Standards Development

Scope

This PAS gives recommendations on:

a)    whether or not buildings are likely to require a fire risk appraisal of external walls (FRAEW); and

b)    guidance on undertaking an FRAEW of an existing multistorey, multi-occupied residential building.

This PAS covers FRAEWs that are undertaken for the purpose of:

1)    assessing the risk to occupants from a fire spreading over or within the external walls of the building and the consequence that this can have in terms of:

       i)       means of escape;

       ii)     secondary fires; and

       iii)    fire and rescue service access; and

2)    making a decision as to whether, in the specific circumstances of the building, remediation or other mitigating measures to address the risk are considered necessary.

This PAS is applicable where the risk is known, or suspected, to arise from the form of construction used for the external wall build-up, such as the presence of combustible materials. The outcome of an FRAEW is intended to inform fire risk assessments (FRAs) of multistorey, multi-occupied residential buildings.

NOTE 1 FRAEWs are particularly applicable to FRAs carried out in accordance with PAS 79-2[2]), but they can be carried out independently of the PAS 79-2 FRA process.

NOTE 2 FRAEWs undertaken in accordance with this PAS might give rise to a need for building work to be carried out; however, PAS 9980 reports are not intended to demonstrate compliance with building regulations (e.g. the Building Regulations 2010 [7] in England), and attention is drawn to requirements applicable to building work. It is also not intended for the snagging of newly constructed buildings prior to occupation.

This PAS also gives recommendations and guidance in relation to the competence of those completing FRAEWs.

This PAS applies predominantly to multistorey blocks of flats of any height, but also includes the following types of buildings if, from the perspective of general fire strategy and means of escape design, and specifically evacuation strategy, they are similar in nature to a purpose‑built block of flats:

i)       student accommodation;

ii)     sheltered and other specialized housing; and

iii)    buildings converted into flats.

NOTE 3 Within this PAS, the term “flat” is used to describe a separate and self-contained premises constructed or adapted for use for residential purposes and forming part of a building from some other part of which it is divided horizontally. Other terms, such as “apartment”, are commonly used to describe such accommodation. The term “flats” is intended to include those arranged on more than one storey, such as maisonettes or duplex apartments.

NOTE 4 This is also intended to include blocks of flats that are part of a mixed‑use building with, for example, shops or offices below.

Certain types of building and external wall construction are within the scope of this PAS but are not expected to require an FRAEW:

•           individual dwellinghouses;

•           terraced or semi-detached dwellinghouses;

•           blocks of flats having no more than two storeys above ground level; and

•           blocks of flats having no more than three storeys above ground level, provided that these are traditionally constructed.

This PAS addresses situations in which there is a single wall type or a mixture of different wall types. It addresses buildings that are partially clad, as well as those that are fully clad, in combustible materials.

This PAS also covers attachments to the external walls of buildings.

The methodology in this PAS is intended to determine the need for any risk-proportionate actions in relation to external wall construction that are necessary to protect occupants of blocks of flats, including residents and their visitors, anyone working in the building and people in the immediate vicinity of the building. The methodology is not intended to address the safety of firefighters in the event of a fire on the premises. It is not intended to address protection of property (the premises and their contents) or the environment, or protection of a business against interruption.

This PAS does not include a methodology for assessing the risk of spread of fire arising from space separation between buildings (i.e. heat transfer via radiant heat). It also does not address the performance of external walls in terms of fire resistance, or the ability of the walls to maintain structural stability.