17th Edition – The key issues
Storage vendors are rushing to satisfy the fast-emerging market for network attached 
storage (NAS) solutions, fuelled both by growth in home working, and the need for more robust accommodation of proliferating Head of Technical Services at the Electrical Contractors' Association's (ECA), Giuliano Digilio, highlights some of the most significant changes and key issues within the new Wiring Regulations
The introduction of the 17th Edition of the IEE Wiring Regulations BS7671: 2008 in January this year, sees the most significant overhaul of the regulations since 1992, when a national standard was first introduced by the British Standards Institution (BSI). From July 2008 all new electrical installation work within the scope of BS7671 will have to comply with the revised regulations, meaning that electrical contractors must ensure that their workforce is up-to-date in order to fulfil the needs of their contracts.
Whilst the basic principles of the regulations remain, the revised standard includes the changes necessary to maintain technical alignment with European Harmonisation Documents, as well as changes in design, specification, terminology, inspection and testing requirements.
Such changes have, understandably, caused some concern among firms within the industry, particularly relating to the domestic sector requirements for additional protection by the use of Residual Current Devices (RCDs), which will now need to be provided to most circuits within dwellings and commercial properties, to minimise the risk of electric shock to users.
Once the Regulations come into force, designers, contractors and installers will need to factor in the appropriate circuit arrangements, protective devices and wiring solutions in order to ensure compliance.
About the Regulations
To ensure the alignment of Electrical Installation Standards throughout Europe and the rest of the world respectively, the changes to the regulations have been made by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardisation (CENELEC).
The standards are known as Harmonised Documents (HDs), with BS7671 being the UK collection of HDs incorporated in a single publication, with many other regulations that accommodate specific situations and practices applicable in the UK. A number of countries adopt BS7671 as their national standard and others base their national standard around it.
BS7671 has been amended six times since it was first published in 1992 as HDs have been revised or new HDs published. The 17th Edition is the result of a complete review of the 16th Edition and adopts all HDs that have been published to date.
The Changes
A grace period is in place, meaning that any existing projects, where the design was completed or started prior to 1st July 2008, may still be completed and certified in accordance with BS7671: 2001 16th Edition of the IEE Wiring Regulations. The following are changes that electrical contractors should be aware of in preparation for compliance in July:
s The regulation numbers have been changed to align with IEC numbers. This enables users to readily relate UK regulations with European HDs and IEC regulations.
s A new informative note has been added in the preface advising that the publication of the BS 7671:2008 does not automatically mean that installations complying with previous editions of the IEE Wiring Regulations are unsafe for continued use or need to be upgraded.
s All new installations, alterations and additions designed after 1st July 2008 will need to comply with these new BS 7671 : 2008 requirements.
To find out more
The new BS7671:2008 denotes several other major changes, which are not covered by this article. The ECA will be providing further information and guidance on these changes in 2008 for ECA members and has produced its own "Guide to the IEE Wiring Regulations BS7671: 2008".
This user-friendly book for electrical contractors, apprentices, designers and installers alike is simply laid out using a series of clear tables and diagrams and addresses all areas of the new requirements in straightforward terms.
For further information or to order a copy, please visit the ECA website at www.eca.co.uk/17thEdition
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