Last month the latest edition of the IET Wiring Regulations was published and takes effect fully from January 2019. The 18th Edition, as its name suggests, is the 18th full reissue of the UK wiring regulations since they were introduced in 1882, and we now meet that standard.
Although there have only been eighteen issues of the wiring regulations over the past 136 years, there have been various amendments in between editions and electricians are required to adhere to the standard which is current at the time a circuit is designed or planned.
Any accredited electrical contracting company will require a Qualified Supervisor to demonstrate knowledge of and compliance with the regulatory requirements in force, although such a person doesn’t need a specific qualification for that edition. That is to say, if a company QS holds 17th Edition, then they don’t need to take the 18th Edition exam so long as they can continue to demonstrate knowledge of the changes and they can show that they and their workforce are abiding by the standard in effect.
While most organisations use jobbing electricians who may individually lack the specific qualification (paying only to keep the company QS up to date if they choose), here at David Savery Electrical Services we like to do things properly, so today both Nigel and I have each undertaken and passed the 18th Edition exam even though neither of us were actually required to.
This means that when you engage our services, you can be sure we’re both fully up to speed and working to the latest requirements.
AFF5