With only two weeks to go until the changes to Part P come into force, are electricians prepared for the changes? The official document which is freely available to download states 2 main changes in the legal requirements:
1) The range of electrical installation work that is notifiable (where there is a requirement to certify compliance with the Building Regulations) has been reduced.
2) An installer who is not a registered competent person may use a registered third party to certify notifiable electrical installation work as an alternative to using a building control body
Part P was formed in January 2005 and is an electrical safety law which was designed to reassure the public that electrical work would be carried out to the required standard and electricians wishing to certify work (which forms the requirements of Part P) should register with a Part P provider scheme, such as the NICEIC, NASPIT or ELECSA. This way, the customer would be certain that the electricians carrying out electrical works would be working within Part P, the electrical safety law.
Since 2005, there have been numerous campaigns undertaken throughout the electrical industry designed to educate the public on the benefits of using a Part P Registered electrician and the dangers of using an unregistered person to carry out the work.
Following a public consultation into Part P in 2012, the government announced that there was a requirement to make some changes to the 2006 version of Part P, the latest approved document. Therefore, a new official document was released in January 2013 detailing the main changes set out above. The changes take effect on the 6th April 2013. For works already underway, or work subject to a building notice, full plans application or initial notice submitted before 6th April 2013 the 2006 version will continue to apply.
Up until the 6th April 2013 part P did not cover the BS7671:2008 amendment 1 additions. From 6th April 2013 to comply with Part P, all Electrical Installations designed and installed under the scope of Part P needs to be in accordance with BS7671 amendment no.1
Regulation 12 (6A) details all work that is notifiable. Other electrical work is not notifiable – this includes additions or alternations to existing circuits outside special locations and any location that requires repairs, maintenance or replacement.
Following the completion of notifiable work it will be necessary to obtain certification by either self certification by a registered competent person, third party certification by a registered third party certifier or certification by a building control body.
An installer who is not a registered competent person must appoint a third party certifier who will inspect and test the work as necessary. The third party certifier must be appointed before the work commences.
You can download the offical document HERE