Four Premises Risks That Require Ongoing Control

Jan 28, 2026

In school premises management, not all risks can be treated in the same way. Some issues can be planned for over time. Others require continuous control. Fire safety, asbestos management, water hygiene and structural safety fall into this second category. These are consistently the most scrutinised areas of school premises management, and the least forgiving when controls weaken. They are not administrative exercises. They are safeguarding responsibilities. Why These Risks Require Continuous Control Fire, asbestos, water systems and building structure are all subject to clear statutory and regulatory expectations. What they have in common is that failure rarely presents as a minor issue. When controls break down, the consequences can be immediate and serious. Health and Safety Executive guidance is explicit that schools must have effective arrangements in place for managing high risk areas, including documented inspections, defined responsibilities and active monitoring, rather than informal or assumed processes (HSE). These are areas where evidence and oversight are expected as standard. Fire Safety: Control Must Be Current Fire safety arrangements are among the most closely examined aspects of premises management. Inspectors and enforcing authorities typically expect schools to be able to demonstrate:
  • A current fire risk assessment
  • Evidence that identified actions are tracked and completed
  • Fire evacuation plan is adequate to always ensure the safe evacuation
  • Fire training 
  • Routine testing and inspection records
  • Clear responsibility for review and oversight
  • Statutory compliant 
  • Consideration of those people that may need assistance in the event of a fire 
The Responsible Person must follow the legal requirements detailed within the RRFSO which includes the need to ensure that schools have fire safety controls in place. Asbestos: Management Is Ongoing Asbestos remains present in a significant proportion of the school estate for school built before the year 2000. The duty to manage asbestos requires schools to:
  • Identify asbestos 
  • Manage identified asbestos
  • Maintain accurate and accessible records
  • Ensure staff and contractors are informed
  • Review management arrangements regularly
  • Complete asbestos awareness training
The HSE is clear that asbestos management plans are active documents that must be reviewed and updated. During inspection or investigation, the focus is on whether asbestos risks are being actively managed and evidenced. Water Hygiene: Oversight Is Essential Water hygiene risks can be overlooked because problems are not always immediately visible. However, failures in water system management are taken seriously by regulators. HSE guidance sets clear expectations for:
  • Water legionella Risk assessment
  • Having named duty holders
  • Monitoring and testing regimes
  • Record keeping
  • Implement a written scheme of control 
  • Action where controls fail or conditions change
In schools, weaknesses often arise when the management system is not followed and/or not monitored, or where monitoring data is collected but not reviewed or acted upon. This is a systems issue, not an isolated task. Structural Safety: Condition Is a Safeguarding Matter The condition of school buildings is increasingly recognised as a strategic and safeguarding risk. The National Audit Office has highlighted that ageing buildings, deferred maintenance and incomplete condition data increase the likelihood of safety incidents and unplanned disruption (NAO). Structural safety includes roofs, ceilings, walls, load bearing elements and temporary mitigation measures where issues are known. Where condition concerns exist, inspectors and regulators expect schools to understand the risk, monitor it and document interim controls. Schools must ensure that they have condition surveys to give awareness of the safety of the whole school buildings.  What Strong Safety Systems Have in Common Across these high risk areas, effective systems tend to share the same characteristics:
  • Inspections are scheduled and in date
  • Responsibilities are clearly assigned
  • Records are accurate and accessible
  • Actions are tracked to completion
  • Leadership has visibility of risk and control
  • Competent people are in place 
  • Themed specific audits of these areas
DfE governance guidance is clear that while operational tasks may be delegated, oversight responsibility for health, safety and premises risk remains with leaders and governing bodies (DfE). The Role of NASPM NASPM supports schools to strengthen their approach to managing high risk premises areas through practical, proportionate frameworks. This includes clarifying statutory expectations, supporting structured inspection and record keeping, and helping schools prepare for inspection, audit and scrutiny. Sources
National Alliance of School Premises Management
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