K Use of guidancea British Standard, or an alternative national THE APPROVED DOCUMENTStechnical specification of any state which is a The Building Regulations 2000 ( SI 2000/2531 ), contracting party to the European Economic Area which came into operation on 1 January 2001, which, in use, is equivalent, or a product covered replace the Building Regulations 1991 ( SI 1991/2768 )by a national or European certificate issued by a and consolidate all subsequent revisions to those European Technical Approval issuing body, and regulations. This document is one of a series that the conditions of use are in accordance withhas been approved and issued by the Secretary the terms of the certificate. You will find further of State for the purpose of providing practical guidance in the Approved Document supporting guidance with respect to the requirements of Regulation 7 on materials and workmanship. Schedule 1 to and Regulation 7 of the Building Regulations 2000 for England and Wales. Independent certification schemes At the back of this document is a list of all There are many UK product certification schemes.the documents that have been approved and Such schemes certify compliance with the issued by the Secretary of State for this purpose. requirements of a recognised document which is appropriate to the purpose for which the material Approved Documents are intended to provide ONLINEVERSIONis to be used. Materials which are not so certified guidance for some of the more common building may still conform to a relevant standard. situations. However, there may well be alternative ways of achieving compliance with the requirements. Many certification bodies which approve such Thus there is no obligation to adopt any schemes are accredited by UKAS. particular solution contained in an Approved Technical specifications Document if you prefer to meet the relevant requirement in some other way. Building Regulations are made for specific purposes: health and safety, energy conservation Other requirements and the welfare and convenience of disabled The guidance contained in an Approved Document people. Standards and technical approvals are relates only to the particular requirements of the relevant guidance to the extent that they relateRegulations which the document addresses. The to these considerations. However, they may also building work will also have to comply with the address other aspects of performance such as requirements of any other relevant paragraphs in serviceability, or aspects which although they Schedule 1 to the Regulations. relate to health and safety are not covered bythe Regulations. There are Approved Documents which give guidance on each of the parts of Schedule 1 When an Approved Document makes reference and on Regulation 7. to a named standard, the relevant version ofthe standard is the one listed at the end of the publication. However, if this version has been LIMITATION ON REQUIREMENTS ONLINEVERSIONrevised or updated by the issuing standards In accordance with Regulation 8, the requirements body, the new version may be used as a source in Parts A to K and N of Schedule 1 to the of guidance provided it continues to addressBuilding Regulations do not require anything the relevant requirements of the Regulations. to be done except for the purpose of securing The appropriate use of a product which complies reasonable standards of health and safety for with a European Technical Approval as defined in persons in or about buildings (and any others the Construction Products Directive will meet the who may be affected by buildings or matters relevant requirements. connected with buildings). The Department intends to issue periodic amendments to its Approved Documents to MATERIALS AND WORKMANSHIP reflect emerging harmonised European Standards. Any building work which is subject to the Where a national standard is to be replaced by a requirements imposed by Schedule 1 to the harmonised European Standard, there will be a Building Regulations should, in accordance with co-existence period during which either standard Regulation 7, be carried out with proper materials may be referred to. At the end of the co-existenceand in a workmanlike manner. period the national standard will be withdrawn. You may show that you have complied with Regulation 7 in a number of ways. These include the appropriate use of a product bearing CE marking in accordance with the Construction ONLINEVERSION1Products Directive (89/106/EEC) as amended2by the CE Marking Directive ( 93/68/EEC ) , or a 1 As implemented by the Construction Products Regulations 1991(SI 1991/1620).product complying with an appropriate technical 2specification (as defined in those Directives), As implemented by the Construction Products (Amendment) Regulations 1994 (SI 1994/3051).Protection from falling, collision and impact Approved Document K2