Contractors are advised to start looking at registration with competence assessment schemes if they want to self-certify installations as being compliant with the new Part P of the Building Regulations.
Industry analysts are predicting a rush by contractors to enroll with new competence assessment schemes made necessary by the introduction of electrical safety to the Building Regulations.

Paul Everall, head of the building division at the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM), has confirmed that the government's proposals to introduce a new Part P to the Building Regulations should be in place by the middle of 2004.

The government has insisted that Part P will not be given the green light until there are one or more self-certification schemes in place that will allow contractors to sign off installations as compliant with the regulations. If no such scheme were in place, the administrative burden on local authorities would be too great.

"Our regulatory impact assessment showed that this can't be done without a self-certification scheme," confirmed Everall. "Nevertheless, it also showed a net benefit to government of £20 million due to reduced accidents and fires in the home and as a result we will be going ahead."

The government gave until 15 October for interested parties to submit applications to run competence assessment schemes. Assessment must be carried out as required by the Electrotechnical Assessment Scheme (EAS) or an equivalent scheme and certifying bodies should be accredited to EN 45011.

The ECA, via BRE Certification, has applied to run an EAS-based scheme and the NICEIC has submitted a version based on its Approved Contractor inspection. Applications have also been received from Zurich Certification and FENSA, which runs a similar scheme for glazing contractors.

The proposed schemes will now be assessed, with a decision on which are satisfactory expected before the end of the year. "We will be concerned about how applicants propose to manage the likely demand," said Everall. "With as many as 50 000 firms out there, the industry will be under very severe pressure and we need to discuss the practical arrangements."

Source

Electrical and Mechanical Contractor