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electricians course home study with Part P

With regards to Part P, what is a ‘Competent Person'?

A Competent Person is a firm that has been independently assessed and certificated by an approved Competent Person Scheme as competent to self-certify that its work complies with the Building Regulations

What are the benefits of becoming a Competent Person?

Competent Persons save on the time and trouble associated with the submitting of building notices to, and having their work inspected by, Building Control and, as a consequence, do not incur building notice and inspection fees.

A 'Competent Person' is a firm that has been judged to be sufficiently competent to self-certify that its work complies with the Building Regulations. A Competent Person must be registered with a scheme that has been approved the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM). Schemes authorised by the ODPM are listed on its website (http://www.odpm.gov.uk/).

A Competent Person is not required to notify a building control body of its proposals to carry out electrical installation work before it begins.

However, at completion of the work, a Competent Person must certify that it complies with the Building Regulations by supplying the relevant building control body a Building Regulations completion certificate, and to the person ordering the work a duly completed Electrical Installation Certificate. While compliance with the Building Regulations is compulsory, registration with a Competent Person Scheme is not. Firms carrying out work covered by the Building Regulations may choose to join a scheme if they judge membership to be beneficial. Alternatively, they may choose to continue to use a building control body.

If a firm wishes to become a Competent Person it must first be vetted to ensure it meets the conditions of registration, including the required levels of competence. In the case of Part P schemes, the ODPM has issued guidelines concerning the minimum standard of technical competence required:

Part P schemes should ensure that electrical work in dwellings is designed, installed, inspected and tested to the standard required by BS7671; applicants should be assessed to be able to work to these standards; this assessment should be carried out as required in the Electrotechnical Assessment Scheme (see, IEE website for the EAS), or equivalent.

What qualifications do I need?

If you already hold City & Guilds 2382 BS 7671:2008 17th Edition IET Wiring Regulations and City & Guilds 2391 Inspection, Testing & Certification of Electrical Installations course, you are advised to complete Unit 1: Applicable Building Regulations of the Domestic Installer Scheme (This modules relates to , CDM Regulations and HSG141).

If you hold City & Guilds 2382 BS 7671:2008 17th Edition IEE Wiring Regulations only, then there are 2 different paths with could be taken:

The City & Guilds 2391 Inspection, Testing & Certification of Electrical Installations course, or,

The EAL Domestic Installer Scheme. This is a modular electrical qualification incorporating 17 units. This can lead to a VRO qualification titled Domestic Electrical Installer.

If you currently hold no formal electrical qualifications, then once again you have several options available to you:

The EAL Domestic Installer Scheme. This is a modular electrical qualification incorporating 17 units. This will include an overview of the 16th. Edition Wiring Regulations and Inspection and Testing, leading to a VRO qualification entitled Domestic Electrical Installer, or,

City & Guilds 2382 BS7671 : 2008 17th. Edition IEE Wiring Regulations and City & Guilds 2391 Inspection, Testing and Certification of Electrical Installations course and maybe the ½ day unit 1: Applicable Building Regulations of the Domestic Installer Scheme.

Summary

The actual criteria to become enlisted on the Domestic Installer register is not very clear at present, however it seems that either City & Guilds 2382 17th Edition Wiring Regulations or the EAL Domestic Installer qualification will meet the entry requirements to the scheme, along with an on site assessment of your Inspection and Testing competence. If you feel you are working correctly and understand the inspection and testing principles and practices, then you may gain entry using this route.

However, perhaps the best way to demonstrate competence on Inspection and Testing is to have completed the City & Guilds 2391 Inspection and Testing. This is also backed up by the fact that should you wish to become a full contractor member of one of the bodies, you will be required to successfully complete City & Guilds 2391.

It seems clear that the City and Guilds route is the preferred route of many Electricians.

This is intended as a short guide to Part P only. Please make your own enquiries with your preferred trade body to ensure that you meet the entry requirements.

Part P Competent Person Scheme

Part P of the Building Regulations requires that::

"Reasonable provision shall be made in the design, installation, inspection and testing of electrical installations in order to protect persons from fire or injury." and "Sufficient information shall be provided so that persons wishing to operate, maintain or alter an electrical installation can do so with reasonable care."

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Part P - Domestic Installer Exam Simulator

Practice similar exam questions to those you are likely to encounter when taking a Domestic Installer course or many of the electrical

courses that are available when considering

obtaining registration to a Competent Person Scheme.

With over 1600 questions and answers chosen at random

this Part P exam practice simulator will provide

Invaluable practice for your actual exams.

Part P Domestic Installer Exam Simulator

What is Part P and how does it affect Electricians?

Part P has been introduced in order to reduce the number of deaths, injuries and fires caused by faulty electrical installations and to make life harder for incompetent tradesmen to leave electrical installations in an unsafe condition.

Does it apply to me?

If your firm carries out electrical installation work in dwellings in England and Wales, almost certainly yes.

What should Electrical Contractors do?

Electrical contractors that want to avoid the complications and costs of using Building Control should consider becoming a ‘Competent Person'.