What you need to know about PAS 9980

In January 2022, the BSI published PAS 9980, a new code of practice for appraising the fire risk of external wall construction and cladding on existing blocks of flats.

The new PAS in part replaces the UK government's 2020 Consolidated Advice Note (CAN) on building safety. The CAN was withdrawn after its treatment of risk in safe buildings was widely criticised as disproportionate.

PAS 9980 takes a more proportionate approach to building safety. Having been specifically developed for competent fire engineers and other building professionals performing a fire risk appraisal of external walls (FRAEW), it came into force on 31 January.

As a code of practice, the PAS addresses the risk from fire spread over the external walls of multistorey blocks of flats of any height, not just those of more than 18m. It draws on the lessons learned from previous fires where there was unexpected and significant external fire spread.

PAS 9980 provides a voluntary methodology for building owners to follow when conducting and recording FRAEWs. This will help establish the factors that influence the overall risk rating of a building, as well as measures that might improve it. The PAS identifies proportionate and pragmatic ways to better safeguard residents, as well as reduce excessive costs for remediation.

PAS 9980 provides a means of appraising the likely fire performance of external walls. It also enables assessment of the risks associated with external fire spread in the context of the building's use, occupancy and fire safety arrangements, thus meaning the building is considered holistically.

The risk-based approach means that any FRAEW will certainly be subjective, requiring competent persons to exercise their professional judgement. Proportionality is key.

The PAS demands that assessors are impartial and fair. They are also required to go beyond establishing what materials, components and systems are used in the external walls and interpret this information to offer an opinion on the fire risk these pose.

It is also important for those who are commissioning FRAEWs to verify that assessors have the necessary competence for the level of assessment required. The PAS helpfully sets out the skills typically expected of external wall assessors for different tasks or levels of assessment.

Note that a report prepared in accordance with the PAS is not intended as an alternative to the EWS1 form, which is for valuation purposes only. However, it can provide evidence to justify the option chosen on such a form.

In future, the UK government expects construction professionals to follow the code of practice in all FRAEWs, and to produce a report that indicates the PAS methodology has been used.