance entitled ‘Occasional Use of the School Hall as a Place of

Entertainment’. This is contained at Appendix 7. Further information can be

obtained from the Health and Safety Team as identified at Part J3.3.




PART E – SCHOOL PREMISES ASSET MANAGEMENT

E1 Rating

E1.1 Non-Domestic Rates

1. Each individual school will be charged with the amount of rates, which is in

their budget share in respect of the continued use, and occupation of the

school.

2. In some schools there are additional or secondary facilities, which may be

separately assessed for rating purposes even though they fall within the school

curtilage. Although these may not primarily be used for school purposes, they

will be charged to the school unless there exists any other contractual

agreement between Education Services and/or the school with a third party

which alters the responsibility for payment.

3. Any correspondence, requests for property information, etc, received from The

District Valuer or Valuation Officer should be forwarded as soon as practicable

to Strategic Assets Team.

E2 Occupation By Third Parties And Extended School Use

E2.1 Agreement to Third Party Occupation

1. Schools that wish to grant the use of any part of their premises or site to a third

party such as playgroups, after school clubs, youth groups etc. should seek

advice from the Strategic Capital Project Delivery Team prior to agreeing any

such use.

2. All use of schools by a third party must be covered by a formal agreement that

will usually be a lease or a licence. Schools should consult with the Strategic

Assets Team for advice on the appropriate type of agreement.

3. Full details are available in Section 6 of the Financial Management Handbook,

which is available at



E2.2 Formal Agreements for Third Party Use

1. A lease to occupy school premises can only be granted by Northamptonshire

County Council. Schools should seek advice from the Strategic Assets Team

before entering into discussions concerning a lease to occupy school premises.

2. Full details are available in Section 6 of the Financial Management Handbook,

which is available at










E3 Caretakers Houses

E3.1 Scheme of Delegation

1. The responsibility for caretakers’/site supervisors’ houses is defined in the

Scheme of Delegation for Management of School Caretakers’/Site Supervisors’

Houses (See Appendix 6).

E3.2 Alternative Uses

1. When a caretaker’s/site supervisor’s house becomes vacant the Governing

Body may wish to consider alternative uses. The options available are detailed

in the Scheme of Delegation (See Appendix 6).

E4 Disposal Of School Premises

1. Any proposal to dispose of any part of the school premises shall be referred to

the Heads of Property Services and Strategic Assets, by email to

[email protected]

2. All disposals must be approved by Cabinet

mailto:[email protected]?subject=FAO%20Head%20of%20Property%20Services%20&%20Head%20of%20Strategic%20Assets




PART F – SCHOOL MANAGED PROJECTS

F1 General Requirements

F1.1 Scope

1. This part of the Handbook sets out the policy requirements for schools in

relation to ‘School Managed Projects’. A School Managed Project is one where

the School Governors are deemed to be the Client and/or Employer and have

overall responsibility for the works. School Managed Projects may include new

build structures, extensions, internal modifications, refurbishments, works to

services (IT installations, alarms, electrical, mechanical etc), demolition and

items of strategic maintenance work aligned to school’s conditions 1-3.

F2 Use Of Consultants

F2.1 Appointment of Consultants

1. The management of building projects or substantial strategic maintenance

work will normally require the expertise of construction professionals in

relation to:

Design.

Compliance with statutory and other requirements.

Financial control.

Tendering process.

Contractual management.

Inspection of the work in progress.

Safeguarding health and safety.

Contractor liaison.

F2.2 Consultant Key Duties on Larger Projects

2. When carrying out all but the smallest building projects, the expertise of an

appropriate construction professional will always be required to carry out the

following key steps and ensure effective use of resources: -

Feasibility Study:

Checking whether the project is feasible and providing an early estimate of

cost, together with the identification of any legal constraints and impacts

on third parties. The cost, duration and successful execution of a project

will depend on good advice at this stage.

Specification:

Produce a written technical specification for the work to be carried out,

including contract conditions. Obtaining necessary planning approval,

buildings control consents and Party Wall Act consents.




Tender:

Tender the project to an appropriate number of contractors. In addition to

meeting legal procurement requirements, the Northamptonshire County

Council Standing Orders and Financial Controls may also be applicable.

Evaluation of Tenders and Award of Contract:

Checking that the tenders are valid and accurate and recommending a

contractor with whom to let the contract.

Site Management:

Regular visits to site to check the progress and quality of work and to deal

with any project variations.

Handover:

Accept the finished project, snagging and checking that all commissioning

and testing has been carried out.

Finance:

Checking invoices and accounts are valid, accurate and reflect the work

that has been completed, and recommending the value of payments.

F2.3 Competent Appointments

1. School governing bodies have a responsibility to ensure, so far as is reasonably

practicable, that they appoint competent persons or organisations to work on

their behalf. The appointment of appropriately qualified construction

professionals will be necessary for all but the smallest projects.

F3 Consents, Technical Support And Statutory Requirements

F3.1 Northamptonshire County Council Monitoring

1. School Managed Projects must not be carried out without an ‘Approval in

Principle’ letter being issued by Property Services.

2. Construction work must not commence until the school has received written

approval. If construction works do commence before approval, this is done

so at the financial, planning and governance risk of the Governors of the

school.

3. An ‘AMP information sheet: School Managed Projects’ must be submitted to

the Construction Project Manager in Property Services’ Strategic Capital Project

Delivery team for each proposed project.

4. Submissions must be made using the online form available at

http://www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/en/councilservices/EducationandLearni

ng/services/buildings/Pages/projects.aspx Guidance on completing the form

can also be found on the web page.

5. The procedure requires the submission of a completed and authorised form, as

detailed in F3.1.3, along with appropriate supporting information, as detailed

https://northamptonshire.firmstep.com/default.aspx/RenderForm/?F.Name=GRaRBhzRBHm

http://www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/en/councilservices/EducationandLearning/services/buildings/Pages/projects.aspx

http://www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/en/councilservices/EducationandLearning/services/buildings/Pages/projects.aspx

http://www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/en/councilservices/EducationandLearning/services/buildings/Documents/Word%20Documents/AMP%20Information%20sheet%20Jan%2010.doc




on the form. For small projects the completed form and a floor plan showing

the location of the work should be sufficient. For projects that may impact on

the site itself, e.g. adventure trail, outdoor covered area etc, a site plan must be

included.

6. Schools will initially receive comments on the basis of the submitted form.

Schools should allow a minimum of 10 working days from receipt of the initial

submission to written approval. Schools should note this might be considerably

longer during busy periods such as summer holidays and where additional

information has been requested of the school in order for full technical

assessment to be made.

F3.2 Planning Approval

1. Northamptonshire County Council is the Planning Authority for all community

schools and voluntary controlled schools, (for academy or independent schools

the local District is the Planning Authority). Planning permission is normally

required for:

New buildings, extensions or structures which exceed 200m3 or 4m in

height.

Fencing 1m or higher adjacent to a highway or 2m or higher elsewhere.

Changes of use of land or buildings to educational use (e.g. former

caretaker’s houses).

New or improved access onto classified roads.

2. Special approval requirements apply to:

Listed buildings.

Buildings and trees within conservation areas.

Trees subject to Tree Preservation Orders.

3. Contact the NCC Development Control Manager by email to

[email protected] for clarification as to whether

planning approval is required or for any other advice on the planning

implications of any development proposals. Applications for planning approval

must be made direct by the school. The school is responsible for all costs

associated with the planning application.

F3.3 Building Regulations

1. Schools must satisfy themselves, or seek appropriate advice, prior to any works

commencing whether Building Regulations approval is required.

2. The Building Regulations cover:

The erection or extension of a building.

Provision or extension of certain services or fittings (e.g. drainage, heating

appliances, sanitary fittings) and electrical installations.





Material alteration of a building or certain services or fittings. An

alteration is ‘material’ if it can result in non-compliance in relation to

structure, fire safety or access and facilities for disabled people.

Work required as a result of a material change of use.

Insertion of insulating material into a cavity wall.

Underpinning.

Replacement of window(s), doors, roof lights.

Replacement of heating or hot water systems (substantial replacement).

Replacement of lighting systems (serving more than 100m²).

Replacement of air conditioning or mechanical ventilation systems.

3. It may be difficult to determine whether the Building Regulations apply to

proposed work. If there is any doubt the school should contact the relevant

Local Authority Building Control Office under the Northamptonshire Partner

Authority Scheme for advice.

4. Where Building Regulation approval is required it is the responsibility of School

Governors to ensure that approval is obtained, this can be done by the

architect or, in the case of minor work, the contractor.

5. For all projects, A Full Plans application can be made under the

Northamptonshire Partner Authority Scheme using the Building Control County

Group Agreement to either Northampton or Wellingborough Local Authority

Building Control office who will check the application and pass or reject the

plans.

Northampton Borough Council covers the Northampton, Daventry and

South Northamptonshire Districts.

Borough Council of Wellingborough covers the Wellingborough, East

Northamptonshire, Corby and Kettering Districts.

6. Site inspections will be carried out by the District/Borough within which the

property resides. The Building Control Officer will inspect the work at set

stages during construction to ensure compliance and a final certificate of

approval will be issued by them on completion of the works.

7. At the Full Plans application stage the Local Authority Building Control office

will consult any appropriate authority, including the Fire and Rescue Service, so

schools do not need to do so. However, there may be circumstances where it

is appropriate to consult the Fire and Rescue Service where Building Regulation

approval is not required.

8. The Local Authority Building Control office will make a charge for the Plans

application and for the site inspections. The charges are on a sliding scale

according to the value of the work. Details of charges and application forms

can be obtained from the Northampton or Wellingborough Local Authority

Building Control office.




F3.4 Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007

1. The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 (CDM) apply to

most construction projects, including maintenance, rewiring and decoration.

More detailed information on the application of the Regulations is contained in

Appendix 16.

2. It is a requirement of the CDM Regulations that the Client, which will be the

Governing Body for School Managed Projects, appoints a CDM Coordinator

(CDM-C) at the outset of the design on projects expected to exceed either 30

days of construction work or involve more than 500 person days of

construction work. The CDM-C should guide and advise on all issues relating to

the project health and safety and ensure the requirements of the Regulations

are complied with.

3. The CDM-C is required to notify the Health and Safety Executive of the project

on the prescribed form (F10), prior to the works starting. If the appointment is

not made, the Regulations state that the Client assumes the responsibilities of

the CDM-C and may be liable to prosecution in the event that duties are not

appropriately discharged. The F10 form and guidance can be found at

https://www.hse.gov.uk/forms/notification/f10.htm

4. Further details on the requirements of the CDM Regulations are contained in

Appendix 16

F3.5 Party Wall Etc Act 1996

1. The Party Wall Act 1996 provides a framework for preventing disputes in

relation to work affecting:

An existing ‘Party Wall’ or structure.

New buildings at or astride the boundary line between properties.

Excavations within 3 or 6m of a neighbouring building, depending on the

depth of the hole or foundations.

2. The Act requires those who intend to carry out building work to notify owners

and occupiers in good time before any work is started.

3. Schools proposing to carry out work that may fall within the scope of the Act

must give adjoining owners notice at least 2 months before the planned

starting date for the works. There are three types of notice and schools should

satisfy themselves which notice is required.

4. Further advice on the Party Wall Act 1996 is contained in Appendix 3.

F3.6 Procedures at Completion

1. The Strategic Assets team must be notified on completion of a School Managed

Project. This is by submission of the ‘Completion Form’ contained at Appendix

2b.

https://www.hse.gov.uk/forms/notification/f10.htm




2. Schools must provide “as-built” drawings of the project, in an agreed format

for record purposes and so the Asset Management Plan can be updated. The

changes may, for smaller projects, be identified by the school on 1:200 layout

plans and attached to the ‘Completion Form’ contained at Appendix 2b.

3. If the project falls within notification under the Construction (Design and

Management) Regulations 2007, a copy of the health and safety file of the

project is provided to the school and must be retained on site. Further details

on the requirements of the CDM Regulations are contained in Appendix 16.

F4 Design And Constructional Standards

F4.1 Department for Education Requirements

1. There are prescribed minimum standards for facilities applicable to schools,

which are set out in the Education (School Premises) Regulations 2012.

Compliance with the Regulations is a statutory requirement and building

projects must meet the standards. Further information is available on the DfE

Website - https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-

education

2. Building projects must also conform to the guidance prescribed in the Building

Bulletins (see Appendix 4).

F4.2 Northamptonshire County Council Requirements

1. LGSS Property Services require any alteration or development to comply with

statutory regulations, British Standards and other good practice guidance

documents as a minimum standard.

2. LGSS Property Services has developed policies, procedures and guidance which

schools are strongly recommended to follow for School Managed Projects,

these include:

Safety glazing.

Radon.

Asbestos.

Perimeter fencing.

Replacement windows and external doors.

Electrical installations.

Re-roofing: flat roofs.

Mechanical services replacements.

3. Extensions and new buildings generally should be designed to achieve a

minimum design life of 60 years. So far as is practicable materials/products

should minimise future maintenance. Provisions shall be included in building

designs to enable the cleaning and maintenance of elements/equipment.

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-education

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-education




PART G – TENDERING AND CONTRACT PROCEDURES

G1 LGSS Procurement Services

1. LGSS Procurement, in partnership with ESPO, are now offering the following

procurement services for schools:

Access to multiple contracts.

Procurement health-checks.

Technical advice on tendering and contracting.

Support on all Procurement issues.

The aim of the service is to support schools in achieving best value in their

purchasing, along with saving time by using NCC and ESPO contracts which

already fully satisfy the requirements of competitive tendering etc.

2. For details, please see the ‘Information for Schools’ section of the NCC website

G2 Principles Of Procurement

G2.1 Introduction

1. Obtaining Value for Money when entering into contracts is an underlying

principle, although the complexity of the procurement procedures that must

be followed will vary according to the value and risk. The splitting of contracts

to avoid these principles or rules is not permitted.

G2.2 Fair and Equal Competition

1. Schools have a duty in law to avoid any form of behaviour or conflict of interest

that might distort or restrict competition, or make a contract award subject to

the risk of being challenged.

2. Schools must take care in compiling lists of tenderers and in preparing tender

documentation, as well as in the conducting of post-tender clarification and/or

negotiation meetings. Decisions must be recorded in writing.

3. Schools need to be aware of the key piece of legislation in relation to equality

and diversity, this is The Equalities Act 2010 which replaces the Race Relations

and the Disability Discrimination Acts.

G2.3 Sustainable Procurement

1. Sustainable procurement offers the opportunity to encourage and work

collaboratively with contractors to adopt practices that minimise

environmental and social impacts. Schools must consider minimising the

impact on the environment whilst also acquiring goods, works and services at a

Comment [j2]: To review with Procurement





competitive rate. Schools are required to consider ways of procuring more

resource and energy efficient alternatives and pay particular regard to the

relevant environmental policies. Further guidance is provided on the

Procurement Web Site under policies.

G2.4 Supporting Local Businesses

1. Schools should use their purchasing power to work with small and minority

businesses wherever possible where this provides equal or better ‘Value for

Money’ than alternatives. However it must also be noted that the EU public

procurement legislation requires procurement not to discriminate, favour or

show bias.

2. Schools should carefully review the required specifications of any contract to

ensure that small and medium sized enterprises are not being disadvantaged

(or favoured) in their ability to tender for goods, works or services.

G3 General

G3.1 Contracts for Building Projects

1. Building contracts by their nature are complicated and raise particular

problems. The following notes are intended to assist Head teachers and

Governors in dealing with such contracts as efficiently and economically as

possible, whilst providing adequate safeguard against loss or other

impropriety.

2. Where schools are required to ensure competency, compliance with

regulations or membership of a specific body, they are advised to obtain

appropriate written documentation if available.

3. In addition to issues relating to standards referred to in Part C; there are a

number of other Northamptonshire County Council and statutory requirements

and regulations affecting building contracts that must be observed. Amongst

the main ones are the following:

NCC Constitution and Rules of Procedure.

The Construction Industry Tax Deduction Scheme.

The Housing Grants Construction and Regeneration Act 1996, Part II

Construction Contracts (“The Construction Act”).

EU Public Procurement Regulations and any updated remedies.

The effect of these and the way in which they should be dealt with are

explained in more detail in Part D4.




G4 Selection And Appointment Of Consultants And Contractors

G4.1 Consultants

1. The need to appoint competent professional consultants of the appropriate

discipline on all but the smallest and simplest construction projects is referred

to in Part F. When selecting such consultants the school governors must

ensure the following:

The conditions of engagement and service required are clearly set down in

writing.

The fee basis on which the consultant is appointed is clearly defined. This

includes determining a weekly, daily or hourly rate. Schools should be

aware that many consultants’ organisations have not published

recommended fee scales for a number of years. It is now accepted

practice to negotiate substantial discounts from fee scales.

The total duration of the Consultant’s expected time should also be

considered whether this is their working hours in any one day and their

working days in any one week and the envisaged total amount of time

expected to work with the School.

The consultant has a current professional indemnity insurance policy

covering a sufficient value. Please seek the advice of LGSS Procurement on

this – contact details are in Part J Section 3.5.

The selection of a consultant is evaluated on its competency relevant to

the School’s requirements. This may involve consideration of:

Experience from previous similar projects.

Qualifications and membership of professional body.

Numbers employed internally and from other sources.

Technical facilities available to staff.

G4.2 Contractors

1. When selecting contractors to undertake construction work the School

Governors must satisfy themselves with regard to the following:

The contractor has provided written confirmation that a current Public

Liability insurance policy is in force and covering a sufficient value. Please

seek the advice of LGSS Procurement on this – contact details are in Part J

Section 3.5.

Verify that the contractor is registered with HMRC and ascertain whether

payments made should be Gross or under Deduction. For contractors that

have worked for Northamptonshire County Council, this will already have

been done and confirmation or further advice can be obtained from the

Senior Finance Assistant in Property Services.




2. The contractor is assessed and deemed to be competent to undertake their

duties. This may involve considering:

The Company Health and Safety Policy.

Examples of developed procedures or project health and safety plans.

