I've been asked to carry out a small amount of work for a builder at a filling station shop.

The works are confined to the shop area only

As an NICEIC approved contractor I am unsure weather we can carry out the work as we don't have approval for hazardous areas.

Tried ringing the Nic but gave up after 10 mins

I think you'll find the NICEIC consider only the forecourt to be a hazardous area.
BS7671 applies to the shop.

Electrical Inspections carried out at petrol Filling Stations follow the requirements for the electrical installation and reporting methods as set out in the IP/APEX -2nd Edition (The Blue Book). The current IEE 7671 RED Book sometimes overlaps in inspections where a petrol installation is attached to a shop or supermarket. The reporting methods for Petrol Filling stations are totally different for example the condition codes for filling stations are:

'A' SATISFACTORY as far as could be ascertained

'B' SUITABLE FOR CONTINUED USE subject to the defect(s) being remedied before the date(s) shown on the accompanying Inspection and Test Report

C' UNSATISFACTORY Defects observed are of a dangerous nature and require immediate attention.

You can get a sample petrol installation PIR form from NICEIC web site.

The Petrol Filling Station Certificate relates to the electrical installation and other electrical equipment in and around the hazardous areas that are subject to licensing requirements. It makes provision, amongst other things, for recording details and test results of circuits supplying equipment in and adjacent to the hazardous areas, which will be of interest to the Petroleum Enforcing Authority. It does not cover other circuits, associated switchgear and other equipment that do not encroach into the hazardous areas. These must be the subject of separate verification and certification, in accordance with the requirements of BS 7671.

Regards
Jcm.

It is actually a legal requirement for the proprietor/owner to hold plans of the site outlining the areas of hazard and should be made available to persons of authority or contractors.

Some years ago I spent a number of weeks with a surveyor visiting 17 hazardous sites which included 11 petrol stations assisting him in drawing up plans of the sites, I cant think of any where the shop and associated buildings were deemed to be within any on the prescribed harzardous zones.

The plans of hazardous locations are held by the local authority and the fire officer who refers to them during the yearly fire inspection. The main reason why plans are held is as these locations are deemed extremely harzardous and it is possible a very serious incident could occur, so there will need to be in place an advance strategy to protect the public and the firefighters, it could also require the evacuation of a large area very quickly.

regards

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"Take nothing but a picture,
leave nothing but footprints!"
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"Oh! The drama of it all."
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"You can throw all the philosophy you like at the problem, but at the end of the day it's just basic electrical theory!"
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Many thanks once again for your help guys

I surveyed the job yesterday and it looks like the works are most certainly BS7671 only.

Thanks again

Bruno