The Regulations are intended to provide safety to people or to livestock from fire, shock and burns in any installation which complies with their requirements. They are not intended to take the place of a detailed specification, but may form part of a contract for an electrical installation. The Regulations themselves contain the legal requirements for electrical installations, whilst the Guidance Notes indicate good practice.

In premises licensed for public performances, such as theatres, cinemas, discos and so on, the requirements of the licensing authority will apply in addition to the Regulations. In mine and quarry installations the requirements of the Health and Safety Commission must he followed and are mandatory.

In Scotland, the lEE Regulations are cited in the Building Regulations, so they must be followed. Whilst failure to comply with the Regulations has not generally been a criminal offence, those who complete such installations may he liable to prosecution in the event of an accident caused by the faulty wiring system.

The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 became law on 1.1.92 in Northern Ireland and on 1.1.90 in the rest of the UK. Their original form made it clear that compliance with lEE Regulations was necessary, although it did not actually say so. The only buildings in which it may be argued that people are not at work are homes, so only domestic installations are not required to follow the requirements of the lEE Regulations, although even in these situations a prosecution may follow an accident. It may be helpful to mention 'The Guide to Electrical Safety at Work' by John Whitfield, also published by EPA Press, which provides useful explanations of these Regulations.

The IEE Wiring Regulations became BS 7671 on 2nd October 1992 so that the legal enforcement of their requirements is easier, both in connection with the Electricity at Work Regulations and from an international point of view. The Construction (Design & Management) Regulations (CDM) were made under the Health & Safety at Work Act and implemented on 1.1.96. They require that installation owners and their designers consider health and safety requirements during the design and construction and throughout the life of an installation, including maintenance, repair and demolition.  The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (1998), also made under the Health and Safety at Work Act, impose health and safety requirements on the use of machines, equipments, tools and installations which are used at work.