This web page gives an overview of Part P of Schedule 1 of the Building Regulations (England and Wales).

This web page is the opinion of Judge Electrical Limited – their are other opinions.

‘Part P’ Purpose

The purpose of ‘Part P’ of Schedule 1 of the Building Regulations (England and Wales) is to reduce death and injury caused directly or indirectly by electrical installations; for instance electric shocks while working on electrical installations or electrical fires.

Part P of Schedule 1 of the Building Regulations aims to reduce death and injury by ensuring that:

‘Reasonable provision shall be made in the design and installation of electrical installations in order to protect persons operating, maintaining or altering the installation from fire or injury’.

‘Part P’ Introduction

Part P of Schedule 1 of the Building Regulations (England and Wales) covers electrical safety in electrical installations.

Part P of Schedule 1 of the Building Regulations applies to work on electrical installations that:

• Are in dwellings.
• Are attached to dwellings – for instance workshops.
• Are in the common part of buildings serving one or more dwellings – for instance stairways in a block of flats.
• Are in a building that receives its electricity from a dwelling – for instance a shed.
• Are in a garden or land of a dwelling – for instance a pond or outside lights.

Part P of Schedule 1 of the Building Regulations came into force, in England and Wales, on the first of January 2005.

A generalisation of the Part P building regulations is:

• They apply to all but the most basic of domestic electrical work outside ‘special locations’ and ‘special installations’ (see below).
• They apply to the most basic of domestic electrical work in ‘special locations’ and ‘special installations’ (see below).
• They apply where other building regulations don’t.
• If Part P building regulations apply, an ‘Approved Part P Contractor’ must do the electrical work OR a ‘Local Council Building Approved Building Inspector’ must approve the work.
• They apply to new work only but, if extending an electrical installation, must NOT make the original electrical installation less safe.

How To Comply With Part P

The term to describe electrical installation work that Part P covers is notifiable work.

To comply with the Part P regulations on notifiable work either:

• Have an ‘Approved Part P’ electrician carry out the work.

  OR

• Notify an approved local building inspector (usually the local authority or a building inspector approved by the local authority) before work begins.
  • The requirement is to notify an approved local building inspector; the implication is that if you notify a building inspector the building inspector will inspect the work when complete.
  • If an approved building inspector inspects the work, the building inspector can approve the work or order changes to the work.

All notifiable work must:

• Be designed and installed to offer appropriate protection against thermal and mechanical damage.
• Not present an electrical or fire hazard.
• Be inspected and tested to ensure compliance with relevant equipment and installation standards.

Most UK Laws and regulations are ‘time in-sensitive’. Laws and regulations are such that they can have different meanings at different points in time; what is ‘reasonable’ today may not be ‘reasonable’ tomorrow.

The time in-sensitivity of Part P means that electricians, or ‘DIYers’, must keep up-to-date with electrical work practises.

Special Locations And Installations

‘Special locations’ and ‘special installations’ are areas where Part P of the Building Regulations apply for minor electrical installation work.

Special locations:

• Kitchens.
• Bathrooms.

Special Installations:

• Swimming or paddling pools.
• Hot air saunas.
• Electric floor or ceiling heating systems.
• Garden lighting.
• Solar power systems.
• Small electrical generators.
• Low voltage lighting.

When Part P Does Not Apply

All Electrical Installations – Including Special Locations And Special Installations

• Replacement of fixed electrical parts, for instance electrical sockets and light fittings, that do involve adding new wiring.
• Replacement of the wiring for a single circuit where the wiring has been damaged by fire, rodent or impact.
• Replacing, fixing or installing safety covers on existing electrical installations.
• Work on electrical earth bonding.
• Repair, maintenance and replacement of the electrical installation

Electrical Installations – NOT Special Locations Or Special Installations

• Adding lights and light switches to existing electrical circuits.
• Adding sockets or fused spurs to an existing ring circuit.

Electrical Installations – NOT Special Locations

• IT (Information Technology) network wiring.
• Work on prefabricated electrical equipment with integral plug and socket connections.

When Part P Does Apply

‘Part P’ of Schedule 1 of the Building Regulations (England and Wales) applies to all electrical installation work not in the list ‘When Part P Does Not Apply’ (see above).

Some examples of when Part P does not apply:

• New circuits to ‘consumer units’, for instance RCD units and fuse boards.
• Replacement of ‘consumer units’, for instance RCD units and fuse boards.
• New outdoor wiring, for instance outside lights or supplies to garages and sheds.
• Outdoor lighting.
• Outdoor electrical sockets.
• New cooker circuits.
• Central heating control circuits.
• Extensions to circuits in kitchens and bathrooms.
• Full or partial rewires.

The ‘Part P’ regulations.

For free advice on ‘Part P’ of Schedule 1 of the Building Regulations (England and Wales) please contact Judge Electrical limited