Specifiers - Electrical Installation

Notes for Local Authorities & specifiers 

Building Control, other Local Authority Departments, Housing Associations and other major specifers dealing with Electrical Installation contract tenders.

Before an Electrical Contracting Enterprise can join the BSI scheme and display the Kitemark in connection with their electrical installation work, they must undergo thorough and rigorous assessment. Listed below are the main bullet points of this assessment showing minimum requirements.

Administration

• Public liability Insurance for £2M
• Show a structured system for managing their business
• Possess a Health and Safety Policy Statement
• Have a written complaints procedure and log of any complaints
• ‘Domestic’ installers must be in a position to offer the Warranty on their work required by the rules of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, (DCLG)
• Qualified Supervisor(s) (QS) must hold the minimum technical qualifications for the type of work carried out as specified in the Electrical Assessment Scheme (EAS) and/or Part P Minimum Technical Competency (MTC) documents.

Technical

• The minimum technical library required by the EAS rules in accordance with the type of installation work carried out.
• The correct test instruments for the work carried out, and evidence of accuracy of these instruments.
• Evidence of correct use and issue of test certification for the work carried out
• Evidence by both questioning and site assessment that the QS(s) have good knowledge of the design of circuits, and relevant Building Regulations, for the range and type of installations listed in their application. (ie Domestic, Industrial, Commercial etc)
• Evidence shown by site assessment that the actual installation work meets the required standard of the relevant British Standard (eg BS7671)
• Evidence shown at site assessment that the QS(s) can perform the required testing of the installation, and has a satisfactory knowledge of the pass/fail criteria. The Test results obtained at assessment will also be compared with those on the electrical certificate issued for the work.
• Actual number of site assessments carried out will depend upon categories of work carried out, and technical content of the sites seen.
• Overall consideration of the assessment is to show the BSI Inspector that the applicant can Design, Install, Inspect, Test and Certify to the current edition of the British Standard which covers the work. (commonly BS7671).

We believe this process is at least as good as any other currently in place by those organizations running ‘Competent Person’s Schemes' for Electrical Contracting businesses.

The Scheme is one of only five ‘A’ level schemes authorized by the DCLG for the assessment of electrical contractors  to Part P of the Building Regulations of England and Wales; but also covers all aspects of BS7671 in commercial and industrial locations.

Electrical installation work

This is a summary of the BSI Kitemark Scheme Document PCP605 for Electrical Installers. The full document is available to all Kitemark Licensees of this Scheme on the password pages of this website.

Any Local Authorities and other electrical contract tender specifiers requiring full details of the scheme may apply by email here.

Kitemark Licence Holders in the Electrical Installers Scheme may access the full version of PCP605 via the password entry section of this website.

Introduction

Under the Kitemark Scheme, BSI assesses contracting companies to design, construct, inspect and test, and maintain electrical installation work. BSI issues a Licence granting the use of the Kitemark in respect of electrical installation work conforming to the relevant British Standard(s), and where relevant, the Parts of the Building Regulations of England and Wales 2000 i.e. Part P and Parts A, B, C, E, F, L, and M; and Regulations 4 and 7; or Parts N and Q of the Building Standards (Scotland) Regulations 1990, as appropriate. There are strict requirements on how the Kitemark is used by a licensee, see the last paragraph of this scheme document.

Where electrical installation work is subject under legislation to the submission of a Building Notice to a Local Authority, the Scheme will give entitlement to Licensees to self-certify compliance with the relevant Building Regulations.

The Kitemark Scheme is modelled on the requirements of the ‘Electrotechnical Assessment Scheme’ (EAS), and the associated Minimum Technical Competence document (MTC) for ‘Domestic ‘Part P’ Licensees.

The following information provides a summary of guidance for new Kitemark applicants as to the application process and ongoing requirements of the scheme.

The scheme consists primarily of the following elements:

• Assessment of the technical competence of Qualified Supervisors
• Examination of the public liability insurance held; and, where applicable, insurance backed guarantee cover offered to the customer by the contractor.
• Assessment of the contractor’s quality management systems and processes
• On-site inspection of a sample of electrical installation work
• Ongoing surveillance
• Assessment of installation records
  

Technical competencies

A Principal Duty Holder (PDH) shall be identified who must be a full-time principal or senior manager of the business having an understanding of, and responsibility for, the health and safety and other legal requirements relating to the range of electrical work undertaken by the business.

A Qualified Supervisor (QS) is a competent person with specific responsibility, on a day-to-day basis, for the safety, technical standard and quality of electrical installation work under their supervision. The QS will be required to demonstrate technical competence; which will include qualifications and experience in accordance with the EAS Part 1; Appendix 4 and the “Minimum Technical Competence of Enterprises that undertake Electrical Installation Work in Dwellings” (MTC document). They shall be fully conversant with the Electricity at Work Regulations, current edition of BS 7671, and/or BS 5839, and/or BS 5266 as appropriate, and the Codes of Practice and guidance documents relevant to the work categories of electrical installation work undertaken. They must be well versed in the inspection, testing, verification, certification and reporting procedures for the range of electrical work undertaken.

The Electrical Contractor is required to hold public liability insurance cover of not less than £2 million.

Insurance backed warranty - (required for ‘Part P’ applicants only) 

The Electrical Contractor is required to offer the homeowner an insurance backed guarantee covering protection of monies on deposit, failure of products/components, poor workmanship and non - compliance with Building Regulations. 

Cover should protect the customer from an Electrical Contractor ceasing to trade due to insolvency, bankruptcy, liquidation or the winding up of the business on the retirement or death of the principal(s). The cover should be readily assigned to subsequent owners of the property, with claims paid in full up to the limit of indemnity. There should be no excess to be paid by the insured.

Quality management

The Electrical Contractor is required to have in place a system of quality management covering the design of installations, selection of electrical equipment, control of technical documentation, calibration of electrical test equipment, and procedures for initial verification of electrical installations, to include inspection, testing, and certification. The system will also be required to cover complaints handling, staff competence and training as applicable.

The Scheme also allows for Kitemark Certification of Installations of Fire Alarms to BS5839 parts 1 and 6; and Emergency Lighting Installations to BS5266 Parts 1 and 7.

Any design/installation processes carried out by a sub-contractor shall be controlled by the Licensee and shall meet the requirements of the Kitemark Scheme.

The Kitemark Licence

Once the pre-licence assessment has been satisfactorily completed as confirmed by the certification decision process, a licence to use the Kitemark is issued to the applicant. The licence provides sufficient detail to identify the work category of electrical installations in dwellings and/or other locations that are included within the scope of the Kitemark Licence.

Continuing assessment

Following the issue of the Kitemark Licence, a nominated BSI representative will implement a program of continuing assessments of each contracting office and site assessments carried out from it, nominally at a frequency of once per annum. The duration and frequency of visits will be dependent on a number of factors, including the number of Qualified Supervisors and competent persons operating from the contracting office and previous inspection and assessment performance.

Use of the Kitemark

Reference should be made to BSI document PS028 “How to use the Kitemark”.

When using the Kitemark in connection with any aspect of this Scheme, the permissible format is the Kitemark symbol, with the words “Electrical Contractor” immediately below and central to the Kitemark symbol, and the Licensee’s Kitemark Licence Number immediately below and central to the words “Electrical Contractor”.

(Note: The Kitemark Licence number may, if desired, be omitted when displaying on a vehicle, but MUST be included on ANY paperwork (certification, letterhead, invoice etc).