PART P EXPLAINED

Regulations explained

(Part P Is not available in Scotland)

What is Part P of the Building Regulations?

Since 2005, all electrical work in dwellings in England and Wales, whether carried out professionally or as DIY, must meet the requirements of Part P of the Building Regulations.

Part P is in place to keep you and your family as safe as possible from electrical hazards, and applies to new domestic properties, as well as any alterations or additions to electrical installations in existing properties, including full or partial rewires. 

Who is responsible for making sure that electrical work in your home meets the requirements of Part P?

By law, the homeowner or landlord must be able to prove that all electrical installation work on their property meets the requirements of Part P, or they will be committing a criminal offence.

Local Authorities have the power to make homeowners or landlords remove or alter any work that does not meet the requirements of the Building Regulations.

England

What electrical work is notifiable in England?

Electrical work which requires notification differs between England and Wales. Additional changes were introduced to Part P in England in April 2013. This means that electrical work in a dwelling, or associated with its surroundings, is notifiable to a local building control body where it includes: 

• circuit alteration or addition in a special location*
• installation of one or more new circuits
• installation of a replacement consumer unit (fuse box)
• rewire of all circuits
• partial rewire
• new full electrical installation (new build)

* Certain zones within a room containing a bath or shower, or a room containing a swimming pool or sauna heater.

An alteration or addition to an existing circuit in a room containing a bath or shower is notifiable only where carried out in the space surrounding a bath or shower shown below:

What do I need to do if I wish to have electrical installation work carried out in my home?

All electrical work in the home in England must comply with Part P of the Building Regulations. In addition, those items described as notifiable above are required by Law to have a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate.

It is strongly recommended that you employ an electrical installer who is registered with one of the Government-approved Scheme Operators listed on this website. This is the only way in which you can be sure of employing someone who has had their domestic electrical competence verified and is authorised under the Regulations to arrange for you to be issued with the Building Regulations Compliance Certificate. 

There are other ways of complying with the Building Regulations, but these do not verify the competence of the electrical installer and they involve making a further payment for electrical work to be inspected. The most common route for home owners to do this is by informing the Building Control Department of your local authority before the work commences. See www.planningportal.gov.uk for full details of how to comply with building and planning regulations.

What should I do if the work is non-notifiable in England? 

If you determine that the work is not subject to notification under Building Regulations, we strongly recommend that you use a competent, registered electrical installer for safety reasons.

Wales

What electrical work is notifiable in Wales?

The following are examples of electrical installation work in a dwelling, or associated with its surroundings, that is notifiable to a Local Authority Building Control in Wales: 

In general:

• a complete new installation or rewire; or 
• the replacement of a consumer unit (fusebox); or 
• the installation of: 
• a new circuit, whether at low voltage (typically 230 V) or extra-low voltage); 
• a solar photovoltaic power supply; 
• electric ceiling or floor heating; 
• ­an electrical generator; 
• ­power / control wiring for a central heating system

In a special location*, the installation of:

• wiring/equipment for telephone or extra-low voltage communications, information technology, control or similar purposes
• a prefabricated equipment set and any associated leads with integral plug and socket connections (for example lighting)

In a kitchen** or special location:

• extension of an existing circuit within a kitchen or special location

Outside of the dwelling, the installation of:

• a supply to a detached garage, shed or other outbuilding 
• a supply to an electric gate or pond pump 
• garden lighting 
• a socket-outlet

* A special location is a room containing a bath or shower, swimming pool or a sauna heater
** For Building Regulations purposes, a kitchen is a room or part of a room which contains a sink and food preparation facilities

What do I need to do before electrical installation work can be carried out in my home?

All electrical work in the home in Wales must comply with Part P of the Building Regulations. In addition, those items described as notifiable above are required by Law to have a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate.

It is strongly recommended that you employ an electrical installer who is registered with one of the Government-approved Scheme Operators listed on this website. This is the only way in which you can be sure of employing someone who has had their domestic electrical competence verified and is authorised under the Regulations to arrange for you to be issued with the Building Regulations Compliance Certificate. 

