Best Pracce Guide 4 (Issue 4)

Electrical
installation
condition
reporting:
Classification
Codes for
domestic and
similar
electrical
installations

Page 1
Best Practice Guide
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© Electrical Safety Council. May 2015
 Electrical installation
condition reporting:
Classification Codes for
domestic and similar
electrical installations
The aim of this Guide is to provide practical guidance for skilled
persons competent in electrical inspection and testing on the use of
the Classification Codes that need to be attributed to each observation
recorded during the periodic inspection and testing of an electrical
installation for the benefit of the person ordering the report.
The guidance is limited to the range of observations that are likely to
be associated with domestic and similar electrical installations. It takes
into account the publication of Amendment 3 to BS 7671: 2008.

1. Introduction
Every electrical installation deteriorates with use The inspection and testing should be carried out
and time. Therefore, if the safety of the users is at appropriate intervals in order to determine
not to be put at risk, it is important that every what, if anything, needs to be done to maintain
installation is periodically inspected and tested by a the installation in a safe and serviceable condition.
competent person. Indeed, it is recommended in The results of the inspection and testing need to be
BS 7671: 2008 as amended that every electrical clearly detailed in a report. Any observed damage,
installation is subjected to periodic inspection and deterioration, defects, dangerous conditions and
testing (Regulation 135.1 refers). non-compliances with the requirements of the
current edition of BS 7671 that may give rise to
danger should be recorded and appropriately
classified for remedial action.

It should be borne in mind that, as stated in the

introduction to BS 7671, existing installations that
have been constructed in accordance with earlier
editions of the Standard may not comply with the
current edition in every respect, but this does not
necessarily mean that they are unsafe for continued
use or require upgrading.
Inspecting a socket-outlet
Page 3
 An electrical installation condition report is, as
its title indicates, a report and not a certificate. It
Purpose of periodic
provides an assessment of the in-service condition inspection, testing
of an electrical installation against the requirements
of the edition of BS 7671 current at the time
and reporting
of the inspection, irrespective of the age of the
The main purpose of periodic inspection and testing
installation.
is to detect so far as is reasonably practicable, and
The report is primarily for the benefit of the person to report on, any factors impairing or likely to impair
ordering the work and of persons subsequently the safety of an electrical installation.
involved in additional or remedial work, or further
The aspects to be covered include all of the
inspections. The report may be required for one
following:
or more of a variety of reasons, each of which may
impose particular requirements or limitations on • Safety of persons against the effects
the inspection and testing. of electric shock and burns
The report is required to include details of the • Protection against damage to property by fire
extent of the installation and of any limitations of and heat arising from an installation defect
the inspection and testing, including the reasons
for any such limitations and the name of the person • Confirmation that the installation is not
with whom those limitations were agreed. It should damaged or deteriorated so as to impair safety
be noted that the greater the limitations applying, • Identification of non-compliances with the
the lesser is the scope of the inspection and testing current edition of BS 7671, or installation
carried out, and hence the value of the report is defects, which may give rise to danger.
correspondingly diminished. The report is also
required to include a record of the inspection and
the results of testing.

The report provides a formal declaration that,

within the agreed and stated limitations, the
details recorded, including the observations and
recommendations, and the completed schedules
of inspection and test results, give an accurate
assessment of the condition of the electrical
installation at the time it was inspected.

Electrical installations in poor condition

present risks of fire as well as electric shock

A typical periodic inspection notice

for an older installation

Page 4
The inspector If the inspector is competent and takes all the
necessary safety precautions including following
the correct procedures, the process of inspecting
All persons carrying out the inspection and testing
and testing should not create danger to persons, or
of electrical installations must be competent to
cause damage to property.
do so.
Past events indicate that persons undertaking
electrical installation condition reporting need
to have extensive knowledge and experience of
electrical installation matters to enable them to
safely and accurately assess the condition of an
existing electrical installation. This is especially
so when they do not have access to the design
or maintenance information relating to that
installation.

