• • • SURGE & CIRCUIT PROTECTION • • •


Bright sparks go above and beyond regulatory standards


Paul Dawson, Niglon’s commercial director, is urging caution when it comes to a surprising change to regulations for electrical installers


N


iglon has been serving the industry for many decades, and the team has been keeping a keen eye on the changes to the


18th edition wiring regulations. Draft proposals were circulated last year, but the


publication of the final amendments has revealed a few surprising last-minute changes, including when it comes to the use of Surge Protection Devices (SPDs). Under the new rules, there are three scenarios


where surge arrestors must be fitted: where overvoltage could result in serious injury or loss of human life, failure of a safety service, or significant financial or data loss. But the regulations also state the owner of the


property where the circuit is being installed can opt not to have protective devices included (and accept any risk associated) in ‘all other cases’. Niglon believes most overvoltage issues have


the potential to result in injury or worse. Whether it’s a commercial or domestic property


being fitted out, most of these buildings will have people using them for at least a proportion of time – even storage facilities or data centres, for example, need to be checked by a person regularly. That means the risk to life is always there, should the surge occur when the building is in use. Given the very minimal time and financial costs


associated with fitting surge protection devices as part of an install, we’d strongly urge contractors to include them as a matter of course (and we know this is already the case in certain areas of the UK which are more prone to lightning strikes). Another change to expectations is the extent of


circumstances when Arc Fault Detection Devices (AFDDs) must be used – they are now required on circuits with socket outlets in care homes,


purpose-built student accommodation, residential buildings more than 18-metre or six storeys high, and houses of multiple occupation (otherwise known as HMOs). This means they won’t be required for the majority of domestic installations – although, of course, contractors can choose to fit them if they wish. A Type RCDs are now mandatory for almost all


applications (again, an expected change – Niglon halted production of all AC Types a while ago). In theory, AC Types could be used in cases where a fixed equipment load contains no DC components – such as electric heating appliances or filament lighting with no electronic components. In reality, it’s safe to say A Types are the


preferred option in almost all installations going forward.


Adhering to the wiring regulations is the very


least expected of electrical contractors – to ensure the very highest standards when it comes to safety, and subsequently enjoy the type of positive reputation which goes hand-in-hand with this, we’d always recommend going above and beyond the basic regulations. Over the past three months, Niglon has


introduced more than 30 new products to its already expansive range – including the Switched Line and Neutral RCBO – with a number of these specifically designed to enhance both safety and ease of use for electrical installers. We’re committed to continually enhancing our


product ranges to provide customers with more choice and to fully align with all regulatory changes, but we’re also dedicated to ensuring that our products meet the highest standards of safety at all times. And, we believe this should be the case right across the industry. This is why every single batch of the new RCBOs


that comes out of our manufacturing facility is comprehensively tested by an independent third- party test house. We have no guaranteed way of knowing that a product that isn’t tested won’t fail, so we don’t take the risk. We test, test, and test again. And, with these latest rules relating to the use of


surge protection devices set to come into force, offering the industry complete transparency and peace of mind is now more important than ever.” Visit www.niglon.co.uk to find out more about


the company’s 4,500 products across eight core categories: circuit protection, wiring accessories, installation essentials, industrial accessories, cable management, lighting control, fixings and tools, and control and automation.


16 ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING • MAY 2022


electricalengineeringmagazine.co.uk


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