Electrical regs - the Government responds...

Not sure quite how CORGI cornered the gas instalation bit, they get the fitters to pay quite a large sum for the privelege of displaying a sticker on their van.

As for competence the only definitive way with the electric regs is the city and guilds route, if someone believes they are competent without it and something goes wrong then a cat in hells chance in court springs to mind.

As for competent DIY installation, I think the cost of the test equipment alone rules this out for 99% of DIYers.

As for part P it mearly ensures good practice, with respect to the building structure and has nothing to do with the electrical instalation its self but hupefully ensures that the electrical installation dose not compromise an other part of the building structure.

Appendix 6 (16th edition) states:- (iv) Competent persons will, as appropriate to their function under (i) (ii) and (iii) above, have a sound knowledge and experience relevant to the nature of the work undertaken and to the technical standards set down in this British Standard, be fully versed in the inspection and testing procedures contained in this Standard and employ adequate testing equipment.

That is definitive. City and guilds are irrelevant. An Avo, a couple of resistors and a variac will perform all of the tests required.

614-1 blah blah

- a professionally qualified electrical engineer.

Part P ensures nothing that wasn't a legal requirement already. Mark Rand RTFM

Indeed - IIRC British Gas refuse (or at least refused) to have their installers "CORGI registered" as they claimed their scheme was better then the CORGI standard.

And, as you say, the CORGI scheme only applies to commercial installers, not DIY'ers - not that I would, personally, DIY gas as I don't understand it's "fine points" as well as I do electricity.

However, I suspect that the govermint's avoidance of this - not so fine point - in the comparison to part pee is deliberate.

The keyword in the legislation is 'competent'. This word is used in various regulations (LOLER, PUWER, Gas, electricity just to name a few), and is generally accepted that a competent person is someone who has had adequate training. The reason it doesn't state that it must be a trained (ie. qualified) person, is because how does a trainer become qualified to train other people, if they themsleves have to be trained?

I've came across that explanation on a couple different course. One involving cranes, and the other LPG testing.

moray