PAS 79:2012

What is this PAS about?

It provides guidance and a recommended methodology for conducting fire risk assessments.

Who is this PAS for?

People with knowledge of the principles of fire safety who conduct fire risk assessments

Why should you use this PAS?

PAS 79 gives guidance, and corresponding examples of documentation, for undertaking and recording the significant findings of fire risk assessments in premises and parts of premises for which fire risk assessments are required by legislation.

This PAS doesn’t apply to single-family private dwellings, or necessarily to premises during the construction phase1 but is applicable to vacant premises, for which a fire risk assessment is required.

The methodology is intended to provide a structured approach to fire risk assessment for people with knowledge of the principles of fire safety; it is not intended as a guide to fire safety.

The recommended approach to carrying out fire risk assessments is intended to determine the risk-proportionate fire precautions required to protect premises’ occupants including employees, contractors, visitors and members of the public and to protect people in the immediate vicinity of the premises.

What’s changed since the last update?

This is a full revision of PAS 79:2007, and introduces the following principal changes:

• The technical content has been subject to amendment in the light of experience in the use of PAS 79
• There is new guidance on the role of codes or practice and guidance documents as a basis for determining the appropriate fire precautions
• There is new guidance on the approach that should be adopted in determining the appropriate fire precautions for existing buildings that do conform to current codes of practice applicable to new buildings (e.g. under current building regulations)
• A new annex contains a competence standard for fire risk assessors, developed and agreed by stakeholders in the fire safety profession
• Changes to, and publication of various new British Standards have been taken into account