Changes to the Building Regulations affecting domestic electrical installations in England and Wales come into force on January 1.
These changes will have a major impact on the fire and security sector warns Mike Turner, Fire and Security Technical Manager of the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA). Under Part P, from January contractors installing ‘all fixed installations in dwellings’ will need to be assessed under a Government approved Part P Competent Persons Scheme, to ensure that are able to self-certify that their work meets Building Regulation requirements. There is a website,www.partp.co.uk and a helpline on 0870 09 6093, for applications for the scheme.
The announcement from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister that the Government had determined to approve the implementation of the new Electrical Safety Part P of the Building Regulations will lead to major changes for those fire and security contractors involved with domestic electrical installation work. The new regulations cover the fundamental principles of electrical safety set out in the IEE Regulations 16th Edition and BS 7671:2001 and amendments. As part of the Building Regulations, compliance to Part P will be a legal requirement.
The new regulations result from the Government’s determination to address the fact that in the UK some 10 deaths and over 750 serious injuries are caused annually by faulty-fixed low voltage (LW) electrical installations in the home. Furthermore, Government figures highlight that every year some 12,200 domestic fires are believed to be caused by faulty electrics. The Government’s announcement to include domestic electrical installation within the Building Regulations has been awaited for some time, and is aimed at achieving better regulation of domestic electrical work.
For the purposes of Part P, a fixed electrical installation is defined as ‘an assembly of associated electrical equipment supplied from a common origin to fulfil a specific purpose and having certain co-ordinated characteristics’. For the purpose of the Building Regulations, an electrical installation means fixed electrical cables or fixed electrical equipment located on the consumer side of the supply meter.
The 230volt ac supply is an integral component of an intruder alarm, fire or security system regardless of whom it is actually installed it. It should be noted that it will no longer be acceptable to break into a 230volt ac circuit in order to provide the mains supply power to an intruder alarm, fire or security system. For the purpose of the Building Regulations Part P, self-certification for the ‘complete system’ is the responsibility of the fire or security system installer.
The fire and security contractor is already subject to regulation. The functionality of fire and security systems in general is included within the Memorandum of Guidance on the Electricity at Work 1989 (HSE). Contractors installing fire or security systems when working within dwellings are also regulated under the Workplace Health Safety and Welfare Regulations 1992 and the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. From next year, the new Part P will regulate extra low voltage (ELV) fire and security installations that derive LV power from primary 230volt ac mains. Compliance with Part P of the Building Regulations does not discharge contractors from their legal obligations from either the above mentioned acts or from the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989. Compliance for Building Regulations is enforced by the local Building Control Officer while health and safety is enforced by the Health and Safety Executive. Compliance is enforced via fines or if an electrical installation kills or maims someone, the contractor could face a manslaughter charge and a custodial sentence.
Fire and security contractors should be aware that under Part P: ‘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 fire or cause of injury to persons’. Notification of proposals to carry out fixed electrical installation work must be given to a building control body before work begins and must be inspected upon completion. However, this is not necessary if the proposed work is minor, for example adding points or replacing cables for an existing circuit. Neither is notification or inspection necessary if the work has been carried out by a Competent Person, that is, a firm that has been approved and certified by an approved Part P Competent Person Scheme.
The ECA, in close collaboration with BRE Certification (BREC), and supported by the Institution of Electrical Engineers, inspect and approve Competent Persons as one of the Government approved Competent Person schemes. The scheme is based upon the industry-recognised Electrotechnical Assessment Scheme (EAS). Applicants once successfully assessed and registered, are able to self-certify that their work meets the requirements of Part P. Building Control inspection is subject to a fee, so contractors need to balance the cost of becoming registered and assessed as a Competent Person against the recurring costs and bureaucracy association with notifying Building Control for each installation.
Firms applying for Competent Person status are advised t ensure that they have the necessary number of Qualified Supervisors, who have day-to-day responsibility for the safety, quality and technical standards of the work carried out and for ensuring that the results of the testing and inspection are accurately recorded. Qualified Supervisors must have a suitable qualification and be fully conversant with the all relevant legislation and regulations. These include the Electricity at Work Regulations, the current issue of BS 7671 (IEE Wiring Regulations) and the applicable Building Regulations – not just Part P but also any other part of the Regulations that may apply to a particular job.
It is expected that many hundreds of firms will want to become approved as Competent Persons in time for the implementation of Part P at the beginning of next year. Fire and security contractors are advised to apply sooner rather than later as firms leaving their application to later this year run the risk of not achieving Competent Person status in time for Part P implementation and enforcement.
The ECA, together with BREC and IEE, has launched a special Part P website, and a special helpline on 0870 09 6093, for applications for the Competent Persons scheme. Visit www.eca.co.uk