There are other ways of complying with the Building Regulations, but these do not verify the competence of the electrical installer and they involve making a further payment for electrical work to be inspected. The most common route for home owners to do this is by informing the Building Control Department of your local authority before the work commences. See www.planningportal.gov.uk for full details of how to comply with building and planning regulations.

What should I do if the work is non-notifiable in Wales?

If you determine that the work is not subject to notification under Building Regulations, we strongly recommend that you use a competent, registered electrical installer for safety reasons.

Glasgow

Electricians new regulations (Scotland)

WES ELECTRICAL 01418405236

WESThe Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) has announced the IET Wiring Regulations BS 7671:2008 incorporating Amendment No. 3:2015 will be available in January 2015 in both print and digital formats. The amended IET Wiring Regulations, which sets out the national standard for which all new and amended electrical installations are to comply, will feature a number of important new changes and will be available from the IET from 5 January 2015. This latest amendment, the third following Amendment No.1 which was published back in 2011 and Amendment No.2 in 2013, will be published as a new consolidated book.

The amended regulations will include changes to the electrical condition report section, new requirements for mobile and transportable electrical units and changes for the installation of luminaries and light fittings – bringing them in line with the latest international and European standards. The amended IET Wiring Regulations will also include the new Regulation 421.1.200. This regulation requires that within domestic (household) premises, consumer units and similar switchgear assemblies shall comply with BS EN 61439-3 and shall have their enclosure manufactured from non-combustible material, or enclosed in a cabinet or enclosure constructed of non-combustible material and complying with Regulation 132.12.

This has been developed to safeguard against the risk of fire that can be produced from the overheating of connections in consumer units. Geoff Cronshaw, chief electrical engineer at the IET said: “The amended IET Wiring Regulations BS 7671:2008 incorporating Amendment No. 3:2015 will set the electrical standards for those professionals working in the electrical, construction and built environment industries. It is paramount that, as an organisation, the IET continues to ensure that electrical standards are up-to-date and relevant to the ever evolving requirements of the UK’s electrical industry. “What’s more, it is essential that all electrical industry professionals familiarise themselves with the amended IET Wiring Regulations when they are published in January 2015, to ensure that the work they do is compliant and, most importantly, is carried out in a safe and appropriate manner.”

 The IET will be making the amended Wiring Regulations available from 5 January 2015, both in print and via a digital subscription; more information and pre-orders are available now at www.theiet.org/amend3-books-pr.

westend Glasgow electricians

Metal Consumer units Giffnock

1. Why are these changes being made?

Further to several household fires involving plastic consumer units, investigations by the Glasgow fire brigade, has concluded that a key cause of the fires was substandard cable connections made by the Electrician within the consumer unit.

These resulted in overheating, which subsequently ignited the plastic enclosure.

The draft of Amendment 3 proposes changes to the fire protection regulations in BS 7671 Wiring Regulations. If approved, these changes will be incorporated in the 17th Edition of the Wiring Regulations, due to be published in January 2015. IET Chief Engineer Geoff Cronshaw interviews London Fire Brigade investigator Charlie Pugsley to find out more about the reasons behind these changes

2. What constitutes a substandard cable connection?

Many factors may contribute to a substandard connection. Some of these are inadequate tightening of conductors in the internal devices’ terminals or clamping the insulation of the cable rather than the conductor with the terminal screw.

In the third amendment, it is expected that the schedule of inspections for new installation work and condition report for existing installations, will require confirmation that all conductor connections within a consumer unit or distribution board are correctly located in terminals, and are tight and secure. Contactum would recommend that the manufacturer’s published tightening torques are adhered to.

3. What are the proposed changes? 

It is anticipated that when the third amendment of BS7671:2008 is published in January 2015 it is expected to state under new regulation 421.1.200: 

Within domestic (household) premises, consumer units and similar switchgear assemblies shall comply with BS EN 61439 3 and shall: (i). Have their enclosures manufactured from non-combustible material, or (ii). Be enclosed in a cabinet or enclosure constructed of non-combustible material and complying with Regulation 132.12. 

NOTE 1: Ferrous metal e.g. steel is deemed to be an example of a non-combustible material. 

