ESC hosts Part P round-table
Author : J GALE
What next for the Building Regulations
The Electrical Safety Council (ESC) will be hosting a round- table on March 2nd, to discuss the government’s review of the Building Regulations for England and Wales.
"Last December, the government announced plans for reviewing these regulations and identified areas where there might be potential for deregulation", explains Phil Buckle, Director General of the ESC. "We have organised a round-table discussion because we are particularly concerned with any regulatory changes affecting Part P (Electrical safety – dwellings), which might impact on the safety of the consumer."
The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) is evaluating any benefits Part P has made, since its introduction in 2005, to improving electrical safety in and around the home. The evaluation includes a review of the requirements and their implementation and compliance procedures.
A range of stakeholders have been invited to the ESC’s Part P round-table, which will be chaired by Ann Robinson of uSwitch. Attendees will include representatives from: the Association of Building Engineers; the Competent Persons Forum; DCLG; ELECSA; the Electrical Contractors’ Association; the Institution of Engineering and Technology; Local Authority Building Control; NAPIT; NICEIC; Trading Standards Institute; electrical contractors and Which? magazine.
"Our primary objective for this event is to determine how to create a strong evidence base to help assess the impact of Part P", adds Phil Buckle. "By bringing together industry, consumer protection bodies and other key stakeholders, we hope to build a consensus on the best way forward to achieve this."
The outcomes of the event will be used to inform and support responses to a further DCLG consultation on the future of Part P, which is expected at the end of this year. It is believed that any proposed changes to Part P are likely to be announced in October 2012, six months before any new provision will come into force.
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