Important new 17th Edition definitions - 1) 'Competent Person'

There are a number of new and important definitions contained in the 17th Edition of the IEE Wiring Regulations. One of them concerns 'Competent Persons' - as follows: 

134.1.1 - 'Good workmanship by Competent Persons' or persons under their supervision and proper materials.
134.2.1 - Inspection & testing to be carried out by 'Competent Person'

Part 2: Definitions:

There are approximately 260 definitions in the 17th Edition - there were approximately 170 in the 16th Edition. New definitions include that of a 'Competent Person'. A 'Competent Person is: ' A person who possesses sufficient technical knowledge and experience for the nature of the electrical work undertaken and is able at all times to prevent danger, and where appropriate, injury to themselves and others.'

This is different from a 'Competent person', for example, as defined in Part P of the Building Regulations. For example, anybody carrying out electrical installation work in dwellings, as well as associated gardens or outbuildings in England and Wales, is required to make 'reasonable provision in the design, installation, inspection and testing' of this work to protect persons from fire or injury. Part P of the Building Regulations requires that the work is carried out by a 'Competent Person', and it enforces the Wiring Regulations as statutory in the domestic environment.

All such electrical work in dwellings must be notified to the local authority or carried out by a 'Competent person', the definition of which - for the purposes of Part P - means the companies or organisations that are responsible for carrying out the work. A company ('firm') can be a single person, but they are not necessarily employees. Such firms have to register with a Competent Person scheme to avoid having to notify the scope of the work to the local authority. The firm will then have to appoint a 'qualified supervisor' to sign off work that comes under the scope of Part P.

Therefore, a 'Competent Person' in this case is a person who registered with one of the scheme providers that has been approved by the former Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (OPDM) - now The Department for Communities and Local Government (www.number10.gov.uk/output/Page1490.asp) - to administer such schemes. But, as far as the 17th Edition is concerned, a 'Competent Person is (as already stated): ' A person who possesses sufficient technical knowledge and experience for the nature of the electrical work undertaken and is able at all times to prevent danger, and where appropriate, injury to themselves and others.'