NOTE 2:* the implementation date for this regulation is the 1st January 2016. This does not preclude compliance with this regulation prior to this date.

4. What is the intent of the new regulation?

The intent of regulation 421.1.200 is considered to be, as far as is reasonably practicable, to contain any fire within the enclosure and to minimise flames from escaping; caused mainly as a result of poorly installed connections. 

5. What is meant by ‘’non-combustible”? 

There is no published definition for “non-combustible” that aligns with the intent of regulation 421.1.200. Ferrous metal, e.g. steel is deemed to be one example of a non-combustible material that meets the intent of the regulation. 

6. What is meant by ‘within domestic (household) premises’? 

It is understood that Regulation 421.1.200 applies to consumer units and similar switchgear assemblies to BS EN 61439-3 inside all domestic (household) premises including their integral/attached garages and outbuildings or those in close proximity.

7. What impact will this regulation have? 

This would mean that eventually all new consumer units installed in UK homes, i.e. within domestic (household) premises, as defined in point 6 above; must have their enclosures manufactured from a non-combustible material, or be enclosed in a cabinet or enclosure constructed from a non-combustible material. Metal (Steel) enclosures are deemed to offer the best non-combustible characteristics.

8. Has Contactum been involved with these proposed changes?

Contactum have been closely involved in the development of these changes by providing expert industry liaison with interested bodies which including BEAMA (British Electrotechnical and Allied Manufacturers Association). Contactum are committed to delivering the highest quality products which afford maximum consumer safety.

9. When will Amendment 3 come into effect?

The third amendment to BS 7671:2008 will be issued in January 2015 and is intended to come into effect on 1st July 2015. Installations designed after 30th June 2015 are to comply with BS 7671:2008 incorporating Amendment 3, 2015. 

However, Regulation 421.1.200 does not come into effect until the 1st January 2016. This does not preclude compliance with this regulation prior to this date.

10. Does this mean all installed consumer units with plastic enclosures are a fire risk?

No, provided the consumer unit and its incorporated components conform to the relevant product standard(s), do not have latent defects, and have been installed correctly to the manufacturer’s instructions.

 electricians giffnock

ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION CONDITION REPORT (GLASGOW)

Electrical Condition Reports 

Faulty and old wiring is one of the main causes or electrical fires in the home in Glasgow. You can reduce the risk of a fire, and other electrical hazards such as electric shock by direct contact by checking the condition of your electrical wiring, switches, sockets, main consumer unit know as a fuse board and other accessories regularly.

How old is my electrical installation?

Signs that can help you tell the age of your electrical installation in your home include:

• Fixed cables coated in usually black vulcanised rubber (stopped being used in the 1960s).
• Fixed cables coated in lead or fabric sheath (used before the 1960s).
• A fuse box with a wooden back, cast iron switches, or a mixture of fuse boxes (used before the 1960s).
• Older round pin sockets (or light switches), braided flex hanging from ceiling roses, brown (or black) switches, or sockets mounted in or no skirting boards (used before the 1960s).
• Light switches on the walls or in bathrooms (used before the 1960s).

However old your electrical installation is, it may get damaged and will suffer from wear and tear. So you should get an electrician to check its condition at least every 10 years or or every 3 years if your a landlord and now the new regulations states overtime you have a change of tenancy.

westend glasgow electrician

What is the aim of a condition report?

The five main aims of a Eicr condition report are:

1. Record the results of the inspection and testing to make sure the electrical installation is safe to be used until the next inspection (following any work needed to make it safe)
2. Find any damage and wear and tear that might affect safety, and report it
3. Find any parts of the electrical installation that do not meet the IEE Wiring Regulations
4. Help find anything that may cause electric shocks and high temperatures
5. Provide and important record of the installation at the time of the inspection, and for inspection testing in the future.

 Types of condition report

 In general, there are two types of domestic electrical installation condition report:

• Visual condition report - this does not include testing and is only suitable if the installation has been testing recently.
• Periodic inspection reports - this is what we would normally recommend, as it tests the installation and would find any hidden damage.

Glasgow