Building Regulations

1. Building Regulations

2. www.electricalquals.com Note on Building Regulations The Building Regulations, like many other documents, are designed to be used for reference. We will encounter many similar documents, and most of these all tend to repeat points. As with most things today, rather than actually try to learn everything, it is wiser to know exactly how and when to access it Despite this, there are some fundamentals that need to be remembered

3. www.electricalquals.com Building Regulations Building regulations are made under powers provided in the Building Act 1984, and apply in England and Wales. The current edition of the regulations is ‘The Building Regulations 2000’ (as amended) and the majority of building projects are required to comply with them. They exist to ensure the health and safety of people in and around all types of buildings. They also provide for energy conservation and for access and facilities for disabled people.

4. www.electricalquals.com Building Regulations The Building Regulations are applicable in both England and Wales

5. www.electricalquals.com The Building Regulations… Define what types of building, plumbing, and heating projects amount to ‘Building Work’ and make these subject to control under the Building Regulations Specify what types of buildings are exempt from control under the Building Regulations Set out the notification procedures to follow when starting, carrying out, and completing building work Set out the ‘requirements’ with which the individual aspects of building design and construction must comply in the interests of the health and safety of building users, of energy conservation, and of access to and use of buildings

6. www.electricalquals.com What should comply with Building Regulations? The erection or extension of a building The installation or extension of a service or fitting which is controlled under the regulations An alteration project involving work which will temporarily or permanently affect the ongoing compliance of the building, service or fitting with the requirements relating to structure, fire, or access to and use of buildings The insertion of insulation into a cavity wall The underpinning of the foundations of a building

7. www.electricalquals.com Building Regulations The Building Regulations may also apply to certain changes of use of an existing building. This is because the change of use may result in the building as a whole no longer complying with the requirements which will apply to its new type of use, and so having to be upgraded to meet additional requirements specified in the regulations for which building work may also be required.

8. www.electricalquals.com What do they cover? Part A - Structure Part B - Fire safety Part C - Site preparation and resistance to moisture Part D - Toxic substances Part E - Resistance to the passage of sound Part F - Ventilation Part G - Hygiene Part H - Drainage and waste disposal Part J - Combustion appliances and fuel storage systems Part K - Protection from falling, collision and impact Part L - Conservation of fuel and power Part M - Access to and use of buildings Part N - Glazing – safety in relation to impact, opening and cleaning Part P - Electrical safety

9. www.electricalquals.com Amendment No. 2 Amendment 2 introduced Part P into the Building Regulations

10. www.electricalquals.com Part P defines Electrical Installation as… Fixed electrical cables or fixed electrical equipment located on the consumers side of the electricity supply meter.

11. www.electricalquals.com What else sits with Part P? Part A - Structure Depths of chases in walls Size of holes and notches in floor and roof joists

12. www.electricalquals.com What else sits with Part P? Part B – Fire Safety Fire safety of certain electrical installations Provision of fire alarm and detection systems Fire resistance of penetration through floors and walls

13. www.electricalquals.com What else sits with Part P? Part C – Site preparations and resistance to contaminates and moisture Moisture resistance of cable penetrations through external walls

14. www.electricalquals.com What else sits with Part P? Part E – Resistance to passage of sound Penetrations through floors and walls

15. www.electricalquals.com What else sits with Part P? Part F – Ventilation Ventilation rates for dwellings

16. www.electricalquals.com What else sits with Part P? Part L – Conservation of fuel and power Energy efficient lighting

17. www.electricalquals.com What else sits with Part P? Part M – Access and facilities for disabled people Heights of switches and socket outlets

18. www.electricalquals.com Responsibilities Persons responsible within Part P are also responsible for ensuring all other Parts, wherever relevant, are complied with. If you add to or change an installation, it cannot be done independently.

19. www.electricalquals.com Responsibilities The Building Regs (Regulation 4(2)) require that, on completion of the work, the building should be in no worse condition than when started in terms of compliance with all other Building Regs, including: Part A Part C Part C Part E Part F Part L Part M

20. www.electricalquals.com Responsibilities For example Cutting a hole in the ceiling for a recessed luminaire potentially degrades a floors performance with regards to: Fire resistance (Part B) Sound penetration (Part E)

21. www.electricalquals.com Responsibilities Another example Chasing of walls and drilling of joists Structure (Part A)

22. www.electricalquals.com Some exemptions from Building Regulations Garden sheds Summer-houses Domestic garages Greenhouses Conservatories Porches Covered way Covered yards Carports

23. www.electricalquals.com Minor Work It is not necessary to give prior notification to proposals to carry out minor installation work as described on the previous slides

24. www.electricalquals.com Non-notifiable Minor Work All non-notifiable work must comply with Part P including inspection and testing and the issue of a minor works certificate.