Guidance on safe isolation procedures is available

in another Best Practice Guide (No 2 in the series)
published by Electrical Safety First, which can be
A continuity test being carried out downloaded free of charge from
www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk and other
To be competent to undertake the periodic
contributing bodies.
inspection and testing of an existing electrical
installation, persons must as a minimum:

• Have sufficient knowledge and experience

of electrical installation matters to avoid
injury to themselves and others

• Be familiar with, and understand, the

requirements of the current edition
of BS 7671 including those relating to
inspection, testing and reporting

• Be skilled in the safe application of the

appropriate test instruments and procedures

• Have a sound knowledge of the particular type

of installation to be inspected and tested

• Have sufficient information about the

function and construction of the installation
to allow them to proceed in safety.

Page 5
Periodic inspection and Also, for reasons beyond the inspector’s control,
the inspector may be unable to gain access to parts
testing procedures of the existing installation. For example, it is usually
impracticable to inspect cables that have been
The procedures for periodic inspection and testing concealed within the fabric of the building.
differ in some respects from those for the initial
Such restrictions are likely to result in the inspection
verification of new installation work. This is because
and testing of those parts of the installation being
the subject of an electrical installation condition
limited, or being omitted entirely from the process.
report is usually an installation which has been
energised and in use for some time. Particular Where, during the course of inspection or testing,
attention therefore needs to be given during the an immediate danger is found to be present in an
inspection process to assessing the condition of the installation (from an accessible exposed live part,
installation in respect of: for example), immediate action will be necessary
to make it safe before continuing. However, the
• Safety discovery of the dangerous condition should still be
• Wear and tear recorded in the report and classified accordingly.

• Corrosion Inspectors should note that, even in domestic

premises, Section 3 of the Health and Safety at
• Damage and deterioration Work etc Act 1974 and the Electricity at Work
• Excessive loading Regulations 1989 effectively require them to
endeavour to make safe, before leaving site and
• Age with the agreement of the user or owner, any
• External influences dangerous conditions found in an installation. For
example, where there are accessible live parts due
• Suitability (taking account of any changes to blanks missing from a consumer unit, suitable
in use or building extensions etc).
temporary barriers should be provided to protect
• persons from direct contact with those live parts.

As persons using the installation are at risk, it

is not sufficient simply to draw attention to the
danger when submitting the electrical installation
condition report. At the very least, the inspector
must ensure that the client is made aware, at the
time of discovery, of the danger that exists. An
agreement should be made with the client as to
the appropriate action to be taken to remove the
source of danger (for example, by switching off and
isolating the affected part of the installation until
remedied), before continuing with the inspection or
Inadequate provision of socket-outlets testing. In some cases, this may prevent inspection
and testing work from continuing.

Page 6
An immediately dangerous situation - Line
conductor connected to the metallic enclosure
of a light fitting and thermal damage
sufficient to permit access to live parts

Some certification, registration and membership

bodies make available ‘dangerous condition
notification’ forms. These assist inspectors to
record, and then to communicate immediately
to the person responsible for the safety of the
installation, any dangerous condition discovered.

Page 7
Observations
The periodic inspection and testing procedures Only observations that can be supported by one or
should identify any damage, deterioration, defects more regulations in the edition of BS 7671 current
and conditions within the installation that give rise, at the time of the periodic inspection should be
or potentially give rise, to danger. The procedures recorded. The particular regulation number(s) need
should also identify any deficiencies for which not be entered in the report (unless specifically
remedial action would contribute to a significant required by the client), but should serve to remind
improvement in the safety of the electrical the inspector that it is only compliance with BS 7671
installation. that is to be considered. Observations based solely
on personal preference or ‘custom and practice’
After due consideration, each such observed safety
should not be included.
issue should be recorded at the appropriate point in
the inspection or test results schedule, and further
detailed in the ‘observations’ section of the report.

The observations should be based on the

requirements of the edition of BS 7671 current at
the time of the inspection, not on the requirements
of an earlier edition current at the time the
installation was constructed.

Each observation should be written in a clear,

accurate and concise manner that is likely to be
understood by the person ordering the work.
Technical terms should be avoided or explained
unless it is known that the recipient is an electrical Recessed luminaire above a bath (outside the zones)
engineer or electrician, for example.

An electrical installation condition report is

intended to be a factual report on the condition of
an installation, not a proposal for remedial work.
Therefore, each recorded observation should
describe a specific defect, omission or item for
which improvement is recommended.

