Electrotechnical Assessment Specification

The Electrotechnical Assessment Specification (EAS) is intended for use by Certification and Registration Bodies that undertake the Assessment (‘certification’) of Enterprises carrying out Electrical installation work in England and Wales. The Electrotechnical Assessment Specification (EAS) includes:

Minimum requirements for an enterprise (e.g. an electrical contracting business) to be recognised by a certification body as competent to undertake electrical installation work (design, construction, installation and verification).
Minimum technical competence requirements for enterprises to be considered competent to carry out electrical installation work in dwellings in accordance with ‘Part P’ of the Building Regulations.
Competence requirements for registered Qualified Supervisors and Responsible Persons of the competent enterprises.

The EAS is prepared by a Management Committee that includes representatives from the Competent Person scheme providers, industry Trade Associations such as ECA, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Electrical Safety First and the IET (who provides administrative support to the Committee). It is published by the IET and is freely available to download at https://electrical.theiet.org/bs-7671/building-regulations/electrotechnical-assessment-specification/.

The 2020 version of the EAS replaces the previous 2015 version and the main amendments are:

Definitions have been updated and new definitions introduced for Employed Persons.
Clause 12.2 introduces a requirement for professional indemnity insurance where the scope of its Assessment Certificate includes Periodic Inspection and Testing (see note at end).
Section 16 has been expanded regarding the Records required to be held by an Assessed Enterprise.
Appendix 1 has been expanded to include new categories of Electrotechnical work, with regard to Periodic Inspection and Testing.
Appendix 4 has been updated and renamed.
Appendix 4A specifies requirements valid to 31st December 2020. Appendix 4B specifies requirements valid from 1 January 2021. Both sections now specify the requirements for persons undertaking Periodic Inspection and Testing.
Appendix 11 has been added to provide guidance for demonstrating the competence of Employed Persons.

Note: The Enterprise shall be required to hold at least £250,000 professional indemnity insurance where the scope of its Assessment Certificate includes work category A.2 as defined in Appendix 1 (Periodic Inspection and Testing).