Civil and industrial electric systems

The recent laws relating to equipment in buildings introduced by Law n. 46/1990 and its implementing regulation, today repealed by Decree No. 37 of January 22, 2008, represent a first step towards safety. Well did the legislature to empower users, installers, designers, project managers, work managers and testers of the system, assigning toeach of them a prominent role, in so far to have the situation under control the user must serve firms and qualified technicians.

The introduction of conformity declaration, that every installer must give to his client, certainly represents a second step towards safety, as it allows the user to have a guarantee about the quality of technical works performed by the firm. It remains, however, to do the third and decisive step towards safety, which is represented from requiring the respect of new rules, without any exception, and applying in case of violations, as recited declaimed penalties against violators.

The law n. 46/90, now DM 37/08, contains the rules for the safety of installations. This law marks a fundamental shift in the plant sector, as it defines the roles and requirements of installers and technicians authorized to design, manage and test various types of plants, filling a major gap in the legislation, given the risks run by the community , and adhering to the requests made ​​by the national Council of Engineers and experts from the industry during the long parliamentary process to the obligation to entrust the design, management and testing to engineers and industrial experts, specific expertise, in possession of legal requirements for profession's exercise . That's why  also E-engineering has committed  over the years into a serious and practical regulatory compliance with respect to different types of documents delivered to customers during the design and construction of plants.

ART. 5

PLANTS' DESIGN

1)      For installation, transformation and expansion of the facilities of which in Article 1, paragraph 2, letters  a), b), c), d), e), g), is prepared a project. Saved to observance of stringer regulations in design field, in the cases mentioned in paragraph 2, the project is written by a professional put on the register depending on the specific technical skills required while in other cases, the project, as specified in Article 7, paragraph 2, it is written, alternatively, by the technical manager of fitters.

2)   The installation's project, alteration and extension, it has written by a professional put on the register   according to the specific technical skills required in the following cases:
A) facilities of which in Article 1, paragraph 2, letter a), for all condominium utilities and for individual household of individual domestic of individual housing units  on a surface greater than 400 square meters.  
B) electrical installations made ​​with cold cathode fluorescent lamps, connected to electrical systems, for which is compulsory the project and in each case for system with total power of more than 1200 VA by feeder.                                                                                                                                                                                                                         C) facilities listed in Article 1, paragraph 2, letter a), relating to property used in activities' production, trade, tertiary sector and other uses, when the loads are powered by voltage exceeding 1000 V, including the part low voltage, or when the uses are feed in low voltage systems with more than 6 kW power used or whereas the area exceeds 200 square meters                                                                                      D) Electric systems relating to property units provided, even partly, of areas subject to specific regulation of CEI, in case of locals used for medical purposes or for which there is danger of explosion or major fire hazard, as well as for protection plants from lightning in buildings with a volume exceeding 200 cubic meters                                                                                                                                                                                  E) facilities listed in Article 1, paragraph 2, letter b), are related to electronic systems in general when they coexist with electrical systems requiring a design                                                                                                                 F) facilities listed in Article 1, paragraph 2, letter c), with collective flues branching, as well as air conditioning systems for all uses with a potential cooling capacity greater than or equal to 40,000 refrigeration units / hour                                                                                                                                                G) facilities listed in Article 1, paragraph 2, letter e) are related to the distribution and use of combustible gas with heat capacity exceeding 50 kw with collective flues or branched, or related medical gas systems for hospital use and similar, including storage                                                                                                                                  H)  facilities listed in Article 1, paragraph 2, letter g), if they are included in an activity subject to the fire prevention certificate and, however, when the hydrants are in number equal to or greater than 4 or appliances detection are in a number equal to or greater than 10

3) The system designs are developed according to art rule. Projects developed in compliance with applicable legislation and implications of the guides and rules of UNI, IEC and other standardization bodies belonging to the European Union or who are parts of the European Economic Area, they are prepared in according to the rule of art.

4) The projects contain at least the diagrams and planimetric drawings of the system as well as a technical report on the consistency and the type of installation, conversion or enlargement of the plant, with particular regard to the type and characteristics of materials and components, which are used and measures of prevention and safety precautions. In places most at risk of fire and explosion hazards in particular the attention is on the choice of materials and components to be used in compliance with specific technical standards in force.

5)  If the plant-based project has changed during construction, the project presented is integrated with the necessary technical documentation certifying the variants, to which, in addition to the project, the installer must refer to the declaration of conformity 

6) The project, referred to in paragraph 2, is filed in the single door  for the building of municipality in which the facility must be made ​​within the period prescribed in Article 11.

