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Amendment 1 questions answered


Geoff Cronshaw, chief electrical engineer at the IET, answers some key questions on the recently launched IET Wiring Regulations, 17th Edition, BS 7671:2008 incorporating Amendment No 1: 2011


he Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET, formerly the IEE) has launched the IET Wiring Regulations, 17th Edition, BS 7671:2008 incorporating Amendment No 1: 2011. Jointly


published with BSI, the amended IET Wiring Regulations set the standard for all new electrical installations in the UK. Here, Geoff Cronshaw, chief electrical engineer at the


IET, highlights the key changes – which come into effect on 1 January 2012 – and which are highly relevant to anybody working within the electrical contracting sector.


Why has the Wiring Regulations, 17th Edition been updated? The amended Wiring Regulations, BS 7671:2008(2011), is based on CENELEC (European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization) HDs and IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) standards – that is, those of Europe and of the international community. The standardisation process is perpetual and standards are continually evolving, requiring national standards bodies to incorporate the technical changes. The amended Wiring Regulations embody the most recent changes made at a European and international level.


What are the main changes? One of the major changes is the revision of Appendix 6, which introduces the new Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) to replace the Periodic Inspection Report (PIR). In addition, a number of major new sections have been added. These relate to electromagnetic disturbances, devices for protection against overvoltage, operating and maintenance gangways and medical locations.


64 ECA Today November 2011 About the author


Geoff Cronshaw Geoff Cronshaw is chief electrical engineer at the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).


The Electrical Installation Condition Report Why has the Periodic Inspection Report been replaced by the Electrical Installation Condition Report? The change from the Periodic Inspection Report (PIR) to the Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) in Appendix 6 of the amended regulations (Model forms for certifi cation and reporting) represents a major shift from the 17th Edition of the Wiring Regulations. The new report, both in terms of its content and name, is felt to be more descriptive than the previous Periodic Inspection Report, which is the reason for the change.


What does the new Electrical Installation Condition Report apply to? The new report applies to all electrical installations covered by BS 7671, including domestic installations and also larger installations, greater than 100A.


What are the new codes and defi nitions in the new Electrical Installation Condition Report? Within the EICR, new codes and defi nitions have been developed to improve clarity – if it’s recorded, it’s an issue that should be dealt with. For example, within the observations section the four codes of the old PIR – that is: 1 (requires urgent attention); 2 (requires improvement); 3 (requires further investigation); and 4 (does not comply with BS 7671:2008 amended to…) – have been replaced by three codes. These are: Code 1 – Danger present (for example, bare live wires which can easily be touched); Code 2 – Potentially dangerous (for example, RCD will not operate correctly when tested); and Code 3 – Improvement recommended (for example, no 30mA RCD for additional protection for socket-outlets


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