The observation should detail what the situation is,

and not what is considered necessary to put it right.
For example, ‘excessive damage to the consumer
unit enclosure’ would be appropriate, whereas
‘consumer unit to be replaced’ would not.

Page 8
Classification Codes
Each observation relating to a concern about the
safety of the installation should be attributed an
appropriate Classification Code selected from the
standard codes C1, C2, C3 and FI. Each code has a
particular meaning:

Code C1 ‘Danger present’. Risk of injury.

Immediate remedial action
required. Live parts exposed to touch

Code C2 ‘Potentially dangerous’. Where a Classification Code C1 is considered

Urgent remedial action required appropriate, the client is to be advised immediately,
and also in writing, that immediate remedial
Code C3 ‘Improvement recommended’. action is required (or has been taken) to remove
the danger. As previously indicated, this action is
Code FI ‘Further investigation required’ necessary to satisfy the duties imposed on the
inspector and other duty holders by the Health and
Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and the Electricity at
Only one of the standard Classification Codes Work Regulations 1989.
should be attributed to each observation. If more
Wherever an item in the inspection or test results
than one Classification Code could be attributed to
schedule has been attributed a Classification Code
an observation, only the most serious one should
C1, C2, C3 or FI, there should be a corresponding
be used (Code C1 being the most serious).
observation in the ‘observations’ section of the
Where the inspection and testing procedures report.
identify an item which is dangerous or potentially
dangerous, it should be identified in the inspection
or test results schedule of the report by attributing
to it a Classification Code C1 or C2, as appropriate,
in the ‘outcome’ column of the inspection schedule
or, where provided, the ‘remarks’ column of the test
schedule.

Where the inspection and testing procedures

identify an item which is not dangerous or
potentially dangerous, but for which improvement
is recommended, it should be identified in the
inspection or test results schedule of the report
by attributing to it a Classification Code C3 in the
‘outcome’ column of the inspection schedule or,
where provided, the ‘remarks’ column of the test
schedule.

Where during inspection and testing an immediate

danger is observed that puts the safety of those
using the installation at risk, Classification Code C1
(danger present) must be given.

Page 9
In general terms, the FI (Further investigation required)
Classification Codes should Usually, it should be possible to attribute a
Classification Code to each observation without the
be used as follows: need for further investigation.

The purpose of periodic inspection, as previously

stated, is not to carry out a fault-finding exercise,
Code C1 (Danger present) but to assess and report on the condition of an
This code should be used to indicate that danger installation within the agreed extent and limitations
exists, requiring immediate remedial action. of the inspection. Therefore, where an observation
can be attributed a Classification Code, further
The persons using the installation are at immediate investigation would not be required for the
risk. The person ordering the report should be purposes of completing the condition report.
advised to take action without delay to remedy the
observed deficiency in the installation, or to take Further investigation should be called for in
other appropriate action (such as switching off and respect of any observation that could reasonably
isolating the affected parts of the installation) to be expected to reveal danger or potential danger.
remove the danger. The inspector should not wait Further investigation should not be called for simply
for the full report to be issued before giving this because it would be ‘nice to know’ – for example,
advice. why a socket-outlet is unearthed.

As previously indicated, some certification, If an observation cannot be attributed a

registration and membership bodies make available Classification Code due to reasonable doubt as
‘dangerous condition notification’ forms to enable to whether danger or potential danger exists, the
inspectors to record, and then to communicate outcome of the assessment must be reported to
immediately to the person ordering the report, any be unsatisfactory.
dangerous condition discovered. The person ordering the report should be advised
that the inspection and/or testing has revealed
a potential safety issue which could not, due to
Code C2 (Potentially dangerous) the agreed extent or limitations of the inspection,
be fully determined, and that the issue should be
This code should be used to indicate that, whilst
investigated as soon as possible.
an observed deficiency is not considered to be
dangerous at the time of the periodic inspection, Examples of observations that might possibly justify
it would become an immediate danger if a fault further investigation are given on page 17.
or other foreseeable event was to occur in the
installation or connected equipment.
Non-compliances with the
The person ordering the report should be advised
that, whilst the safety of those using the installation
requirements of the current
may not be at immediate risk, remedial action edition of BS 7671 that do
should be taken as a matter of urgency to remove not give rise to danger and
the source of potential danger.
do not require reporting
Since Amendment 1, BS 7671: 2008 has not

