18th Edition wiring regulations, why are they important to me?
There’s a new version of the Wiring Regulations released, that will affect everybody in the electrical sector. They may seem a little dry to the casual observer, but should we take a closer look? At JTL, we think you should….
The IET Wiring Regulations – otherwise known as BS 7671 – has recently undergone a full review resulting in a number of changes to the existing 17th edition. This has resulted in a new edition – the 18th edition – that was published on the 2nd July 2018.
The 18th Edition of the IET Wiring Regulations is the essential publication for all professionals working in the electrical industry that forms the national standard to which all new and amended electrical installations in the UK are to comply.
So that’s pretty straightforward. Why was it necessary to update them and what was the catalyst for doing so?
One of the key reasons for the new 18th Edition was to see harmonisation with CENELEC (European standards) and IEC 60364 standards (international standards). And that clearly makes sense.
It was also an opportunity to clarify existing regulations, allowing new technology and methodology to be incorporated.
The time scales for these new regulations has been protracted and from initial public consultation (DPC) to the 18th Edition coming into full effect will have been something like eighteen months. Quite apt for 18th edition I suppose!
The first Draft was out for Public Consultation (DPC) between 1 June – 24 August 2017.
Between 24 August – 9 November 2017 the JPEL panel reviewed public comments and then from 9 November – 30 November 2017 JPEL approved changes that resulted from the public comments. On 2nd July 2018, 18th Edition was published and on 1 January 2019, 18th Edition comes into full effect.
So what are the significant headline changes that have been incorporated into 18th edition? Well there are four main ones.
1. Protection against over-voltages – Updated guidance on Surge Protection;
2. Protection against Fire – Updated guidance on Arc Fault Detection;
3. Updated guidance on Special Locations;
4. New Part 8 Energy Efficiency.
OK, so we have the new 18th Edition. How are these changes being communicated to the electrical industry?
NICEIC, ELECSA and JTL have formed a unique partnership to ensure electrical contractors have access to the best training available, ready to meet the needs of 18th Edition training for the industry.
JTL is the UK’s leading training and electrical apprenticeship provider supporting over 3,000 companies and 6,000 apprentices every year. NICEIC and ELECSA are the UK’s leading certification bodies with over 36,000 registered contractors. JTL operates nine of its own centres and has access to more than 100 training locations throughout England and Wales, whilst NICEIC and ELECSA presently manage two dedicated electrical training centres in the UK and have access to another 10 centres. This is a pretty impressive starting point for the delivery of training to the electrical industry with a great geographical spread of opportunities as well.
The collaboration between the organisations means they will be able to provide the highest quality 18th Edition training at more locations and to more contractors than ever before saving contractors both time and money.
NICEIC, ELECSA and JTL have completed the development of their training programmes that will ensure electricians can benefit from the latest training delivery methods. This will include either classroom or online courses to suit all needs.
The face to face courses will be delivered from 30 centres around the UK – ensuring that most electricians will be within an easy drive of one of these to make sharing the knowledge on the new 18th Edition pretty simple.
So with this wide range of venues to head for, the next logical question is which course is best for me? There are three options.
There’s a full 3-day course that has been designed for electricians, contractors and those requiring a working knowledge of the latest edition of the Level 3 Award in the Requirements for Electrical Installations BS 7671:2018 qualification. This course is delivered either online or in a classroom over 3 days and both provide an overview in-depth training on the 18th edition of the IET Wiring Regulations.
Alternatively, there’s an update course that has been primarily designed for those people working within the electrotechnical industry who have recently completed their 17th edition Amendment 3: 2015 qualification (eg. City & Guilds 2382-15 or an equivalent). This course is available either online or in a classroom for 1 day and provides an overview of the changes to the 18th edition of the IET Wiring Regulations.
On all of the above courses, you will be required to undertake the full 2 hour summative assessment on the full content of the Regulations. So choosing the appropriate course for you is essential to ensure you get the best experience from your chosen programme.
Head for the following link to find out more about the courses taking place near where you are based. Then to book the course of your choice, or to find out more about the training courses, call 0333 015 6626 and speak to one of the advisors.
