Primary Authority Scheme

Primary Authority Scheme

The Primary Authority Scheme is open to all businesses and means that your business can form a partnership with South Wales Fire and Rescue Service to get expert advice on fire safety matters.

What is the Primary Authority Scheme?

The Primary Authority Scheme (PAS) is designed to reduce the regulatory burden on businesses and to promote consistent, effective inspection and enforcement processes.

Under the scheme, businesses that trade across local authority borders are provided with ‘Assured’ compliance advice and guidance from the fire inspectors of one fire authority, the Partner Authority.

The purpose of this is to agree on a safe course of action with a clear rationale and to ensure all enforcing authorities have access to this to avoid having to deal with each enforcing authority in isolation.

It is available to any type of business and is administered by the Office for Product Safety and Standards.

The aim of the PAS is for fire and rescue services to develop effective partnerships with businesses in order to achieve a national consistency in delivering fire safety advice and regulatory activities.

 

What are the benefits?

The benefits of becoming a member of a PAS partnership are:

  • You can have access to relevant, authoritative tailored fire safety advice.
  • You can gain recognition of robust compliance arrangements.
  • You can draw on established and effective means of meeting business regulations.
  • You can be more confident you are protecting your business and your customers.
  • Fire Safety matters can be prioritised to ensure money spent in this area gives you best value.

As well as receiving assured advice, South Wales Fire and Rescue Service can also produce an inspection plan for your business to improve information sharing and the effectiveness of any regulatory visits you may receive from fire and rescue services.

How do I sign up?

There are two types of partnership, a direct partnership or a co-ordinated partnership.

Currently, South Wales Fire and Rescue Service has PAS partnerships with the following organisations:

  • S.A. Brain & Company Limited
  • Community Housing Cymru
  • Liberty Living
  • Castle Leisure Limited

If you are interested in establishing a partnership with South Wales Fire and Rescue Service please contact our Business Fire Safety Department to arrange a meeting where the following can be discussed:

  • The scope of the partnership and how it will be managed.
  • Cost recovery and payment terms. Currently SWFRS is one of (if not the) lowest charging fire safety Primary Authorities.

South Wales Fire and Rescue Service will work with you to guide you through the process and ensure that details are kept up to date should things change.

 

 

If you require further details please email firesafety@southwales-fire.gov.uk  or contact our Business Fire Safety Department – 01443 232520

 

For more information, please visit:

Office for Product Safety and Standards

Primary Authority: A Guide For Businesses

Primary Authority: A Guide For Trade Associations

Primary Authority Terms And Conditions

Primary Authority Handbook

Primary Authority Register