People employed to carry out their work, their skills and training.

Experience from previous similar projects.

3. There are a number of additional requirements in respect of contractors for

certain types of specialist work, as follows:

Work to gas installations – it is a legal requirement that all contractors and

persons working on gas installations must be Gas Safe Registered.

Work to electrical installations – it is a Property Services policy that all

electrical work be carried out in accordance with the latest British Standard

BS 7671 Requirements for Electrical Installations (also known as the IEE

Wiring Regulations), and by a competent person. Registration by the

NICEIC or membership of ECA is considered to demonstrate proof of

competence.

Work to asbestos – generally, only contractors licensed by the Health and

Safety Executive may be used for work to or in connection with asbestos

containing materials. Further details are contained in the Asbestos Policy

and Procedures document.

Hot working should be carried out in accordance with the ‘Hot Working

Rules in School Buildings’ contained at Appendix 5.

G5 Tendering And Contract Requirements

G5.1 Tendering and Contract Procedures

Please seek the advice of LGSS Procurement on the current recommended

procedures to comply with both NCC and Statutory requirements – contact

details are in Part J Section 3.5.

G5.2 Insurance Requirements and Monitoring Contracts

1. The school is required to notify the Exchequer Manager - Insurance prior to the

commencement of any project that affects the existing premises. Initially this

should be by email, using the contact details in Part J3.2, with relevant

documentation. The notification is a requirement of Northamptonshire County

Council’s Insurers and ensures, where appropriate, that suitable insurance

cover is maintained for the building during project works on site.

a. If the School procures its own insurance directly, they should check the

requirements of the policy/policies.

2. During the progress of the work, if a consultant is not employed, the Head

teacher or a competent person appointed by him/her must monitor all stages




of the contract and report to the Governors immediately if material problems

occur. In particular, it is essential to check that all necessary precautions to

ensure the health and safety of pupils, staff and visitors have been put in place

and are being observed at all times. Frequently this may necessitate written

methods of working, taking account of the risks involved in carrying out the

project, being obtained from the contractor.

G5.3 Contract payments

1. The Head teacher must keep a contract register showing the state of account

of each contract between the school and the contractor together with any

other payments and the related professional fees. The contract register must

include the certificate date, amount of payment, VAT amounts, liquidated and

ascertained damages levied, if any and cumulative totals throughout.

2. On all contracts exceeding four or five weeks duration, the contractor is likely

to request interim payments on account. If the RIBA or a similar standard

certificate form is not used, the following information must be included in any

requisition for payment:

To whom payment is being made.

The certificate date.

The certificate amount.

Previously certified amounts.

The retention amount.

Value Added Tax.

Net payment.

The person certifying.

1. The certifying officer, architect, engineer or other consultant should ensure

that the contractor’s final account is submitted promptly and must produce to

the Governors a detailed statement of accounts, together with all relevant

back-up documents, not later than 28 days before the final certificate is issued.

This requirement must be clearly stated in any contract entered into with

consultants.

2. If accounts are to be submitted outside school term time, arrangements must

be made to ensure payments are made within the terms of the contract. The

implications of non-payment, under the terms of the Construction Act, may be

the cessation of work.

3. Northamptonshire County Council’s Chief Internal Auditor may, as considered

necessary, examine any documents, records and accounts relating to a contract

and will be entitled to receive such information and explanation as he/she

requires.




G5.4 Freedom of Information and Data Protection Acts

1. Schools have specific obligations under the above Acts regarding disclosure of

information and have an obligation to record and maintain accurate records

relating to contracts and comply with requests made under these Acts.

2. Any queries received by schools regarding Freedom of Information or Data

Protection should be referred to the Data Protection/FOI Team at

Northamptonshire County Council identified in Part J3.4.

3. During tender processes, tenderers must be informed that they should state if

any information supplied by them is confidential or commercially sensitive or

should not be disclosed in response to a request for information made to the

school. Tenderers should state why they consider the information to be

confidential or commercially sensitive. This will not guarantee that the

information will not be disclosed but will be examined in the light of the

exemptions provided under the Act.




PART H – ENERGY MANAGEMENT, ACCESSIBILITY AND SECURITY

H1 Energy Management

H1.1 General Requirements

1. The Local Policy Statement (LPS) within the Asset Management Plan outlines

clear targets and objectives for the Environmental Strategy. These targets

include the reduction in CO2 emissions through energy saving initiatives, and

reduction in water consumption by ensuring that all water management

devices are efficient and of an appropriate standard that comply with relevant

regulations.

2. Schools have an important responsibility for the efficient use of energy and

water within their buildings. A good premises management regime will assist

in keeping costs down and can reduce energy costs significantly.

H1.2 Schools Responsibilities

1. Schools have a significant contribution to make in reducing the energy used in

their buildings. They can develop a culture of efficient energy use by

undertaking some or all of the following:

a. Good housekeeping

Turn of lights when not in use.

Ensure outdoor lighting is switched off during daylight.

Set thermostats correctly to provide the required temperature.

Turn off computers, monitors, printers and copiers outside school

hours.

b. Regular maintenance

Regular servicing of boiler plant to ensure efficient combustion.

Regular cleaning of fan convector filters.

Clean windows to maximise daylight.

Clean lamps and luminaries regularly.

Lubricate door closers and ensure effective draught proofing.

c. Water efficiency

Be alert to water leaks.

Install flow control devices in toilets and change batteries every 2 years.

Prompt repair of dripping taps.

Fit push or spray taps.

d. Heating and hot water

Ensure there is free air circulation around all radiators and they are not

obstructed by furniture or displays.

Check all pipes are insulated.




Eliminate unnecessary operation of boilers at weekends and during

holidays and ensure time clocks are accurately set to reflect school

hours.

If your buildings are heated above 19 centigrade, costs rise by

approximately 8% for every 1 centigrade of overheating.

e. Management

Utilise built-in power management systems.

When purchasing new equipment look for the energy star rating.

Educate and encourage staff and pupils to conserve and offer ideas.

Designate a ‘responsible person’ to promote good practice.

H1.3 Energy advice for schools

1. Specialist energy efficiency, water conservation and sustainability advice is

available from Property Services to support Governors and School staff in these

particular aspects of property management. Please see the contact details in

Part J2.

2. From time to time centrally funded and third party funded grants are available

to supplement school investment and Property Services can advise on these

and offer support.

H1.4 Monitoring energy and water consumption

1. Regular monitoring of energy and water consumption is an important part of

local premises management. Schools are required to take local meter readings

on not less than a monthly basis. Advice on meter reading is contained in

Appendix 8. By taking monthly readings it will enable schools to:

Validate suppliers invoices (many of which are based solely upon

estimated readings).

Identify unusual patterns of use and thus prompt investigation and

corrective action.

Calculate annual consumptions and performance indicators.

2. Each school must submit to the Property Services on a monthly basis, the local

meter readings for their school using the web based monitoring system.

Details regarding the system are contained in Appendix 8. This information will

assist the Property Services to:

Support schools should any problems arise.

Validate investment in energy and water efficiency measures.

Identify consumption trends and calculate indicators at a corporate level.

H1.5 Purchasing energy and water supplies

1. Northamptonshire County Council, in conjunction with the Central Buying

Consortium (CBC) has entered into a series of bulk supply contracts for




electricity, natural gas and fuel oils within the competitive energy market. The

CBC is one of the largest local authority purchasing consortia arranging multi-

site contracts for 10 County Councils and 9 Unitary Councils and deals with all

issues relating to EU procedures and tenders. Experience has shown that their

prices are extremely competitive.

2. Since 1993 all Northamptonshire County Council establishments, together with

a number of Foundation Schools, have participated in the CBC contracts and it

is proposed that this process should continue. Unless Property Services are

advised to the contrary, in writing, it will be assumed that schools wish to

continue to participate in the centrally negotiated contracts. Schools should

note that there is no additional charge for this service as the costs are

recovered through a small administrative premium included in the fuel prices.

3. In the case of water supplies there is no similar competitive market for schools.

However, Anglian Water does offer a selection of published tariffs and schools

should check to ensure that they are being supplied on the most appropriate

one; again Property Services can offer advice on these.

H2 Energy Performance And Display Of Energy Certificates

H2.1 General

1. Public buildings, including schools that exceed 500 square metres in floor area

are included within the Regulations for Display of Energy Certificates (DECs).

These Regulations are about promoting the improvement of energy

performance of buildings and it is the ‘occupier’ i.e. the School Governors that

hold the duty under the Regulations. A penalty charge of £500 can be levied

for failure to display a certificate and £1000 for not having a valid Advisory

Report. Trading Standards are the enforcing authority.

2. The Regulations apply to any building over 500 square metres, so a school that

has 3 blocks each over the specified area would each require a certificate and

report. If a site had 2 buildings each 300 square metres, then they would not

come within the scope of the Regulations.

H2.2 Display Energy Certificates

1. A DEC shows the energy performance of the building and is based on the actual

energy consumption recorded annually. Where the building has a total useful

floor area of more than 1,000m², the DEC is valid for 12 months. Where the

building has a total useful floor area of between 500m² and 1000m², the DEC

and advisory report are valid for 10 years. A rating between A to G is given,

where A is the lowest carbon dioxide emissions (best) and G is the highest

carbon dioxide emissions (worst).




2. The operational rating is based on the energy consumption from 12 months

meter readings and is compared to a typical (hypothetical) benchmarked

building.

3. The DEC should be displayed clearly to members of the public, for example

school reception areas, and be no smaller than A3 in size.

4. The DEC must contain: -

The Operation Rating as determined by the government approved method.

The Asset Rating (reference to the way it is built rather than used).

Previous 2 years Operational Rating (where available).

Reference value or benchmark.

H2.3 The Advisory Report

1. In support of the DEC, an Advisory Report must be prepared with

recommendations to improve energy performance of the building. The

Advisory Report is valid for a 7-year period.

2. The Advisory Report enables the School to identify what may be done to

improve, for example, building management, building services, etc therefore

reducing energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions.

3. The Advisory Report categorises the list of recommendations, by payback

period as follows: -

Short term payback (up to three), for example building energy

management measures.

Medium term payback (three to seven years), for example upgrading

building services.

Long term payback (more than 7 years), for example low and zero carbon

technologies.

4. The advice provided in the Advisory Report is intended for information only.

Schools would be expected to inform the Building and Capital Development

Team of any proposals that affect the building through the School Managed

Projects process.

H2.4 Energy Assessor

1. An Energy Assessor, who is accredited by an approved body and placed on the

national register, must be appointed to carry out the assessment.

The Energy Assessor will use an approved tool to calculate the Operation

Rating and produce the DEC and the Advisory Report from information

gathered in line with the approved methodology. The Advisory Report

may entail a site survey or be based on knowledge of the building.

Schools can appoint an Energy Assessor for non-domestic premises from

the national website at www.ndepcregister.com. Unfortunately the search




criteria do not enable postcode or area radius and so various random

searches may be required to obtain a local assessor.

Typically costs for a small primary school of approximately 1000 square

metres would be in the region of £500 to £800 for the DEC and the

Advisory Report.

H2.5 Air Conditioning Systems

1. Air conditioning systems over 12kW must be inspected to ensure they are

appropriately maintained and managed in order that they do not consume too

much energy. Some schools may have systems exceeding this output capacity

and will therefore need to comply with the inspection requirements.

2. An accredited energy assessor must undertake the assessment.

3. Inspections must be undertaken at intervals of not less than 5 years.

H2.6 Further Information

1. Further information and advice on improving the energy efficiency of buildings

is contained in a particularly useful document that can be downloaded entitled

‘A guide to Display Energy Certificates and Advisory Reports for public

buildings’ - it can be accessed from the following link

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/display-energy-certificates-and-

advisory-reports-for-public-buildings

H3 Accessibility Requirements In And Around Buildings


2. It is unlawful, under the Equalities Act 2010 for Schools and Local Authorities

(LAs) to discriminate against disabled pupils. Schools should not treat disabled

pupils less favourably and should make reasonable adjustments to ensure

disabled pupils are not placed at a disadvantage.

3. In addition the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 (SENDA) and

the Special Educational Code of Practice 2001 (SEN) require schools to meet

the special educational needs of individual children who may have disabilities.

Under this legislation, children’s progress should be monitored and statements

of special educational need children must be educated in mainstream schools

unless this is *incompatible with parents or the efficient education of other

children.

4. The term disability covers “Any physical or mental impairment which has a

substantial and long term adverse effect on the ability to carry out normal day

to day activities”. This includes physical, sensory, mental and learning

disabilities including temporary conditions if these last more than 12 months.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/display-energy-certificates-and-advisory-reports-for-public-buildings







5. The requirements on educational service providers to provide access under the

Equalities Act and SENDA are not simply about access to buildings. They are

about access to services. In terms of educational establishments, that means

ensuring that equal access to education is available to all. For example,

constructing a new ramp or installing a lift to improve access to a part of a

building may not be the best solution. Using a different building or area to

provide the service may result in a more effective solution.

6. New building works refurbishment work must meet the requirements of the

Building Regulations Parts K and M, the Approved Document and BS8300

whichever is the most stringent. All areas in and around Schools, where it is

reasonable to do so, should be subject to improvements that will enhance

physical access for all.

7. The Strategic Capital Project Delivery Team has developed an ‘Accessibility

Strategy’ in consultation with schools and other stakeholders. Further

guidance and advice can be found in Building Bulleting 102

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-bulletin-102-disabled-

children-and-children-with-sen and on the Government web site at and

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/primary-and-secondary-school-

design/primary-and-secondary-school-design

H3.2 Requirements of Schools

1. Under the SENDA duties Schools and LAs are required to plan for the following:

a. Increasing access for disabled pupils to school curriculum.

b. Improving access to the physical environment of schools.

c. Improving delivery of written information to disabled pupils.

2. Schools should have an ‘Access Plan’ that identifies all issues that are potential

barriers to access. It is not necessary to remove all barriers but to develop

plans to ensure that they do not hinder access to services both immediately,

where possible, and on an on-going basis. A sample Access Plan is contained in

the document stated in H3.1.6.

3. The ‘Access Plan’ should feature in the Governor’s annual report. A copy of the

Access Plan should also be sent to Property Services. This Plan may be

monitored by Strategic Capital Project Delivery Team and inspected by OfSTED.

The requirement for an Access Plan has been in place since March 2003 and

should be reviewed annually.

4. In order to improve accessibility to services there is considerable scope for

schools to discuss access requirements with pupils and staff and every

opportunity should be taken to reach mutually acceptable access strategies.

There are also many organisations that can provide advice on access issues and

a list is provided within the document referred to in H3.1.6.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-bulletin-102-disabled-children-and-children-with-sen

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-bulletin-102-disabled-children-and-children-with-sen

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/primary-and-secondary-school-design/primary-and-secondary-school-design

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/primary-and-secondary-school-design/primary-and-secondary-school-design




5. Governing bodies are deemed to be the responsible and liable body under both

the Equality Act and SENDA and claims can be pursued by individuals in the

event of non-compliance.

6. It is important for governors, teaching and administrative staff to understand

the varied needs of those with disabilities and ensure that school management,

maintenance and alterations improve access wherever possible. Within the

document referred to in H3.1.6 is a list of useful publications with details on

how these may be obtained.

7. Further information or advice on issues relating to accessibility requirements

can be obtained by contacting Property Services - details are in Part J2.

H4 Personal Security Checks On Contractors

H4.1 General

1. Many Contractors are required to undertake work on school premises. There

should be procedures in place to ensure the safety of children, so far as is

reasonably practicable, from contact brought about by those working on

school premises.

2. The following are guidelines that have been recommended by the DfE and

should be adopted by Community Schools to control the interface between

contractor’s operatives and children:

Contractors, where appropriate, should have the site area of their works

clearly defined and segregated from general access.

Contractors visiting schools to carry out repairs, servicing or other short-

term work should be escorted to their working areas and appropriately

monitored during their presence on site.

Those undertaking works on school sites shall be instructed not to

encourage or enter into communication with students.

H4.2 Disclosure Information

1. Generally it will not be necessary, providing the above procedures are

followed, to obtain disclosure information from the Criminal Records Bureau,

for operatives working on site.

2. There may be situations that fall outside the scope of the above and in these

circumstances a risk assessment should be carried out to determine what other

measures may be appropriate.

3. If circumstances dictate (due to regular unsupervised use of contractors or

extended contracts where a level of interface may be unavoidable) it may be

appropriate to obtain disclosure information for operatives. Further advice

may be obtained by contacting the Health and Safety Team in Part J3.3.




H5 General Security In And Around Schools

H5.1 General

1. There is no model solution to problems with security on school premises.

Every school is different and its needs should be assessed accordingly. Whilst

human behaviour is a primary factor, the type and condition of buildings,

location and site layout are of significant importance.

2. If there is no evidence of history in a school of a threat to children and staff and

incidence of damage or vandalism are rare, then it is reasonable to assume that

security measures need not be extreme. However, certain standards should be

regarded as a minimum provision for every school and these include: -

No person should be able to enter a school building without knowledge

and consent of a person in authority.

Children and staff are not placed at significant risk by being isolated from

others.

There is an agreed and workable action plan to deal with foreseeable

incidents or threats.

H5.2 Advice on security requirements

1. Specialist information is available is available from the Local Crime Prevention

Office on the ‘Secured by Design’ website. This initiative has been set up by

the police to provide guidance on how to establish and maintain a safe and

secure environment in schools and is particularly helpful when planning new

buildings and refurbishments. Further details can be found on the website at

http://www.securedbydesign.com

2. Crime prevention advice on integrated security systems such as CCTV, Access

control, security fencing and property marking can be obtained from the Local

Crime Prevention Office. However, if CCTV systems are to be used, schools

need to be aware of the strict controls necessary and reference should be

made to the following sections.

H6 Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) Requirements


1. Where schools operate CCTV systems it will be necessary to satisfy the legal

requirements of the Data Protection Act, the Police and Criminal Evidence Act

and other relevant legislation. This will require ensuring that data security,

evidence admissibility and civil liberties are not compromised.