Code C3 (Improvement recommended) required non-compliances with the requirements

of the current edition of BS 7671 that do not give
This code should be used to indicate that, whilst an rise to danger or need improvement to be recorded
observed deficiency is not considered to be a source in condition reports. (Examples of such non-
of immediate or potential danger, improvement compliances are given on page 18.)
would contribute to a significant enhancement of
the safety of the electrical installation.

Page 10
Summary of the condition
of the installation
The summary should adequately describe the
general condition of the installation in terms of
electrical safety, taking into account the specific
observations made. It is essential to provide a clear
summary of the condition of the installation having
considered, for example:

• The adequacy of the earthing and

bonding arrangements Unsatisfactory connection to a downlighter

• The suitability of the consumer unit

and other control equipment If any observation in the report has been given a
• The type(s) of wiring system, and its condition Code C1 or Code C2 classification as categorised in
this Guide, or if any observations require further
• The serviceability of equipment, investigation to determine whether danger or
including accessories potential danger exists, the overall assessment of
• The presence of adequate the condition of the installation must be reported
identification and notices to be ‘unsatisfactory’.

• The extent of any wear and tear, If there are no observations in the report classified
damage or other deterioration as C1 , C2 or FI, it would not be reasonable to
report the overall condition of the installation as
• Changes in use of the premises that have led to, unsatisfactory.
or might lead to, deficiencies in the installation.
The recommended interval until the next
Minimal descriptions such as ‘poor’, and inspection should be made conditional upon all
superficial statements such as ‘recommend a observations that have been given a Classification
rewire’, are considered unacceptable as they do Code C1 (danger present) being remedied
not indicate the true condition of an installation. immediately and all observations that have been
It will often be necessary or appropriate to explain given a Code C2 (potentially dangerous) or that
the implications of an electrical installation require further investigation being remedied or
condition report in a covering letter, for the investigated respectively as a matter of urgency.
benefit of recipients who require additional
advice and guidance about their installation. Where the space provided for the description of the
general condition of the installation is insufficient
For example, where an installation has deteriorated for the purpose and it is necessary to continue
or been damaged to such an extent that its safe the description on an additional page(s), the page
serviceable life can reasonably be considered to be number(s) of the additional page(s) should be
at an end, a recommendation for renewal should recorded.
be made in a covering letter, giving adequate
supporting reasons. Reference to the covering letter
should be made in the report.

After due consideration, the overall condition of the

installation should be given as either ‘satisfactory’
or ‘unsatisfactory’ in the appropriate place on the
condition report.

Page 11
Examples of the use
of Classification Codes

Examples of the use of C1 – Danger present

Classification Codes • Exposed live parts that are accessible to touch,
such as where:

• a fuse carrier or circuit-breaker is

It is entirely a matter for the competent person missing from a consumer unit and a
conducting the inspection to decide on the blanking piece is not fitted in its place
Classification Code to be attributed to an
• terminations or connections have no
observation. The inspector’s own judgement
(or damaged) barriers or enclosures
as a competent person should not be unduly
influenced by the person ordering the work. The • live conductors have no (or
person(s) signing the report are fully responsible damaged) insulation
for its content and accuracy.
• an accessory is badly damaged.
The following examples are not exhaustive. All
• Conductive parts have become
references to RCD protection mean additional
live as the result of a fault
protection by an RCD having a rated operating
(tripping) current (IΔn) not greater than 30 mA • Incorrect polarity
and an operating time not exceeding 40 ms at a
residual current of 5 IΔn.

