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STAY SWITCHED ON TO ELECTRICAL SAFETY AND SUSTAINABILITY

Calling all those involved with electrical installations – a new amendment to the IET Wiring Regulations has published. Developed by the Joint IET/BSI Technical Committee JPEL/64, BS 7671:2018+A2:2022 marks an essential update to the IET Wiring Regulations that forms the national standard to which all new electrical installations and alterations to existing electrical installations in the UK must comply.

The role of the electrical professional is changing, but the future could be brighter than ever for those who adapt. From advanced safety requirements to a growing demand for a flexible grid, our use of electricity and the skills we require from the people working within this industry is rapidly evolving.

To reflect these changes, the guidance on the best practices for working with electrical installations has been amended. This 2nd Amendment to the IET Wiring Regulations marks a major shift in what is expected from the industry with regards to safety and sustainable practices, paving the way for a societal shift in the way we produce and consume electricity.

Understanding the role of the IET Wiring Regulations

First adopted as a standard by BSI in 1992, BS 7671 is primarily a safety standard that provides a framework for the electrical industry in the UK and many other countries that have adopted its requirements.

To improve electrical safety, it is important to identify the hazards, assess the effectiveness of the methods of protection, produce safe systems of work, perform regular inspections and testing, and ensure conformity to legislation.

As a result, BS 7671 covers industry best practices on the safe and effective design, erection, and verification of electrical installations, along with additions and alterations to existing installations.

This standard is the most widely accepted way to demonstrate compliance with the applicable legislation. So, if you are an electrical professional, you need to ensure that you are familiar with the new changes being introduced in BS 7671:2018+A2:2022.

Sparking change

Whether you are already a user of BS 7671, or looking to adopt this standard, BS 7671:2018+A2:2022 includes several new updates that are considered essential for anyone engaged in electrical installation activities.

The main changes fall into two categories: changes to safety and the introduction of new sustainability practices.

The 2nd Amendment marks a major shift in what is expected from the industry

Enhancing electrical safety

All electrical systems have the potential to cause harm and so it is vital for those involved in their design and installation to be up to date with current industry knowledge on designing safe installations. This includes protection against fire, which has been necessary ever since electricity was first introduced into buildings.

These new changes represent a major step to increase safety and reduce fire risks:

• Protection against transient overvoltages – BS 7671:2018+A2:2022 deals with the protection of electrical installations against transient overvoltages of atmospheric origin transmitted by the supply distribution system, and against switching overvoltages generated by the equipment within the installation. A risk assessment now must be performed to determine if protection against transient overvoltages is required.

• Changes to identification, labels and notices – The ways of how safety information is provided to the user of the electrical installation has been updated in BS 7671:2018+A2:2022 to reflect current industry best practices. • A new requirement for arc fault detection devices (AFDDs) – BS 7671:2018+A2:2022 includes requirements for the protection of persons, livestock and property against fire caused by electrical equipment, against burns and against overheating, together with precautions where risks of fire exist. It is now a necessity (rather than a recommendation as it was in previous editions) to protect final circuits supplying socket-outlets and fixed current-using equipment with a rated current not exceeding 32A by Arc Fault Detection

Devices (AFDDs). • Updated requirements for the fire safety design for buildings – BS 7671:2018+A2:2022 introduces requirements for the fire safety design of buildings to be documented where specific conditions of external influence exist, such as protected escape routes and locations with risk of fire.

Dan Palmer, Associate Director of Committees at BSI says: “BS 7671:2018+A2:2022 is one of the UK’s most important standards, providing authoritative requirements to promote electrical safety. The changes introduced in this new amendment will help electrical professionals keep up to date with new and innovative technologies, as well as ensuring they have current knowledge about designing safe installations.”

This new chapter covers energy efficiency measures, the interface with the smart grid, the management of electricity consumption, the management of renewable sources of electricity, and energy storage.

The concept of the PEI has been developed to answer the needs of the end user, making them both a consumer and a producer of electricity. For example, where a PEI has a storage capability, the user could take advantage of low demand to store energy when its price may be lower. With active energy management, the end user should be able to permanently monitor and control his or her own electricity consumption and production.

One of the key components of a PEI is its electrical energy management system (EEMS).

The objectives of an EEMS are to control the connection of the PEI to the smart power grid; to manage, locally, the electrical energy production; to manage electrical consumption; and to manage the energy procurement from the grid or supply network. This is carried out using meters and measuring equipment, to communicate the correct electricity parameters to the EEMS and the direction of the energy flow.

This change to the Wiring Regulations is an exciting step into the future of managing renewable sources of energy and their integration into our lives. Early adopters of PEI technologies, such as renewable energy and energy storage systems, will reap the benefits in this under-skilled but rapidly growing part of the electrical industry.

Prioritising electrical sustainability

For most electrical professionals, the world of work will have changed considerably over the last few years.

Sustainability is now at the forefront of everyone’s minds. There are several reasons for this: the global climate crisis, net zero 2050 targets written into law, new energy efficiency legislation, not to mention rapid advances in technology.

Along with other important electrical safety changes, the new 2022 amendment to BS 7671 contains a new chapter on prosumer’s low voltage electrical installations.

All electrical systems have the potential to cause harm

What are the benefits of adopting BS 7671?

With these changes being introduced, now is the time for everyone to adopt this best practice guidance.

Ultimately, BS 7671:2018+A2:2022 is the most widely accepted way to evidence compliance with UK statutory requirements. In addition, its benefits include:

• It provides a single reference point for almost all domestic and similar electrical installations • It increases the safety of electrical installations • It supports the sustainable development of renewable sources of electricity • It helps users stay up to date with new and innovative technologies • It improves the efficiency of installations • It’s the product of consensus among a comprehensive group of stakeholders

Shaping the future of electrical standardisation

For more than a century, the British Standards Institute (BSI) has been helping to embed excellence into the way people and products work.

BSI is the UK’s national standards body and represents UK economic and social interests in the development of business information solutions for British organisations of all sizes and sectors. Its role is to help improve the quality and safety of products, services, and systems by enabling the creation of standards and encouraging their use.

BSI’s extensive catalogue of standards can help electrical engineers, electricians and product designers ensure safety, performance, and compliance for a huge range of equipment. They can also support electronic manufacturers in achieving CE marking, needed for marketing most electrical goods in Europe.

Ensure you’re complying with the latest IET Wiring Regulations. BS 7671:2018+A2:2022 is currently available to buy from the BSI Shop online from: https://pages.bsigroup. com/bs7671/bsishop

British Standards Institute, bsigroup.com