Certification for police chemical irritant sprays: PAVA

The Home Office standard for police chemical irritants – PAVA (publication number 23/14) sets out the requirements for a police chemical irritant spray product (based on PAVA) that must be met in order to gain Home Office certification.

This document replaces existing specifications and standards.

The major revisions include:

• removal of references to CAST and CS
• removal of a section concerning a trial to determine accuracy and handling qualities
• removal of a section on the familiarisation of training sprays
• removal of a section detailing results tables
• removal of a questionnaire for the accuracy and handling trial
• an update to requirements for the compatibility of spray with conducted energy devices
• the movement of requirements for the technical file to an appendix
• an update to the flammability of spray assessment
• an update to assessments relevant to the impact pressure of spray to solid surfaces

The Home Office certification for police chemical irritants – PAVA – process and guidance document provides supporting information for gaining certification of police chemical irritant spray products and should be read in conjunction with the standards document.