Changes in Home Electrical Rules
From January 1 2005 anyone who undertakes electrical work
in dwellings, even the householder in some cases, will have to ensure
this work complies with the requirements of
Part P of the Building Regulations. Moreover, the majority of such
work should be notified to Building Control prior to its commencement.
Building Control will wish to inspect the work in order
to confirm that it complies fully with the Building Regulations.
Because Building Control officers do not have the resources or expertise
to inspect and certify electrical installations, the Government has approved
Competent Person Schemes. Firms assessed and registered by such schemes
will be able to self-certify that their work complies with the Building
Regulations.
Once Part P is implemented it could be a criminal offence
if the person or firm carrying out electrical installation work contravenes
the Building Regulations. Local authorities will also have the power to
require the removal or alteration
of work that does not comply with the Building Regulations.
Contractors
Electrical contractors can however avoid the time and expense of calling
in a building control inspector if they obtain "Competent Person"
status.
At present four organisations have been granted permission to run competent
persons assessment schemes: BRE Certification (BREC) in collaboration
with the ECA and supported by the Institution of Electrical Engineers
(IEE), British Standards Institution, ELECSA and NICEIC under NIC Certification
Ltd, which now includes Zurich Certification. Most recently NAPIT (National
Association of Professional Inspectors and Testers) Certification Limited
has joined the fray with a Full Scope Scheme (Level A) and Defined Scope
Scheme (Levels B&C).
NAPIT says it is the only trade association that insists that all electrical
systems must be inspected and tested to ensure that they are safe to use
– before they are used and periodically throughout their working
life. Further, NAPIT insists that the individual who carries out the inspection,
testing, verification and certification must be proved to be competent.
Its aim is to set the standard for inspection and testing through the
implementation of a strict company and individual vetting policy, cost
effective training courses,
technical updates and advice on a regional basis. There are a number of
requirements for achieving Competent Person status, including compliance
with BS 7671, technical reference documents and health and safety requirements.
Perhaps the most important requirement concerns the
Qualified Supervisor. Every firm must have at least one such person who
is responsible on a day-to-day basis for the safety, quality and technical
standard of the electrical work.
NICEIC believes there are approximately 61,000 electrical contracting
firms involved in domestic electrical installation work in England and
Wales and as many as 80% of them are not yet registered.
Fees
Assessment and registration fees vary depending upon who you sign up with
but are generally in the order of £300 to £550. As the New
Year approaches there may be some special deals so it might be wise to
contact all the providers to see what they are offering. A list is included
at the end of this article.
Requirements
The NICEIC web site (www.niceic.org.uk/partp/partpknow) describes the
main requirements and scope of Part P as follows:
Fixed electrical installations in dwellings shall be suitably designed,
installed, inspected and tested so as to provide reasonable protection
against their being a source of a fire or a cause of injury to persons.The
requirement applies only to fixed electrical installations in dwellings
in England and
Wales intended to operate at low voltage or extra-low voltage.
Scope. Part P will apply to all fixed installations after the electricity
supplier"s meter in buildings or parts of buildings comprising:
• dwellings
• combined dwellings and business premises having a common supply
(such as shops, pubs etc)
• common access areas in blocks of flats (but not lifts)
• shared amenities in blocks of flats (such as laundries, gymnasiums
etc)
• outbuildings, including sheds, garages and greenhouses
• garden lighting and power supplies
Parts of fixed electrical installations external to premises, such as
in gardens, sheds and detached garages, for example, will also be subject
to the requirements of Part P.
The safety requirement will be applicable to alterations and additions
to existing installations (including rewires), as well as to new construction.
There will be a requirement to ensure that parts of an existing installation
upon which new work depends for safety (such as the earthing and bonding
arrangement) comply with the requirements of BS 7671:2001.
This requirement for consequential remedial work is a departure from
the normal Building Regulations approach.
Complying with Part P. Electrical contractors will achieve compliance
by following the fundamental principles for safety set out in Chapter
13 of BS 7671:2001.
Official guidance on complying with the requirement is given in the new
Approved Document P, Electrical Safety. Fixed Electrical Installations
in Dwellings.
Part P applies to all fixed electrical installation work in dwellings,
whether carried out professionally or by DIY, whether or not minor work,
and whether or not the work is notifiable to a building control body.
However, certain
relaxations may apply for the inspection, testing and certification of
minor work undertaken as DIY.
Periodic Inspection Reports (PIR). Part P does not cover the inspection
and testing of existing electrical installations. However, any remedial
work carried out to correct deficiencies in a PIR will come within the
scope of Part P.
Notifying electrical work. All proposed electrical installation work in
dwellings will need to be notified to a building control body before work
commences, unless:
• the proposed work is to be undertaken by a prescribed competent
person (an individual or a firm) authorised to self-certify compliance
on completion of the work, or
• the proposed work is minor, and it is not in a kitchen or in an
area classified as a special installation or location.
Minor work.
Minor work is electrical work not involving the addition of a new circuit,
such as the addition of socket outlets or lighting points to existing
circuits and the replacement of accessories.
The following are classified as special installations or locations and
all electrical installation work in such areas (as well as in kitchens)
will need to be notified, or self-certified by a prescribed competent
person, even if only "minor works":
• locations containing a bath tub or shower basin
• swimming pools or paddling pools
• hot air saunas
• garden lighting or power installations
• solar photovoltaic power supply systems
• electric floor or ceiling heating systems
• extra-low voltage lighting installations, other than pre-assembled,
CE-marked lighting sets
• small scale generators such as microCHP units
Self-certification.
Contractors self certifying in compliance with Part P will also have
to certify compliance with other relevant parts of the Building Regulations
that have been affected by the electrical work, such as Part B (fire safety),
Part F, Part M (accessibility) and Part L1 (energy conservation).
There is also Part A Structures, Part C Site Preparation, Part E Sound
Penetration Part G3 Hot Water Storage Approved Document to Support Regulation
7 Materials and Workmanship; but that is maybe another article!
Further information from:
NICEIC: Domestic Installer Scheme: 0800 013 0900
BREC: 01323 664100 | 01623 404515 | 0870 609 093
ELECSA ECA: 0870 749 0080
BSI: 0208 996 9001 | 01442 728607
NAPIT: 0870 444 1392
This has been released by my professional body, the Institution Of Incorporated
Engineers (IIE), as outlined above. Further details are hoped for in the
near future.
73's Norman G8ATO
Visit
the Institution Of Incorporated Engineers' website
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