2. Responsibility for the operation and administration of a school CCTV system

must be identified and key appointments will need to be made of the Data

Controller, System Manager and System Operators.

http://www.securedbydesign.com/




H6.2 The Data Controller

1. The Data Controller takes ultimate responsibility for determining the purposes

for and the manner in which data is processed, and for ensuring that processes

are in place to prevent unauthorised disclosure of captured data.

2. It is appropriate that the Data Controller should be the Head teacher or a

delegated person within the School where CCTV Equipment has been located.

The responsibilities of the Data Controller should include:

Defining the purpose of the CCTV Installation – The likely purposes of the

installations in this project will be to ‘prevent and detect crime’ and to

‘apprehend and prosecute offenders’. Schools may also decide that CCTV

data will be used to ‘assist in the management of pupil behaviour’.

Informing others of the purpose of the CCTV Installation – Schools should

decide what level of notification is appropriate depending upon the

defined purpose. Options will range from displaying signage at entrances

(guidance on signage is available) to notifying parents that data will be

captured.

Deciding how long CCTV data will be retained – The digital hard drives

installed at the Secondary Schools will automatically record all data

captured and after a set period will automatically ‘over-write’ old data.

Schools can decide to erase data at an earlier stage or alternatively to

download data to some other recording media to retain data for longer

periods.

Controlling access to data – Given the nature of CCTV data, it is highly likely

that ‘personal data’ (images of persons) and possibly ‘sensitive personal

data’ (e.g. persons committing crimes). Data controllers will therefore be

responsible for ensuring that access to, and disclosure of, recorded images

is restricted and carefully controlled.

H6.3 The System Manager

1. Acting under the direction of the Data Controller, the System Manager will be

responsible for the management and maintenance of the physical system. This

person will ensure that best practice is adhered to, that records are auditable

and that data is made available in accordance with legal requirements.

H6.4 The System Operators

1. The system operators have day-to-day access to and control of the system.

They must comply with instructions from the Data Controller or System

Manager to ensure that the data under their control is not compromised. The

system operators should be formally appointed and aware of their obligations

and responsibilities. Due to the nature of the equipment installed in most




cases it will be possible to suitably control access to the CCTV data by means of

password protection.

H6.5 CCTV System Operations

1. The majority of the day-to-day operation of the system will require a good deal

of input from the System Operators. Suitable regular checks should be in place

to ensure that:

All cameras are functioning correctly.

Camera views are correct and do not infringe upon inappropriate areas.

All multiplexing, recording and monitoring equipment is set properly.

Tapes, disks or other recording materials are properly inserted and

functioning.

Used tapes, disks and other recorded media are passed to the data

controller for safe storage.

All documentation handed over is complete and up to date.

Systems are not left logged on while operators are not in attendance.

H6.6 Security Procedures

1. Operators must at all times be aware that they have access to restricted data

and that they must not communicate any information to persons other than

the system Owner, Manager, Data Controller or persons authorised by them.

Access to the CCTV Equipment should be restricted at all times to prevent

unauthorised access to data. This can be achieved through the use of

password protection. The Data Controller should put procedures for the

changing of passwords in place.

H6.7 Incident Reporting

1. When an incident occurs, the Operator, Manager or Controller should:

Operate camera and screen controls to ensure that the appropriate

footage has recorded, having due regard for the privacy of individuals not

committing an offence.

Along with the maintenance of the Log Book, fill out ‘CCTV Incident report

Form’. This must be carried out immediately after or as soon as possible

after the reported incident.

Inform the System Manager and Data Controller of the incident at the

earliest opportunity and comply with any instructions received.

H6.8 Management of and Access to Recorded Material

1. Recorded material should be stored on the hard drive of the CCTV Equipment,

and also possible on external tapes, disks or drives in line with the Data

Controllers procedures.




2. If data is to be downloaded from the system that contains footage of an

incident that needs to be stored for future review or to be used as evidence,

then this will need to be carried out in accordance with strict procedures.

Where the Police are involved in this process, appropriate guidance will be

given. Data taken from the system should be locked in a separate and suitably

secure container. When any tape or disk is removed from secure storage for

review, disclosure to Police or other body, or viewing by a subject granted

access by the Data Controller, records of all access and all people accessing this

data should be carefully maintained.

3. Access to recorded material should be restricted to the System Manager or the

System Operator under instruction from the Data Controller.

H6.9 Subject Access Request

1. When a person makes a request to view any data held on recorded media and

pertaining to them, they should be referred to the System Manager or Data

Controller.

2. Requests for personal data by official bodies, such as Police, Inland Revenue or

Customs and Excise, must be made on an official access request form.

3. The Data Controller, having satisfied himself/herself of the subject’s identity,

will review the material requested (complying with all procedures previously

mentioned in this manual) and will decide whether access can be granted. A

written response to the data subject must be made within 40 days.

H6.10 Declaration of Confidentiality

1. It is necessary for all persons involved in the control and administration of a

CCTV system to sign a declaration of confidentiality in which they agree to

abide by the Code of Practice and Operating Manual associated with the

system.

2. Managers, Operators and third parties must complete a Declaration of

Confidentiality, before they are permitted to have any form of contact with the

CCTV system.

H7 ICT Management

H7.1 General

1. This Handbook provides information in regard to property related issues. ICT

systems may impact on health and safety in buildings, as well as having security

risks and energy conservation implications. This section provides basic details

regarding these issues, and is particularly relevant when considering the

installation of new ICT equipment.




H7.2 Health and safety in buildings

2. When considering ICT installations such as additional data points, desk top

computers and interactive whiteboards etc. the School Managed Projects

process should be followed as detailed in Part C of this Handbook.

3. Additional power sockets are likely to be required with additional ICT, which

may impact on supply requirements and there are likely to be consequential

implications on heat generated by equipment and ventilation issues.

4. Typically, a classroom that is not a dedicated ICT teaching classroom should not

accommodate five computer-heating units, as this may have a detrimental

effect on heating and ventilation. A computer-heating unit equates to one

desktop and a CRT monitor, or two desktops when equipped with TFT

monitors. The heat generated by a laptop or tablet PC is considered negligible,

so any reasonable number may be used.

5. Specialist ICT suites will generally have been designed to accommodate half a

computer heating unit per data point installed i.e. one desktop and TFT

monitor per data point as it was expected that during the first few years of the

contract schools would phase out the use of CRT monitors for environmental

reasons.

6. Many occurrences have arisen with heating and ventilation problems in schools

where adequate consideration has not been given to the impact of ICT

installations. The above parameters are only guidelines and will vary in

different buildings.

H7.3 ICT Security

1. It is important to note that it is the responsibility of the school to arrange for

the disposal and or recycling of any hardware.

2. Schools that dispose of computers without having their hard drives cleaned to

an appropriate standard face the risk of prosecution and exposure of critical

business information.

3. Under the Data Protection Act it is an offence to discard a computer that

contains personal data on people. This can lead to Crown Court prosecution

and unlimited fines. In addition any individuals affected may initiate separate

civil proceedings.

4. There are also legal implications surrounding software and operating systems

on any hardware that you wish to dispose. If you have purchased software

then, as the owner of the license, it is your responsibility to ensure that it is not

passed on to a third party when the equipment is eventually disposed.

H7.4 Disposal of ICT Equipment

1. The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive aims to reduce

the amount of WEEE being disposed of to landfill by promoting separate




collection, treatment and recycling. Full details of the WEEE regulations can be

found on the Environment Agency’s website: www.environment-agency.gov.uk

2. A number of organisations provide recycling services and also distribute the

equipment to those in need. For further information contact them directly.

3. Also for any disposal of IT equipment schools can contact the

Northamptonshire LGSS IT Helpdesk on 0300 12 67666 for advice.

H7.5 Energy efficiency of ICT Equipment

1. During the life of ICT equipment schools should use it as efficiently as possible

by:

Ensuring every user (pupils, staff and guests) plays a vital role by “switching

off” lights and equipment after use.

Making sure PCs have a power management scheme activated.

We recommend: Screensaver: 5 minutes, Turn off monitor: 20 minutes,

Turn off hard disks: 30 minutes; System standby: 1 hour.

Switch off PCs and monitors when not in use, at the end of the day, at

weekends and holiday periods.




PART J – LIST OF CONTACTS

J1 Buildings And Capital Development

J1.1 General

The following paragraphs set out the names, telephone numbers, e-mail addresses

and a brief description of the functions of key contacts.

J1.2 Strategic Planning

1. Strategic Planning Manager

Overseeing and managing the overall strategic

management of buildings and capital

development. Ensuring that the development

and implementation of the Asset Management

Plan meets statutory requirements.

Implementing the education capital building

programme.

Duncan Mills

01604 367417

[email protected]

J2 Property Services & Strategic Assets

J2.1 Reactive Maintenance

1. Reactive Maintenance Helpdesk

Reactive maintenance advice to schools.

If schools have purchased a reactive

maintenance plan from Property Services, the

Helpdesk will receive and log all requests from

property users for advice on repairs and

improvements to properties, and the

prioritisation, scheduling and instructing of

remedial works.

0300 1267666

[email protected]






2. Reactive Maintenance Management

If schools have purchased a reactive

maintenance plan from Property Services, the

Hard FM Manager has operational and

financial management responsibility for the

prioritisation and instruction of reactive

maintenance to properties in-line with budget.

Performance and management, and customer

liaison and satisfaction relating to remedial

property repairs. All mechanical and electrical

building services contracts for: water systems,

combustible fuels heating systems, fixed and

portable electrical systems, lighting systems,

fire detection and suppression, lifts, access

control, building fabric, etc.

FAO Hard FM Manager

lgss-

propertyenquiry@northamptonshire.

gov.uk

J2.2 Property Information

1. Asset Records Team

Responsible for the management of AutoCAD

drawings and record drawings including

service layouts, building floor areas, boundary

information and land ownership details.

Providing advice on the updating of the

Schools Asset Management Plan including

condition, suitability and sufficiency of school

buildings. Compiling and analysing school

data and production of reports for the DfE.

Maintains building plans and databases of

floor areas based on information provided by;

A) the Construction Manager, Property

Services Capital Project Delivery Team for any

Capital Projects

and

B) receipt of a School Managed Project

Completion Form returned by schools.

FAO Asset Records Team

lgss-


gov.uk

mailto:[email protected]?subject=FAO%20Hard%20FM%20Manager



mailto:[email protected]?subject=FAO%20Asset%20Records%20Team






2. Estates Team

Provides an initial point of contact for estates

advice from the LGSS Strategic Assets Team.

FAO Estates Team

lgss-


gov.uk

J2.3 Strategic Capital Project Delivery

1. Construction Project Manager

Providing advice to schools on asset

management planning and promoting good

stewardship of buildings. The main contact

for enquiries and application of all school

managed projects.

Advice on the provision of furniture and

equipment for new schools, extensions and

adaptations and for minor works projects.

FAO Construction Project Manager

lgss-

[email protected]

ov.uk

2. Principal CDM Co-ordinator

Providing specialist health and safety advice

and support for school construction projects

and acting as CDM Co-ordinator adviser to

ensure compliance with Construction Design

and Management Regulations 2007.

FAO Jonathan Swailes

lgss-

[email protected]

ov.uk

J2.4 Standards, Governance & Commercial

3. Standards, Governance & Commercial Manager

Responsible for the development of health

and safety standards relating to property and

overseeing their effective implementation,

including provision of advice on the selection

and monitoring of consultants and contractors

undertaking building works on behalf of LGSS

Property Services.

James Thorpe

01604 367834

07734 983042

lgss-


gov.uk

mailto:[email protected]?subject=FAO%20Estates%20Team



mailto:[email protected]?subject=FAO%20Construction%20Project%20Maanager



mailto:[email protected]?subject=FAO%20Jonathon%20Swailes



mailto:[email protected]?subject=FAO%20James%20Thorpe






4. Asbestos and Radon Manager

Providing specialist advice and technical

support on the effective management of

asbestos and radon. Maintaining asbestos and

radon registers, auditing delegated

responsibilities and managing emergency

responses to any asbestos fibre releases in

County Council buildings.

FAO John Hall

01604 366946

lgss-


gov.uk

5. Energy and Environmental Officer

Providing technical advice and support on

energy and water contract connections,

consumption, billing and monitoring to ensure

efficient energy use. Advising on energy

reduction and energy efficiency management

through operational use of buildings, control

systems and good housekeeping, including the

use of online consumption reporting through

Systems-Link.

FAO Energy and Environmental

Officer

lgss-


gov.uk

6. Environmental Performance Officer

Providing technical advice and support on

environmental management of property

related matters. Also providing information

and advice on carbon management and

reporting. (Note: School waste is dealt with

separately by the Waste Education Team in

Waste Management).

FAO Environmental Performance

Officer

lgss-


gov.uk

7. Property Standards Governance Officer

Providing technical advice on legislation and

standards relating to property e.g. access and

egress, fire, Equality Act, plant & equipment

specification. Conducting independent health,

safety construction and inspections in respect

of health & safety, and building construction

and maintenance standards.

FAO Property Standards Governance

Officer

lgss-


gov.uk

mailto:[email protected]?subject=FAO%20John%20Hall



mailto:[email protected]?subject=FAO%20Energy%20and%20Environmental%20Officer



mailto:[email protected]?subject=FAO%20Environmental%20Performance%20Officer



mailto:[email protected]?subject=FAO%20Property%20Standards%20Governance%20Officer






J3 Other Directorate Services

J3.1 Planning and Development Control Team

Provides advice and information on whether

planning approval is required and other advice

on the planning implications of school’s

development proposals.

Advice on the ecological impacts, including

trees, of works on School premises

developmentcontrol@northamptons

hire.gov.uk

J3.2 Insurance Team

Provides advice and information on all aspects

of insurance.

NCC-

[email protected]

J3.3 Corporate Health and Safety Team

Provides advice and assistance on the

management of health and safety including

accident and incident monitoring.

01604 368136

healthandsafety@northamptonshire.

gov.uk

J3.4 Freedom of Information and Data Protection Team

Provides assistance and advice on matters

relating to requests for information under the

Freedom of Information/Data Protection Acts.

01604 368360

Freedomofinformation@northampto

nshire.gov.uk

J3.5 Procurement

Provides advice, guidance and information

regarding legal compliance and effective

procurement of contracts.

propertyprocurement@northampton

shire.gov.uk














PART K – HOW TO OBTAIN PLANS OF THE SCHOOL SITE/BUILDINGS

The LGSS Strategic Assets team holds a full set of site and building plans which may be

useful when planning projects, carrying out works and submitting applications for

School Managed Projects.

To obtain a copy of these plans for your school, please contact the Asset Records Team

using the contact details shown in Part J2.2, detailing which part or parts of the school

plans your require.




APPENDIX 1 - QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE FOR ROUTINE MONITORING,

INSPECTIONS AND MAINTENANCE

General Requirements

The following schedule is a quick reference guide for schools to understand what

monitoring; inspections and maintenance activities must generally be undertaken

routinely for the purpose of compliance with statutory and/or health and safety

requirements.

Item Description

Inspection Intervals

Applicable Legislation

Handbook Reference

Comments

Gas appliances (boilers)

Statutory requirement to inspect 12 monthly

Gas Safety (installation and use) Regulations 1998

B5.1

Only Gas Safety Registered persons are permitted to work on gas appliances under the Regulations.

Gas appliances (for curriculum activities)

Statutory requirement to inspect 12 monthly

Gas Safety (installation and use) Regulations 1998

B5.1

This would include, for example, cookers or science laboratory gas fittings. See also note in above comments column.

Fixed electrical systems

Guidelines suggest 5 years maximum between inspections.


B4.1

The statutory requirement is to maintain systems in a safe condition and does not set a legal interval. Higher risk equipment i.e. stage lighting, kitchens etc is advised to be at a lesser interval of 1-3 years.

Portable electrical appliances (excluding ICT)

Guidelines suggest between 1 to 4 years depending on class


B4.2

The statutory requirement is to maintain equipment in a safe condition and does not set a legal interval. Generally earthed equipment is higher risk and inspections are recommended annually. Schools may test all equipment annually or extend intervals based on previous inspection results, class of equipment and environment it is used.




Portable electrical appliances for ICT

Guidelines suggest between 1 and 4 years depending on class


B4.2

Inspection intervals may extend to 4 years for static (not moved) double insulated equipment but see comments directly above.

Fire and emergency procedures visual equipment inspections

Defined within the School’s Management of Fire Precautions folder.


B3

Checks of extinguishers, call points, fire doors and fire exit routes should be undertaken by the school at the stated intervals in the Management of Fire Precautions folder.

Fire and emergency procedures thorough inspection and test

Defined within the School’s Management of Fire Precautions folder (12 monthly interval)


B3

Inspections should include extinguishers, emergency lighting, alarm system and detection, where fitted. Schools should retain records of inspections within the Management of Fire Precautions folder.

Water Management

Defined within the Water Management Log Book. Subject to 2 year updates

Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002

B6.1 Water Management

Energy assessment of buildings (over 1000sq m)

Approved energy assessor to undertake Advisory Report every 7 years

Energy Performance of Buildings Regulations 2007

H2 Energy assessment of buildings (over 1000sq m)

Energy assessment of buildings (over 1000sq m)

Approved energy assessor to undertake Advisory Report every 7 years


H2 The Advisory Report must be available to support the Display Energy Certificate

Display of energy certificate

Provided and updated at 12 monthly intervals by an approved energy assessor


H2.2 School to display in reception area or other conspicuous location




Air Condition systems over 12 kW

Approved energy assessor to undertake inspection at 5 year interval


H2.5

Post January 2008 installations require inspections5 year from date of installation.

Workplace inspections (to ensure good housekeeping)

No statutory requirements. NCC guidance is to carry out formal inspections ½ termly

Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992

H1.3 See the inspection checklist contained at Appendix 10

Condition of Asbestos Containing materials

No statutory required interval for inspections. NCC suggest ½ termly

Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012

H7

Not all schools will have ACMs and schools built after 1985 will not have ACMs. More frequent Inspection intervals if ACMs are vulnerable to damage. (Refer to Type 2 Survey)

Playground equipment

No statutory required interval. NCC advises annual competent inspection.