ART.6         REALIZATION AND INSTALLATION OF SYSTEMS

1.       Companies realize systems according to art rules, in accordance with current legislation and they are responsible for the correct execution of the same. The systems built in compliance with applicable laws and regulations of UNI, the IEC or others standardization bodies belonging to the European Union Member States or who are parties to the European Economic Area, shall be deemed made ​​in accordance with rule of art.

2.       With reference to activities' production, it is applied the general rules of safety referred to Article 1 of Decree of President of the Ministers' Council  31 March 1989 and its amendments.

3.       The electrical systems in residential real estate's units made ​​before 13 March 1990 are considered adequate if they are outfitted with cutting and protection devices against surges placed at the origin of the system, protection against direct contacts, protection against indirect contact or protection with circuit breaker having a rated residual current not exceeding 30 mA.

ART.7             DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY

1.       At the end of work, after performing checks provided by law, including those of system's functionality, the installing company shall deliver to purchaser the declaration of conformity of plants built in compliance with the standards referred to Article 6. By this declaration, made on basis of the model, on which in I Annex, are integral to the report containing the type of materials used, as well as the project referred to Article 5.

2.       In case that the project is prepared by the technical manager of the fitter's company, the technical elaborate is composed by the scheme, intended as a functional description and the actual work to be performed and eventually integrated with the necessary technical documentation showing the variations introduced during construction.

3.       In case of partial renovation of facilities, the project, the declaration of conformity ',and certificate of inspection where applicable, refer only to the installations covered by the works rebuilding, but keep count of security and functionality of entire system. In the declaration referred to
paragraph 1 and the project of which Article 5 is clearly mentioned the technical compatibility with pre-existing system's conditions.

4.       The declaration of conformity is issued also by the person in charge of technical departments internal of non installers firms referred to Article 3, paragraph 3, according to the model in Annex II to this president decree.

5.       The content of models in Annexes I and II can be amended or supplemented by ministerial decree for technical upgrade requirements.

6.       In the case that the declaration of conformity scheduled by this article, except as provided in Article 15, is not created or is no longer available, that Act is replaced - for systems installed before the entry into force of this decree - a statement of compliance, issued by a professional writing in the register
for specific required technical skills, who has worked, for at least five years, in power plant engineering to which refers the statement, in personal responsibility, following an inspection and investigation, for installations not falling within the scope of Article 5, paragraph 2, by a person who holds, at least 5 years, the role of technical manager of a company authorized by Article 3, which operates in plant sectors to which the declaration refers.

ART. 8        DUTIES OF PURCHASER OR OWNER

1.       The purchaser is obliged to entrust works of installation, conversion, extension and maintenance of facilities listed in Article 1, paragraph 2, to authorized firms under Article 3.

2.       The facility's owner shall adopt the measures necessary to preserve the security features provided by existing legislation, keeping count of instructions for use and maintenance of the system prepared by the installer firm and makers of the equipment installed. Still remains the responsibility of suppliers or distributors, for the parts of system and its technical components installed or operated by them.

3.       The buyer within 30 days from the connection of a new supply of gas, electricity, water, in each buildings with any intended use, delivery to the distributor or seller a copy of the declaration of system's conformity , made ​​in accordance with Annex I, excluding the required attachments, or a copy of the declaration of conformity provided in Article 7, paragraph 6. The same documentation is delivered in event of a request for an increase of power engaged as a result of interventions on system, or an increase in power that, without intervention on plant, determines the achievement of power levels involved on which in Article 5, paragraph 2 or otherwise, for electrical systems, the
power is of 6 kW.

4.       The requirements of paragraph 3 shall apply in all cases of request for re-supply and thermal variation of gas' flow.

5.       Reserve the measures by the competent authorities, after a period referred to in paragraph 3  without producing the declaration of compliance in Article 7, paragraph 1, the supplier or distributor of gas, electricity or water , upon reasonable notice, suspend the provision.

ART.9          CERTIFICATE OF SAFE IN HABITATIONS

1.       The certificate of safe in habitations is issued by the competent authorities prior acquisition of conformity's declaration on which in article 7, as well as of inspection's certificate of installed equipments, is required by law.

ART.10             UPKEEP OF SYSTEMS

1.       Routine maintenance of facilities referred to Article 1 neither shall not entail project's preparation nor the issuing of inspection's certificate, nor observance of duties in article 8, paragraph 1, except the provisions of paragraph 3.

2.       Installations of domestic appliances and temporary supply of electricity for construction sites and similar are excluded from requirements of project preparation and attestation of testing, subject to the requirement of a declaration of conformity.

3.       For maintenance of lifts and elevators in private service, we apply the Presidential Decree of 30 April 1999, no. 162 and other specific requirements.

