? Product 1: The IET's VitalSource Bookshelf Access
The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) delivers its digital content, including the Wiring Regulations, primarily through the VitalSource Bookshelf platform. This method is optimized for single users and smaller teams who need flexibility.
UK electrical inspection and testing PDF
Key Features and Benefits:
Offline Viewing: Users download the books to the VitalSource Bookshelf App on their devices, allowing for access on-site or in remote locations without an internet connection.
Search and Navigation: The platform offers powerful, hyperlinked search functionality across the entire text, making it significantly faster to locate specific regulation numbers or terms than using the physical book.
Digital Subscription Packages: The IET offers tiered subscriptions (e.g., Bronze, Silver, Gold). These packages typically bundle BS 7671 with other essential texts like the On-Site Guide and various IET Guidance Notes for a single annual or multi-year fee.
Automatic Updates: Content within the license automatically updates when new Corrigenda or Amendments are published, ensuring you are always compliant with the latest version.
Limitation: This is a licensed viewing platform, not a traditional PDF download. The content is watermarked and protected, limiting printing and preventing the saving or sharing of the raw file.
?️ Product 2: BSI Knowledge Subscription
The British Standards Institution (BSI) also sells access to BS 7671 through their own proprietary platform, BSI Knowledge. This is often the preferred route for large consultancies, corporations, and educational institutions.
Key Features and Benefits:
Comprehensive Standards Library: While the IET focuses on electrical books, BSI provides access to the full spectrum of UK and international standards. Companies that need access to related standards (e.g., Fire Safety, Quality Management, Construction) often prefer BSI for its breadth.
Multi-User & IP Access: BSI specializes in corporate licensing models that allow for multi-user access via company logins or IP recognition, simplifying management for large organizations.
Integration: BSI's platform is sometimes more readily integrated into internal quality management systems and document control procedures used by major firms.
The Crucial Purchase Checklist
Regardless of which digital platform you choose, follow these three steps to ensure a legal and compliant purchase:
Verify the Edition: Always check the product description to confirm you are buying the 18th Edition including the latest Amendment (currently Amendment 2).
Use Official Channels: Purchase directly from the IET Bookshop or the BSI Shop, or from an approved, national electrical wholesaler.
Accept the License Model: Understand that you are buying access rights to an online or app-based viewing platform, not an unsecured, transferable PDF file. This is the legal cost of instant, up-to-date, digital compliance.
