PAS 13: The Code of Practice for Safety Barriers
The official best practice for safety barriers and traffic management in industrial facilities
What is PAS 13?
PAS means Publicly Available Specification and is an official document produced by the British Standards Institution (BSI). A PAS provides independent detailed guidelines on good practice when using a product or process.
PAS 13 refers to the code of practice for industrial safety barriers. It is broken down into two sections: the first section provides Health and Safety and Operations managers with details on the correct application of safety barriers at busy industrial facilities. The second section is primarily for safety barrier manufacturers. It covers how to conduct standardised testing of safety barriers for strength and durability, and record results in a way that is clear and transparent for customers.
PAS 13 is the only code of practice for industrial safety barriers that is recognised globally. It provides the most reliable guidance to optimise safety and improve traffic management for maximum protection in industrial environments.
Why was PAS 13 created?
Currently, there is no official safety standard for the use of safety barriers. Therefore, company owners can take liberties will the levels of site protection they offer. This can seriously impact on the safety of workers in those facilities, as well as creating potential risks to infrastructure, assets, and production itself.
That makes the need for safety standards even more important. PAS 13 is the first step towards creating legal guidelines for workplace safety, to better protect workers and companies from potential hazards. A-SAFE is incredibly proud to have been part of the steering group that helped make PAS 13 possible – and we continue to strive for more accountability and transparency in the world of workplace safety.
PAS 13 was created and published by the British Standards Institution in association with the Health and Safety Executive. The BSI worked with a steering group made up of several high-profile blue-chip companies, including Jaguar Land Rover, DHL, Nestles, MARS and A-SAFE. These companies were able to offer first-hand experience of safety across a range of industries, to create a consistent and transferable set of guidelines for barrier installation.
"This code of practice is a valuable guidance tool for any person with a Health and Safety focus, especially where moving vehicles or the protection of personnel, equipment and vital structures is concerned."