No specific legislation

Schools to undertake visual inspections daily. The thorough annual inspections to be recorded and retained.

Lifting equipment

Statutory requirement is 6 monthly (if used for lifting people) or 12 monthly in other cases

Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998

B9

Covers all fixed lifting equipment, including passenger lifts. Generally inspections are arranged under the terms of the school’s insurance policy.

Local Exhaust Ventilation

Statutory requirement is minimum 14 monthly

Control of Substances Hazardous to Health 2002

B6.3 Curriculum equipment used in school laboratories or workshops

Radon Monitoring

No statutory interval. NCC advises ½ termly for any installed mitigation equipment

Ionising Radiation Regulations 1999

B8

High-risk buildings (measurements over 200 becquerels) inspected 3 yearly below these levels 10-year interval. Organised by Property Services. Where mitigation equipment installed schools to undertake visual check on working order.




Pressure vessels and air receivers

As determined by the competent person at initial inspection

Transportable Pressure Vessel Regulations 2001

B9

Curriculum use in science laboratories and workshops etc. Generally inspections are arranged under the terms of the school’s insurance policy.



Version 6 May 2014

APPENDIX 2A - AMP INFORMATION SHEET: FULL PROJECT NOTIFICATION

New Buildings, Extensions, Alterations, Maintenance, Services Works And Demolition This form is to be completed by schools proposing works to buildings / site in order to obtain NCC’s approval for the proposals. It should be submitted to LGSS Property Services’ Strategic Project Delivery Team at the project consideration / feasibility stage and before placing orders / commencement of work. LGSS will acknowledge receipt of all submitted forms.

1. Establishment Details DfE No. 928/ / School name:

Contact name: Tel:

Position in school: Date:

2. Project Description Provide a brief description of proposals, including the objective of proposals. This should be in sufficient detail to identify the type and extent of the proposals. To enable LGSS to assess the project fully, please enclose as much information as possible in support. This must include a school/site plan clearly indicating the location of works, as well as specification, drawings, quotes, approvals, etc.

Project title:

Project description:

Estimated value of work: £ Source of funding (complete all applicable sources):

School Budget (revenue) £ Devolved Formula Capital £

Other (specify source) £

Proposed date of commencement of work: / / 20

Expected duration of work at premises: weeks

NB: According to the type and complexity of the project you may be required to provide further information. Sample projects will be monitored from an early stage to completion to enable the Strategic Project Delivery Team to fulfil its legal obligations and comply with DfE requirements.

3. Link To Strategic Plans All building projects undertaken at schools should be linked to the agreed national and / or local priorities. Indicate below how the above project contributes to the aims / objectives set out under the Asset Management Plan / Education Development Plan / School Improvement Plan (please circle / complete as appropriate).

Link with AMP - Condition DfE Condition Priority 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 (see School’s AMP)

Link with AMP-Suitability Shortfall A B C D / Impact A B C D / Risk eliminated H&S / Security H/M/L

Contribution to the School Improvement Plan (specify):

For AMP links refer to your Condition – Planned Maintenance Programme / Suitability - Assessment Summary

4. Consultants Name and contact details of professional consultant(s) appointed for this project. (State type and extent of service to be provided)



Version 6 May 2014

5. Project Details (Tick as appropriate) 5.01 Approvals YES NO a) Do the proposals require Planning Approval? (see Section F3.2 Property

Management Handbook) If YES, has application been made? NB It is the school’s/governors’ responsibility to obtain Planning Approval and ensure that works are carried out in accordance with the approved design & specification.

b) Do the proposals require Building Regulation Approval? (see Section F3.3 Property Management Handbook) If YES, has application been made? NB It is the school’s/governors’ responsibility to obtain Building Regulations Approval and ensure that works are carried out in accordance with the approved design & specification.

c) Do the proposals (where appropriate) comply with the Education (School Premises) Regulations 2012? (see Section F4.1 Property Management Handbook)

5.02 Health and Safety a) Do Construction (Design & Management) Regulations apply?

(see Section F3.4 Property Management Handbook) If YES, has a CDM Co-ordinator (CDM-C) been appointed?

b) Could the project disturb any asbestos containing materials? Consider routes for cabling and pipe work. (See 'Asbestos Policy’ guidance). If YES, has the appropriate procedure been followed? (as outlined in Appendix 6 of the ‘Asbestos Policy and Procedures’ document)

5.03 Services installations Are any services installations included in or affected by the proposals?

If YES, tick appropriate boxes below: Electric: Gas: Water: Drainage (foul/storm): Cabling (IT/telephone): Other:

5.04 Accommodation changes a) b)

Will the proposals increase the physical capacity of the school?(give details) Is the use of any room or space changing? (e.g. from kitchen to classroom) If YES, provide details below, giving room location(s)

c) Do the proposals include changes to/removal of sanitary accommodation or fittings? If YES, indicate location on the enclosed plan

5.05 Accessibility Do the proposals include access or other provision for people with a

disability? If YES, provide details on the enclosed plan.

We confirm that the above project will be carried out in accordance with the NCC technical guidance and financial regulations. We certify that, where appropriate, Planning / Building Regulations approval will be obtained and the project will comply with the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1999 and other relevant legislation and DfE design guidance documents.

Signed: (Head Teacher) Signed: (Governor) Date: / / 20 On completion of this form send to: Nicola Hoy, LGSS Property Services, Strategic Project Delivery Team, John Dryden House, 8-10 The Lakes, Northampton NN4 7DD Tel: (01604) 367789 e-mail: [email protected]




APPENDIX 2B - SCHOOL MANAGED PROJECT – COMPLETION/CANCELLATION NOTIFICATION

Please Note: This Form Should Be Completed And Returned As Soon As Possible After Completion Or Cancellation Of The Project. The information provided on changes in room use or floor areas will be used to confirm the school’s delegated budget and to ensure the CAD plans for your school accurately reflect the total square metres. The information provided on Maintenance work will ensure that the details on the school AMP records are accurate. All AMP information is used in annual returns to DfE.

1. Establishment Details School name: DfE Number:

Project Title: Project Ref:

2. Asset Management Plan Information Relating To This Project: Maintenance Work:

Category No. on school condition survey summary sheet: Change in school floor area m2: +/-:

Additional Information:

e.g. if the proposals affect the AMP Information on condition/suitability/capacity of building/site please identify the parts of the buildings affected and refer to the block name and room numbers indicated on the floor plan of your school.

3. Completion Statement: I confirm that the above project/work has been cancelled because:

I confirm that the above project/work was completed on (date): The Nett cost of the project/works was: £

Signed: Name:

Position in school: Tel: Date: / / 20

On completion of this form send to: Keith Tyrrell, LGSS Strategic Assets, John Dryden House, 8-10 The Lakes, Northampton NN4 7DD Tel: (01604) 367806 e-mail: [email protected]

4. LGSS Office Use: Updates required? Plans Condition Sufficiency Suitability Floor Area M

2

Completed Archibus Finance





APPENDIX 3 - SUMMARY OF THE PARTY WALL ETC ACT 1996

Application

The Party Wall etc Act, which came into force on 1 July 1997, applies to work which

involves one of the following:-

1. work on an existing wall or structure shared with another property

2. building a free standing wall or a wall of a building up to or astride the

boundary of a neighbouring property

3. excavating near a neighbouring building (this may be 3 or 6 metres depending

on the depth of the hole or foundation).

Minor works on a party wall are usually considered to be too trivial to come under the

Act. Examples of minor work include:-

1. drilling into your own half of a party wall to fix plugs and screws for ordinary

wall units or shelving

2. drilling into your own half of a party wall to add/replace recessed electric

wiring and sockets

3. re-plastering.

The key point is whether your planned work might have consequences for the

structural strength and support functions of the party wall.

The rights and obligations as an owner or occupier as set out in the Party Wall etc Act

1996 are summarised below.

If a new party fence wall is to be built

As Building Owner

You must serve notice on the owner of the adjoining land, and you must have written agreement before you can proceed. Usually but not necessarily, the wall will stand centrally on the boundary line with ownership and expense shared.

As Adjoining Owner

If you give your written consent, the wall will be classed as a party fence wall.

If you do not give your written consent, then the wall cannot be built as a party fence wall shared between property owners.

If a new wall is to be built up to the boundary line

As Building Owner

You must serve notice on the owner of the adjoining land, but you do not have to receive written consent before you can proceed. You build on your own land.

You are entitled to project a simple strip foundation for this wall on to the adjoining land without further notice or consent, but you must be prepared to pay compensation for any damage




which is caused.

As Adjoining Owner

Although the Building Owner is obliged to serve you notice of his intention to build, he does not need your consent to construct the wall on his own land.

He has the right to protect the foundations for the wall on to your land, but you can expect to receive compensation for any damage caused. In the event that the foundations are anything other than simple strip concrete, your consent will be required before work can proceed.

If a party wall is to be demolished, rebuilt, extended or repaired

As Building Owner

You have a legal right to carry out any of the types of work which are listed in Section 2 of the Act.

You must serve a Party Structure Notice on each Adjoining Owner or Occupier who might be directly affected.

You must have written consent from each Adjoining Owner or Occupier before you can proceed, except in an emergency, e.g. when complying with a Dangerous Structures notice.

As Adjoining Owner

You will be served by a Party Structure Notice describing the proposed work. You should then either give your written consent or serve a counter notice on the Building Owner in which you can state the requirements which need to be satisfied before work can proceed.

If you do not act, you will be deemed to be in dispute with the Building Owner, and you must then appoint a surveyor.

When it is agreed that work can proceed, the cost of the work will be shared between the Building Owner and each Adjoining Owner proportionally as agreed beforehand, or as set out in the Act. You will be expected to pay the cost of any work which has been instructed principally for your benefit.

The Building Owner is responsible for making good any damage to your property caused by carrying out the work.

If a new building is to be constructed near the boundary

As Building Owner

You must serve notice on any adjoining land on which there is an existing building or structure within 6 metres of your proposed work, and where your new foundations will be taken down lower than those of the existing.

You must show what steps you propose to take to underpin or otherwise strengthen and safeguard your neighbour’s existing building.

As Adjoining Owner

You will be served a notice to which you should either give your written consent or serve a counter notice on the Building Owner. In this you might specify what requirements must be met before consent will be forthcoming.




You can require the Building Owner to underpin or otherwise strengthen and safeguard your existing building, if it is within 6 metres of the proposed work and the foundations will be lower than yours. This will all be at the Building Owner’s cost.

If you give your written consent, it will be valid for a period of 12 months only, and on condition that the work is carried out diligently.

Key Points

1. Your architect should advise if the provisions of the Party Wall etc Act 1996 will

apply to your project. If no architect is appointed you should seek guidance

from the Principal Estates Surveyor in County Property Services.

2. Architects usually deal with routine party wall matters as part of their general

services.

3. Serving notices under the Act is the responsibility of the owner.

4. If there are disputes over matters arising out of the Party Wall etc Act 1996, it

will be necessary to appoint a Party Wall Surveyor.

5. If there is damage to an Adjoining Owner’s property, the owner carrying out

the work may be liable.




APPENDIX 4 - LIST OF DFE BUILDING BULLETINS

The following is a list of the current Building Bulletins published by the ‘Department

for Education’. They should be the design standard adopted, as appropriate, when

undertaking building projects. School building projects are required to comply with

the requirements of the Building Regulations and Building Bulletins are identified as

the appropriate standard to meet the requirements.

BB.28 Playing Fields and Hard Surface Areas, 1982

BB.69 Crime Prevention in Schools, Specification, Installation and

Maintenance of Intruder Alarm Systems 1989

BB.70 Maintenance and renewal in educational buildings – maintenance of

mechanical services 1990

BB.71 The Outdoor Classroom – educational use, landscape design and

management of school grounds 2nd Edition 1999

BB.73 Guide to Energy Efficient Refurbishment: Maintenance and Renewal

in Educational Buildings 1991

BB.75 Crime Prevention in Schools – Closed Circuit TV Surveillance Systems

in educational buildings 1991

BB.76 Maintenance and Renewal in Educational Buildings: Maintenance of

Electrical Services 1992

BB.77 Designing for pupils with Special Educational Needs 1992

(Superseded by BB102)

BB.78 Security Lighting – Crime Prevention in Schools 1993

BB.79 Passive Solar Schools: A Design Guide 1994

BB.80 Science Accommodation in Secondary Schools, A Design Guide 2004

BB.81 Design & Technology Accommodation in Secondary Schools, A

Design Guide 2004

BB.82 Area Guidelines for Schools, 1996

BB.83 Schools’ Environmental Assessment Method, 1996

BB.84 School boarding accommodation – design guide 1996

BB.85 School Grounds – Designing School Grounds 2006

BB.86 Music Accommodation in Secondary Schools: A Design Guide 2010

BB.87 Guidelines for Environmental Design in Schools, 2nd Edition 2003

BB.88 Fume Cupboards in Schools, 1998

BB.89 Art Accommodation in Secondary Schools, 1998

BB.90 Lighting Design for Schools, 1999

BB.91 Disabled Access-Access for disabled people in schools 1999

(Superseded by BB102)

BB.92 Modern Foreign Languages Accommodation: A Design Guide, 2000

BB.93 Acoustic Design of Schools, 2003




BB.94 Inclusive School Design – Accommodating Pupils with Special

Educational Needs and Disabilities in Mainstream Schools, 2001(superseded by

BB102)

BB.95 Schools for the future – designs for learning communities 2002

BB.96 Meeting the educational needs for children and young people in

hospital – design guide. Published with NHS Estates 2003

BB.100 Fire Safety Design Guidance 2007

BB.101 Ventilation of School Buildings 2006

BB.102 Designing for disabled children and children with special educational

needs 2008

BB.103 Area Guidelines for Mainstream Schools




APPENDIX 5 - HOT WORKING RULES IN SCHOOL BUILDINGS

Introduction:

Many fires occur. while repairs and maintenance are being carried out to plant and

buildings. It is not possible to expect schools to operate a ‘Permit to Work’ system,

however contractors undertaking hot works should follow the rules below, to

minimise the risks of fire.

Before Work Starts

The contractor’s operatives must ensure they are familiar with the premises

emergency evacuation procedures. Any automatic fire or smoke detectors within the

work area shall be isolated.

The work area shall be made as safe as possible and all combustible material cleared

from an area within 5 m of the process. Combustible materials within this area that

cannot be moved shall be protected by non-combustible blankets or screens.

Before any hot work processes are carried out on tanks or other plant which have

contained flammable or other dangerous materials, all practical steps must be taken

to ensure that any residual contents are harmless.

The other side of any wall or partition on which work is to be carried out must be

inspected to ensure that materials there are not in danger of being ignited by direct or

conducted heat.

Whilst Work Is In Progress

Suitable precautions to reduce the risk of fire must at all times be taken.

Unless there is a good reason why this is not possible, at least 2 persons shall be

present during the work.

Suitable fire-fighting equipment shall be provided by the contractor and made

available at the work area. Those undertaking the work must be familiar with its use.

No hot material or heat source such as a hot bitumen boiler shall be left unattended at

any time.

After The Work

At the end of each work period and on completion of the task, the work area shall be

checked to ensure there is not danger of fire starting after the operatives leave the

site.

Hot steel ends of welding rods and other waste material shall be disposed of in a safe

manner.




All hot work shall be ceased at least 30 minutes before leaving the site.

The premises buildings manager must be informed that the operative has completed

the work and will be leaving the site, to enable the site to be checked approximately

one hour later to ensure it is still fire safe.

Note: All contractors on the Select List of Contractors managed by Property that may

undertake ‘hot work’ are required annually to confirm compliance with the above

rules.




APPENDIX 6 - MANAGEMENT OF SCHOOL CARETAKERS’ HOUSES

The Management Of The Property

The Management Of The Property Is The Responsibility Of The School’s Governing

Body.

Caretaker’s houses are considered to be an integral part of the school facilities even

though, in most cases, they are physically detached from the school.

Tenants of the houses are responsible, as a condition of the lease agreement, to keep

the interior of the premises (Landlord’s fixtures only) in reasonable repair and

condition, including decoration.

Tenants are responsible for the Council Tax and all energy costs including water

charges.

Options For The Premises

If the property becomes vacant the Governors may wish to consider the following

options:

1. Keep the status quo – i.e. retain the requirement for a caretaker/site supervisor

to live in the property as a condition of their employment.

2. Incorporation into the school accommodation e.g. sixth form use, storage,

admin accommodation.

3. Lease for another County Council purpose*

4. Lease to an outside organisation – e.g. a playgroup*

5. Lease to another County Council employee (but see section 3 below)

6. Declare as surplus to requirements and refer to the Estates Team in Strategic

Assets for disposal. In the event of the property being declared surplus and

sold the proceeds will not accrue to the school. Not all properties may be

regarded as disposable by Strategic Assets.

*N.B. This involves change of use and planning consent would be required.

Only Staff Employed By Northamptonshire County Council Will Be Approved

Tenants

In the event that the school employs a non-resident site supervisor, the house could,

in certain circumstances, be leased to another full time employee from either the

teaching staff or the support staff. A lease to another Northamptonshire County

Council employee will be subject to strictly controlled tenancy agreements.

It is essential that schools do not unwittingly create secure tenancies. Should this

happen, it may not be possible to recover possession of the property when the tenant




leaves his job. Secure tenants may also acquire the right to buy the property at a

discount.

Allowing a member of staff to occupy the property will create a secure tenancy except

where occupancy is:

1. a requirement of the job

2. for a temporary period in certain circumstances.

Proposed Tenancies And Any Change Of Use Must Be Notified To Strategic Assets.

If the school wishes to offer the house to an employee, the Strategic Assets Estates

Team must be informed. Property Services and Legal Services will prepare a tenancy

agreement to be entered into with the employee which safeguards the position of the

school. In the case of a site supervisor’s tenancy, the agreement will be a service

tenancy agreement that will normally be automatically terminated upon the employee

leaving the service of the school, even though that employee may simply be

transferring to another location within the Authority.

