Part P is a new requirement under the building regulations. It’s intended to increase the safety of households, by improving the electrical installation, inspection and testing in dwellings when these installations are newly built, extended or altered. From January 2005, all electrical work in dwellings (houses and flats) has been governed by this new legal requirement. This legal requirement simply states: ‘fixed electrical installations in dwellings shall be suitably designed, installed, inspected and tested so as to provide reasonable protection against fire or cause of injury to persons.’
Affleck Electrical Limited are ‘Part P’ registered with the NICEIC. Further information can be found on the NICEIC Web Site or the Part P Helpline on 0800 013 0900.
At present it is not a legal requirement to have your house electrically tested. The ‘Electricity at Work Act 1989’ states that it is the responsibility of the owner of the supply into the property that must maintain/inspect their fixed wiring for electrical safety. BS 7671 ‘Electrical Regulations’ recommend that domestic properties are tested every ten years. However if the property is sold or let, it then becomes a legal requirement to make sure the property is in safe condition and that the property is retested on any change of tenancy.
Part P compliance can be verified with the two main electrical bodies (NICEIC and ECA). This can be checked on both their web sites.
Contractors approved By the NICEIC have undergone careful checks and reviews of all aspects of their business operations. Not only is technical competence assessed, but also administrative procedures and capabilities. Resources and training systems are also examined for adequacy.
Electrical work carried out in the UK in Homes and Workplaces must conform to BS7671 (The IEE Regulations) and now also Part P.
How Does The NICEIC / ECA monitor the competency of its’ Contracting Members?
Apart from the obvious safety benefit and peace of mind, there are advantages to be gained, including:
- Reduction of the risk of fire
- Reduced maintenance costs and downtime
- Reduced Insurance Premiums
- Compliance with safety legislation
Portable Appliance Testing ensures that the equipment is safe to use and complies with the H & S requirement on electrical appliances. This is a statutory requirement for Businesses and Schools.
- Frequent failures of systems, lights and repaired fuses or circuit breaker tripping.
- Overheating cables, sockets and plugs with brittle cable insulation.
- Inadequate lighting with frequent lamp changes, arcing and crackling light switches.
- Multiple extension leads, adaptors and more than one lead in a plug.
