Approved Document P - Electrical Safety
This part covers electrical safety in dwellings and explains when notification of work is required. Information on the design, installation, inspection, testing and provision of information is explained, along with details of the Part P competent person self-certification scheme.
2006 edition: Valid from 6 April 2006
Quick links
- Download PDF file: 4.56Mb, 46 pages
- Requirements of the current document
- Additional guidance
- Archived documents
The requirement in this edition of Approved Document P is as follows:
Requirement
Design and installation
P1. 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.
Limits on application
The requirements of this Part apply only to electrical installations that are intended to operate at low or extra-low voltage and are:
(a) in or attached to a dwelling;
(b)in the common parts of a building serving one or more dwellings, but excluding power supplies to lifts;
(c) in a building that receives its electricity from a source located within or shared with a dwelling; and
(d) in a garden or in or on land associated with a building where the electricity is from a source located within or shared with a dwelling.
Additional guidance to support Approved Document P
Rules for electrical safety in the home
This leaflet introduces Part P (Electrical Safety) which is a Building Regulation that came into force on 1 January 2005.
Download PDF file: 817Kb, 5 pages
New wiring colours
This leaflet gives a summary of the changes to electrical cable colours, which must be used on all work carried out after 31 March 2006.
Download PDF file: 277Kb, 2 pages
Fixed wiring colour change
The changes to the colour identification of conductors in fixed wiring were introduced by Amendment No. 2: 2004 to BS 7671 on 31 March 2004. This booklet gives a more detailed account of the changes compared with the leaflet above, (New wiring colours).
Download PDF file: 1.17Mb, 8 pages
Electricians guide to the building regulations
This guide has been written so that electricians can meet the requirements not only of Part P: Electrical safety in dwellings, but also other relevant building regulations.
You can purchase this document from: www.iee.org
On-site guide
The On-site guide is intended to enable the competent electrician to deal with small installations (up to 100 A, 3-phase). It provides essential information in a convenient, easy to use form, avoiding the need for detailed calculations.
You can purchase this document from: www.iee.org
BS 7671:2001 - Requirements for electrical installations
This British Standard was issued to replace and update the IEE wiring regulations (16th edition) and is the national standard to which all domestic and industrial wiring must conform.
The British Standard was updated on 31 March 2004 to incorporate the new cable colours and is identified by its brown cover.
You can purchase this document from: www.iee.org
Guidance note 1, Selection and erection of equipment
A guide to the selection and erection of electrical equipment. It is part of a series of manuals designed to amplify the particular requirements of a part of the 16th Edition Wiring Regulations. The guide is extensively cross-referenced to the Regulations thus providing easy access. Some Guidance Notes contain information not included in the 16th Edition but which was included in earlier editions of the IEE Wiring Regulations. The guide has been updated to align with BS 7671:2001.
You can purchase this document from: www.iee.org
Guidance note 2, Isolation and switching
A guide to electrical isolation and switching. It is part of a series of manuals designed to amplify the particular requirements of a part of the 16th Edition Wiring Regulations. The guide is extensively cross-referenced to the Regulations thus providing easy access. Some Guidance Notes contain information not included in the 16th Edition but which was included in earlier editions of the IEE Wiring Regulations. The guide has been updated to align with BS 7671:2001.
You can purchase this document from: www.iee.org
Guidance note 3, Inspection and testing
A guide to electrical inspection and testing. It is part of a series of manuals designed to amplify the particular requirements of a part of the 16th Edition Wiring Regulations. The guide is extensively cross-referenced to the Regulations thus providing easy access. Some Guidance Notes contain information not included in the 16th Edition but which was included in earlier editions of the IEE Wiring Regulations. The guide has been updated to align with BS 7671:2001.
You can purchase this document from: www.iee.org
Guidance note 4, Protection against fire
A guide to the protection of electrical equipment from fire. It is part of a series of manuals designed to amplify the particular requirements of a part of the 16th Edition Wiring Regulations. The guide is extensively cross-referenced to the Regulations thus providing easy access. Some Guidance Notes contain information not included in the 16th Edition but which was included in earlier editions of the IEE Wiring Regulations. The guide has been updated to align with BS 7671:2001.
You can purchase this document from: www.iee.org
Guidance note 5, Protection against electric shock
A guide to the protection of electrical equipment from electrical shock. It is part of a series of manuals designed to amplify the particular requirements of a part of the 16th Edition Wiring Regulations. The guide is extensively cross-referenced to the Regulations thus providing easy access. Some Guidance Notes contain information not included in the 16th Edition but which was included in earlier editions of the IEE Wiring Regulations. The guide has been updated to align with BS 7671:2001.
You can purchase this document from: www.iee.org
Guidance note 6, Protection against overcurrent
A guide to the protection of electrical equipment from overcurrent. It is part of a series of manuals designed to amplify the particular requirements of a part of the 16th Edition Wiring Regulations. The guide is extensively cross-referenced to the Regulations thus providing easy access. Some Guidance Notes contain information not included in the 16th Edition but which was included in earlier editions of the IEE Wiring Regulations. The guide has been updated to align with BS 7671:2001.
You can purchase this document from: www.iee.org
Guidance note 7, Protection against overcurrent
A guide to special locations for electrical equipment. It is part of a series of manuals designed to amplify the particular requirements of a part of the 16th Edition Wiring Regulations. The guide is extensively cross-referenced to the Regulations thus providing easy access. Some Guidance Notes contain information not included in the 16th Edition but which was included in earlier editions of the IEE Wiring Regulations. The guide has been updated to align with BS 7671:2001.
You can purchase this document from: www.iee.org
Archived documents
Approved Document P - 2005 edition
Valid from 1 January 2005 until 5 April 2006
The requirements in this edition were:
P1 - Design, installation, inspection and testing
P2 - Provision of information
Download PDF file: 1.37Mb, 44 pages
Quick links to the Approved Documents
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The Approved Documents can be viewed at the council offices or purchased from NBS, part of RIBA Enterprises Ltd (Tel: 020 7256 7222). Alternatively they are available by visiting our download centre, where they can be viewed, saved or printed. All documents are in Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF).
Please refer to the copyright terms, which apply to the Approved Documents (2006 editions).
