IET urges electrical industry to ensure all new installations comply with required standard

The call comes as 1st July 2015 marks the date from which all new electrical installations must be designed to comply with the standards and requirements set out in BS7671:2008 incorporating Amendment 3:2015. Although not compulsory, electrical professionals can leave themselves open to legal action if the work that they carry out does not meet the necessary industry requirements.

This latest amendment, published in January 2015, has been released as a new consolidated book. The amended regulations include changes to the electrical condition report section, new requirements for mobile and transportable electrical units and changes for the installation of luminaires and light fittings – bringing them in line with the latest international and European standards.

Although all electrical work carried out after 30th June 2015 must be designed to comply with BS7671:2008 incorporating Amendment 3:2015, Regulation 421.1.201 will not come into effect until 1st January 2016. This section, which is a new section of BS7671, requires that within domestic (household) premises, consumer units and similar switchgear assemblies shall comply with BS EN61439-3 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, ‘1st July 2015 is an extremely important date for the electrical industry. Installations designed after 30th June 2015 are to comply with the requirements set out in Amendment 3 to the 17th Edition IET Wiring Regulations. These requirements aim to not only make electrical installations safe for use in public and domestic settings, but they also ensure that professionals working in our industry are safeguarded against injury.

‘By following the requirements set out in BS7671:2008 incorporating Amendment 3:2015, electrical professionals can have the peace of mind that the work they are carrying out is safe and to the standard required of them. We would urge every member of the industry to familiarise themselves with the requirements as soon as possible before they become an industry requirement in July.’

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