Domestic Installer Schemes
Part P and what it means
In 2003, the Government announced a new legal requirement for domestic installations to comply with safety legislation surrounding electrical installation works. As of January 1st 2005, all significant electrical work on an domestic property was to be reported to Building Control along with its predecessing requirements.
To ensure the transition to the new system was easy to make, self-certification schemes were introduced through various electrical bodies enabling the installer to notify through a third party. These were classified competent person schemes and were ran by the likes of the NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA and the BSI.
Through the self certification system, organisations created quick fix "become a domestic installer" qualifications that quickly became known as "5 day wonder schemes" where a student would be taken from complete novice to certificated "Domestic Installer" within a very short amount of time. This opened a floodgate of training to the masses who often labelled themselves electricians after the training despite the fact the original premise was to give the associated trades the opportunity to do limited installation work themselves (albeit safely and according to BS7671).
January 2012 and its implications to the Domestic Installer
The following information was a press release by the IET.
The industry bodies represented on the EAS Management Committee have agreed the requirements for new Qualified Supervisors that will be introduced in January 2012. On January 1st, Level 3 NVQ Certificate in Installing, Testing and Ensuring Compliance of Electrical Installation Work in Dwellings will be the minimum qualification level for Qualified Supervisors responsible for electrical work carried out in domestic properties which comes under Part P of the Building Regulations (for England and Wales).
The minimum requirement for Qualified Supervisors that are responsible for all types of electrical installation will be the new Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Installing Electrotechnical Systems and Equipment (Building and Structures). Individuals who already have a competency-based qualification recognised by the EAS Management Committee will not have to take the new qualification if they are applying to become a new Qualified Supervisor after 1st January 2012.
An electrotechnical NVQ Level 3 will become the industry recognised standard for electrical work in the UK. There are a number of routes to achieve this standard. This is a move towards safer, better practice in the UK electrical installation industry. What about practising Qualified Supervisors appointed pre-January 2012? The requirement only applies to all new applications for Qualified Supervisors after 1st January 2012, and it will not affect those who are currently holders of the post, or new Qualifying Supervisors appointed before 1st January 2012.
What about past holders of the Qualified Supervisor role (not currently responsible)?
If you have been a registered Qualified Supervisor within the last two years for an employer, you will be eligible to be nominated as a Qualified Supervisor for a new employer. About the EAS Management Committee This decision was passed by the industry’s Electrotechnical Assessment Specification (EAS) Management Committee, which is the national Committee of the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET) responsible for determining the minimum technical standards to which companies in the electrotechnical industry are assessed. The Committee is formed of representatives from organisations across the industry.
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