Statutory and non-statutory framework

Understand the difference between law and guidance in inspection and testing.

Core ideas
• Statutory duties sit under health and safety legislation and electricity-at-work duties.
• BS 7671, the On-Site Guide and Guidance Note 3 are not Acts of Parliament, but they are the recognised benchmark for competent work.
• In practice, inspectors justify decisions by showing they followed a safe system of work and used recognised industry standards.

What to remember
• “Statutory” = enforceable law.
• “Non-statutory” = recognised technical standard or guidance.
• A poor decision can still have legal consequences if someone is injured or property is damaged.