Schools in mid and north Essex have been urged to cut out the risk of fires and that could mean changes to lessons.
A document has been put on the schools intranet by the local education authority, Essex County Council.
It ranges from ensuring they have copies of site plans available for servicemen and cutting the risks of fire.
Headteachers have been called on to contain or remove sources of fuel, ignition and the likelihood of any fire being supplied with air.
A spokeswoman for the education authority said that might involve not doing lessons involving chemistry experiements or other lessons in which fires are created, albeit under control.
She said the council had offered guidelines but individual schools were being left to decide what exact measures they put into effect.
At Sir Charles Lucas Arts College, Colchester, precautions have been put in place and rehearsed.
A spokeswoman for the school said: "We have taken on board the guidelines and we will not be taking any risks but at the same time we have to fulfill the students' curriculum needs and we don't want to be alarmist."
Published Thursday November 14, 2002
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