BS7671 or Wiring Regulations?

I believe various generations of the book have been known as the "Wiring Regulations"  for generations.


When the IEE publication became BS 7671 in 1992 the term "IEE Wiring Regulations Sixteenth Edition" appeared for the first time on the front cover. Every edition has had this on the front cover ,as does the current edition  "IET Wiring Regulations Eighteenth Edition".


The current regulations derive from the IEC standard IEC 60364 which is divided i to parts and has much of the same wording as does BS 7671. The European Harmonised Standard (CENELEC) is also derived from the IEC standard HD 60364 which is much the same as our own standard. 


The joint BSI/IET committee JPEL/64 are responsible for producing the UK standard BS 7671 Requirements for Electrical Installations , IET Wiring Regulations. Most of the IEC 60364 standards have to be adopted by the CENELEC standard and  BS 7671 within 3 years or at least the technical intent of individual requirements. 


Each edition and amendment draft to BS 7671 goes out for public consultation (DPC) the DPC comments then go back to JPEL/64 for consideration prior to publication.


You can see the lists of people who sit on the JPEL/64 committee on page9 and 10 of the current edition.


BS 7671 is not a statutory document so in itself is not law but may be quoted in a court of law in the same way the Highway Code can be quoted, I have done this in both the County and Criminal Courts. In the fatal Emma Shaw Crown Court case one defendant was charged under Section 7 of the HASAWA for failing to carry out an insulation resistance test and the requirement  to do this was quoted in the prosecution evidence. I have been in court many times over the last 30 years but never thought I would hear the words "insulation resistance test" in the charge read out to the defendant prior to the trial. 


Hope this helps?

I believe various generations of the book have been known as the "Wiring Regulations"  for generations.


When the IEE publication became BS 7671 in 1992 the term "IEE Wiring Regulations Sixteenth Edition" appeared for the first time on the front cover. Every edition has had this on the front cover ,as does the current edition  "IET Wiring Regulations Eighteenth Edition".


The current regulations derive from the IEC standard IEC 60364 which is divided i to parts and has much of the same wording as does BS 7671. The European Harmonised Standard (CENELEC) is also derived from the IEC standard HD 60364 which is much the same as our own standard. 


The joint BSI/IET committee JPEL/64 are responsible for producing the UK standard BS 7671 Requirements for Electrical Installations , IET Wiring Regulations. Most of the IEC 60364 standards have to be adopted by the CENELEC standard and  BS 7671 within 3 years or at least the technical intent of individual requirements. 


Each edition and amendment draft to BS 7671 goes out for public consultation (DPC) the DPC comments then go back to JPEL/64 for consideration prior to publication.


You can see the lists of people who sit on the JPEL/64 committee on page9 and 10 of the current edition.


BS 7671 is not a statutory document so in itself is not law but may be quoted in a court of law in the same way the Highway Code can be quoted, I have done this in both the County and Criminal Courts. In the fatal Emma Shaw Crown Court case one defendant was charged under Section 7 of the HASAWA for failing to carry out an insulation resistance test and the requirement  to do this was quoted in the prosecution evidence. I have been in court many times over the last 30 years but never thought I would hear the words "insulation resistance test" in the charge read out to the defendant prior to the trial. 


Hope this helps?