Rent Revenues

In regarding the house as an integral part of the school, NCC will not levy charges for

rent against the school. The school will be advised periodically of the appropriate

market rent for the property and the governing body will decide if and to what degree

the rent should be abated. Currently a 50% abatement of the assessed “fair“ rent is

allowed. Inasmuch as there will be periodically a need for expenditure upon

maintenance and refurbishment by the school; it is advised that any rent-free

arrangements would seem inappropriate. All revenues from rent will be credited to

the school.

Properties That Remain Empty

If a house remains vacant for a protracted period of time the school would be advised

to consult with the Strategic Assets Estates Team, which may, if appropriate, arrange

for its disposal. The responsibility for maintenance costs of empty properties will be

unchanged whilst remaining under the management of the school. If a property

remains empty or is used by the school for its own purposes the school will be liable

for the appropriate Business Rate or Council Tax.




APPENDIX 7 - OCCASIONAL USE OF THE SCHOOL HALL AS A PLACE OF

ENTERTAINMENT

This standard has been prepared to assist schools in the safe presentation of plays and

other entertainment’s to parents and similar audiences.

The standard applies whether a licence exists for the premises or not, but where one

does exist, this standard should be read in conjunction with the licence and its

conditions.

Obviously the licence standards take precedence when an event subject to the licence

is taking place.

Licensing Requirements

If schools are using or allowing their premises to be used for activities not directly

linked to the operation of a school, such as a public entertainment, then an

appropriate licence must be obtained from the relevant issuing authority. It should be

noted that many of the licences require a fee to be paid and also require certain

standards to be adhered to regarding public safety and welfare. These standards are

likely to vary from those required of a school and could be financially prohibitive, such

as the provision of additional toilets or emergency lighting.

Occasional school related entertainment such as the Christmas show for parents and

friends of the school do not require a licence (parents in this context are not deemed

to be members of the public), though schools will still be expected to provide for the

health, safety and welfare of staff, participants and the audience.

General Arrangements

Prior to hosting an event a risk assessment should be carried out to ensure all areas of

hazard are identified and suitable and sufficient preventive and protective measures

appropriate to the risk they present are formulated.

Access and Egress

Suitable and safe means of access to and egress from the hall and ancillary areas

should be available. The school should consider the needs of disabled participants and

members of the audience.

School security measures may be compromised when hosting such events; adequate

back-up arrangements should be made to prevent the possibility of a security breach.




Nuisance

The school should also consider the level of nuisance likely to be created to the

community when deciding on an event; issues to consider include noise, parking, etc.

Housekeeping

The area being used should exhibit suitable standards of cleanliness and housekeeping

with the corridors, gangways and general circulation areas free of obstruction.

All items of furniture and equipment not associated with the event should be removed

or located and secured so as not to present any hazard to the audience, participants or

staff.

Seating provided for the audience should be suitable for the age and nature of the

audience, clean and free of defect.

Specific Safety And Fire Arrangements

Exits

Exits should, if possible, lead to open areas which allow dispersal away from the

premises.

Doors forming exits must open in the direction of travel from any room

accommodating more than 60 persons.

The following table may be used as a guide to determine general capacities of escape

routes:

A width of 750mm can accommodate 100 people.

A width of 1050mm can accommodate up to 200 people.

An additional 75mm should be used for each additional 15 people (or part 15).

The aggregate width of all escape rotes should not be less than that required to

accommodate the maximum numbers of people required to use them.

The minimum width of an escape route should ideally be 1050mm.

Consideration must also be given to those people with mobility impairment.

Note: The above dimensions refer to the clear width of the openings or doorways

when the doors are fully open.

Standing Audience

In calculating figures for a standing audience a ratio 0.5m² per person should be used.




Seating at Tables

For an entertainment given before an audience seated at tables a ratio of 1.0 m² per

person should be used. In such cases, tables adjacent to exits should be secured in

position to prevent them from being moved or overturned in an emergency and

thereby causing obstruction.

Exit Signs

Fire exit signs with directional arrow should be sited between 2m and 2.5 m above

each door.

Where an exit from the hall does not discharge directly into the open-air, additional

directional signs should be provided for the guidance of the public.

Push Bars

Exit doors should either be free of fastenings other than self-closing devices or be

fitted with push pads or bars. In the latter case the words “PUSH BAR TO OPEN” in

50mm block letters should be clearly visible above the operating bars.

Removable Fastenings

Barrel bolts fitted to exit doors should be made removable, which may be done by

cutting off the stop or keep, thus enabling the shoot to be withdrawn. In cases where

this is not practicable the bolt(s) should, at least, be rendered inoperable in the

unbolted position while the premises are occupied.

Flush Bolts

Flush bolts should be rendered inoperative e.g. by plugging their sockets with wood or

other hard material.

Chains, etc

Any security chains, cord, wedges, etc should be completely removed from exit doors

before the audience is admitted.

Door Curtains

Any curtains provided across exit doors should be rendered satisfactorily flame-

retardant and be capable of being pulled right back so as not to diminish the exit

width. They should not trail on the floor and the edges should be highlighted where

two curtains meet across the doorway. Curtains should be open during performances.

Maintenance of Clear Exits

At no time when the public are present should any exit door be fixed or shut other

than by a panic bolt, nor be reduced in width by loose chairs, tables, counters or any

other obstruction.




Gangways

As far as practicable, seating should be in regular blocks having gangways of uniform

width leading directly to the exits and should not be less than 1050mm wide.

Seating

Seatways between rows should not be less than 300mm measured between

perpendiculars.

Back to back measurements between seats should not be less than 760mm nor less

than 600mm in bench type seating without backs.

Not more than 14 seats should be permitted in a row having a gangway at either end,

or 7 in a row having a gangway at one end only. Gangways should be a minimum of

1050mm.

Where seats are not secured to the floor they should be secured together in

continuous lengths or at least in lengths of not fewer than 4.

Stage

Stage Exits

A minimum of two exits from the stage should be provided, one of which may, if

necessary, be via the auditorium.

Note: This requirement would not be applicable to theatre-in-the-round or similar

stages, but is intended for proscenium and possibly end-stage halls.

These exits should be so arranged and maintained so as to afford easy means of

escape from the stage area, free from obstruction by scenery or props. Whenever

possible at least one exit should lead directly to the open-air.

Exit doors from the stage should be clearly indicated by “running man” EXIT signs

150mm high.

Exit doors should be unlocked, and readily available for use.

Front Curtains

If front curtains are provided (whether used or not) they should be flame-retardant.

Unless inherently flame-retardant or durably-treated flame-retardant they should be

satisfactorily treated and tested before each production.

Scenery

All scenery used or stored on the premises should be satisfactorily rendered flame-

retardant and tested before each production. Limited quantities of timber of not less

than 75mm x 25mm nominal cross-section, e.g. framing, and sheet materials, e.g.

plywood, chipboard and block-board of not less than 18mm, need not be treated.




Flame-retardant Treatment of Fabrics

Scenery, curtains, fabrics, etc are required to be flame-retardant. These may be

treated using one of the many proprietary solutions available for this purpose.

After treatment and drying the material should be tested for flame retardation. In all

cases it is advisable to experiment with a small portion of the fabric before treating the

whole, lest texture or colours be affected.

Smoking

Smoking in the stage area should be forbidden.

“NO SMOKING” notices should be provided in conspicuous positions backstage.

Portable Fire Fighting Equipment – Front Of House

Number of Extinguishers

A minimum of two fire extinguishers should be provided.

Siting of Extinguishers

The fire extinguishers should be conspicuously sited, preferably adjacent to exit doors.

They should be wall-mounted on brackets or on stands. They should also be indicated

by appropriate signage.

Types of Extinguishers

The type of extinguisher should be determined by the outcome of the fire risk

assessment. Foam or water are the most common.

A CO2 extinguisher should be provided adjacent to any sound or lighting control desk

or electrical equipment.

Portable Fire Fighting Equipment - Backstage

Siting of Extinguishers

The siting and type of extinguisher should be determined by the fire risk assessment.

Portable Fire Fighting Equipment – General

Tests and Checks

It should be ensured that extinguishers are charged and in proper working order and

remain unobstructed.

Instruction on Use

The positions of extinguishers and instruction in their use should be made known to all

staff.




Hose Reels

The use of hose reels should be discouraged

Fire & Rescue Service

For small premises, the requirements set out above are considered to be the minimum

necessary where occasional events are held. However, the advice of the Fire and

Rescue Service should be sought where large or complex premises are concerned or

where special circumstances prevail.

Irrespective of any action taken, the Fire and Rescue Service should be immediately

notified of the outbreak of a fire, no matter how small.

First Aid

Suitable and sufficient arrangements should be made for the administration of first

aid. The actual arrangements will be based on the numbers present, the nature of the

event, hazards presented by the performance, etc, but should include qualified first

aid personnel and a first aid box suitably stocked.

Arrangements should also exist for summoning the emergency services if warranted

by the situation.

Accident reporting arrangements in line with the authority’s procedures should also be

in place.

Lighting – Public Areas

Two Systems

All parts of the premises to which the public have access, including auditorium,

staircases, exit corridors and toilet facilities, etc, should be provided with two

independent systems of lighting. In the event of failure of the mains supply, the

alternative emergency lighting system should be sufficient to enable the audience to

see their way quickly and easily out of the premises.

Types of Emergency Lighting

The emergency lighting should be in the form of permanent or temporary lamps

supplied from a central battery source. Self-contained battery units, sufficiently

charged to give the necessary level of illumination for the duration of the performance

plus one hour, are a further alternative.

Operation of Emergency Lighting

Unless the premises are provided with an automatic change-over battery system

which operates immediately upon mains failure, the emergency lighting system should




be switched on before the public are admitted to the premises and remain on until

they have left.

Relaxation on Emergency Lighting

An emergency lighting system may not need to be provided if:

1. performances take place out of doors and terminate before dusk, or

2. performances are given in ground floor premises with all exits opening directly

onto an open way or space and terminate before dusk, provided the internal

exit signs are clearly visible at all times, or

3. occasional performances are given in school halls for parents by pupils and

where all exits are available and sufficient attendants to assist in an evacuation

are present. Issuing attendants with torches should be considered.

Means Of Raising The Alarm

Adequate arrangements for raising the alarm in an emergency are required.

Ideally a mains powered fire alarm activated by call points adjacent to the fire exits

should be available.

Where this is not available, suitable other provision should be made which when used

is audible throughout the occupied area.

Stage Electrics

Permanent Wiring

Permanent wiring between the mains intake and distribution boards, dimmers and

patch panels should be protected from mechanical damage, e.g. by screwed metal

conduit or trunking.

Temporary Wiring

Temporary wiring, rigged for each production, should be either tough rubber-sheathed

or PVC sheathed. Where likely to be subjected to excessive heat from lamps, dimmers

or other heat-emitting equipment, heat-resisting cables should be used.

Protection of Wiring

Wiring should, as far as possible, be kept off the floor in backstage areas where staff

and performers pass. Tough rubber matting, canvas or similar material should be used

to protect cables and prevent tripping where such positioning is unavoidable.




Dimmers, Lamps, etc

Dimmer units should not be sited in confined spaces which may become over-heated.

Lamps, lanterns or other heat-emitting electrical equipment should not be in contact

with, or very close to, curtains, canvas scenery, plastics or other flammable materials.

Earthing

Electrical equipment should be efficiently earthed.

Portable Appliances

All portable electrical equipment should have been subject to an electrical appliance

test within the preceding 12 months and be subject to a visual assessment prior to

use.

Cables should never be laid on the floor across exits or doorways.

Safety Chains

Lanterns or other hanging equipment should have a secondary means of suspension,

e.g. safety chain or wire.

Heating And Ventilation

The hall and ancillary areas should be adequately heated.

Portable heaters should not be used.

Fixed heaters of a radiant type should be fitted with proper guards. In dressing rooms

great care should be taken to ensure that costumes and props are kept well clear of

such heaters.

The auditorium, stage and dressing rooms, should be adequately ventilated. If

windows only are provided, sufficient should be opened to permit a reasonable

circulation, even if covered by curtains.

If mechanical ventilation is installed it should be switched on prior to the admission of

the audience.

Sanitary Accommodation

Separate sanitary accommodation for both sexes should be available to audience and

performers/staff. There is no objection to sharing these facilities though adequate

supervisory arrangements should be in place.

The school should consider the needs of disabled patrons when determining the

availability of sanitary accommodation.

Directional signs should be provided as necessary.

Where required, emergency lighting should be provided in the main toilet areas.




Performance Safety

Risk Assessment

The person acting as production manager should carry out a risk assessment covering

all aspects of the performance to ensure all the foreseeable hazards have been

prevented from arising or protected against. The Governing Body or Head teacher

acting on their behalf should ratify the assessment and the accompanying preventive

and protective measures identified.

Use of Real Flame

Real flame (for candles, lamps, lanterns, flambeaux, etc) should preferably not be used

on a stage. Electrical substitutes should be used whenever possible. Where lighted

candles are required, they should be firmly fixed in holders of a type which cannot

readily be overturned and, in any case, should not be placed or held close to scenery

or fabrics.

Use of Firearms

The use of firearms should be forbidden, replica firearms can be used but the

suitability of use within a school setting should be considered.

Use of Maroons/Pyrotechnics

Only persons competent in the use of such effects should be allowed to employ them.

Maroons required for explosion effects are detonated electrically and must be

contained within a bomb tank having a wire mesh cover. The tank should be sited in as

isolated a position as possible but within the sight of the operator. A large notice

reading

DANGER - EXPLOSIVES

KEEP CLEAR

should be provided where it can be clearly seen adjacent to the tank when it has been

loaded and charged.

Use of Lasers and Other Specialist Equipment

Special effects such as lasers should only be used where suitably trained and

competent personnel will be on hand to set up the effect/equipment and throughout

the production.

Flying Scenery and People

The flying of scenery and/or people should only be undertaken using professionally

installed equipment and with competent persons to operate it.




Rostra

All rostra should be designed and built to withstand the maximum possible load likely

to be applied to it.

Scaffolding

Scaffolding should only be used when constructed in accordance with the appropriate

standards by a competent person. The structure should also be routinely checked to

ensure it remains sound where the production run extends beyond 2 or 3

performances.

Management

A responsible person should be nominated to act as Manager or House Manager to

ensure the well-being of the audience and be in control of the premises.

The Manager should ensure that attendants or ushers (who should be at least 16 years

old) are aware of the safety regulations, positions of exits and fire appliances and how

to use them.

The Manager and attendants should understand that, in the event of an emergency,

the main objective is to avoid panic and that should an evacuation be deemed

necessary, this should be carried out in as quiet and orderly a manner as possible.

Emergency arrangements should be made prior to the performance and the procedure

for calling the Fire and Rescue Service, in the event of an outbreak of fire, established.

The Manager should ensure that all licensing requirements where appropriate have

been complied with and be constantly available to deal with any problems that may

arise.




APPENDIX 8 – METER READING AND WEB BASED MONITORING GUIDE

This guide has been prepared to assist you in reading your Utility meters. Gathering

meter reading data is an import part of energy and water monitoring. Having a history

of meter readings can greatly assist with solving invoice problems, checking for early

signs of water leaks, estimating the effectiveness of proposed energy interventions

etc.

Please take some time to read through this guide. If you have a site supervisor or

caretaker in charge who reads the meters, please make sure they also read this guide.

If you have any queries please contact the Property Services Energy Mangement Team

at [email protected]

How to Read Your Utility Meters

Electricity Meters

There are 3 main types of electricity meter, Single Rate (1 reading), Normal/Evening

Rate (2 readings) and Normal, Evening and Weekend rate (3 readings). The majority of

electricity meters now installed have digital liquid crystal displays and are often

referred to as Smart or Automatic Meter Reader (AMR) meters. Even through these

meters send data directly to the electricity suppliers errors with invoicing can still

occur. Having a history of direct meter readings taken be site staff is still valuable.

Reading a Smart Meter

These meters have an electronic display and generally show only one piece of

information at a time. The vast majority of the electricity meters installed in

Northamptonshire County Council buildings have been manufactured by EDMI and

instructions below are for this type, but similar principles apply to other models of

electronic display meter. An example of an AMR meter is shown in Figure 0-1.

Figure 0-1





To read the meter:

1. Press the ‘Select’ or ‘Display Select’ button to display each data display in turn.

2. The data displays general proceed in the following order. Date, Time, the

individual meter readings used by the supply tariff and finally reading A1.

3. The meter readings required will be labeled 01 for single rate tariffs, 01 and 02

for Normal (Day) and Low (Night) tariffs. If there are more readings on your

tariff they will be labeled 03 to 06. Be careful of the decimal place indicator if

one is present. The meter reading is the whole number of kiloWatt-hours

displayed and does not include decimal places.

4. The A1 reading is a special reading which displays the total number of kiloWatt-

hours used, i.e. the sum of all the rates combined. Although not required to be

recorded this is a useful check value to see if the other readings are displayed

correctly.

Figure 0-1 shows the register 01 (Normal or Day rate) reading. The reading is 53339.

Be aware that the small triangle below the numbers is not a decimal point.

How to Read a Mechanical Meter

This type of meter was the most common type of meter installed but is now been

superseded by the electronic smart meter. The mechanical meter uses a series of

revolving barrels (similar to a car’s Odometer) to display the number of kiloWatt-hours

used. To read this type of meter it is a simple matter of recording the numbers to the

left of the decimal place or any numbers highlighted in red.

The readings for the meter shown in Figure 0-2 are 524599 for the Normal/Day Rate

and 180640 for the Low/Night Rate.

Figure 0-2




How to Read a Dial Meter

This type of meter is not as common as the Smart or Mechanical meter. It uses a series

of rotating dials (which look like clock faces) to display the reading and is more

complex to read than other types. An example is shown in Figure 3. The main point to

remember is that adjacent dials rotate in opposite directions and therefore great care

must be taken when reading each dial. The standard type has 5. Ignore any red dials.

Figure 0-3

To read the meter:

1. Look at the position of the units dial. If the needle is pointing to a whole number,

this is the units reading. If not, round down to the nearest whole unit.

