Below is an overview of the history of the various editions of the IEE wiring regulations from your Part P
and 17th Edition
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In 1882 the 'Wiring Rules' consisted of a 4 page document. The IEE Wiring Regulations, which is the equivalent, is now a 321-page document that defines the way in which all electrical installation work should be carried out.
Listed below is a chronological list of the history of electrical standards throughout the years from the first edition to the latest, the 17th.
1882 1st edition of the 'Wiring Rules' issued. Entitled ‘Rules and Regulations for the prevention of Fire Risks Arising from Electric Lighting’
1888 2nd edition
1897 3rd edition Entitled ‘General Rules recommended for Wiring for the Supply of Electrical Energy’
1903 4th Edition of the IEE Wiring Regulations, called ‘Wiring Rules’
1907 5th Edition of the IEE Wiring Regulations
1911 6th Edition of the IEE Wiring Regulations
1916 7th Edition of the IEE Wiring Regulations
1924 8th Edition of the IEE Wiring Regulations ‘Regulations for the Electrical Equipment of Buildings’
1927 9th Edition of the IEE Wiring Regulations
1934 10th Edition of the IEE Wiring Regulations
1939 11th Edition of the IEE Wiring Regulations, Revised issue (1943), reprinted with minor amendments (1945), Supplement issued (1946),Revised Section (1948)
1950 12th Edition of the IEE Wiring Regulations launched, Supplement issued (1954)
1955 13th Edition of the IEE Wiring Regulations launched, Reprinted, 1958, 1961, 1962 and 1964
1966 14th Edition of the IEE Wiring Regulations published Reprinted, 1968, 1969, 1970 (in metric units), 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1976
With the publication of the fifteenth edition it was decided that in future reprints of the same edition (amendments) would
be contained in one of five different coloured covers red, green, yellow, blue and brown, a new edition would be published when the brown covered reprint required updating.
1981 The 15th Edition of the IEE Wiring Regulations launched
1991 16th Edition of the IEE Wiring Regulations published (adopted as the BS in 1992) • Electricity at Work Regs. (Northern Ireland) come fully into being
2004 Part P of the Building Regulations becomes law • BS 7671:2001 Requirements for Electrical Installations (Incorporating
Amendments No 1: 2002 and No 2: 2004), The IEE Wiring Regulations (Sixteenth Edition)
2007 17th Edition of the IEE Wiring Regulations is scheduled to be issued on January 1st 2008 and comes into effect 6 months later.