Installation technology · Topic 1 of 5

Regulations and documents

About 4 minutes · Worked examples and a mini test

Electrical work in the UK is controlled by a mix of laws you must follow and standards and guidance that show you how to comply.

Statutory: it's the law

• Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974: the main Act for safety at work.
• Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 (EAWR): electrical systems must be built, maintained and worked on so as to prevent danger.
• Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations 2002 (ESQCR): rules for the distribution network operator (DNO), including the supply voltage and frequency.
• Building Regulations Part P: electrical safety in homes in England and Wales.

Non-statutory: the standard and guidance

• BS 7671, Requirements for Electrical Installations (the IET Wiring Regulations, 18th Edition). The current version is BS 7671:2018+A4:2026. It isn't law on its own, but following it is the accepted way to show your installation is safe, and Part P points to it.
• IET On-Site Guide: a simplified version for straightforward installations, with ready-made tables.
• IET Guidance Notes: more detail on topics such as inspection and testing.
• Manufacturer's instructions: must be followed when installing equipment.

Part P notifiable work (England)

This work in a home must be notified to building control, or self-certified through a competent person scheme:

• installing a new circuit
• replacing a consumer unit
• any addition or alteration to a circuit in a special location (a room with a bath or shower, a swimming pool or a sauna heater)

Other work, such as adding a socket to an existing circuit in a living room, or like-for-like repairs, isn't notifiable, but it must still be done safely.

Certificates

Exam tip: "statutory" means law made by Parliament. BS 7671 is non-statutory, even though everyone works to it.