2. Move to the next dial and look at its position.

a. If the needle is between to numbers round down to the nearest whole

number. If not go to 2b.

b. If the needle is pointing to a whole number or it is not clear if the

needle is above or below a whole number check the value of the dial

immediately to the right. If that dial reads more than 5 then the value

should be rounded down. If the dial to the right is less than 5 then the

number the needle is pointing to is the reading.

3. Repeat step 2 until all 5 dials have been read.

The example meter in Figure 3 reads 60169. The red dial is ignored.

Gas Meters

There are two groups of gas meter, imperial and metric. The imperial group is divided

into 3 volume types. Hundred Cubic Feet (the most common), Ten Cubic Feet and

Single Cubic Feet. Metric meters record in cubic metres only and are becoming more

common as suppliers replacing imperial billing meters.




The majority of gas meters have the mechanical rotating barrel type display. To read

this type of meter it is a simple matter of recording the numbers to the left of the

decimal place or any numbers highlighted in red. The meter dial in Figure 0-4 shows an

imperial hundred cubic feet meter. The reading is 83939. The red numbers to the right

are decimal places and are ignored.

Figure 0-4

Figure 5 shows a metric meter indicated by the m³ (cubic metre) symbol to the right of

the display. The meter reading is 12408. The dials surrounded by the red box are

decimal places and are ignored.

Figure 0-5

Water Meters

All water meters are metric and measure usage in m³ (cubic metres). As with

electricity and gas meters any decimal places or numbers highlighted in red are

ignored. Figure 5 shows a typical water meter dial. The reading is 253




Figure 0-6

Using the Web Based Monitoring System - Systemslink

SystemsLink General Information

SystemsLink is a web based system for recording utility meter readings and also

provides simple usage reports to monitor energy and water usage. The site can be

accessed at the following website address in a standard internet browser.

http://www.systems-link.com/webreports3/default.aspx

To use Systemslink you will need a user name and password. If you do not already

have these account details please contact the Property Services Energy Team using the

email address below.

[email protected]

Logging in to Systemslink

After entering the Systemslink website address into your browser’s address bar the

login page shown in Figure 0-7 will be displayed.

http://www.systems-link.com/webreports3/default.aspx





Figure 0-7

Enter your Systemslink User Name and Password and click login.

If your are responsible for recording readings for only one site the home page in Figure

0-8 will be displayed. This page is the Data Set page and displays a table of supplies for

the site with their supply details.

Figure 0-8




If you are responsible for multiple sites the home page in Figure 0-9 will be displayed.

To record meter readings for one of these site or view usage information simply click

on the required site name in the table. This will forward you to the site Data Set page

shown in Figure 0-8.

Figure 0-9

Adding New Meter Readings

First login to SystemLink, then select the Add New Readings tab from the tab menu to

the left of the page. The add new readings page shown in Figure 0-10 will be displayed

with data entry boxes for all the readings required grouped by utility.

Figure 0-10




1. First check that the date displayed in the Reading Date box is the date on which

the readings were actual taken. By default this box contains the current date. If the

reading date is different amend as necessary.

2. Enter the individual meter readings into the spaces provided under the New

Reading headings. The system displays the date the previous readings were

entered and the previous meter readings. Make sure that the readings you are

recording are entered in to the correct boxes and that they are consistent with the

previous readings. If believe that there is an issue with a reading please leave a

note describing the problem as described in step 3. If there are no problems go to

step 4.

3. To add a comment/note with a meter reading click on the Add Comments heading

for the supply concerned. A text box will be displayed for you to leave your

comment. You can leave a comment for any reason, but to help the Property

Services Team we would recommend you also leave a comment in the following

situations




a. If a meter has been replaced. Please let us know the date that this

occurred, the final meter reading of the removed meter and the meter

serial number of the new meter. We can then use this information to

update the meter details.

b. If you use oil or solid fuel, please send us details of the deliveries you

have received between the new reading and the previous reading. We

can then add this information to the dataset calculations and the total

usage figures will be accurate.

c. If the new reading is significantly different from the previous reading

and there is a know reason for this.

d. If any of the meter details have been labeled as “(Please send to NCC)”.

This indicates that this data is missing from the database and is required

by Property Services to update the records in the database. Please leave

the details that should be entered (Meter Serial Number, Location and

dates, etc) with the comment.

4. Click on the Next Stage Button. This runs a basic reading validation test. Any

readings which fail this test are highlighted and you have an opportunity to change

them if necessary. This test does not prevent you from submitting the readings

which fail validation if you are sure that they are correct.

5. If you are happy with the readings click on Submit Readings. The new readings are

added to the database and you can log off the website

View Previous Meter Readings

To view a list of previous readings for a meter:

1. Select the ‘Data Sets’ tab as shown in Figure 0-8.

2. Select the Meter/Data Set you for which you want to view previous readings be

clicking on the appropriate table row.

3. Select the ‘Data’ tab from the ‘Data Set’ tab menu. A list of previous meter

readings as shown in Figure 0-11 will be displayed.




Figure 0-11

Site Reports

Site reports showing total usage or cost for Electricity Gas and Water are available by

selecting the Reports tab from the tab menu as shown below. The two main reports

available, a 1 year report or 2 year comparison report. If your site has a smart meter

for either electricity or gas additional reports are available.




Figure 0-12

1. To view a report select either 1 Year or 2 Year Comparison as shown in Figure 0-12

(We recommend the 2 year option as this allows for easier comparisons between

years). Systemslink will display charts and tables for each utility showing total

usage or cost for the site as shown in Figure 0-13.

2. The report settings can be changed using the options available below the tab menu

to the left of the page. When you have changed the settings remember to click on

the Update Report button. The settings available are:

a. Data Mode/Type – A drop down list of available data type is located

above the site tab menu. The following data types are available:

i. Invoice (Default) – This data type contains data received from

utility suppliers. Data for this data type is only available for Sites

which use the County Council’s utility purchasing contracts.

ii. Direct – This data type contains all the data collected by site

staff. Be aware that Cost information my not accurate.

iii. Profile – This data type contains data collected by Automatic

Meter Readers (AMRs). This is in the form of half hourly usage

data and is available for electricity only in the majority of cases.

b. Start Date - This sets the start month and year of the report.

c. Category – Selects between usage or cost.




d. Reference date – Available of 2 year comparison report and sets the

start point of the comparison year. By default this is set to 1 Year

Previous.

Figure 0-13

Profile Reports

If the site has AMR/Smart meters for either electricity or gas then Profile data may be

available on the SystemsLink website. Profile data consists of usage data recorded

every half hour. This provides a much greater level of detail than standard meter

readings. Profile reports can be viewed either for the site or by the individual meter.

Site Profile Report

To view this type of profile report:

1. Select the reports tab as shown in Figure 0-14.

2. Change the Data Mode/Type to Profile.

3. Select ‘Site Aggregate Profile’ report. An example of the report is shown in Figure

0-15.




The Site Aggregate Profile report shown in Figure 0-15 is set to displayed electricity

usage per half hour for one day. Additional settings are available in the blue bar above

the chart.

Figure 0-14




Figure 0-15

Data Set Profile Report

To view this type of profile report:

1. Select the Data Sets tab as shown in Figure 0-8.

2. Select Profile from the Data Mode/Type drop down box. Any meter which does not

support this data type will be greyed out.

3. Click on the Data Set row for which you want view reports.

4. A list of reports as shown in Figure 0-16 will be displayed. We recommend the

following options

a. The Profile Summary Report (see Figure 0-17). This report shows usage

per half hour per day for 1 month.

b. The Profile Footprint Report (see Figure 0-18). This report again shows

usage per half hour per day for 1 month, but uses a table of colour code

squares to show usage level.




Figure 0-16




Figure 0-17

Figure 0-18




Frequently asked questions

Q: How often do I need to read the meters and enter the figures?

A: Traditionally we have asked for meters to be read monthly, usually the last working

day of each calendar month. The system will accommodate more frequent readings

(say weekly). Less frequent reading will diminish the effectiveness of the process and

potentially increase the risk of abnormal consumptions (and therefore higher bills)

being overlooked.

Q: If there are gaps in the reading dates can I enter more than one set of readings

A: If you have the historical readings enter them in date order and submit them one

set at a time. [Note the reports may not automatically refresh until we have run a

reconciliation process]

Q: Can I enter invoice data on to the system?

A: No, the system is only designed to accept your direct site based meter readings.

The invoice data on the system is loaded centrally from the data supplied to us by the

NCC contract energy suppliers.

Q: Can I supply invoice data to you to be loaded onto the system?

A: We would be pleased to receive water invoice data from you and will load this onto

the system for you to generate reports. Please fax copies of your Anglian Water bills

to 01604 236979. (Please ensure that you send the page with the meter readings,

consumption and cost breakdown details.)

Q: When I submitted my meter readings on the system – a response came back with

an error message, what should I do?

A: The system is designed to undertake some simple validation checks on the readings

you submit. The error message will highlight which validation routine has failed. This

could be

1. the reading supplied is less than the previous read. Please check that you have

entered the reading correctly, especially checking that the correct number of

digits has been entered. Or

2. the consumption generated by the new reading is significantly different from

the previous period – again please check that the reading is correct and the

correct number of digits. If in doubt about the correct digits please refer to

your latest utility bill.




Q: The ‘Enter new readings screen’ only shows the one previous read for each meter.

Can the system produce a report of all of my previous meter readings?

A: No, the system cannot produce that on-line for you. However the data is stored on

our central system and we can provide a meter reading history report on request.

Please email: [email protected]

Q: One of my meters has been changed since I sent in the last readings, what should

I do?

A: If you have the details of the final readings on the old meter, the opening reading

on the new meter (often zero, but not always) and the date of the meter change,

please email the details and we will update the system for you.

Q The meter details shown on the system are either missing or inaccurate, can I

update them on-line?

A: No, please either enter the revised details using the comments function or

alternatively email the details to [email protected]

Q The graphs and tables show items of negative consumptions, what can I do about

this?

A: If this occurs in ‘Direct’ mode this means that a meter reading error has crept in.

We have made every effort to ensure that your previous readings have been validated

to avoid this; however some may have slipped through. Please email the details to

[email protected] and we will investigate and correct the

error. However, if this occurs in ‘Invoice’ reporting mode this will probably be due to a

credit adjustment on your account following an amended estimated reading.

Q Can I change the user name and password?

A: Not from your PC, however if you wish to change your user ID then please let us

know.







APPENDIX 9 – ESTABLISHING A LOCAL SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

This section primarily deals with the establishment of a Schools’ Safety Management

System.

It is recommended that each school develops a specific policy which builds on the

generic County Council Safety Policy. Areas that will need to be addressed in such a

policy include;

Any specific aims and objectives of the school

The means of organising within the school

Any arrangements specific to the schools’ activities

The means of monitoring within the school to ensure the standards set are

being achieved

As well as providing the basis of the health and safety management system, the

formulation of such a policy also satisfies the legal requirement contained in section

2(3) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 which states:

“Except in such cases as may be prescribed, it shall be the duty of every employer to

prepare and as often as may be appropriate revise a written statement of his general

policy with respect to health and safety at work of his employees and the organisation

and arrangements for the time being in force for carrying out that policy”

Whilst this responsibility rests with the employer, to ensure that issues of Fair Funding

are properly addressed Community Schools are expected to have a Safety Policy to

confirm how they are managing at a local level. In Aided and Foundation Schools the

responsibility rests with the Governing Body as the employer.

Writing A School Safety Policy

An effective policy should address four main areas:

Governing Body’s Statement of Intent

Means of Organising

Arrangements for Satisfying the Policy

Arrangements for Monitoring and Evaluating the Policy

Governing Body’s Statement of Intent

This part of the policy is expected to identify the general attitude with regard to health

and safety and the strategies that will be set in place for achieving the standards that

are considered acceptable.

Reference should be made to the Governing Body’s acceptance of their responsibilities

in respect of the health, safety and welfare of staff, pupils and visitors and how a

working and learning environment which is safe and without risk to health will be

provided and maintained.




Although management and staff responsibilities will be detailed later in the policy, it is

appropriate here to make mention of the fact that everyone involved with the school

is required to assist in achieving the aims and objectives identified. This element of

the policy could be used by the Governing Body to confirm to parents their

commitment to pupils’ health, safety and welfare, by its inclusion in the school’s

prospectus.

Means of Organising

To ensure that managers and staff are aware of their delegated responsibilities and

duties regarding health and safety, it is essential to have a management structure

which identifies clear lines of communication throughout the organisation. An

effective organisation will identify key personnel in the line management structure as

well as staff who have specific defined safety roles. Reference should also be made to

the involvement of the Governing Body and Local Authority where appropriate.

With health and safety being seen as a management function the existing organisation

may be easily utilised here with the specific responsibilities and duties appended.

An organisational structure for a typical school may look something like the charts

detailed in Tables A or B.

Arrangements for Satisfying the Policy

As the Organisation part deals with who and what, this part of the policy details with

how. It achieves this by identifying the minimum acceptable standards for managing

the hazards presented by the operation of the school.

The layout of this part should be designed to reflect the size of the establishment and

the number of hazards presented. Smaller schools may find it appropriate to include

the agreed standards within the policy but where the document starts to get unwieldy

it is probably better to restrict the arrangements to policy statements with the actual

standard residing in the appendices or in separate documentation, for example;

“Fire Safety

To ensure that appropriate arrangements are formulated for the provision and

maintenance of effective fire precautions, procedural guidelines covering;

Evacuation Procedures

Fire Extinguishers

Means of Escape

Fire Alarms

Arson Prevention

General Fire Safety

will be produced and implemented.




For current standards see the Fire Precautions Log Book”

Other areas that may need to be covered include;

Curriculum safety

Educational visits

Chemical safety

Health and hygiene

Work experience

Building maintenance

Contractors

First aid

Staff training

Display screen equipment

Equipment provision / maintenance

Supervision and control

Risk assessment

Lone working

Violence and aggression

Stress

Grounds maintenance

This is not an exhaustive list but is designed to give an idea of the extent of health and

safety issues that may need to be addressed.

Arrangements for Monitoring and Evaluating the Policy

The final part of the policy should identify the arrangements by which the

effectiveness of the policy at setting the framework for managing health and safety

can be monitored and evaluated.

A number of methods exist by which schools can monitor their performance. The

most obvious one being inspections and audits; the frequency and level of which will

need to be tailored to suit the individual establishment.

The recommended minimum frequency for inspection would be termly to ensure that

all aspects of school life are examined. Routine inspections should, possibly with the

help of checklists, be designed to assess whether the agreed standards set out in the

policy have been achieved. At least one of the inspections should also consider

whether the agreed standards actually meet the overall objectives of the governing

body.

A variety of personnel can be involved in inspections, but it would be normal practice

for a minimum to include a Governor, a manager and a member of staff.




Trade Union Safety Representatives are also entitled to carry out inspections. These

can be carried out independently or as part of the management’s monitoring system if

this is considered appropriate.

Other methods such as accident investigation, use of external reports from contracted

experts, for example insurance assessors, can also form part of the overall monitoring

strategy.

The information gathered by the various monitoring methods adopted should be

regularly used as part of the review to determine the effectiveness of the policy in

achieving the objectives set by the governing body.

On completion, the safety policy should be signed and dated by the employer or

equivalent, e.g., Chair of Governors, and publicised to all staff.

HEALTH AND SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Once the policy has been produced and agreed, the next step in the development of

an effective health and safety culture within the school is to establish a health and

safety management system. This is achieved by implementing the following strategy:-

ORGANISE

PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION

MEASURING PERFORMANCE

AUDIT AND REVIEW

ORGANISE

The suggested model for this is contained in the Health and Safety Executive’s

publication HS(G)65 “Successful Health and Safety Management”, and is based on the

four C’s;

Control

Co-operation

Communication

Competence

Control

Control is achieved by the school firstly setting out objectives with regard to the

required health and safety standard expected by the Governing Body.

Flowing from the objectives should be a suitable organisation sufficiently resourced

and capable of effectively managing health and safety issues so as to achieve the

standards.

At the head of the organisation will be a leader who can demonstrate their

commitment and be capable of providing clear direction to the other employees

within the school.




In support of the Head teacher will be a management structure which identifies

individuals and their responsibilities and duties which are pertinent to health and

safety.

Staff at all levels will require to be involved either in relation to their management

position, their particular health and safety role or their general duties as an employee.

Effective control will result from an organisation which ensures that everyone involved

fully understands what is expected of them, how and by whom supervision will be

provided and how the issue of accountability will be addressed.

Co-operation

Co-operation between Governors, management and staff is essential for an effective

safety culture to be created. Without the full involvement of all, the aims and

objectives identified in the policy will not be realised and the standard set will not be

achieved.

To engender a spirit of an appropriate level of co-operation within an organisation,

trust and understanding will be required; this will need to be fostered by ensuring that

staff are fully consulted about issues affecting health and safety.

Staff should also be involved in the procedures surrounding the planning and

reviewing of the health and safety management system adopted within the school.

Communication

Staff will need to be fully aware of the health and safety issues that they have a direct

involvement in or could be affected by. There is a need to ensure that effective means

of communication are developed within the school.

Staff will require information on the hazards presented by the operation of the school,

there risks to the health and safety of the staff, pupils and visitors and on the

protective and preventive measures adopted for removing or minimising these risks.

Competence

As well as the operational requirements for staff to be competent to carry out their

given duties, legislation also requires competency where health and safety is an issue,

Regulation 11, Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 refers.

Governors and managers should ensure that all employees have sufficient training,

knowledge and experience to enable them to carry out the work safely.

PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION

The next stage in the development of the school’s safety management system involves

planning the methods and procedures by which the identified arrangements will be

managed. This will involve assessing the risks and determining appropriate




performance standards capable of addressing them. The planning should make

provision for ensuring that:

risk assessments are carried out

legislative compliance is achieved

standards which are measurable, achievable and realistic are set

safe systems of working and learning are in place

emergency procedures are in place

The methods adopted should be designed with the aim of providing the development

of a positive health and safety culture and exhibit the following underlying principles.

