For anyone interested in this discussion.

I would strongly recommend watching Mark Allison's Renewables Podcast with guests gkenyon and Michael Peace 

It's 90 minutes but Graham gives a tour of the whole standards process - including BS 0. Michael gives specific technical explanations of the issue at play in this ammendment.

I have to say I think this kind of discussion is really useful. I think the best way to do these things in engineering is through consultation - which in my view needs to involve engineers being challenging each other in a professional way.

Here's the link to the podcast.

https://youtu.be/WVmQTzke9ms?si=rhUliNcHSGgJDl4Q

I found it educational and informative.  I think that FE colleges could show this to their electrical learners. 

I found it educational and informative.  I think that FE colleges could show this to their electrical learners. 

Sergio Fernandez said:

I think that FE colleges could show this to their electrical learners. 

That's a really good idea. It's probably technically outside the curriculum, and it often gets pointed out to me that FE isn't HE so the kind of seminars we used to have at university might not seem appropriate. But I think electricians should be able to discuss the deeper meaning to the regs and argue about them in an objective way - and feel confident putting in comments to these kinds of consultations.

In days gone by there was a deference to authority - an assumption that people who make the regulations are almost omnipotent and always know best. Which clearly can't be the case because JPEL/64 don't have a crystal ball, and in any case it’s a working document – this AMD 3 won’t be the last word and the next corrigendum/ammendment/edition is as inevitable as death and taxes. Also - contrary to popular opinion - the regs aren't telling people what they can and can't do. They provide a comprehensive and accepted way to design, erect and verify an electrical installation so that it's safe and functions properly for whatever it's intended use might be.

I think what's maybe lacking in the curriculum therefore is how Part 1 is taught - in my experience it's rushed past when it's actually the part of the regs upon which the entire rest of the document is hung. If we’re ever in doubt about the meaning of any provision in BS 7671 – or any standard – then the scope and objects should always form a key part of how you reach a reasonable interpretation.