Changes to the Fire Risk Assessment Code of Practice (PAS 79)

In December 2020, the British Standards Institution (BSI), revised the Fire Risk Assessment Standard, also known as PAS 79.

The standard was released in two parts:

• PAS 79-1: Fire Risk Assessment – Part 1: Premises other than housing
• PAS 79-2: Fire Risk Assessment – Part 2: Housing

PAS 79 was last revised in 2012.

What is a fire risk assessment?

You need to carry out a fire risk assessment if you own rental properties or own a business with more than five employees.

A fire risk assessment allows you to identify hazards in a building and ensures that building occupants can exit the building safely and quickly in the case of a fire.

More information about fire risk assessments.

The changes to PAS 79

There are several key changes to the new code of practice. These include.

1. PAS 79 has been split into two separate documents, one for housing and one for other buildings. This is because the housing sector wanted more housing-specific information, especially in light of tragic incidents like the Grenfell fire. As a result of this, PAS 79-2 focuses on buildings including blocks of flats, HMOs, sheltered housing and supported housing.
2. PAS 79 is now a code of practice rather than a guidance document. This means it is a recognised interpretation of how organisations need to comply with the law. Conversely, guidance has no legal standing
3. There is additional guidance on external wall construction and cladding, as well as fire safety in purpose-built blocks of flats
4. There is a greater emphasis placed on the competency of fire risk assessors
5. The document discusses the ‘Stay Put’ strategy, which is often adopted in purpose-built flats when there is a fire. This is when residents not in an area directly impacted by fire should stay inside their flat until told to leave