About BS7671
The background to the IEE Wiring Regulations BS7671, and updates on changes and amendments.
The IET prepares regulations for the safety of electrical installations for buildings, the IEE Wiring Regulations (BS 7671) now having become the standard for the UK and many other countries.
It also recommends internationally the requirements for ships and offshore installations. Comments on the Regulations may be sent to the secretariat for consideration and incorporation into the national standard and forwarded for possible inclusion in European and international standards. The IET provides guidance on the application of the installation regulations through publications focused on the various activities from design of the installation through to final test and then maintenance.
The IET's guidance includes a series of seven guidance notes, two codes of practice, a CD-ROM, forms for use in wiring installations and industry/commerce in general, as well as submissions to Government and trade organisations/publications. If you wish to purchase the full version of the IEE Wiring Regulations you can order them from IET Publishing or buy online.
Seventeenth edition of the IEE Wiring Regulations (BS 7671:2008)
The Draft for Public Comment (DPC) consultation period ended in February 2007. The final text was "signed off" on 7 Nov 2007. The seventeenth will be available to purchase from 1 Jan 2008. A number of articles about the seventeenth are available on the Wiring Matters magazine page: please follow the link on the right-hand side of this page. It will be possible to place back orders for the seventeenth edition from December 2007: to do so, please visit the Wiring Regulations page in the IET's Books section.
New sections and major revisions to BS 7671:2001, Requirements for Electrical Installations
BS 7671:2001 has been published (June 2001), an article about the changes is available from the Updates page - see left-hand links - however, the principal changes are:
New Sections
Section 443: Protection against overvoltages of atmospheric origin or due to switching
Section 482: Precautions where particular risks or dangers of fire exist
Major revisions
Part 1: Scope, object and fundamental principles has been updated to align with HD 384.1
Part 4: Changes to Chapter 43 on Protection against overcurrent
Changes to Chapter 46 on Isolation and switching
Part 6: Section 604, Construction site installations. Section 607, Earthing requirements for the installation of equipment having high protective conductor currents. Section 611, Highway power supplies and street furniture
Section 601: Locations containing a bath or shower has been consolidated into the UK standard
Regulations and tables on type 1, 2, and 3 MCBs have been replaced and extended with information on circuit breakers to BS EN 60898 and on RCBOs to BS EN 61009, including new disconnection / time graphs in Appendix 3.
Although the forms in Appendix 6 have remained unchanged (except for a few editorial changes), the Regulations implementing inspection and testing in Chapters 73 and 74 have significant changes. These include the introduction of continuous monitoring and maintenance of electrical installations. Schedules of inspections and schedules of test results have been added to Appendix 6 (similar to those in IEE Guidance Note 3, Inspection and Testing).
The standards called up by BS 7671 have been updated.
Amendment No 1 and Amendment No 2 to BS 7671:2001 have been issued, and are available from the free downloads page.
Changes to BS 7671 - BS 7671:2001
Amendment No 2 to BS 7671:2001 is formally published on 31 March 2004. From that date the current version of the Wiring Regulations is the 2004 revision of BS 7671:2001 (incorporating Amds 1:2002 and 2:2004) which can be identified by its brown colour.
The new version takes account of the changes to cable core colours for fixed wiring, the ESQCR regulations, and update to certain other areas. Amendment No 2 itself is available as a free PDF file download (see below) for holders of BS7671:2001 (blue cover), although contractors are recommended to acquire the new, amended Regulations to be able to show that they are up to date.
How to order or purchase BS 7671:2001
- BS 7671:2001 incorporating Amendments 1 & 2
Purchase via Subscribe or Buy or from Books - see left-hand links to these areas.
- Updates to BS 7671:2001 and guidance including free downloads can be accessed via Updates - see right-hand links.
- Free forms for electrical contractors can be accessed via Forms - see right-hand links.
- Publications and guidance on BS 7671:2001 from the IET are available via Books - see right-hand links.
- BS 7671 (IEE Wiring Regulations) CD-ROM details can be accessed via CD-ROM page - see right-hand links.
- Free e-mail announcement service to keep you up to date - see right-hand links.
The IET also manages the JPEL/18 Committee, Electrical Installations of Ships and of Mobile and Fixed Offshore Units, which prepares standards for electrical and electronic equipment on ships and offshore structures.
