It’s a question that many electrical professionals will have asked: how are the IET Wiring Regulations written? Gary Parker & Shahid Khan, ECA Technical Managers, along with Mark Coles, Head of Technical Regulations at the IET, provide more insight.
Readers from across the industry will know that the IET Wiring Regulations is the essential reference book for all electrical professionals. Currently in its 18th Edition, the IET Wiring Regulations undergo frequent, notoriously multi-coloured, revisions – but who decides what they will say next, and whether these changes merit an amendment or a whole new edition? With Amendment 1 in full effect since 2020, and Amendment 2 just around the corner, we’ll look at the rationale behind the latest IET Wiring Regulations, the different bodies involved in its revision, and what the future holds for the 18th Edition.
A standard for standards
The Wiring Regulations, like all British Standards, follow BS0 – an overarching ‘Standard for Standards’ which contains the guiding principles for all Standards published by the BSI. There is even a standard for making a cup of tea. For those interested, that’s BS 6008:1980!
A brief history
The very first version of the Wiring Regulations appeared as far back as 1882. This was a first attempt by the Society of Telegraph Engineers and of Electricians to gather a set of overarching rules for the industry. The document was very short (just four pages!) with basic but vitally important rules such as ‘do no harm’ and ‘do not cause fires’. Every few years, more detailed rules about electrical installation, safety, and good best practice were added to the document. In the first half of the 20th century, the Regulations increasingly helped to regulate the fast-growing electrical industry, while ensuring electricians across the land were at least reading from the same hymn sheet.
Fast-forward another 50 years to 1992, when the 16th Edition of the IEE Wiring Regulations officially became British Standard number 7671. By that time, the British Standards Institution (BSI) had formed an electrical installation committee to join its work up with its European counterpart, CENELEC. This joint committee was called JPEL 64. JPEL stands for Joint Power and Electrical, and number 64 was handed out by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) – the international body that sets global Standards. And yes, we should perhaps remember that the IET Wiring Regulations are the basis of an industry Standard but despite the name, they are not legislation.
Today’s electrical sector
Much of today’s electrotechnical sector is largely unrecognisable compared to 1992, let alone 1882. Recent, new and often advanced technology like surge protection, arc fault detection, electric vehicle charging, prosumer installations, smart building control systems, LED dimming, systems integration and much more, mean that the job of today’s electrician is far more diverse, and often more complex, than it once was. Electrotechnical technology continues to evolve, and electricians and other electrotechnical contractors need to keep up-to-date with the changes. At the same time, the increased scope of electrotechnical equipment and new descriptions of good practice need to be reflected in the IET Wiring Regulations, with an increase in the frequency of updates, along with a significant increase in pages.
Writing a new Regulation
There are several stages in the development of a new wiring regulation or Amendment. First, the IEC will set a global Standard in response to emerging technologies, good or best practice, or safety considerations. This might refer to, say, the installation of a new type of solar PV panel, for example. Once a standard has been agreed at the global level, it is handed to regional area committees, such as Europe, Australasia, and North America, to be tweaked and refined for each region. When a new global standard reaches CENELEC – which represents Europe (including the UK) – it is presented as a Harmonised Document, or HD. HDs are closely scrutinised by a range of industry stakeholders (e.g., manufacturers and/or trade bodies such as ECA). They are then made publicly available for a set length of time, to allow anyone to submit their comments. This is the Draft for Public Comment (DPC) stage, and one of ECA’s key functions is to gather Members’ views on any proposed changes to the Regulations, and present them to JPEL 64, where ECA can additionally present views from our industry. For many years, ECA Members’ comments have been directly responsible for improving the IET Wiring Regulations and ensuring that BS 7671 remains a practical and workable document, to the benefit of both customers and contractors.
The four JPEL 64 sub-committees are:
A: verification
B: thermal effects
C: protection from shock
D: external influence
Once a DPC closes, CENELEC considers all the comments and drafts a final version of the HD. Once the HD is published, JPEL/64 usually has three years to implement the technical intent of the HD and withdraw any conflicting content as a new Edition or Amendment to the Wiring Regulations. But’s that’s not the end – newly drafted Regulations and Amendments then go back to the public for another round of comments – another DPC. ECA publicises these heavily to Members and provides extensive guidance on how best to submit comments. Once this DPC closes, the comments go to JPEL 64 for even further consideration and a final version of the new Edition or Amendment is drafted, and a date set for its publication. It is also worth noting that every British Standard, including BS 7671, must be reviewed (though not necessarily amended) every five years (as mandated by BS 0).
What’s next for the 18th Edition?
Amendment 1 to the 18th Edition, which concerns electric vehicle charge points, came into effect on 1 February 2020. A new set of changes – Amendment 2 (AMD 2) – is expected to be published in the first half of 2022 (readers may recall the original DPC process for this Amendment closed in December 2020).
The AMD 2 changes may include new requirements around:
● Increased use of AFDDs
● Risk assessment for socket-outlets with RCDs
● Less paperwork for EICs
● Energy efficiency and prosumer installations
● Increased use of SPDs
● Foundation earthing
● Protected areas for fire escape
Please note: these were some areas highlighted in the DPC in 2020, there is no guarantee that these will be in the finished publication in 2022.
When AMD 2 is published next year, ECA will be hosting a series of nationwide roadshows featuring stage presentations and practical and authoritative guidance from our well-known and highly regarded Technical team.
To get more AMD 2 support and advice from ECA click here
