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Paying for an updated version again.

David Cooper

Ok, so amendment 2 of the 18th edition of the regs has been out for a while now and it’s cost me ££ to buy another amended version again. 
I think it would be good if the regs were published in a ring binder and updates could then be purchased at a much cheaper price than a whole new book. Just remove previous versions and insert the new pages. Also better for the planet than publishing a whole new book and throwing a whole book away.

I know a regs CD is also available but as a sole trader electrician I haven’t got the money for that sort of thing or the money to buy a whole new book each time the IET come up with new ideas. 

  • I can see pros and cons both ways - ring binder versions are OK for a while but as soon as the changes get extensive you either have to replace quite large sections entirely or find that things like page numbers don't run smoothly any more so the index doesn't work. Also it's much harder to be sure you have the complete up-to-date version.

    I rather like the building regs solution - publish it in its entirety on-line and in a searchable format - for free. But I guess the BSI doesn't work that way.

       - Andy.

  • in reply to AJJewsbury
    AJJewsbury said:
    I rather like the building regs solution - publish it in its entirety on-line and in a searchable format - for free.

    Well, the Regulations are law and one could hardly charge for that although years ago one would have had to pay HMSO for a copy because of the costs of printing. (A bit like buying a copy of the Highway Code.)

    In the days of paper, internal RN documents such as Books of Reference were issued in ring binders. When amendments were issued, the new leaves went in the binder and the old ones were to be kept at the back and a list of changes was signed off at the front.

    Problem is that amendments to BS 7671 are so extensive that there would be very few unaltered pages so we might as well have a new book.

    BS 7671 is cheap compared with other British Standards.

  • in reply to Chris Pearson

    I have pretty much given up buying regs books now. They have become largely contradictory and sometimes unintelligible. Far better to just buy a new copy of the OSG now and then instead. There enough features/article on the web for free viewing nowadays, so no need to pod out a ton every time BSI *** out a new regs book which everybody argues over and no one really understands properly.

  • in reply to whjohnson
    whjohnson said:
    a new regs book which everybody argues over and no one really understands properly

    GrinGrin

    Though it does give us a reason to be here.

  • Day out next Tuesday, a seventy two mile drive which will take around a hour and a half down to Ashton Gate in Bristol, the home of Bristol City FC to do the NAPIT 18th Edition CPD, then the trip back home again.

    Eighty quid including a copy of the regs or a voucher worth eighty quid that can be redeemed on orders placed with NAPIT Direct if you already have a regs book.

    Other training providers are available.

  • in reply to Sparkingchip

    At least it’s before the charges come in for driving through and into Bristol, hopefully this will be the last event in Bristol.

    www.bristolworld.com/.../bristol-clean-air-zone-map-for-congestion-charge-and-main-road-entrances-3891493

  • This argument gets really boring.
    BS 7671 is a vital resource for anyone working (and happily charging customers) in the electrical industry.

    This is the first chargeable release since 2018…four years ago. That represents a cost of £25 per year. Do you also object to paying for insurance too? What about tools to do your job, or is the customer expected to provide those too?

    This the problem with the electrical contracting industry…more so the world of housebashing it seems. 

    Also for those arguing it’s just the IET making changes. As you should all well know BS 7671 is the UK implementation of HD 60364, which iitself is based on IEC 60364. These documents are constantly being updated as changes occur to a whole host of things. 
    This objection to continual improvements in standards is quite frankly pathetic.

    I recently saw a load of people whinging about the pointlessness of the requirements of 521.10.202… once again pure ignorance by the people who should know better. 

    The people you are charging money to rightly expect that you are completely up to date with the latest requirements in relation to your work. In exactly the same way you would expect the garage you take your work van to, to be fully conversant with the latest updates to your vehicle. Or the doctors operating on you or treating you for an illness or disease.

    Continuing professional development, which includes buying a new book, does have a cost, one that should be factored in to your pricing just like replacing power tools, test equipment etc. 

  • in reply to Jonathan Williams

    You forgot to mention that profit spin-off for the lobbying manufacturers members who sit on the various committee.

    Ranking the recent changes in terms of relevance and effectiveness for the end-user-

    Type A rcds/rcbos = dubious value.

    surge protection = highly dubious value.

    AFDDs = pure sophistry.

    Still, we must not be permitted to question the reasoning behind the mandating of this stuff must we? After all, we wouldn't understand why even if we were told the truth would we?

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