Socket-outlet with broken face plate

Page 12
 Examples of the use
of Classification Codes

C2 – Potentially dangerous • Absence of supplementary bonding where

required2, such as in a location containing a
• Absence of a reliable and effective means bath or shower, where any of the following
of earthing for the installation three conditions are not satisfied:

• A public utility water pipe being used as the • All final circuits of the location comply with
means of earthing for the installation the requirements of Regulation 411.3.2
for automatic disconnection, and
• A gas or oil pipe being used as the means
of earthing for the installation • All final circuits of the location have additional
protection by means of a 30 mA RCD, and
• Cross-sectional area of the earthing conductor
does not satisfy adiabatic requirements (that • All extraneous-conductive-parts of
is, does not comply with Regulation 543.1.1) the location are effectively connected
to the protective equipotential
• Absence of a circuit protective conductor
bonding (main earthing terminal).
for a lighting circuit supplying items
of Class I equipment, or connected to • The main RCD or voltage-operated earth
switches having metallic face plates1 leakage circuit-breaker on a TT system
fails to operate when tested with an
• Absence of a notice warning that lighting
instrument or integral test button
circuits have no circuit protective conductor

• Absence of a circuit protective conductor

for a circuit, other than a lighting
circuit, supplying Class I equipment

• Absence of earthing at a socket-outlet

• Absence of main protective
bonding of extraneous-conductive-
parts entering the premises

• Inadequate cross-sectional area of a main

protective bonding conductor where the Absence of reliable means of earthing
conductor is less than 6 mm2 or where due to inadequate connection
there is evidence of thermal damage
• Absence of RCD protection for portable or
mobile equipment that may reasonably
be expected to be used outdoors

• Absence of RCD protection for socket-outlets

in a location containing a bath or shower,
other than for SELV or shaver socket-outlets

• Socket-outlets other than SELV or shaver

socket-outlets located less than 3 m
horizontally from the boundary of zone 1 in
a location containing a bath or shower

• Absence of fault protection (protection

Unsatisfactory electrical connections against indirect contact) by RCD where
required, such as for a socket-outlet circuit in
an installation forming part of a TT system

1
See the Electrical Safety First Best Practice Guide No 1 – Replacing a consumer unit in domestic premises
2
Where the presence of supplementary bonding cannot be confirmed by inspection it may be verified by a continuity test (<0.05 Ω)

Page 13
Examples of the use
of Classification Codes

• Circuits with ineffective overcurrent • Insulation resistance of less than 1 MΩ

protection (due, for example, to oversized between live conductors connected together
fuse wire in rewireable fuses) and Earth, when measured at the consumer
unit with all final circuits connected
• A protective device installed in
a neutral conductor only • Insulation of live conductors deteriorated to
such an extent that the insulating material
• Separate protective devices in line and neutral readily breaks away from the conductors
conductors (for example, double-pole fusing)
• Sheath of an insulated and sheathed non-
• Earth fault loop impedance value greater armoured cable not taken inside the enclosure
than that required for operation of the
of an accessory, such as at a socket-outlet or
protective device within the time prescribed
lighting switch, where the unsheathed cores are
in the version of BS 7671/IEE/IET Wiring
accessible to touch and/or likely to come into
Regulations or manufacturers’ published
contact with metalwork.
data current at the time of installation
(Note: Code C3 would apply if the unsheathed
• A ring final circuit having a cores are not accessible to touch nor likely
discontinuous conductor to come into contact with metalwork)

• A ring final circuit cross-connected • Unenclosed electrical connections, such as

with another circuit at luminaires. (Such a defect can contribute
to a fire, particularly where extra-low
voltage filament lamps are used)

• Fire risk from incorrectly installed

electrical equipment, including incorrectly
selected or installed downlighters

• Fire risk from lamps exceeding the maximum

rated wattage for the luminaires, or placed
too close to combustible materials

• Evidence of excessive heat (such as charring)

from electrical equipment causing damage
to the installation or its surroundings
Crumbling vulcanised rubber insulation
• Unsatisfactory functional operation of
equipment where this might result in danger
• Unsatisfactory electrical connection, such as:
• a loose connection showing
signs of overheating,

• type, number and/or size of conductors

unsuitable for the means of connection,

• conductors incorrectly inserted

or located in terminals, or

• termination secured on insulation

• A ‘borrowed neutral’, for example where a
single final circuit neutral is shared by two final
circuits (such as an upstairs lighting circuit and a
separately-protected downstairs lighting circuit) Checking a fuse carrier (base missing)