ART. 11             DEPOSIT CLOSE TO THE SINGLE DOOR FOR DESIGN PROJECT, THE DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY OR TEST'S CERTIFICATE

1.       For renovation or installation of new plants referred to Article 1, paragraph 2, letters a), b), c), d), e), g) and h), relative to buildings for which it has already been issued a certificate of use, without prejudice to obligations of the acquisition of acts of assent, however denominated, the installing company shall deposit, within 30 days of completion of work, at the one stop shop for building, referred to Article 5 of the Decree of the Republic  June 6, 2001, n.380 of the town where the system is, the declaration of conformity and the plan prepared pursuant to Article 5, or the certificate of inspection of installed equipment, where required by law.

2.       For works of installation, conversion and expansion of facilities that are related to subordinate construction projects have permitted to build saying the start of works, in the Decree of the President of the Republic June 6, 2001, n. 380, the person who has permission to construct or the subject that has submitted the report of start activities, deposits the design of plants at the single door of building to municipality where the intervention must be made​​, within the same project's construction.

3.       The single door in article 5 of the Republic President Decree 6 June 2001, n. 380  forward a copy of the declaration of conformity to the Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Handicraft and Agriculture where the executive firm is, which provides for subsequent comparisons with  results of the commercial register or the provincial register of craft enterprises, in accordance with Article 14 of Law 24 November 1981, n. 689, and subsequent modifications, eventual verified violations
and the imposition of financial penalties in accordance with Articles 20, paragraph 1, and 42, paragraph 1, of Legislative Decree 31 March 1998, n. 112.

ART.12         CONTENT OF THE INFORMATION BOARD

1.       At the beginning of construction's works or renovation of the building containing the systems  referred to Article 1, the installing company shall put up a sign showing their identification informations, and if it is expected the preparation of the project by parties indicated Article 5, paragraph 2, the name of the plant of facility designer.

ART.13       DOCUMENTATION

1.       Recipients of requirements expected in this Decree shall retain administrative and technical documentation, as well as the instructions for use and maintenance and, in case of transfer of the property, in any way, they hand it to the person concerned. The transfer shows  the guarantee of seller in order to  compliance of plants to the current regulations for safety and shall annex, unless agreed otherwise expressed, the declaration of conformity or the statement of compliance referred in Article 7, paragraph 6. A copy of the same documentation is also given to the person or entity who, for whatever reason, use the property.

ART. 14  FINANCING THE ACTIVITY STANDARDIZATION

1.       In implementation of Article 8 of Law no. 46/1990, the technical standardization activity carried out by UNI and CEI is intended three percent of the fees payable annually by the National Institute for Insurance against Accidents at Work (INAIL) for the activity of search pursuant to Article 3,
Paragraph 3 of Decree-Law of 30 June 1982. 390, ratified with amendments by Law12 August 1982, n. 597.

2.       The sum which is referred to in paragraph 1, calculated on the amount of contribution paid by INAIL and it is recorded against a specific section of the estimates of expenditure of the Ministry of Economic Development for 2007 and at the expense of the projections of the relevant chapter for following year.

ART. 15    PENALITIES

1.        To the violations of obligations arising by Article 7 of this Decree shall apply to administrative sanctions from euro 100.00 to euro 1.000,00 with reference to the entity and complexity of the system, the degree of danger 'and the other objective circumstances and subjective of the violation.

2.        To violations of other obligations deriving from the President Decree shall apply administrative sanctions from euro 1.000,00 to € 10,000.00 with reference to the entity and complexity of
plant, the degree of dangerousness and other objective and subjective circumstances of the violation.

3.       The violations, however ascertained, also through testing, out of the installation firms are communicated to the Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Handicraft and Agriculture responsible for the area, which provides to the annotation of small businesses in the provincial or trade register in which the defaulting firm is registered with the appropriate word.

4.       The violation reiterated three times of  rules relating to the safety of installations by qualified firms also means 'in cases of particular gravity', the temporary suspension of registration of the same firms from the business register or from the register of the provincial small businesses, on suggestion of assessors' subjects and on judgment of the committees that oversee the keeping of records and registers.

5.       The third violation of the rules regarding the design and testing, assessors' subjects offer to professional orders, disciplinary measures by professionals registered in their respective registers.

6.       Imposition of penalties under this Article provide the chambers of commerce, industry, handicrafts and agriculture.

The terms relating to the activities governed by this Regulation entered into by companies not authorized within the meaning of Article 3 are void under Article 1418 of the Civil Code, except the right to claim damages. This decree, bearing the seal of the State, shall be included in the Official acts of the Italian Republic. Observe it and do it observe is a must. Rome, January 22, 2008.