COUNTY MEETING, 25 FEBRUARY 2004

SPRINKLER SYSTEMS

1. In response to a Notice of Motion by Councillor K. G. Chapman in September 2002 the County Council on 20 February 2003, agreed as follows:

`That the policy of installing sprinkler systems in new stand-alone County Council buildings be endorsed and that the decision be considered on approval of design project appraisals in each case; that suitable opportunity be taken to consider sprinkler systems in buildings being refurbished where appropriate; that provision be made within development briefs for sprinkler systems to be included where County Council land is released for residential development; and that District Councils and other public authorities be encouraged to promote the provision of sprinkler systems in their building developments.'

2. The current policy favours the installation of sprinklers in new stand-alone buildings; a recognition that during significant refurbishments it may, where appropriate, be beneficial to consider sprinkler systems, and, that the decision be taken on consideration of the design project appraisal.

3. As all new buildings are designed to be compliant with the prevailing statutory or relevant Codes of Practice, there is potentially a paradox, in that new buildings are compliant, can be designed with high standards of structural fire precautions yet may not represent the highest risk from fire. For statutory compliance, the structural fire precautions must be appropriate for the risks to occupants or the local fire management practice that exists - which is often assumed to be adequate. Consideration of the user and the activity within existing buildings could suggest that greater risk exists, due to the continual change in the benchmark standards. Irrespective of whether it is a new or existing building, the key issue is to consider the risks involved.

4. As a result of this, it is considered that it would be more appropriate to provide risk- based decisions for implementation of structural fire precautions generally and sprinkler systems in particular. These would be consistent with the Fire Precaution (Workplace) Regulations 1997 methodologies used to establish the Corporate Risk Assessment and the general direction of national policy from the ODPM Office. This way forward is the basis of the local partnerships being developed with the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service and Property, Business and Regulatory Services. The Chief Fire Officer has on secondment to the Director, a senior member of staff to assist with the development of this approach.

5. Technical solutions which incorporate the installation of appropriate sprinkler systems can be varied to suit the design content. They may be considered to support or enhance compliant life protection measures, or may principally serve to protect assets, where an incident could impose significant heritage or financial loss, disruption of services or inconvenience to the community. For these reasons, it is essential to establish a basis for a decision making process, including:

· considering each building on its merits (including the risk of arson and HFRS
response);


· enhanced structural fire precautions where the local management plan is
considered non-compliant by the Service Directorate or Regulatory Body;


· the occupants, the age, structure and performance of the building;


· usage where structural compliance cannot be guaranteed to meet all relevant
codes of practice;


· where evacuation strategies need to be reinforced or strengthened.

6. The circumstances mentioned above suggest that a risk-based, evidential approach is more likely to diminish the risks in County Council buildings, because it would apply more widely to the stock of buildings, encapsulate those buildings where the risk is greatest and produce more focused outcomes. It would enable best use of finite resources in targeting the higher-risk areas.

1. Councillor K. G. Chapman and the Chairman of the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority both support a revision to the existing policy on sprinkler systems based on the above, as do the Buildings, Land and Contracts Panel. It is the intention of the Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services to report to each meeting of the Panel on progress and to review the policy on an annual basis. The Leader is to consider this item at his decision day on 19 February 2004. He has asked that the matter be reported to the County Council to avoid any future confusion about the proposed revised policy.

2. The policy will impact on the delivery of all Corporate Aims but in particular Aim 2, Stewardship of the environment and Aim 5, Improving services.

RECOMMENDATION

The County Council adopts a policy of installing sprinkler systems, where appropriate, based on a risk management methodology, the decision to be made on consideration of the risk assessment.