PAS 79 Fire Risk Assessment Software: What to Look For

Not all fire risk assessment software follows PAS 79:2020 properly. Some tools offer generic risk assessment templates that you have to configure yourself. Others claim PAS 79 compliance but miss sections, use the wrong risk matrix, or generate reports that do not meet the standard's documentation requirements.

If your reports need to be structured per PAS 79:2020 — and if you assess premises in England and Wales, they should be — here is what to check in any software before committing.

Why PAS 79 Structure Matters in Software

PAS 79:2020 is the recommended methodology for fire risk assessments published by BSI. Enforcing authorities, insurers, and courts reference it as the benchmark for competent assessment. See our section-by-section PAS 79 guide for the detail of what each section requires.

When software follows PAS 79 properly, you get:

• Consistent reports across all your assessments — every report covers the same ground
• Defensible documentation — if a report is challenged, the structure demonstrates thoroughness
• Faster assessment — the software guides you through each section rather than leaving you to decide what to write
• Reduced omissions — sections with prompts and guidance catch things you might skip when fatigued at the end of a long day

Essential PAS 79 Features

Section structure

The software should present all 10 PAS 79:2020 sections in order. You should not have to create or configure these yourself. They should be built in:

1. Premises Description
2. Relevant Fire Safety Legislation
3. Fire Hazards and Their Elimination or Reduction
4. Fire Protection Measures
5. Management of Fire Safety
6. Occupancy Details
7. Significant Findings
8. Fire Risk Evaluation
9. Action Plan
10. Conclusions and Recommendations

If the software lets you skip sections without flagging it, or if sections are labelled differently from the standard, that is a warning sign.

Risk matrix

PAS 79:2020 uses a likelihood-by-consequence risk matrix. The software should implement this with defined categories for both axes and generate a risk rating automatically. You should be able to record your rationale for both the likelihood and consequence ratings — the 2020 revision specifically requires this.

Action plan generation

Findings identified during the assessment should flow directly into the action plan. Each action needs a priority level, responsible person field, target date, and completion status. The software should not require you to re-enter findings manually in a separate action plan section.

Limitation recording

PAS 79:2020 requires you to document the scope and limitations of your assessment. The software should have a dedicated field for this — areas not accessed, information not available, and assumptions made.

PDF report output

The generated report must be a professional, structured document that you would be comfortable submitting to an enforcing authority. Check that:

• All 10 sections appear in the correct order
• The risk matrix is presented clearly
• Photos are embedded with references
• The action plan is formatted as a table with all required fields
• Your company branding, assessor details, and the assessment date are included

Red Flags

Generic templates. If the software calls itself "risk assessment software" rather than "fire risk assessment software," it is probably a generic platform. These require you to build PAS 79 structure from scratch — which defeats the purpose of using software.

Missing sections. If you cannot find where to record fire hazard identification separately from fire protection measures, the software is conflating PAS 79 sections. This makes your report harder to follow for anyone reviewing it.

No risk rationale field. If the software lets you select a risk rating from a dropdown without recording why you chose it, it fails the PAS 79:2020 requirement for documented rationale.

No assessor competence section. PAS 79:2020 expects the report to record the assessor's qualifications and experience. If the software does not have a field for this, it is incomplete.

Testing Before You Buy

Before subscribing to any fire risk assessment software:

1. Run a real assessment on a premises you know well. Time yourself. Compare the output to a report you would produce manually.
2. Check the PDF against PAS 79:2020 section headings. Are they all present and correctly labelled?
3. Verify the risk matrix matches the likelihood x consequence framework.
4. Test the action plan workflow — create a finding and check that it automatically generates a trackable action.
5. Export your data — can you download your assessment as CSV or PDF? If you cannot get your data out, you are locked in.

For a broader evaluation framework, see our guide to choosing FRA software.

Summary

PAS 79 fire risk assessment software should enforce the standard's structure, guide you through each section, and generate reports that meet the documentation requirements of the 2020 revision. Test it with a real assessment before subscribing and check the PDF output against the standard.

AssessKit is being built with PAS 79:2020 as the foundation — all 10 sections, risk matrix with rationale recording, action plan auto-generation, and professional PDF output. Join the waitlist to get early access.

Sources

• PAS 79:2020 — BSI