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IET and BSI urges electrical industry to have its say on IET Wiring Regulations

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The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and BSI are calling on the electrical industry to have its say on an amendment to the current BS 7671:2018 Amendment 2 (2022) + Amendment 3 (2024), which will go to DPC (Draft for Public Consultation) on 7 August 2024. BS 7671 is the Requirements for Electrical Installations: IET Wiring Regulations.

  • Draft for Public Consultation open from 7 August 2024 to 3 November 2024.
  • Latest amendment expected to be published in 2026

The amendment, known as Amendment 4, has been long-scheduled and will incorporate changes to harmonised standards at European level which the UK has to adopt within a certain time period.

The DPC for Amendment 4 is hot on the heels of Amendment 3 which has just been published and is available as a free-to-download PDF ‘bolt-on’ to Amendment 2 from the IET and BSI websites.

Amendment 4 is expected to be published in 2026, until that time electrical installers need to have a copy of Amendment 2 (2022) – the ‘brown book’ and Amendment 3 (2024) free PDF bolt-on to be up to date. Join the IET for a live webinar at midday on Wednesday 7 August 2024 as we announce the proposed changes and how they may affect you.

Comments on the DPC for Amendment 4 can be submitted through BSI’s Standards Development portal between 7 August 2024 to 3 November 2024.

IET’s Mark Coles, Head of Technical Regulations, said: “The days of the ‘evergreen electrician’ are gone. Changes in technology, installation practices and developments in standardisation are happening so quickly. It’s therefore so important that installers and designers stay well-informed of what’s happening in the industry. The IET is the authority for electrical installations in the UK and ensures that the wiring regulations committee, JPEL/64, carefully considers all necessary updates to the Regulations to ensure they best meet the needs of industry.

“It is intended that this Amendment will include requirements for Stationary Secondary Batteries, low voltage generating sets, power over ethernet, energy efficiency and functional earthing and functional-equipotential-bonding for Information and Communication Technology Equipment and Systems (ICT). Each area of change is a response to fast evolving technologies.”

BSI’s Dan Palmer, Associate Director, Committees, said: “BSI is proud to have been partners with the IET for over 30 years.  As electrification increases in the UK, we can all benefit from supporting high standards of safety. Keeping this critical standard on electrical installations updated is vital to ensure continued safety. We urge people with an interest to look at the suggested changes made in the draft and provide your comments.”

The Chair of JPEL/64, Graham Kenyon, said: “The members and officers of JPEL/64 invite anyone involved in the industry to contribute to the standard by providing comments on the Draft. We will initially focus on addressing comments related to the intent of technical changes put forward. Comments made on other parts of the standard will be considered in future work of JPEL/64, both for BS 7671 and international work. I extend personal thanks to all the organisations and individuals that have contributed to this Draft so far, both at National and International level.” 

The IET and BSI jointly manage JPEL/64, the committee responsible for BS 7671.

Wiring Matters – Issue 87 – September 2021

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It’s that time again, here is what you can find in Issue 87 (September 2021) of the IET’s Wiring Matters magazine.

Evaluation and metrics

The design framework of IEC 60364-8-1 provides guidance on a more energy-efficient electrical installation through careful placement of electrical supplies, considered infrastructure design, controls and energy management. All of this is designed to minimise energy loss in the distribution of electricity and reduce energy consumption at the point of use in the electrical installation, whilst still maintaining a suitable and comfortable environment for the end-users.

Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector

The IET’s Technical Helpline continues to be inundated with queries relating to the practicalities of implementing the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 (ESSPRS). These place legal requirements on landlords to ensure that every electrical installation in a privately rented residential premise is inspected and tested at intervals of no more than 5 years, by an electrically qualified and competent person.

Myth Busters #7 – Out with the old, in with the new?

The introduction of the 18th Edition of the IET Wiring Regulations (BS 7671:2018) saw a new regulation buried in Section 536 Co-ordination of electrical equipment for protection, isolation, switching and control.

Back to the Forum – Current-carrying capacity of cables buried in the ground

A question that arises periodically on the IET Engineering Communities forum concerns the current-carrying capacity of cables buried in the ground, in particular, the data used to select the appropriate cross-sectional area (CSA) of live conductors.

TT earthing considerations

TT earthing facilities are installed when the distributor does not provide a TN earthing system or when circumstances dictate that a TN earthing system cannot be used. A look at the considerations and what you need to know.

You can take a look at the full edition via the link below –

https://electrical.theiet.org/wiring-matters/years/2021/87-september-2021/

How to spot the fake IET books

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According to the IET website they are aware of several counterfeit versions of its books in circulation.

BS 7671, the On-Site Guide, Guidance Note 3 and the Code of Practice for In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment are all known to have counterfeit versions in circulation, with varying numbers of mistakes in each.

Adhering to text in counterfeit electrical books can lead to non-compliant installations, which could be potentially very dangerous. BS 7671 exists to ensure that electrical installations are safe and to reduce the risk of fire or electric shock. Using corrupted information undermines the safety of your work.

