Building Control - Electrical Safety
By law any electrical work carried out in 'dwellings' must be notified to the local Building Control Officer.
This has to be done before work starts unless it is carried out by someone officially recognised as a 'competent person' who is on an approved register and is capable of 'self certifying' their own work.
Details of the Building Regulations which apply to this work are contained in an Approved Document Part P. It states:
"Reasonable provision shall be made in the design and installation of electrical installations in order to protect persons operating, maintaining or altering the installations from fire or injury."
What buildings do the regulations apply to
Part P applies to electrical installations in buildings or parts of buildings which are:
- dwelling houses and flats;
- dwellings and business premises that have a common supply, for example shops and public houses with a flat above;
- common access areas in block of flats such as corridors and staircases;
- shared amenities of blocks of flats such as laundries and gymnasiums
Part P applies also to parts of the above electrical installations:
- in or on land associated with the buildings - for example Part P applies to fixed lighting and pond pumps in gardens;
in outbuildings such as sheds, detached garages and greenhouses
What work comes under the legislation
Work that is covered by the legislation includes:
- new installations
- alterations
- additions
- all electrical work in kitchens (except accessory changes)
- all electrical work in bathrooms (except accessory changes)
- special installations and locations, including:
- floor and heating systems
- extra low voltage systems
- generators
- swimming pools
- saunas
- photovoltaic systems
- gardens
Some 'minor' work isn't covered, for example adding to an electrical installation, but not making a new circuit i.e. changing to a different design of light fitting or adding an extra light fitting or an extra socket into an existing circuit.
Within 30 days of completion of the installation, the Competent Person, or their register holder, will have to submit to their local Building Control Officer a 'declaration' that the installation complies with the Building Regulations.