Amendment 3 to BS 7671 2008 has a front cover in yellow – but there’s a greater deal more to it than that!
The IET
BS 7671: 2008 (2015), the long awaited Amendment 3 to the 17th Edition of the IET Wiring Regulations, is now in force – effective from January 1st 2015. There will be a six month transition period where electrical contractors can install to Amendment 2 or Amendment 3, after which it will be a requirement that all electrical installations designed and periodically tested will have to comply with the changes. By James Hunt:
Amendment No. 3 to BS 7671:2008 (IET Wiring Regulations 17th Edition) is now published, and its potentially life-saving changes included make this a vital update – much more so than Amendment 2.
Apart from the front cover – which is now yellow – Amendment 3 has many quite major changes that electrical installers and contractors have to understand and follow in their working practices.
The crucial alterations include some definition changes, a change to protection, a reduction in earth loop impedance values, the addition of protective devices, wiring in escape routes, consumer unit enclosures to be made non-combustible (to come into effect January 2016) and the inclusion of model inspection, testing certificates and reports.
However, there are also many other changes and modifications that also need to be noted – in particular concerning ‘Other Equipment’, ‘Protection against Voltage Disturbances and Electromagnetic Disturbances’, ‘Special Installations’ and ‘Appendices’ (such as the measurement of earth fault loop impedances).
At Voltimum UK, we have not yet seen an actual Amendment 3 copy, but will be reporting on this just as soon as we are certain of what long-mooted changes have actually made it through to publication. However, please note that our first VoltiTECH technical e-newsletter of 2015 (to be published on 12th January) will be majoring on the important actual changes incorporated by Amendment 3 to BS 7671: 2008 – and its effects for electrical contractors, installers, specifiers, wholesalers and manufacturers. Keep an eye open for it.
