The IEE Wiring Regulations 17th edition (BS 7671: 2008)

The Institution of Electrical Engineers Requirements for Electrical
Installations (the IEE Regulations) are non-statutory regulations. They
relate principally to the design, selection, erection, inspection and testing
of electrical installations, whether permanent or temporary, in and about
buildings generally and to agricultural and horticultural premises, construction
sites and caravans and their sites. Paragraph 7 of the introduction
to the EWR says: ‘ the IEE Wiring Regulations is a code of practice which is
widely recognized and accepted in the United Kingdom and compliance
with them is likely to achieve compliance with all relevant aspects of the
Electricity At Work Regulations ’ . BS 7671: 2008 says, the IEE Regulations
are non-statutory. However, they may be used in a Court of Law to claim
compliance with a statutory requirement (IEE Regulation 114). The IEE
Wiring Regulations only apply to installations operating at a voltage up to
1000 V a.c.
That is electrical installations in:
● domestic dwellings
● commercial buildings
● industrial situations
● agricultural and horticultural situations
● caravans and caravan parks
● construction sites and other temporary situations.
They do not apply to electrical installations in mines and quarries where special
regulations apply because of the adverse conditions experienced there.
The current edition of the IEE Wiring Regulations is the 17th edition which
became law in 2008. The main reason for incorporating the IEE Wiring
Regulations into British Standard BS 7671 was to create harmonization
with European Standards.