The aim should be to;

“Manage safety in – not inspect defects out”

and to seek;

“Continuous improvement leading to an injury-free environment”

MEASURING PERFORMANCE

As with many other areas of management, such as finance, it is important to have

systems in place by which the school can measure its health and safety performance

to find out if the standards and therefore the policy objectives are being met.

Both active and reactive systems of monitoring can be useful in providing the

necessary information.

Active monitoring takes place prior to things going wrong and involves regular

inspections and checking to confirm the standards are being properly implemented

and management controls are in place and effective.

Reactive monitoring involves, for example, accident and ill health investigation which

takes place after the event so as to learn from incidents and thereby identify

deficiencies in the standards and management systems.

AUDIT AND REVIEW

The final component in the management system and the one which closes the loop are

the arrangements for audit and review.

Using the information provided by the active and reactive monitoring procedures and

by obtaining more in-depth knowledge by the use of internally and externally

produced audit reports, Governing bodies and their school management can review

the health and safety performance and decide on how to improve.

The audit and review process will also identify the degree of compliance and assist in

the prioritising of finite resources to ensure the objectives are met and that health and

safety remains an effective part of the school’s overall management system.




Table A - Organisational Chart (Large School)

Governing Body

School's Safety Advisor Head Teacher

Deputy Head Teacher

Senior Management

Team

Heads of Department

Curriculum Co-ordinator

Teachers Classroom Assistants

Bursar

Administrative Staff

Site Supervisor Caretakers /

Cleaners

Local Education Authority




Table B - Organisational Chart (Small School)

Obviously for smaller schools, the structure would reflect the type and number of managers and staff, for example;

Governing Body

Head Teacher

School Secretary

Deputy Head Teacher

Curriculum Co-ordinator

Teachers Classroom Assistants

Caretaker

Cleaners

Local Education Authority




APPENDIX 10 - WORKPLACE SAFETY INSPECTION CHECKLIST

GENERAL AREAS

Location:

Inspection carried out by:

Accompanied by: (Workplace Health and Safety Representative)

Date of Inspection

ITEM QUESTION Y N N/A REMARKS / ACTION

1 Is the general condition / maintenance of the building(s)

acceptable?

2 Is the general condition / maintenance of the grounds

acceptable?

3 Are trees in or overhanging the grounds safe and in good

condition?

4 Is there safe access to and egress from the building and /

or working area?

5 Are materials and equipment stored in an orderly, safe and

suitable fashion?





6 Are floor surfaces clean, in good condition, non-slippery

and free of trip hazards?

7 Are floor coverings in good condition and free of trip

hazards?

8 Are corridors / gangways and other internal pedestrian

routes kept clear of obstructions?

9 Are external pathways well maintained and free of trip

hazards?

10 Are stairs even, unworn and adequately lit?

11 Do the staircases have handrails?

12 Are ramps of a suitable gradient and non-slippery?

13

Are all items of portable electrical equipment, including

leads, in good condition and inspected by a competent

person on an annual basis?

14

Are all items of fixed electrical equipment, including

switches and sockets, in good condition and inspected by a

competent person at appropriate intervals?





15 Are inspection records for all items of electrical equipment

available?

16 Are the toilet/welfare facilities adequate for the number of

employees / pupils and hygienically maintained?

17 Is drinking water available from a clean, well maintained

source?

18

Are employees / pupils / visitors made aware of

evacuation and assembly procedures? (e.g. verbal

instruction, Fire Action Notices etc)

19 Is the fire alarm system audible throughout the building?

20

Is the fire fighting equipment and alarm / emergency

lighting system checked and inspected on a regular basis

with records kept?

21 Are fire evacuation practices carried out at least once a

term and records maintained?

22 Are fire exits signed, free of obstruction and available for

use?

23 Are fire extinguishers of the appropriate type located at

suitable points within the work area?





24 Are there qualified first aiders readily available to deal

with accidents / emergencies?

25 Are employees / pupils / visitors made aware of the

procedures for summoning first aid assistance?

26 Is the heating suitable and sufficient?

27 Are lighting levels adequate for the area / work activity

being undertaken?

28 Is the ventilation (natural or powered) suitable and

sufficient for the area / work activity being undertaken?

29 Has glazing been assessed and protected in higher risk

areas?

30 Are glazing assessments available for inspection?

31 Have measures been taken to reduce solar gain where

necessary?

32 Have finger protection devices been fitted to door hinges

where identified as a requirement in the risk assessment?





33 Is cleaning carried out to a suitable and sufficient

standard?

34

Are all hazardous substances assessed prior to use,

correctly stored and used in accordance with the COSHH

assessment?

35 Is the Asbestos Register for the premises available for

reference?

36 Are appropriate checks carried out on the water system for

the purpose of managing the risk of Legionella?

37 Are records maintained and available for the checks

carried out on the water system?




APPENDIX 11 - MANAGING TRAFFIC SAFETY ON SCHOOL SITES

Version 2 - July 2009

This document provides guidance for schools on the management of traffic safety on

site under the following sub-headings:

Who is this guide for?

Why do you need to manage traffic safety?

What are schools’ responsibilities?

What help will the County Council give?

Risk assessment.

Possible control measures.

After the risk assessment is complete.

Further information and advice.

Who Is This Guide For?

This guide is for head teachers, school governors and school site managers. It explains

the steps the school should be taking to manage traffic on the school site and the

sources of help and advice available. Community and Voluntary controlled schools are

expected to follow the guidance in this document as it clarifies how the County

Council’s and school’s legal responsibilities for health and safety need to be met.

Foundation and Voluntary Aided schools may choose to follow this guidance as an

example of good practice.

Why Do You Need To Manage Traffic Safety?

Vehicles moving around on the school sites pose a hazard to pedestrians. The majority

of schools will have a large number of vehicle movements in short periods at the start

and end of the school day in areas concentrated with a large number of pupils. In

many cases therefore the risks of injury to pedestrians is significant. There are legal

duties to identify traffic risks and take steps to manage any risks to users of your site.

There can be local environmental benefits for both the school site and local

community from traffic rationalisation associated with developing a school travel plan.

What Are Schools’ Responsibilities?

Schools are responsible for:

Carrying out a risk assessment of traffic hazards on their site.

Implementing measures to minimise the risk of injury from traffic.

Ensuring the Education Asset Management Plan (AMP) records any identified

site improvement needs.




What Help Will The County Council Give?

In Community and Voluntary Controlled schools the County Council retains ultimate

responsibility for health and safety in the school. In Aided and Foundation schools the

Governing Body hold this responsibility.

Where physical improvements are required, all schools should prioritise any issues

they identify in their planning of devolved formula capital expenditure. Where there

are strategic issues that need more significant expenditure at Community or Voluntary

Controlled Schools, these would need to be considered through the County Council’s

capital programme and the Corporate Asset and Investment Group (CAIG). In Aided

Schools, financial responsibility remains with the Governing Body or Diocese; in

Foundation Schools, it lies with the Governing Body.

The County Council will also give all schools advice and support in carrying out risk

assessments and identifying ways to minimise the risk. In the first instance contact the

Health and Safety Team for advice on (01604) 366357.

Risk Assessment

As with other aspects of the school site or curriculum the risk posed by traffic on the

school site needs to be specifically assessed. The head teacher should determine who

will carry the assessment out.

Note: The school is only legally responsible for traffic on its own site – the risk

assessment does not need to include the public roads outside the site. However, if

there are problems in these areas with parking or congestion the school is likely to still

want to address them, for example by developing a school travel plan with the

Highway Authority or talking to the local police.

The risk assessment will need to consider the following points:

What vehicles come onto site and at what times?

Do the vehicles include buses, taxis, parents’ cars, delivery lorries etc. Are

there periods when there are large numbers of vehicles in a short duration?

How many vehicles come onto site?

How big is the site and where on site do vehicles go to park or drop off?

Is the site congested?

Is parking controlled to prevent parking in drop off areas or inappropriate

places?

Site management.

Are there clear signs to show parking for visitors, drop off points, delivery

points etc?




Are there speed limits on site with signs?

Are there speed control measures, humps etc?

Are there marked pedestrian crossing points?

Do staff supervise the site and in particular pupil and vehicle movements at

the start and end of the school day?

Is there a clear one-way system around the site?

Do vehicles have to reverse?

Vehicles reversing, particularly buses and large goods vehicles, presents a high

risk to pedestrians due to reduced visibility Does reversing take place in areas

or at times when pupils are around?

Are pedestrian routes separate?

How many pedestrians come onto site and through what routes?

Do pedestrians coming onto site have a dedicated entrance?

Are there footpaths separated from the road by barriers or kerbs?

Do pedestrians have to cross site roads or car parks at any point?

Are there barriers at points where large numbers of pupils exit to prevent

them spilling onto the road?

Are footpaths wide enough?

Are there any vulnerable user groups on site?

Your risk assessment needs to consider if there are any vulnerable user groups

on site such as those with mobility or learning difficulties who may be at

increased risk from traffic. Special consideration will need to be given to

protecting these groups including increased supervision and designated pick

up / drop off points.

Are there any existing control measures?

You need to consider if adequate steps are being taken at the moment to

reduce the risk to the lowest level, or is there more that could be reasonably

done. Looking at the recommended control measures below may help you to

decide.




Possible Control Measures

The following are possible control measures to reduce the risk from vehicle

movements. There are indications of good practice rather than a prescriptive recipe

for all sites. The school will need to consider the issues on their site and determine

the most appropriate control measures.

Buses

Where buses come onto the school site this can be an area of high risk which

therefore needs to be carefully managed. The following precautions should be taken:

There should be a designated bus stop.

If the school is served by a large number of buses there should be designated

and clearly marked bus parking bays. Bays should be numbered and buses

should use the same bay every day to ensure pupils know where to find their

bus.

There should be adequate bays for the number of buses serving the site.

If possible buses should not reverse on the school site as this is the most

dangerous manoeuvre that a bus can make – where reversing is required this

should take place before pupils come out of lessons. All buses should be

reversed into their bays before the end of school. This will need close

monitoring by the school to ensure that the bus companies meet this

requirement.

Bus bays and stops should be located so that pupils can enter a safe pedestrian

area immediately on alighting the bus e.g. they don’t need to cross a traffic

route to reach the pedestrian area.

On after school pick up if a bus has not arrived pupils should be held back in a

safe area – for example hall or playground.

Where buses are parked and waiting for extended periods it is good practice

for drivers to switch engines off to minimise noise and pollution.

Supervision

The level of risk from traffic movements on site will determine the level of supervision

required.

A small primary school where children are collected by parents at the gate and

therefore there are no traffic movements on site will require minimal supervision

levels whereas a large busy site may require several members of staff at the start and

end of the school day to adequately supervise. Staff should be proactive in

supervising. This would include:

Challenging unauthorised or inappropriate parking which creates a hazard.

Steering pupils away from traffic hazard areas.




Supervising bus collections.

Monitoring bus contract performance e.g. are buses arriving at the required

time.

Staff involved in supervising need to be clearly visible to traffic and pupils and

therefore should wearing a high visibility waistcoat or jacket.

Signs

There should be clear information for visitors communicated on signs. These are likely

to include:

Entrance and exit sign.

Site speed limit.

Directions for deliveries.

Pick / up drop off point.

Visitors parking.

Disabled parking – pick up / drop off point.

Main entrance to building.

No parking.

No parents cars on site.

One way signs (as appropriate).

Signs used should be standard highway type signs that are immediately understood

and recognised by drivers.

Speed Control

There should be a speed limit set for the site; generally 10-15 mph would be

acceptable. The speed limit should be displayed on a sign at the entrance to the site.

On larger open sites, where there are specific issues with speeding, or where it is

critical for drivers to slow down, then speed humps should be used to physically force

drivers to reduce their speed. On some very small sites the constricted nature of the

space itself is enough to limit speed.

Vehicle Access And Parking

There should be a general aim to keep vehicular movement within the grounds to a

minimum and to segregate vehicles and pedestrians. Overflow parking on games areas

should be avoided because of the risk of damage to the surface itself, including the

spillage of oil.




Parents cars

Provision for parents’ cars at the beginning and end of the school day can be a major

issue and there is no universal answer. The school needs to have a clear policy

regarding allowing parents’ cars on site to pick up and drop off pupils. This policy

needs to be communicated to parents ideally through the school prospectus and

regular reminder letters in the event of a problem. We would advise you to

discourage allowing parents’ cars onto site unless this is a planning requirement.

Where parents’ cars are allowed on site there should be a marked and designated pick

up and drop off point. Parents’ cars should not be allowed on site where space is

constricted and there is a need for three point turns before being able to exit.

Students’ vehicles

Where the school has a sixth form there should be clear rules regarding students’

vehicles on site. A permit system for students’ vehicles is recommended to control

numbers to the spaces available. These parking rules need to be strongly enforced

with penalties for inappropriate parking, e.g. on yellow lines, or parking without a

permit.

Pedestrian Routes

Separate access for pedestrians and vehicles is both more pleasant and safer for the

pedestrian. Within the school grounds it is as well to acknowledge the realities: that

pupils are gregarious and rarely walk in single file; that parents collecting young

children often bring prams; and that people walking between two points will normally

take the shortest route.

For well used paths within the grounds, widths of 3m or more may be necessary.

Pedestrian routes should avoid abrupt changes of angle and follow direct lines

wherever possible.

School Travel Plan

The school run accounts for around 1 in 5 car trips on urban roads during the morning

rush hour leading to congestion around the school gates and increasing parents' fears

about their children's involvement in road traffic accidents.

Many schools are already working on a travel plan and they're having a direct impact

on improving this situation.

A school travel plan is a written strategy to encourage safer and more active journeys

to school for pupils and staff undertaken by a partnership between teachers, parents,

pupils and governors, supported at every stage by the County Council Highways Team.




Initiatives such as car sharing are then put in place to make that strategy work. Having

a travel plan means that your school can be considered for inclusion on the Safer

Routes to School programme for traffic calming, road crossings etc.

The Government and County Council are encouraging as many schools as possible to

get involved.

For further help and advice contact the School Travel Plan Officer.




After The Risk Assessment Is Complete

After you have completed the risk assessment for your site you need to do several

things:

Make a written record of the key findings of your assessment.

Inform the Governing Body of the key findings and discuss ways to address the

improvements identified.

Involve County Council specialists where you need further advice.

Implement any precautions that you can.

Ensure any identified site improvement needs are recorded on the AMP

records for the school.




APPENDIX 12 - DOOR SAFETY IN SCHOOLS

Background

Guidance on this subject was originally communicated to schools in October 2004 by

Strategic Capital Project Delivery in consultation with the Health and Safety Team

following a serious accident in a primary school which resulted in the Health and

Safety Executive (HSE) carrying out an on-site investigation. In this particular case, a

proprietary hinge protection device had not been fitted to the door. The door was in

the nursery area of the school and there was no evidence that a risk assessment had

been carried out.

Subsequent Action Taken

The outcome of the investigation was a recommendation by the HSE to minimise the

recurrence of this type of accident by promptly evaluating these risks and undertaking

appropriate preventative measures. The Children and Young People, Schools Service,

in conjunction with Property Services, have recently undertaken such risk surveys in all

nursery schools and nursery units. This has been followed up by a programme of

remedial works and the appropriate door-jamb protectors have been fitted in relevant

locations.

Other schools, especially those with young children, were advised in October 2004 to

self-assess these risks, considering the following factors, and decide on the

appropriate course of action to minimise such risks:

It is reasonable to assume that those of ‘early years’ group, or younger, are at

greatest risk. The provision of suitable self-closers and / or hinge protection

devices is therefore recommended in all nursery and reception class areas.

When planning accommodation extension / re-modelling / re-furbishing

projects the need for door safety devices should be considered at an early

design stage to ensure that doors and devices are compatible and suitable for

the application.

Where existing doors are being considered it should be noted that not all types

of doors will accommodate such devices and it is therefore important to take

appropriate specialist advice.

Fire doors and emergency exits must not be compromised with additional

safety devices.

Action Required

Schools that have not carried out this self-assessment should ensure that it is

completed without further delay, documented and retained on site for future

reference. It is recommended that all schools should review their existing risk




assessment on an annual basis or sooner if there is an accident or significant changes

occur.

The following Self Assessment guide should assist you with the evaluation of the

present risks from injury caused by doors, ways of managing those risks and the

possible solutions to the identified problems.

Self Assessment Guide For Finger Protection On Door Hinges

Finger guards to doors should be provided as part of the works for new buildings and

refurbishment projects in nurseries and other school areas used by very young

children (reception classes, crèches, community rooms etc.). However this provision

has been included in the designers’ brief only in recent years and therefore

retrospective fitting of these devices may be appropriate in some circumstances.

It should be noted that not all doors can accommodate such devices due to their

design and that any such device that is fitted must not compromise the operation of

fire doors or emergency exits.

Head teachers/Governing Bodies should ensure that they have considered the risks

presented to building users, particularly young children, by the doors in the school and

subsequently take the appropriate action. It is important to make a formal record of

this and retain it on the school’s Health and Safety file.

To assist with undertaking this risk assessment, the following factors should be taken

into consideration. Please note that this list is not presented in any particular order of

importance and that additional factors not referred to here may be relevant for

individual schools.

Age group concerned (also consider younger siblings who may come into

school).

Special needs / behaviour management issues.

School layout / design.

Congregational areas (e.g. entrance areas, cloakrooms, toilets etc.).

Pupil movements / timetable requirements.

Security issues.

Supervision levels.

Type of doors (e.g. internal / external, fire door etc.).

Design / weight of doors (e.g. metal edges etc.).

Are self-closers fitted and if so, are they routinely checked for correct

operation.

History of related accidents in the school.

Any other relevant factors.




Suppliers Of Finger Protection Devices For Door Hinges

It is important to remember that whatever product is selected and installed, all devices should be

included in the regular, routine inspections of the premises to ensure that they remain in good

working order.




