We are fully approved for works covered under Part P of the Building Regulations.

Cutting corners on electrical work is dangerous and from 1st January 2005 doing so will be illegal too. From that date new legislation comes into effect which means that only competent and authorized electricians will be allowed to self certify electrical work. It is designed to reduce accidents caused by faulty electrical installations and to prevent incompetent installers from leaving electrical installations in an unsafe condition.

SCN Electricals Ltd very much welcome the long awaited introduction of this new law, which we believe is a controlled way to raise standards and improve electrical safety in the home. 

The legislation will also act as a crackdown on unsafe work and reduce the number of rogue tradesmen, leaving home owners and tenants with a 'pool' of approved electrical contractors with whom they can feel safe and rely on. 

The new Regulations come at a time when the industry is also going through a "European harmonization" with European cable colour codes being introduced to our main power supply cables; the Red live insulation colour will now become Brown and the Black neutral will become Blue. This change could easily confuse non competent persons and increase the associated dangers. Fines of up to £5000 can be levied on a person carrying out electrical work which contravenes the Building Regulations and in addition to the fixed fine an additional fine can be levied, of £50 for each day the contravention continues!

Part P applies to the following situations:

Approved Document P is called ‘Electrical Safety’ and will be complied with if the standard of electrical work meets the ‘Fundamental Requirements of Chapter 13 of BS7671:2001’.

Section P1 of Part P states:

Reasonable provision shall be made in the design, installation, inspection and testing of electrical installations in order to protect persons from fire and injury’

Section P2 of Part P states:

Sufficient information shall be provided so that persons wishing to operate, maintain or alter an electrical installation can do so with reasonable safety’

Part P applies only to fixed electrical installations that are intended to operate at low voltage or extra-low voltage which are not controlled by the Electricity Supply Regulations 1988 as amended, or the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 as amended.

Note 1: The Workplace (Health, Safety & Welfare) Regulations (1992) apply in common parts of flats and similar buildings if people such as cleaners and caretakers are employed to work in them. 

Note 2: The Electricity at Work Regulations (1989) cover all electrical work carried out professionally and the competence of the individuals carrying out that work.
Note 3: Part P is concerned with safety and does not directly cover system functionality
Note 4: Part P does not specifically cover dwellings in places of work normally covered by the Electricity at Work Regulations (1989), such as caretakers flats in schools, MOD barracks etc