A new report from the British Standards Institution (BSI) has been published, detailing the work being done to progress and prioritise the UK’s fire safety standards programme
Launched at BSI’s Annual Fire Safety Conference on 29 January 2026, the report is the first from the Fire and Built Environment Sector Policy and Strategy Committee (FSH/0), the BSI’s strategic body for fire safety standardisation of the national standards framework for the built environment sector.
Responsible for setting policy and strategy to meet the evolving standardisation needs and expectations of the fire and rescue service (FRS), construction, testing, maintenance, and use environments, FSH/0’s inaugural fire safety report shows there was considerable progress made in developing and revising national fire standards between 2024 and 2025.
Some of the standards that have recently seen revisions include:
- BS 9991:2024 – Fire safety in the design, management, and use of residential buildings. —Code of practice
- BS 9792:2025 – Fire risk assessment – Housing—Code of practice
- BS 8674:2025 – Built environment—Framework for competence of individual fire risk assessors—Code of practice
- BS 5839-1:2025 – Fire detection and fire alarm systems for buildings—Part 1: Design, installation, commissioning, and maintenance of systems in non-domestic premises—Code of practice
- BS 5266-1:2025 – Emergency lighting—Code of practice for the emergency lighting of premises
- PAS 9980:2022, PAS 79-1 & BS 9792:2025—Alignment of Fire-Risk Assessment Standards
The committee’s focus for 2026/27 will be on developing the following national British standards and PAS projects:
- BS 9994 – Fire Strategies in Buildings—Specification
- BS 9996 – Commissioning and Maintenance of Integrated Fire Safety Systems—Code of Practice
- PAS 9980 (Revision) – Fire Risk Appraisal of External Wall Construction and Cladding of Existing Buildings
- PAS 9970-1 – Fire Safety in Construction: Organisational and Site Fire Safety
- PAS 9970-2 – Fire Safety in Construction: Temporary Fire Detection and Alarm Systems
- BS 9990 (Revision) – Non-Automatic Firefighting Systems in Buildings
- BS 750 (Amendment) – Underground fire hydrants. Surface box frames and covers
- BS 9999:2028 – Fire Safety in the Design, Management and Use of Buildings—Code of Practice
Reflecting the “evolving expectations across the built environment”, the new and revised standards take into consideration the recommendations of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Final Report (published in September 2024) and the Industry Competence Steering Group, which call for the “mandatory accreditation of fire risk assessors and the establishment of clear competence standards”.
In the report’s Foreword, Chair of FSH/0, Aman Sharma MBE, said: “Standards are not mere documents; they are the foundation of trust. They bridge policy and practice, influence behaviour, and embed accountability into systems that increasingly face scrutiny and challenge.
“From the widespread adoption of PAS 9980 to the evolution of BS 9994, we are witnessing evidence of how rigorous standards can steer industry responses to changing regulations, risk profiles, and societal expectations.”
In its report, FSH/0 outlined the need for greater engagement and participation in fire safety standardisation and was hoping to encourage a wider range of contributors, such as early-career professionals, fire safety practitioners, and specialists in digital and emerging technologies.
“This approach reflects the multidisciplinary nature of fire safety and the value of diverse expertise in strengthening national standards,” FSH/0 said.
You can access the inaugural Annual Report of the Fire and Built Environment Sector Policy and Strategy Committee here.