Vehicle Damage Repair Kitemark - PAS 125 - FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions for PAS 125 - Vehicle Damage Repair

What is PAS 125?

PAS 125 is owned and maintained by BSI, the National Standards Body.

PAS 125 is the industry agreed technical specification for the process of vehicle body repair. It provides body-shops the processes and procedures directly related to the safe repair of accident damaged vehicles.

PAS 125 details minimum requirements for competent personnel, appropriate and well-maintained equipment, suitable repair methods and quality for repair materials.

The PAS 125 focuses on the four key elements of repair – methods, people, equipment and materials, as well as repair process management, with an emphasis on continual improvement. As a result, PAS 125 directs body shops to the achievement of a safe and technically sound repair.

What is the difference between PAS 125 and the Thatcham BSI Kitemark™?

PAS 125 is a technical specification. The Thatcham BSI Kitemark™ is a certification scheme which actually demonstrates that a company meets the requirements of PAS 125 and the BSI Kitemark™ scheme protocol on an ongoing basis. The Thatcham BSI Kitemark™ is second to none because it is based on industry agreed standards, involves trained auditors – qualified by BSI and provides impartial certification.

What is the difference between what BSI is offering for PAS 125 and what other bodies are offering?

BSI is a not for distributed profit organisation and is completely independent and impartial. As owners of the BSI Kitemark™, both the Kitemark word and the Kitemark symbol are registered trade marks of BSI, who are the only people who can issue a Kitemark.

The associated BSI Kitemark™ has outstanding public recognition and trust providing confidence that accident damaged vehicles can be repaired to the latest standards.

The Thatcham BSI Kitemark™ has unrivalled support from leading insurers, work providers and key industry stakeholders and has been accepted by the industry as the most recognised and effective “quality assurance” mark.

What are the steps in the process?

Purchase a copy of PAS 125 from BSI (call +44 8450 765610)
Arrange training if required
Arrange a gap-analysis if required
Register your interest for Thatcham BSI Kitemark™ call +44 8450 765610 or email us
Fill in and send back the application and acceptance forms
Initial assessment will be arranged
You will receive your BSI Kitemark™ licence (assuming successful completion of the initial assessment)
Maintain compliance and ongoing assessments

What help will be given?

Training – there are numerous public and in-company education and training courses available for an introduction to PAS 125 and its internal auditing. Contact Thatcham or BSI or visit their websites www.thatcham.org

What does the scheme mean for repairers?

Repairers will be able to secure their future business by being able to independently prove to insurers and the motorist that their vehicle body repair service meets all the required safety criteria of PAS 125 and the BSI Kitemark™ scheme.

It will provide them with a significant commercial advantage over other non-Kitemark providers.

The UK crash repair sector already has a number of standards and codes, so why do we need another?

While a number of standards already exist, the majority of these address consumer-facing concerns. PAS 125 differs from other standards and codes as it is a technical specification dealing with processes and procedures directly related to the repair of accident-damaged vehicles. There is significant cross-industry support for ‘one common repair standard’ from leading stakeholders within all sectors of the crash repair industry. The key drivers for this support are:

Concern at the rapid increase in vehicle technology.
The costs of the many trade associations and insurer network approval schemes to insurers and repairers.
The acknowledged and growing skills gaps.
Resultant ‘corporate risk’ of unsafe repairs arising from both legislation (e.g. corporate manslaughter, Health and Safety, European General Product Safety Directive) and corporate social responsibility to insurers.

While not a universal view, a significant number of Thatcham’s members predict FSA inspection of repair supply chain quality processes and procedures, and regard the current systems as lacking. The scheme will also provide a platform for business improvement.