The Education (School Premises) Regulations 1999

PART IV structural requirements etc.

Load bearing structure

15.  Any load bearing structure in a school building shall be capable of safely sustaining and transmitting the dead load and imposed loads, and the horizontal and inclined forces, to which it is likely to be subjected.

Weather protection

16.  A school building shall provide reasonable resistance to penetration by rain, snow and wind and to moisture rising from the ground.

Health, safety and welfare

17.—(1) Every part of a school building and of the land provided for a school shall, having regard in particular to the matters mentioned in paragraph (2), be such that the safe escape of the occupants in case of fire is reasonably assured.

(2) The matters referred to in paragraph (1) are—

(a) the likely rate at which flames would spread across exposed surfaces;

(b) resistance to fire of the structures and of the materials of which the structures are made and their other properties; and

(c) the means of escape in case of fire.

(3) Every part of a school building and of the land provided for a school shall be such that the health, safety and welfare of the occupants in aspects other than those referred to in paragraph (1) are reasonably assured.

Acoustics

18.  Each room or other space in a school building shall have the acoustic conditions and the insulation against disturbance by noise appropriate to its normal use.

Lighting

19.—(1) Each room or other space in a school building—

(a) shall have lighting appropriate to its normal use; and

(b) shall satisfy the requirements of paragraphs (2) to (4).

(2) Subject to paragraph (3), the maintained illuminance of teaching accommodation shall not be less than 300 lux on the working plane.

(3) In teaching accommodation where visually demanding tasks are carried out provision shall be made for maintained illuminance of not less than 500 lux on the working plane.

(4) The glare index shall be limited to no more than 19.

Heating

20.—(1) Each room or other space in a school building shall have such a system of heating, if any, as is appropriate to its normal use.

(2) Any such heating system shall be capable of maintaining in the areas set out in columm (1) of the Table below the air temperature set out opposite thereto in column (2) of that Table, at a height of 0.5 m above floor level when the external air temperature is –1°C.

TABLE

(1)	(2)
Areas	Temperature
Areas where there is a lower than normal level of physical activity because of sickness or physical disability including sick rooms and isolation rooms but not other sleeping accommodation	21°C
Areas where there is the normal level of physical activity associated with teaching, private study or examinations	18°C
Areas where there is a higher than normal level of physical activity (for example arising out of physical education) and washrooms, sleeping accommodation and circulation spaces.	15°C

(3) Each room or other space which has a heating system shall, if the temperature during any period during which it is occupied would otherwise be below that appropriate to its normal use, be heated to a temperature which is so appropriate.

(4) In a special school, nursery school or teaching accommodation used by a nursery class in a school the surface temperature of any radiator, including exposed pipework, which is in a position where it may be touched by a pupil shall not exceed 43°C.

Ventilation

21.—(1) All occupied areas in a school building shall have controllable ventilation at a minimum rate of 3 litres of fresh air per second for each of the maximum number of persons the area will accommodate.

(2) All teaching accommodation, medical examination or treatment rooms, sick rooms, isolation rooms, sleeping and living accommodation shall also be capable of being ventilated at a minimum rate of 8 litres of fresh air per second for each of the usual number of people in those areas when such areas are occupied.

(3) All washrooms shall be capable of being ventilated at a rate of at least six air changes an hour.

(4) Adequate measures shall be taken to prevent condensation in, and remove noxious fumes from, every kitchen and other rooms in which there may be steam or noxious fumes.

Water supplies

22.—(1) A school shall have a wholesome supply of water for domestic purposes including a supply of drinking water.

(2) Water closets and urinals shall have an adequate supply of cold water and washbasins, sinks (including deep sinks), baths and showers shall have an adequate supply of hot and cold water.

(3) The temperature of hot water supplies to baths and showers shall not exceed 43°C.

Drainage

23.  A school shall be provided with an adequate drainage system for hygienic purposes and the general disposal of waste water and surface water.