Page 14
 Examples of the use
of Classification Codes

• Immersion heater does not comply with

BS EN 60335-2-73 (that is, it does not
C3 – Improvement
have a built-in cut-out that will operate recommended
if the stored water temperature reaches • Absence of RCD protection for a socket-outlet
98 OC if the thermostat fails), and the that is unlikely to supply portable or mobile
cold water storage tank is plastic equipment for use outdoors, does not serve a
location containing a bath or shower, and the
• Electrical equipment having an inadequate
degree of ingress protection (IP rating) for use of which is otherwise not considered by the
the external influences likely to occur in the inspector to result in potential danger.
location, if this results in potential danger (Note: Code C2 would apply if the circuit supplied
a socket-outlet in a location containing a bath or
• Absence of warning notices indicating the shower in accordance with Regulation 701.512.3)
presence of an alternative or secondary
source of electricity, such as a standby • Absence of RCD protection for cables
generator or microgenerator installed at a depth of less than 50 mm
from a surface of a wall or partition where
• Fixed equipment does not have a means of the cables do not incorporate an earthed
switching off for mechanical maintenance, metallic covering, are not enclosed in earthed
where such maintenance involves a risk of metalwork, or are not mechanically protected
burns, or injury from mechanical movement. against penetration by nails and the like.

• Absence of RCD protection for circuits of a

location containing a bath or shower where
satisfactory supplementary bonding is present

• Reliance on a voltage-operated earth-leakage

circuit-breaker for fault protection (protection
against indirect contact), subject to the device
being proved to operate correctly.
(Note: If the circuit-breaker relies on a
water pipe not permitted by Regulation
542.2.6 as the means of earthing, this
would attract a Code C2 classification.)

Older immersion heater without thermal cut-out

• Absence of a quarterly test notice for any RCD or

voltage-operated earth-leakage circuit-breaker

Page 15
Examples of the use
of Classification Codes

• Absence of circuit protective conductors • For inspections carried out after 1 January
in circuits having only Class II (or all- 2016 - Presence of a consumer unit or
insulated) luminaires and switches3 similar switchgear made from combustible
material (e.g. plastic) that is not inside a
non-combustible enclosure and which is:

• Located under wooden staircase, or

• within a sole route of escape from the
premises
(Note: If unsatisfactory connections are
found during inspection, this would warrant
a code C2 classification to be recorded)

• For inspections carried out after 1 July 2015

– Cables in escape routes not adequately
supported to prevent premature collapse in the
Cable sheath not taken inside metallic enclosure event of a fire
(Note: In locations other than in individual
• Absence of ‘Safety Electrical Connection dwellings, such as communal areas forming
— Do Not Remove’ notice part of an escape route, this would warrant
a code C2 classification to be recorded)
• Sheath of an insulated and sheathed non-
armoured cable not taken inside the enclosure
of an accessory, such as at a socket-outlet or
lighting switch.
(Note: Code C2 would apply if unsheathed
cores are accessible to touch and/or likely
to come into contact with metalwork)

• Bare protective conductor of an insulated and

sheathed cable not sleeved with insulation,
colour coded to indicate its function

• Electrical equipment having an inadequate

degree of ingress protection (IP rating) for the
external influences likely to occur in the location,
if this does not result in potential danger

• Socket-outlet mounted in such a

position as to result in potential
damage to socket, plug and/or flex

• Absence of a notice indicating that the

installation has wiring colours to two
versions of BS 7671 (if appropriate)

• Absence of circuit identification details

3
See the Electrical Safety First Best Practice Guide No 1 – Replacing a consumer unit in domestic premises

Page 16
 Examples of the use
of Classification Codes

FI – Further investigation Items worthy of note that do

required not warrant a classification
• Characteristics of electricity supply (such as code (These comments would
voltage or external earth fault loop impedance) not appear on the EICR)
do not conform to supply industry norms
• The absence of a fire detection and alarm system
• Presence of circuits that cannot be (smoke/heat/carbon monoxide detectors etc)
readily identified or traced.
• The absence of an emergency lighting system in
a location normally requiring such a system (for
example in a communal area of a block of flats)

• Combustible materials stored in close

proximity to the electrical intake equipment
(consumer unit / meter / service head)

