BS7671 "Requirements for Electrical Installations"

 The Regulations an Overview and commentary

The IEE wiring regulations (now called BS7671 "Requirements for electrical installations") are an all encompassing set of documents that give both technical and practical guidance on the installation and maintenance of electrical services.

Whilst not being encompassed in an act of parliament, the regulations do have sufficient recognition to make it unthinkable to install electrical services that do not comply with the regulation.

All electricians are aware of 'The Regs'. For well over one hundred years they have provided the rules which must be followed to make sure that electrical installation are safe.

A publication such as 'the Regs' must be regularly updated to take account of technical changes, and to allow for the 'internationalisation' of the regulations. The ultimate aim is that all countries in the world will have the same wiring regulations. National differences make this still a dream, but we are moving slowly in that direction.

The current trend is to move towards a set of wiring regulations with world-wide application. IEC publication 364 'Electrical Installations of buildings' has been available for some time, and the 16th Edition is based on many of its parts. The European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardisation (CENELEC) uses a similar pattern to IEC 364 and to the Wiring Regulations.

The introduction of the Free European Market in 1993 might well have caused serious problems for UK electrical contractors because whilst the IEE Wiring Regulations were held in high esteem, they had no legal status which would require continentals who were carrying out installation work in the UK to abide by them. This difficulty was resolved in October 1992 when the IEE Wiring Regulations became a British Standard, BS 7671, giving them the required international standing.

The regulations are in seven parts as shown below.

• Part 1 Scope, objects and fundamental requirements for safety
• Part 2 Definitions
• Part 3 Assessment of general characteristics
• Part 4 Protection for safety
• Part 5 Selection and erection of equipment
• Part 6 Special installations or locations - particular requirements
• Part 7 Inspection and testing
  

Also included in the Regulations are six appendices. In addition, the 16th Edition has a number of publications called 'Guides' which include much material previously to be found in Appendices. These Guides must be considered to form part of the Regulations.

Copies of BS7671 "Requirements for Electrical Installations" can be obtained from the Institute of Electrical Engineers or from the British Standards Institution. 

Large parts of the above text have been based on extracts from the excellent book
"Electricians Guide to the 16th Edition of the IEE Wiring Regulations BS7671", EPA press, ISBN 0-9517362-6-4.
This book was written by John Whitfield to whom much thanks is expressed.