To help combat this issue, current and future copies of BS 7671, the On-Site Guide and Guidance Note 3 all contain a hologram. This currently contains the IET logo in two sizes and the word ‘GENUINE’ as well as a number of additional features.

Although this can help you to identify a fake, it is not foolproof, as counterfeiters can produce similar versions of the hologram. The only way to be certain of buying a genuine copy of our books is to buy directly from the IET, or from one of the approved suppliers (Amazon been one example)

The IET is a charity, and the dissemination of information is part of our charitable remit. Any surplus from the sale of the books is re-invested into producing guidance for industry, through our publications programme and Wiring Matters magazine. The proceeds from the sale of fake books do not support the industry in any way and harm the IET’s ability to fulfil its remit.

If you think you might have mistakenly purchased a fake copy of an IET book, please get in touch with the IET with as much information as possible about the book and where you bought it.

Unfortunately, the IET cannot reimburse purchases bought from suppliers of counterfeit books, nor assist with the resolution of disputes, but they are working to shut down any counterfeiters that they find and take legal action against them to reduce the risk to the industry.

Links to the books listed above (via Amazon)

Amazon – Code of Practice for In-service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment (Electrical Regulations) – https://amzn.to/3x64f1t

Amazon – On-Site Guide (BS 7671:2018) (Electrical Regulations) – https://amzn.to/3jtKNaP

Amazon – Requirements for Electrical Installations, IET Wiring Regulations, Eighteenth Edition, BS 7671:2018 (Electrical Regulations) – https://amzn.to/3x6PeMC

Amazon – Guidance Note 3: Inspection & Testing (Electrical Regulations) – https://amzn.to/3qwlkyU

What’s in Wiring Matters Issue 83 [November 2020]

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Let’s take a look at what you can find in Issue 83 of Wiring Matters (November 2020)

The impact of Amendment 2 of the 18th edition (BS 7671:2018+A2:2022)

In this article, we look at the impact that some of the proposed changes in the draft for public comment (DPC) will have on electrical installations. We focus on Chapter 42, Chapter 44 and the new Chapter 82.

COVID-19 and how it has changed the way we work

Steven Devine talks about some of the effects that COVID-19 has had on the industry.

Current-carrying capacity of cables installed in concrete cable troughs

A discussion regarding the maximum number of cables that can be installed in a pre-formed concrete cable trough?

How I became a Chartered Engineer

Michael Peace shares his experience of becoming a Chartered Engineer.

Section 514 identification and notices in the Amendment No. 2 Draft for Public Comment

The draft for public comment (DPC) of Amendment No. 2 to BS 7671:2018 contains proposed changes to Section 514 Identification and notices. This article provides an overview of those proposed changes, and the reasons behind them.

Sponsored: Surge Protection – what you need to know

Surge protection devices (SPD) are a requirement under the 18th Edition of the Wiring Regulations and essential in protecting equipment from damage. Here, Dominick Sandford, Director and Head of Merchandising & Marketing at ElectricalDirect explains the requirements.

Wiring Matters – Issue 81 – July 2020

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Wiring Matters – Issue 81 – July 2020

Here is what you will find in the July 2020 (Issue 81) of the IET Wiring Matters magazine.

History of insulation resistance testing

There has been a lot of activity on the IET Engineering Communities forum recently regarding the background of the 1 megohm minimum value for insulation resistance. Let’s take a look at how this value was arrived at in BS 7671:2018+A1:2020.

Draft for Public Comment: IET Code of Practice for Electrical Energy Storage Systems, 2nd Edition

The IET are happy to announce that the Draft for Public Comment for IET Code of Practice for Electrical Energy Storage Systems 2nd Edition is now live.

This Code of Practice looks at Electrical Energy Storage System (EESS) applications and provides information for practitioners to safely and effectively specify, design, install, commission, operate and maintain a system. This 2nd Edition has been updated to take account of developments in the industry, and progress in standardisation.

The all-new 5th Edition of the IET Code of Practice for In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment

In this article, James Eade, author of the 5th Edition, gives a brief insight into the changes to this important Code, due for publication later this year.

Amps per Pound

The idea of sizing a cable to reduce energy loss in distribution is nothing new and has been considered for many years, but with competitive tendering for work and the continual search for cost reductions (also known as ‘value engineering’), the modern design of an electrical installation tries to reduce the materials utilised to a minimum.

Asbestos guidance for electricians

Asbestos was widely used in building construction, both as a building material and for its useful insulation and fire protection properties, for many years during the 20th century.

Its use was progressively reduced between the 1970s and 1999 when all remaining forms were finally prohibited in the UK with the implementation of the Asbestos (Prohibitions) (Amendment) Regulations 1999. Asbestos has also been removed from various properties over the years for various reasons, for example, because of damaged material, or for refurbishment and demolition, but a substantial proportion of the original products still remain. These materials, if undetected, can present an ongoing risk to workers carrying out building repair and maintenance or improvement and refurbishment work. Workers at potential risk include electricians and other building trades.