| Meeting
the requirements of the Electricity at Work Regulations
1989. Are you doing enough? |
ELECTRICAL
NETWORK DRAWINGS
The current edition of BS7671:2001 (Wiring Regulations) requires
circuit diagrams and other information (Regulation 514-09).
In commenting on this requirement –Guidance Note 3
to the Wiring Regulations – Inspection and Testing
indicates that it is also a legal requirement to have Network
Drawings.
It states
that: ‘If the inspection and testing cannot
be carried out safely without diagrams or equivalent information,
Section 6 of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 can
be interpreted to require their preperation.’
Furthermore:
The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 – Regualtion
12 – an ABSOLUTE regulation, calls for methods of identifying
circuits by marking, labelling or numbering.
COMMENT
In order to proceed with inspection and testing in a
safe manner, information diagrams/drawings are required
so that correct isolations can be undertaken and cables
verified.
This is also part of your ‘safe system of
work.’
Note: Most contractors and testing organisations
are not aware of the legal requirement for network
drawings and are not normally geared up to provide
them, they are not able to point the client in the
right direction.
Clients do not know they are a legal requirement
and therefore do not know to ask for them when placing
orders for testing programmes.
Accurate network drawings in complex installations
will not only provide a safe system of work for maintenance
and other staff, but will also serve to improve the
efficiency of maintenance and installation work.
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