July 2025 - FIRE EXTIGUISHERS CONTAINING CERTAIN PFAS CHEMICALS BANNED AS OF 04/07/2025
As you should have been advised by your fire extinguisher maintenance company/contractor, starting from 4 July 2025, Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) fire extinguishers containing certain PFAS chemicals will be banned from use.
The chances are, your extinguishers have now been replaced by Fluorine-free foam fire extinguishers (SFFF) where relevant.
This ban is part of a larger effort by the Government to phase out harmful chemicals like PFOA (Perfluorooctanoic Acid) from firefighting products due to environmental and health concerns.
What you should do…
Check the labelling on your foam extinguishers if you have any.
In the unlikely event that you have any AFFF still – these will need to be replaced with SFFF or same class of extinguisher.
You can also locate the safety data sheet for your fire extinguishers
If you don't have one, contact the extinguisher's manufacturer with the model code/s (e.g. EFS6, EFS2FP), and you should be provided with one.
Check the 'Composition/information on ingredients' section in the safety data sheet for your fire extinguishers – does it list any of the following compounds:
1. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOS)
2. Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS)
3. PFHxS
4. PFOA
If it contains any of the above compounds, immediately replace the unit with a suitable alternative (one that can extinguish the same class of fire(s) as the existing unit).
Disposal of any extinguisher that contains the above compounds must be done through licensed hazardous waste disposal services
or
better still, contact your fire extinguisher maintenance company as they should have swapped/disposed of these by now on your behalf.
OCTOBER 2023 - HSE INSPECTIONS OF SCHOOLS TO ASSESS ASBESTOS MANAGEMENT PROCESSES
The HSE has released an ebulletin that states they will be carrying out a programme of inspections of primary and secondary schools in England, Wales and Scotland to assess how schools are managing the risk from asbestos. The inspections will be commencing in October 2023. This will be in schools constructed prior to the year 2000.
The HSE inspectors will be contacting schools to arrange a visit. They will want to speak to the person at the school (Site Manager, Business Manager, Headteacher) who has the knowledge of how asbestos is managed at the school, and they may ask to see your Asbestos Register and Management plan prior to the visit.
Following the HSE inspections last year, changes have been made as to how Somerset Council manage and review asbestos in our buildings. All LA maintained schools (including VA and Foundation) are now receiving an annual inspection of their accessible asbestos containing materials (ACMs) which is delivered by our Asbestos Team from Scientific Services, and they are therefore no longer conducting 5-yearly management surveys.
In readiness for a visit, please review the current arrangements. You should have the following in place and/or in your white Asbestos folder:
1. Signing Sheet to record the names of those who have been shown the folder
2. Asbestos Permit to Work forms for working on or near asbestos
3. F21a Asbestos Management Plan completed and reviewed
4. Civica annual Asbestos management arrangements questionnaire
5. Most recent Asbestos Management survey report (this contains the Asbestos Register)
6. Most recent Asbestos re-inspection survey report (Scientific Services are conducting these surveys annually)
7. Asbestos Emergency Procedure document
9. Any refurbishment demolition survey reports
10. Completed permits that are now closed
11. Any historical information relevant to Asbestos in the building
Please take note of the following for further information:
Asbestos Awareness Training
As part of the asbestos management process for schools, at least 2 people from each school should have attended Asbestos Awareness Training. Please check that this is the case, if not contact Sharon Larkman who will be running the next session this term on 14th November 2023. The training is completed via TEAMS and takes around 2 hours.
The 5 yearly Premises Manager Training provided by the Health and Safety Service does provide some information on the council’s processes of asbestos management, however this is not a substitute for Asbestos Awareness Training. This training must be completed in addition to Premises Manager Training.
Asbestos Refurbishment and Demolition Surveys
If your school is completing any works that disturb the fabric of the building then there may be a requirement to complete a further asbestos survey, specific to the proposed work. If the school is managing the project themselves (i.e., not using the Education Property building surveyor) then please contact Sharon Larkman who will be able to advise if a further survey is required.
Academies
As Somerset Council has no responsibility for asbestos management in Academies, the schools have not been a part of the 5 yearly re-inspection programme and will not be having annual re-inspections completed by the Asbestos Team. If you think that your school requires an up-to-date survey, then please contact Sharon Larkman.
Action to take if you receive a call from the HSE for a forthcoming inspection
Contact Sharon Larkman at Scientific Services, phone 01823 355195.
Adding the Asbestos Inspection Report and Plan to your grab bag
An emergency grab bag can be a useful addition to the school office, to be taken outside when the fire alarm sounds or the building is evacuated, should a critical incident occur. The HSE requested during last years school visits, that a copy of the Asbestos Register and plan are added to the bag. More information here: Business Continuity Plan and organising an emergency grab bag for evacuations
AUGUST, 2023 - INCIDENT ALERT - CEILING COLLAPSE:
On 29th August 2023, a Trust in Dulwich, London pleaded guilty to breaching section 2(1) and section 3(1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The Trust were fined £80,000 and ordered to pay £7,116,31 in costs at Westminster Magistrates Court.
Fifteen year 3 pupils and their teacher has a ceiling collapse onto them at around 930am on 15 November 2021. Tables and chairs stored in the attic above were among the falling debris. The ceiling was not designed to be load bearing and led to its collapse. The Trust had “failed” to assess whether the area in question was appropriate for the storage of these items.
Schools are now urged to review their storage arrangements and assess any risks that these arrangements might pose, especially where above head storage is in place.
For guidance relating to such arrangements please reference the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992), in paricular page 15 https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l24.htm
DECEMBER 2021 - INCIDENT ALERT – VELUX WINDOWS:
On the 1st. December, 2021 at one of Somerset’s VA schools, a Velux window shattered. Luckily it happened 2 minutes after the group of 4 year olds had moved from under it.
Investigation has identified that in 2019 Velux recalled windows made between 1998-2003 with reference no 00UE and in pane widths 31, 48 and 61 centimetres.
Following discussions with the school’s surveyors about what information they hold; They established that they only know about Velux windows if they are identified in a condition survey as needing attention, so that may well be the case in your estate/school.
In addition, these windows will have been in for a minimum of 18 years, and none of the MATs/Academies were around then so it is unlikely you would have been informed about the recall.
More information and details of what to do if you have such windows can be sought here https://resources.velux.co.uk/safety-warning-new