RE: New UK Building Regs. Will Outlaw DIY Wiring

["Dean Barrett" <dean@xxxxxxxxx>]

Snip from NICEIC website

1. The Requirement P - what will it be?

The electrical safety requirement in the new Part P of the Building
Regulations is expected to be simply that:

"Fixed electrical installations in dwellings shall be suitably
designed,
installed, inspected and tested so as to provide reasonable protection
against their being the source of a fire or a cause of injury to
persons."

The requirement will apply only to fixed electrical installations in
dwellings in England and Wales intended to operate at Low Voltage or
Extra-Low Voltage. Though covered by BS 7671, the requirement will not
apply
to the safety of livestock.

For the purposes of the Building Regulations, a fixed electrical
installation will mean those parts that are attached to, or supported from,
the building fabric.

2. What guidance will be provided?

Official guidance on complying with the new legal requirement will be given
in a new Approved Document P, entitled 'Fixed electrical installations in
dwellings'. The NICEIC will also be providing guidance in due course.

3. What will be the scope of Part P?

Part P will apply to all fixed installations after the supplier's meter in
buildings or parts of buildings comprising:

. dwellings

. 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)


Parts of fixed electrical installations external to such premises, such as
in gardens, sheds, detached garages and the like will also be subject to
the
requirements of Part P.

Fixed electrical installation work in all such locations will become a
'controlled service' under the Building Regulations. The safety requirement
will be applicable to alterations and additions to existing installations
(including rewires), as well as to new construction.

For alterations and additions to existing installations, 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 arrangements)
comply with the requirements of BS 7671: 2001. This requirement for
consequential remedial work is a departure from the normal Building
Regulations approach.

4. What is a dwelling?

The following definition of a dwelling is given in Approved Document B
(Fire
safety). It may be equally applicable to Part P:

'A unit of residential accommodation occupied (whether or not as a sole or
main residence):

a) by a single person or by people living together as a family, or


b) by not more than 6 residents living together as a single household,
including a household where care is provided for residents'.


5. Will any electrical installation work in dwellings be exempt from Part
P?

No. The requirement will apply to all fixed electrical installation work in
dwellings, whether carried out professionally or by DIY, whether or not
minor work (see below), and whether or not the work is notifiable to a
building control body.

There may be certain relaxations regarding requirements for the inspection,
testing and certification of minor works undertaken as DIY.

6. Will Part P cover Periodic Inspection Reporting?

No. Part P covers electrical installation work only, not the inspection and
testing of existing electrical installations to determine their suitability
for continued use. However, any remedial work carried out to correct
deficiencies identified in a periodic inspection report will come within
the
scope of Part P.

7. How can compliance be achieved?

Compliance with Part P may be achieved by following the fundamental
principles for safety set out in Chapter 13 of BS 7671: 2001. The normal
way
of satisfying the fundamental principles would be to follow the applicable
regulations (rules) in the body of the British Standard.

The Approved Document will emphasise the need for electrical installation
work to be inspected and tested during, and on completion of, the work to
verify that it is reasonably safe, that is to say complies with BS 7671.

8. What work will need to be notified?

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) authorized 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.


The new NICEIC Building Regulations scheme is designed to enable businesses
registered under that scheme to be deemed as competent persons.

9. What is '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.

10. What is a 'special installation or location'?

The following are expected to be classified as special installations or
locations for the purposes of Part P:

. solar photovoltaic power supply systems
. electric floor and heating systems

. extra-low voltage lighting installations, other than pre-assembled
sets

. small scale generators

. locations containing a bath tub or shower basin

. swimming pools and fountains

. hot air saunas

. gardens


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'.

11. What form of compliance certificate will have to be given to the
building control body by those self-certifying?

This had yet to be decided by ODPM. There may be a requirement to provide
building control with a full copy of the certificate (including schedules
of
test results) required by BS 7671, ie an Electrical Installation
Certificate
(or for minor works in a kitchen or special location, a Minor Electrical
Installation Works Certificate).

Alternatively, there may be a requirement to provide a separate form,
simply
certifying that the work complies with the relevant Building Regulations.

In either case, there will be a specific requirement in Part P to provide a
copy of the appropriate BS 7671 certificate to the person ordering the
work.

12. Will there be a need to certify compliance with Building Regulation
requirements other than those in Part P?

Yes. Those self-certifying 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 M
(accessibility) and Part L1 (energy conservation). The NICEIC will be
providing guidance to help contractors registered under the new
self-certification scheme to confirm compliance with the relevant
requirements of other parts of the Building Regulations.

13. When is Part P expected to come into force?

Probably not before 1 July 2004.





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-----Original Message-----
From: steve.cooper@xxxxxxx [mailto:steve.cooper@xxxxxxx]
Sent: 18 March 2004 09:43
To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
Subject: [ukha_d] New UK Building Regs. Will Outlaw DIY Wiring


http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/article1390.html

Could make installations a bit more tricky.  Not easy to define a cut off
point, for instance does changing a light switch count or changing a light
fitting.  Also what about data cables like Cat5.

I can see an opportunity for anyone that sets up a course to get basic
approval for home owners.

S.




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