Consumer unit labelling

Alterations to documentation and identification responsibilities have been announced as part of Amendment 2 of the 18th Edition. Designed to reduce some of the administrative burden contractors grapple with, the modifications to the regulations will help free up time post installations and please homeowners.

Now that Amendment 2 of the 18th Edition has been published, electrical contractors are getting to grips with the adjustments the new regulations have outlined. As part of our commitment to support electricians navigate the new regulatory landscape, in which new rules apply to surge protection and the use of arc fault detection devices, we’ll be on hand to provide guidance and technical support across all areas impacted by the changes implemented from September 2022.

The important area of certificate documentation, identification labelling and testing has been highlighted in the new regulations, with several new recommendations outlined. This is to help ease the administrative duty on contractors as they seek to deliver services to customers and, as such, long called for amendments have been made in several areas.

Removing labels

One change is the removal of the requirement to apply identification labelling notices to the exterior of domestic consumer units once installation has been completed. With many units now prominently displayed in visible areas of the home to comply with accessibility regulations, especially in new builds, the attachment of unsightly coloured labels can compromise the aesthetics of the installation and disappoint customers.

With manufacturers working hard to provide consumer units that look good and offer flush finishes and visually pleasing finishes, the use of unattractive labelling stickers post-installation has often compromised the aesthetics of the job. In addition, electricians have had to find the time to apply the labels even after they have taken pride in creating a neat wiring execution within the interior of the consumer unit itself.

The 2nd Amendment now states the labelling regulation need not apply for domestic premises where ‘the fixing of the notice is not reasonably practicable, for example, where there is insufficient room, or the location of the notice is deemed unlikely to be beneficial’.

In such cases, contractors can simply include the guidance labelling alongside the Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) documentation which proves the homeowner has been alerted to, and provided with, the necessary information covered by the notices previously applied to the cover of the consumer unit.

This will prove to be a time saving change for busy contractors going forward. However, there are still some installations where the old-style labelling will be required, such as a dual supply installation, for example where solar is included.

We have amended our current identification pack that is part of the consumer unit so the slightly revised labelling text can be provided to homeowners alongside the EIC.

Documentation revisions

In other changes, contractors will see amendments to the inspection responsibilities contained within the EIC. Having previously had to scrutinise and tick a multitude of boxes as part of the schedule of inspection, contractors will now see this has been vastly reduced, with the new EIC consolidating these checks so contractors have just 14 boxes to complete during the install.

Likewise, further helping with time saving and ease, the test results page of the EIC has been expanded from the previous one page to now incorporate two separate pages covering circuit details and test results. Meaning the revised layout is far easier to complete.

The changes to documentation, identification, and certification brought about by the 2nd Amendment are practical enhancements that will both continue to drive safety standards but also assist the electrical contractor when it comes to operating as efficiently and time effectively as possible.

It is important the trade is aware of the changes that will come into force this year. We stand ready to support, guide, and advise by providing access to relevant information and technical expertise on 2nd Amendment so contractors can be confident they continue to comply