Managing and maintaining school facilities can be extremely complex with many different elements and ongoing tasks to consider.
Educational facilities in particular have potential risks involved, especially when there is a lack of understanding, knowledge, and strict processes in place.
From health and safety regulations to maintenance legislation, every element of facilities management needs to be taken seriously to ensure you are compliant and above all, keeping staff, students, and visitors safe.
There are several reasons why we need to pay particular attention to compliance and maintenance at this time. The pandemic is continuing to affect many areas of education, with elements such as effective ventilation becoming more important than they previously have been.
Secondly, the temperature is due to drop even further in the coming months, which means facilities need to be prepared to withstand the poor weather conditions.
High Priority
Water Safety
During any school holidays, large areas of educational facilities are intermittently left vacant and this is where bacteria can build up as systems aren’t being flushed through often enough.
If left unmonitored and untreated, water systems are at risk of harbouring harmful bacteria such as Legionella. To remain compliant, all water systems need to be checked regularly to ensure they’re all working correctly.
Fire Safety
There will already be fire safety procedures in place in the event of an emergency; however, the facility itself also needs to be checked. You must continue all testing and maintenance procedures to be certain that systems such as alarms remain fully functional.
Fire doors and escape routes also need to be checked to ensure they remain operational and always kept clear. You need a process in place to check the fire extinguishers are in-date and undamaged. Setting a regular schedule of testing will see that they aren’t missed.
Gas Safety
Gas systems pose one of the biggest risks to the facility and its occupants if it is not properly monitored and maintained. You must continue checks so that all gas systems are fully operational and in working order. This includes gas safety certificates which need to be maintained for boilers, and heating and kitchen equipment.
Lower priority
Emergency lighting
Although it’s not one of the highest priorities, emergency lighting is still essential, in case of a mains supply failure. Key areas - such as emergency escape routes, stairwells and places where the floor levels change – must be all well-lit.
Maintain regular checks, monthly flick tests and your annual discharge test so that your system is fully maintained.
Ventilation
The coronavirus pandemic has shifted priorities for facilities managers, as regulations are ever-changing. Ventilation, in particular, has become a bigger priority. To be compliant, all ventilation systems must be working correctly and functioning accordingly. Ducts must be cleaned and all windows opened where required.
Electrical systems
Maintaining all electrical systems in line with current legislation is vital to meet the safety regulations. This is particularly important in schools as young children and adolescents are the main occupants, so you should consider where risks can be reduced. For example, using equipment with lower voltage and completing any essential remedial works prior to re-opening. Regular inspections are critical to maintaining safe and effective systems.
Day to day compliance
Day to day compliance tasks that must be carried out include regular cleaning, particularly during this time of Covid. Legislation is constantly evolving to incorporate the changing times and demands, on top of the regular checks and maintenance that are already required to stay compliant.
Enlisting external advice and support can be extremely beneficial to making sure that you are operating within the law and guidelines.
Ultimately, the main goal of compliance is for safety, as well as making sure you are legally following the legislation. Adhering to the correct processes will help to streamline the workload and will keep the maintenance of your buildings manageable.
Lee Hatwell is a director at Mundy and Cramer.
