BSI issues PAS 9980:2021 on fire risk appraisals for cladding

Primarily, the Code of Practice has been developed to support the upcoming changes to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 which will confirm that the fire performance of external cladding systems is a material consideration.

PAS 9980:2021 Fire Risk Appraisal of External Wall Construction and Cladding of Existing Blocks of Flats – Code of Practice has been developed by a Steering Group of experts in the fields of construction, fire, housing and safety. The Steering Group included representatives from the Building Research Establishment, the Construction Products Association, the Consumer and Public Interest Network, the Fire Industry Association, the Institution of Fire Engineers, Local Authority Building Control, the London Fire Brigade, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, the National Fire Chiefs Council, the National Social Housing Fire Safety Group, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, the Scottish Government and also the Society of Façade Engineering.

The Code of Practice is for use by fire engineers and other competent building professionals when undertaking a fire risk appraisal of external walls, duly setting out a methodology by which to conduct and record fire risk appraisals of external walls, which can then be scaled up or down depending upon the complexity of individual buildings.

Five-step process

PAS 9980:2021 uses a five-step risk assessment process to assist in the identification of risk factors influencing the overall risk rating of a building, as well as mitigation steps that might improve the risk rating. Not all buildings will require an appraisal. Of those that do, not all will require intrusive inspection.

Further, the new Code of Practice outlines recommendations for the competence of professionals completing such appraisals. The standard aims to assist with the ongoing effort to increase the number of competent professionals by providing the knowledge on fire risk arising from various aspects of external wall construction.

Where homeowners and building owners are faced with external wall constructions which don’t meet the expected standards, PAS 9980 provides a methodology for assessing the level of safety. It also identifies the proportionate steps that could be taken to better safeguard residents, while in parallel seeking not to expose them to undue financial burdens.

The standard doesn’t alter the obligations placed upon those carrying out building work on external wall construction, nor does it affect the compliance of past building work, whether measured against the Building Regulations or contractual obligations.

The new standard is sponsored by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and the Home Office.

*Download PAS 9980:2021 Fire Risk Appraisal of External Wall Construction and Cladding of Existing Blocks of Flats – Code of Practice by visiting the BSI’s website