Definitions

Competent Person | Part L | Part P | Gas Safe | OFTEC

Competent person (Building Regulations)

Competent persons schemes were introduced by the Government to allow individuals and enterprises to self-certify that their work complies with the Building Regulations as an alternative to submitting a building notice or using an approved inspector. It enables companies to register with a recognised organisation and speed up the process as well as monitor domestic work.

From the 6th April 2006 the Government extended self-certification to cover plumbing and ventilation work. The hope is that moving towards self-certification will make more people comply with Building Regulations and promote training and competence within the industry.

The following all run their own Competent Persons Scheme:

• Gas Safe Register
• OFTEC
• APHC
• ETAS
• BRE Certification Limited (Part P)
• British Standards Institution (Part P)
• ELECSA (Part P)
• NAPIT (Part P)

Part L

Part L of the Building Regulations has been set up with the conservation of energy in our homes, offices and other buildings in mind. Amongst the changes will be energy performance ratings aimed at reducing household power usage by 25%

Part L also requires a Building Log Book to be kept. The Log Book should should monitor heating equipment with a view to maintaining its efficiency.

Part P

Building regulations are made under powers provided in the Building Act 1984, and apply in England and Wales. The current edition of the regulations is ‘The Building Regulations 2000’ (as amended) and the majority of building projects are required to comply with them. They exist to ensure the health and safety of people in and around all types of buildings. They also provide for energy conservation and for access and facilities for disabled people.

You are responsible for making sure that the work complies with the regulations if you are carrying out building work personally. 

If you are employing a builder, the responsibility will usually be theirs - but you should confirm this at the very beginning. You should also bear in mind that if you are the owner of the building, it is ultimately you who may be served with an enforcement notice if the work does not comply with the regulations.

Remember - complying with Building Regulations is a separate matter from getting planning permission for your work.

The Building Regulations contain various sections dealing with definitions, procedures, and what is expected in terms of the technical performance of building work. For example, they:

• Define what types of building, plumbing, and heating projects amount to ‘Building Work’ and make these subject to control under the Building Regulations
• Specify what types of buildings are exempt from control under the Building Regulations
• Set out the notification procedures to follow when starting, carrying out, and completing building work
• set out the ‘requirements’ with which the individual aspects of building design and construction must comply in the interests of the health and safety of building users, of energy conservation, and of access to and use of buildings

Part P does not apply in the case of all buildings. It applies to all fixed electrical installations after the suppliers’ meter in buildings or parts of buildings comprising:

• Dwellings
• Dwellings and business premises such as shops and public houses that have a common supply
• Common access areas in blocks of flats such as corridors and staircases but not lifts shared amenities in blocks of flats, such as laundries and gymnasiums.

While Approved Documentation ‘P’ applies to all electrical installation work in dwellings, it is not necessary to notify building control bodies in the following circumstances:

• The electrical installation work is to be undertaken by a ‘Competent Person’ and self certificated*
• When electrical installation work is 'Minor Work' and is not contained within the kitchen or special location and does not involve a special installation
• Competent persons registered enterprises (Competent Persons Scheme)

* Clarify this with your local Building Control before commencing work. Although Part P was designed to enforce standards and increase safety, many council offices simply do not understand the implications of the document and merely insist you are part of a competent persons scheme. This is not true but you do need to notify before you begin work on an installation. Please refer to the Part P document if you are unsure as to the implications.

Gas Safe

For more detailed information, please visit Gas Safe here http://www.gassaferegister.co.uk

Gas Safe Register replaced the original CORGI Registered Installer status as the gas registration body in Great Britain and Isle of Man on 1 April 2009 and Northern Ireland and Guernsey on 1 April 2010. 

Gas Safe Register is the official gas registration body for the United Kingdom, Isle of Man and Guernsey, appointed by the relevant Health and Safety Authority for each area. By law, all gas engineers must be on the Gas Safe Register and you are within your rights to ask to see proof of registration or refuse work.

What does Gas Safe Register do?

The main focus of the Register is on improving and maintaining gas safety to the highest standards. They have the responsibility to ensure that the gas engineers listed on the Register are fully qualified to work with gas.

They work to protect the public from unsafe gas work through;

• a dedicated national investigations team tracking down individuals working illegally
• regular inspections of Gas Safe registered engineers
• educating consumers and raising awareness of gas safety
• investigating reports of unsafe gas work

Gas Safe Register is here to help keep you and your family safe.

Who runs Gas Safe Register?

Gas Safe Register is run by Capita Gas Registration and Ancillary Services Limited, a division of Capita Group Plc.

OFTEC

OFTEC or the Oil Firing Technical Association to give them their full name are resonsible for the oil heating and cooking industry in the UK. They support both the consumer and the technicians providing advice on a variety of different related subjects.

They offer registration to a competent persons scheme for qualified installers to speed up the notification process under the Building Regulations. Registration is dependent on holding the current certificate of assessed competence issued by a UKAS Accredited Certification Body for OFTEC Assessments.

 

 

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