On 7 August 2024, the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and the British Standards Institution (BSI) published a Draft for Public Comment (DPC) seeking feedback on a proposed amendment (Amendment 4:2026), to the current BS 7671:2018+Amendment 3:2024 IET Wiring Regulations.
Amendment 4:2026 has been long-scheduled and will incorporate changes to harmonised standards at a European level. The UK must incorporate the technical intent of these changes as part of the BS 7671 revision programme.
Mark Coles, IET’s Head of Technical Regulations, says, “It is intended that this Amendment will include requirements for stationary secondary batteries, low voltage generating sets, power over ethernet, energy efficiency and functional earthing and functional-equipotential-bonding for information and communication technology equipment and systems (ICT). Each area of change is a response to fast evolving technologies.”
Paul Collins, NICEIC’s Technical Director, adds, “We strongly encourage electrical professionals to respond to this DPC. Your insights are crucial in helping shape the future of these regulations.”
If you wish to submit comments, you will need to register on the BSI Standards Development portal. The deadline to submit comments is 3 November 2024. Amendment 4:2026 is expected to be published in 2026, and until that time, electrical businesses need to have a copy of Amendment 2:2022 – the ‘brown book’, the Corrigendum (May 2023) and Amendment 3:2024. Both the Corrigendum (May 2023) and Amendment 3:2024 are available as free PDF downloads.
As this DPC covers a wide scope of topics, NICEIC will be offering resources to help NICEIC-certified businesses. As well as a webinar on 7 August covering Amendment 3:2024 and the proposed changes to Amendment 4:2026 (a recording of which will be available later in the week here), there will be a further webinar and technical resources to help businesses navigate the significant points raised. Further details will follow in September.
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