• For inspections carried out after 1 January

2016 - Presence of a consumer unit or
similar switchgear made from combustible
material (e.g. plastic) that is not inside a non-
combustible enclosure and which is NOT:

• Located under wooden staircase, or

Main bonding connection not made • within a sole route of escape from the
before branch pipework premises
(Note: If unsatisfactory connections are
found during inspection, this would warrant
a code C2 classification to be recorded)

Consumer units having rewireable fuses

can continue to provide satisfactory service
(Cover removed for illustrative purposes)

Page 17
Examples of the use
of Classification Codes

Non-compliances with the • Inadequate number of socket-outlets.

(Note: A Code C3 or, where appropriate C2,
current edition of BS 7671 if extension leads run through doorways,
that do not give rise to danger walls or windows, or under carpets, or are
and do not require reporting otherwise being used in an unsafe manner)

• Absence of a reliable earth connection to a • Use of unsheathed flex for lighting pendants
recessed metallic back box of an insulated • Cable core colours complying with
accessory, such as where there is no ‘earthing a previous edition of BS 7671.
tail’ connecting the earthing terminal of
the accessory to the box, and the box does
not have a fixed lug that comes into contact
with an earthed eyelet on the accessory

• Inadequate cross-sectional area of a main

protective bonding conductor provided that
the conductor is at least 6 mm2 and that
there is no evidence of thermal damage

• Absence of supplementary bonding for

installed Class II equipment where required
(such as in a location containing a bath or
shower), in case the equipment is replaced
Absence of supplementary bonding
with Class I equipment in the future

• Main protective bonding to gas, water or other

installation pipe is inaccessible for inspection,
testing and maintenance, or connection not
made before any branch pipework. (Note: The
connection should preferably be within 600
mm of the meter outlet union or at the point of
entry to the building if the meter is external.)

• Protective conductor of a lighting circuit

not (or incorrectly) terminated at the final
circuit connection point to a Class II (or
insulated) item of equipment, such as at
a switch mounting box or luminaire

• Switch lines not identified as line conductors

at terminations (for example, a conductor
having blue insulation is not sleeved
brown in switches or lighting points)

• Circuit protective conductors or final circuit

conductors in a consumer unit not arranged
or marked so that they can be identified for
inspection, testing or alteration of the installation

• Installation not divided into an adequate number

of circuits to minimise inconvenience for safe
operation, fault clearance, inspection and testing

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 Examples of the use
of Classification Codes

Items that should not be listed

as non-compliances with
BS 7671 and do not require
reporting (Mythbusting)
• Absence of earthing and/or bonding to
metallic sinks and baths (unless they are
extraneous-conductive-parts in their own right)

• The use of rewireable fuses (where they

provide adequate circuit protection)

• The use of circuit-breakers to BS 3871

• Absence of barriers inside a consumer
unit (provided the cover is removable
only with the use of a key or tool)

• Absence of bonding connections to boiler

pipework (where the pipework is not an
extraneous-conductive-part in its own right)

• Shaver supply units installed in zone 2 of a

location containing a bath or shower and located
where direct spray from a shower is unlikely

• Absence of switches on socket-outlets

and fused connection units

• Any other observation not directly related to

electrical safety and hence to the suitability
of the installation for continued service.

Label warning against storing combustible

materials near to electrical equipment

Page 19
 Best Prac Best Prac (Issue 2) Best Prac (Issue 2) Best Pracce Guide 5 (Issue 2)

Replacing a Guidance on the Connecting a Electrical

consumer unit in management of microgeneration installations
domestic and electrical safety system to a and their
similar premises. and safe isolation domestic or impact on the
procedures for similar electrical fire performance
low voltage installation of domestic
installations (in parallel with the premises used as
mains supply) single family
houses

Best Prac (Issue 2) Best Prac Best Prac Best Prac

Consumer unit Test instruments Selection and Safe installation

replacement for electrical use of plug-in of retrofit
in domestic and installations: socket-outlet self-ballasted
similar premises Accuracy and test devices LED lamps
consistency

The latest versions of all the BestPracticeGuides are available to

download from www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk

45 Great Guildford Street, London SE1 0ES

Page 20