PAS 79 software for fire risk assessment
PAS 79 software structures a fire risk assessment around the methodology set out in PAS 79-1:2020 and PAS 79-2:2020: identify hazards and people at risk, evaluate the fire protection and management measures, derive a risk rating from likelihood and consequence, and produce a prioritised, timescaled action plan. AssessHub builds that sequence into the product, so the report you issue demonstrates the "suitable and sufficient" assessment the Fire Safety Order requires.
PAS 79 is not law. The legal duty comes from the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, which requires a suitable and sufficient assessment but does not prescribe a method. PAS 79 became the de facto benchmark precisely because enforcing authorities, insurers and courts recognise its structure — which makes following it faithfully worth doing properly.
£100 per assessor / month + VAT · 14-day free trial · owners, office admins and QC are free
The methodology, built into the product
The nine steps, in order
Hazards, people at risk, likelihood of ignition, fire protection measures, management of fire safety, likelihood and consequence, risk rating, tolerability, action plan — the workflow follows the sequence rather than leaving it to memory.
PAS 79-1 and PAS 79-2
Separate built-in templates for premises other than housing and for housing, including the common parts of blocks of flats, so you are not bending one checklist to fit both.
Likelihood / consequence matrix
The risk rating is derived from the matrix and shown in the report, so the reasoning behind the rating is visible rather than asserted.
Prioritised action plan
Every recommendation carries a priority and a timescale, and links back to the observation and photograph that justified it. The PDF links to a page where the responsible person records status and comments.
Evidence chained to findings
A defensible report ties each recommendation to a checklist reference, a location and a photograph. The workflow enforces that chain instead of hoping for it.
Your methodology, if it differs
Clone a built-in PAS 79 template and edit it — add sections, reword questions, hide what you do not use — and the whole team works from your version.
From site visit to compliant report
- 1
Record the premises particulars
Scope, limitations, building details and the responsible person, captured once and carried through the report.
- 2
Work the checklist
Means of escape, compartmentation, detection and alarm, emergency lighting, signage, firefighting equipment and the management regime — each with evidence attached.
- 3
Rate the risk
Set likelihood and consequence, take the derived rating, and decide whether the risk is tolerable or whether further measures are needed.
- 4
Issue the action plan
Prioritised, timescaled recommendations with a named assessor, a date and a recommended review date — recorded in full, as section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022 now requires.
Generic template vs PAS 79-structured software
Generic FRA template
With AssessHub
Steps skipped because nothing prompts for them
The nine-step sequence is the workflow, not a memory aid
Risk rating asserted with no visible reasoning
Rating derived from a likelihood/consequence matrix, shown in the report
Recommendations disconnected from the evidence
Every action links to its checklist reference, location and photo
Housing and non-housing forced through one form
Separate PAS 79-1 and PAS 79-2 structures
Only significant findings recorded
The full assessment recorded, as section 156 now requires
Frequently asked questions
Is PAS 79 a legal requirement?
No. The legal requirement is a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. PAS 79 is a recognised methodology for meeting that requirement, widely used because enforcing authorities and courts are familiar with its structure.
What is the difference between PAS 79-1 and PAS 79-2?
PAS 79-1:2020 covers fire risk assessment for premises other than housing — offices, retail, industrial and hospitality. PAS 79-2:2020 covers housing, including the common parts of blocks of flats. AssessHub ships a built-in template for each.
Should I use PAS 79-2 or BS 9792 for housing?
BS 9792:2025 is the newer British Standard for fire risk assessment of housing and gives far more prominence to modern ignition sources such as e-bikes, electric vehicles and battery energy storage. PAS 79-2:2020 remains widely used and is what many clients still specify. AssessHub ships both as built-in templates, so you can keep existing jobs on PAS 79-2 and start new housing work on BS 9792 without changing anything else about how you work.
Can I use my own methodology instead?
Yes. Clone a built-in template in the template wizard and edit the sections and questions to match how your practice works. Once an assessment uses a template its structure locks, so historic reports stay reproducible.
Does the report satisfy the Building Safety Act recording duty?
Section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022 amended the Fire Safety Order so that the whole fire risk assessment must be recorded, not just its significant findings. AssessHub records every checklist answer, observation and piece of evidence, and the exported PDF contains the complete assessment.
How much does it cost?
£100 per assessor per month (+ VAT), with unlimited assessments and reports. Owners, office admins and QC reviewers are free. Every new team gets a 14-day free trial.
See the PAS 79 workflow end to end
Start a 14-day free trial, or book a demo and we will walk a real building through the nine steps with you.