APPENDIX 13 - FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT

Guidance For Managers

Fire Precautions - Health and Safety - The Fire Precautions (Workplace)(Amendment)

Regulations 1999 and the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 require

employers to carry out a fire based risk assessment of all workplaces under their

control (with some exceptions). The County Council complies with this requirement by

providing information and support to enable Buildings Managers to undertake an

assessment of their premises on their behalf. Your assessment aims to determine the

risk from fire to employees and others on the premises and to identify the measures

that should be implemented to control those risks.

The Fire and Rescue Service has the duty to enforce these regulations and your risk

assessment will form the basis of any future inspection of your workplace, including

any application for a Premises Licence.

Using This Risk Assessment Guide

This guidance document has been produced to assist you to carry out a fire risk

assessment in a methodical, logical manner and record the significant findings. The

process consists of five steps and each step should be completed before moving on to

the next.

Step 1 Identify fire hazards (ignition sources and sources of combustion)

Step 2 Decide who could be at risk

Step 3 Evaluate the risks and carry out necessary improvements

Step 4 Record the findings and actions (This completed document)

Step 5 Review and revise (annually or if significant changes & record on the

front of form)

Some examples have been provided to assist you to complete sections A – C in Steps 1

& 2, these are not exhaustive and further guidance can be found in DCLG Guides Fire

safety risk assessment ;Educational Premises, Small places of assembly (up to 300

people),Large places of assembly. This form is a suggested method for use in

workplaces which are not large or complex. In more complex buildings you may find it

appropriate to divide the assessment into smaller, more manageable sectors.

The following Managers Checklist may assist you to ensure that all relevant areas have

been covered:

Make hazard & risk Assessments.

Ensure relevant fire safety training takes place.

Produce an emergency plan and put up fire notices.

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Conduct fire drills (each quarter/term).

Check adequacy of fire fighting equipment & its maintenance (monthly).

Consult with & implement recommendations of local Fire Service

representatives.

Conduct regular fire safety inspections.

Ensure fire escape routes and fire exit doors/passageways are unobstructed &

operate correctly (monthly).

Check that fire detection & protection systems are maintained, tested and

records kept.

Ensure close down procedures are in place and followed (including security

measures).

Include fire safety in regular health and safety reports to relevant management

meetings.

If your workplace is in a building shared with other employers, you and all the other

occupiers and any other person who has control of any other part of the workplace

will need to discuss your risk assessment. This will help to ensure that any areas of

higher risk, and the need for any extra precautions, are identified

The completed assessment should be filed on your premises with the other elements

of your fire risk management recording system.

If you have difficulty in completing any area of your risk assessment you can contact

either:

The Health & Safety Team

Tel: 01604 368136



FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT

Premises Name:

Address:

Name of Building Manager:

General Description of premises:

(Including number of blocks/sectors & floors – attach plan if available)

Times during which the premises are occupied - Days: Times:

Total number of people likely to be on the premises at any one time (including visitors):

Risk Assessment Carried Out By:

Name: Signature:

Job Title: Date:

Review of Risk Assessment:

Date By Whom Remarks Signature



STEP 1: IDENTIFY FIRE HAZARDS & THEIR LOCATIONS

(Ignition Sources, Fuel Sources)

A: IGNITION SOURCES If

present If present enter brief details (e.g. location, nature etc)

1. Smokers materials

NCC has a no-smoking policy but local

arrangements may be in place at some

locations, provide fire–proof waste bins at

entrances, monitor & control unauthorised

incidences.

2. Naked flames

Ensure contractors & maintenance staff

have fire safety information. Replace

naked flame and radiant heaters with

fixed convectors or a central heating

system. Ensure any contractors have

considered fire risk in their method

statement

3. Electrical equipment

Do not overload adapters, provide

additional sockets if necessary. Keep

electrical testing up to date & only allow

competent person to carry out repairs or



wire plugs, ensuring correct fuse rating.

Make sure that staff know how to isolate

the main electrical supply in an emergency

4. Hot processes / hot equipment

Ensure that procedures to reduce risk are

established & followed. Use of fire

resistant materials should be considered &

fire fighting equipment provided

5. Cooking

Consider use of heat detection rather than

fire detection in these areas. Restrict

access, ensure staff aware of additional

risks, provide fire blanket and consider use

of self closers/fire doors

6. Lighting

Replace tungsten filament bulbs with

fluorescent fittings in areas where

combustible materials may be ignited, or

move fittings or combustibles

7. Friction

Do not allow build up of dust or

combustible materials



8. Spark generation

Ensure that procedures to reduce risk are

established & followed. Use of fire

resistant materials should be considered &

fire fighting equipment provide

9. Arson

Use NCC check list to establish risk.

Remove waste frequently & secure bins

away from buildings

10. Heating equipment

Keep ducts, chimneys & flues clean & in

good repair

11. Others - Specify



B: IGNITION SOURCES

Identify combustible materials, make

sure that they are not stored on

escape routes or near to sources of

ignition

If

present If present enter brief details (e.g. location, nature etc)

1. Paper / card

Location and quantity of display materials

on escape routes must be kept under

control.

2. Plastics

3. Wood

4. Flammable liquid

Store highly flammable materials in fire

resisting stores away from sources of

ignition

5. Flammable gases

6. Waste residues

Remove waste frequently & secure bins



away from buildings

7. Foam-filled furniture

Replace with fire resistant products where

possible. Items such as PE mats are high

risk & must be located away from escape

routes in an enclosed area

8. Curtains, bedding etc

This must be flame retardant

9. Others – specify



Step 2: Identify People at Risk

It must be assumed that everyone in the premises is at some risk if there is a fire. However, this step involves identifying those people who are at

particular risk.

CATEGORY OF PERSON MAXIMUM

NO. LOCATION REMARKS

1. Visitors, members of public,

contractors

Unfamiliar with building, out of ‘normal’

hours, type of activity

2. Pupils, residents, service users

Age range, ability, supervision, group size

3. People with impaired mobility

May require assistance to escape

4. People with sensory impairment

May not be able to receive warning

5. People with learning difficulties

May not understand warning or be able to

escape unaided



6. People on upper floors or in

basement

Vulnerable to fires on other floors, further

to travel, ensure adequate means of

notification/early warning of fire

7. People asleep in premises

This must be detailed in the evacuation plan

for the premises

8. Others – specify



STEP 3: EVALUATE RISKS – ASSESS EXISTING ARRANGEMENTS

This Step requires you to consider the information you gathered in Steps 1 and 2 and make judgments about it.

A: Ignition Sources

Consider in turn each of the ignition sources which you ticked in Step 1. For each one, decide whether you can eliminate, reduce, contain or isolate

the source. Perhaps you could take other measures to improve the current situation, e.g. improve maintenance, relocate items, display warning

notices, etc. Enter any such things in the ‘other measures’ column below. Necessary action should be entered in the appropr iate column.

Ignition

Source

Can You: Other Measures Action to be taken & person responsible

(use separate sheet if necessary)

Date

Completed Eliminate Reduce Contain None of

these



B: Fuel Sources

Consider in turn each of the fuel sources which you ticked in Step 1. For each one, decide whether you can eliminate, reduce, contain or isolate the

source. Perhaps you could take other measures to improve the current situation, e.g. improve maintenance, relocate items etc. Enter any such

things in the ‘other measures’ column below. Necessary action should be entered in the appropriate column.

Fuel

Source

Can You: Other Measures Action to be taken & person responsible


Date

Completed Eliminate Reduce Contain None of

these



C: Means of Escape

In the left-hand column below there are some statements about means of escape. You should consider each of them in turn and relate them to your

workplace. If you think that existing arrangements are satisfactory in terms of statement tick the satisfactory box and proceed. If any element is not

satisfactory, or if you are unsure, enter brief details of the action you propose

Statement

Sat Proposed Remedial Action & person responsible


Date

Completed

1. Emergency routes and exits should lead as directly as possible to

a place of safety clear of the building

2. The escape routes must be adequately protected by fire-resisting

construction where necessary

3. All exits and exit routes must be kept clear at all times

4. The number, distribution &size of exits should be adequate fore

the risk in the workplace & number of people likely to be present.

5. Doors on escape routes should normally open in the direction of

travel. Swing and revolving doors are not recommended for

emergency exits

6. Fastenings on doors on escape routes must allow doors to be

easily and immediately be opened in an emergency

7. Exits and exit routes not in normal everyday use should be

indicated by signs where necessary

8. Exit routes must be adequately illuminated at all times.

Emergency lighting should be provided where necessary.



D: Other measures

Enter brief details about your existing arrangements in the box provided.

You must then decide whether these arrangements are adequate in the light of your findings in Steps 1 and 2.

If remedial action is necessary details this in the space provided and then enter the date when action has been completed.

Management of Fire Risk Existing Details Satisfactory

Remedial Action Proposed Date

Completed

1. Means for detecting and

giving warning of fire

2. Means for fighting fire

3. Maintenance and testing

procedures for fire safety

equipment

4. Fire safety training for

employees

5. Recording of testing and

training

The remedial action columns of Step 3 A – D now represent your action plan.

Necessary improvements identified in your risk assessment must now be implemented.

You should record when the items have been addressed and review this periodically.



APPENDIX 14 - ARSON PREVENTION CHECKLIST

The questions in the checklist are addressed primarily to those responsible for day-to-day management of premises, e.g. head teachers, unit

managers, bursars, site supervisors and caretakers. Whilst the checklist will address the majority of issues for consideration, not all questions will be

relevant for all premises and it may need to be adapted for specific locations or situations.

MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES Yes No N/A Comments / Action

Is there any history or evidence of fires being started

deliberately on the premises?

Are you in contact with the Fire Service Fire Protection

Officer and the police Crime Prevention Officer? Is their

advice sought and implemented as far as possible?

Have you discussed any problems you can foresee in

implementing their advice with the officers?

Are all employees aware of fire and security problems, the

protective strategies which are adopted to counter them

and the contributions which they can make?

-

Do you have a procedure to ensure that all fires are

reported, investigated and recorded?

Do you know what hazardous materials are kept on the

premises and do you keep them only in reasonable

quantities?

Are chemicals (including gases) and highly flammable

materials, kept locked away in properly designed secure

stores?



Is the store kept locked at all times and the keys held by a

responsible person?

Are there arrangements to limit waste paper and other

combustible materials in which a fire can be started?



PRECAUTIONS AGAINST HAZARDS

Outside the building:

Yes No N/A Comments / Action

Is combustible waste placed in a secure bin store away

from the building?

Is the space under raised huts/mobile classrooms

protected against accumulation of litter / dry vegetation?

Are advance arrangements made for reception of stores

deliveries and for goods to be put into store without

delay?

Are there any openings through which burning materials

could be put?

Are any windows, doors of buildings vulnerable to external

fire?

Are windows (even those protected by bars) kept closed in

unoccupied parts of the building?

Are windows kept in good repair and are breakages quickly

dealt with?

Are letterboxes protected on the inside with sheet metal

boxes?

Are doors in good repair and without gaps through which

burning paper could be pushed?



Are fuel tanks kept in secure enclosures with locked

valves?

Is there easy access onto roofs via drainpipes, walls /

fences, outbuildings etc?

If present, are perimeter fences / gates secured and

provide an adequate deterrence?

Are outbuildings secured?

Is the site easily accessible by the public and trespass a

problem?




Inside the building:


Is there an automatic fire detection or sprinkler system?

If so, is it linked to the Fire Service?

Does the fire alarm sound at a point from which action can

be safely taken?

Do employees, particularly the caretaker / site supervisor,

know what action to take if the fire alarm sounds?

Are the necessary arrangements made to ensure that the

fire alarm system is quickly reset after operation?

Is the fire alarm system properly maintained and tested?

Is there an intruder alarm with a monitored link to an

alarm receiving station?




End of the working day / closing the building:


Do employees ensure that work / classroom materials are

put away tidily?

Is valuable equipment and cash secured?

Are electrical appliances and equipment including that in

craft rooms, workshops, kitchens and offices disconnected

from the supply?

Are windows and doors closed and locked to deter

intruders and restrict the spread of fire within the

building?

Are all rooms, including toilets, checked for intruders?

Are heating, lighting and ventilation services etc. shut

down as far as practicable? (Note that some lighting may

be needed for security reasons).

Is rubbish collected and removed to a safe place at the end

of each day?

If present, are the fire and/or intruder alarms set?

If present, is external lighting and / or CCTV working?

Are the gates to the premises locked shut?




Outside normal operational hours:


Is the building open to the local community outside of

normal operational hours?

Is there a problem of unauthorised / forced entry to the

site?

Is there a telephone readily available to authorised users

of the premises outside normal operational hours?

Are people using the premises briefed about fire

precautions and locking up the building when they leave?

Without blocking escape routes, are people locked out of

parts of the building they have no need to enter?

Do caretakers / cleaners understand the fire risks of

rubbish and of cleaning materials?




APPENDIX 15 - PONDS / WATER FEATURES

The following safety guidance should be taken into account when considering the

construction of a new pond / water feature or when improving an existing facility.

Whilst their is no specific legislation concerning ponds etc., Head teachers / Governing

Bodies should ensure that an adequate risk assessment is carried out taking into

account the proposed use of the feature, its physical nature including water depth,

location on site, age of the children etc.

Note should also be taken of the need to safeguard unauthorised persons on site,

users of the premises out of school hours etc.

To assist in this process the following general guidance is offered;

If the pond / water feature is at the planning stage, the current procedures for

carrying out school managed projects should be followed.

Ponds should be protected by one of the options outlined below;

1. A permanently fixed, large-mesh cover at water level, (i.e. "weld-mesh"

sheeting used to reinforce concrete) -

2. This will enable pond-dipping activities to take place and vegetation to

grow through whilst providing a cover that would support the weight of a

person falling onto it. This option may be impractical for an existing pond

or a large expanse of water and it may inhibit certain science-related

activities.

3. A barrier (i.e. fence or hedge) around the pond site -

4. This should be secure, suitably robust and, if a fence, constructed so as to

impede climbing; a height of approximately 1 metre would be appropriate

as this will not unduly restrict visibility of the internal area but prevent

someone stepping over. A gate that can be secured to prevent

unauthorised access should be included in the design.

Appropriate levels of supervision should be provided during lessons around the

pond / water feature and at break times. Users of the premises out of school

hours should be advised of its existence.

The pond / water feature should be appropriately maintained on a regular and

routine basis, i.e. edges built up to reduce the risk of slipping into the water,

rubbish removed on a routine basis, barriers kept in a good state of repair.




APPENDIX 16 - A QUICK GUIDE FOR CLIENTS UNDER THE CDM

REGULATIONS 2007

The following identifies the duties of Clients under the Construction (Design and

Management) Regulations 2007. Should the School fail to follow the appropriate

procedures within Part F of this Handbook, the School Governing Body will be legally

responsible for the Client duties.

Having Construction Work Done?

1. If you are a Client for a construction project, the Construction (Design and

Management) Regulations 2007 (CDM) will apply. The purpose of CDM is to

ensure that health and safety is co-ordinated and managed throughout all

stages of a construction project in order to help reduce accidents, ill-health and

costs. Where CDM applies, you will have legal duties to discharge (which are

enforceable in a court of law). Your duties are the same whatever the size of

project. However, how much you will actually need to do will vary from project

to project. Where any potential risks are low, little will be required of Clients.

Where they are higher, you will need to do more. It is important that what you

do is proportionate to the risks. What Do Clients Need To Do?

As a Client, you have to:

Appoint a CDM Co-ordinator (CDM-C) who is either an individual or a company.

The appointment should be made in sufficient time to allow the CDM-C to

develop a suitable influence on designers and to ensure health and safety

information is made available before arrangements are made for construction

work.

Appendix 4 of the CDM Approved Code Of Practice details the criteria for a two

stage competency assessment. It is unlikely that school caretakers/site

supervisors or other school staff will have sufficient training and experience to

be considered as competent for this role.

Ensure that the CDM-C is provided with health and safety information about

the premises or site where construction work is to be carried out. A CDM-C has

responsibility for co-ordinating the health and safety aspects of design and for

ensuring pre-tender health and safety information is made available to

tenderers or contractors.

Ensure, through the CDM-C, that Designers meet the requirements of statute

including the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations, Building

Regulations and the Party Wall Act. Designers, in regard to school buildings,

should take account of guidance issued by the DfE in Building Bulletins (See

Appendix 6).




Appoint a Principal Contractor. Do this in sufficient time to allow the Principal

Contractor to develop a suitable construction Health and Safety Plan before

construction begins. A Principal Contractor has responsibility for co-ordinating

health and safety aspects during the construction phase.

Be reasonably satisfied that all those you appoint are competent and

adequately resourced to carry out their health and safety responsibilities for

the job in hand.

Ensure adequate welfare facilities for construction workers are provided by the

Principal Contractor. These should be identified within the construction Health

and Safety Plan, and what is adequate will be identified by the CDM-C.

Ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, that a suitable construction Health

and Safety Plan has been prepared by the Principal Contractor before

construction.

Take reasonable steps to ensure that the Health and Safety File you will be

given at the end of the project, by the CDM-C, is kept available for inspection

by those considering future construction work. The Health and Safety File is a

record of information which tells you (and others) about the key health and

safety risks that have to be managed during any future maintenance, repair,

construction work or demolition.

The CDM Regulations require notification is made to the Health and Safety Executive if

a project involves construction work where any one of the following statements are

applicable:

A project requiring notification is one where construction work on site is

expected to last for 30 working days (6 weeks generally) or more or involve

more than 500 person days of work.

What Happens If I Don’t Comply With My Client Duties?

It is more likely there will be a fatal or serious accident while your construction work is

being carried out if you do not ensure that CDM 2007 is followed. In addition, your

finished structure may not be safe to use, safe to maintain and not deliver you good

value for money.

If you don’t appoint a CDM-C or Principal Contractor on a project that requires

notification (see below), it will mean that you are legally liable if the things that they

should have done aren’t actually done.

Serious breaches of health and safety legislation on your construction project could

result in construction work being stopped by the Health and Safety Executive and

additional work may be needed to put things right. In the most serious circumstances,

you could be prosecuted.