All Change as British Standards are Superseded20.01.2010

In March BSI will withdraw all British Standards that conflict with the Eurocodes. A full list of superseded British Standards (more than 50) to be withdrawn is available from BSI.

Designers and engineers are reminded that the Building Regulations in England, Scotland and Wales are expressed in functional terms and do not dictate the national design standard that should be used. Therefore withdrawn British Standards such as BS 5950 - structural use of steelwork in building - can continue to be used providing the designer can satisfy the checking authority that the approach satisfies the Building Regulations. Furthermore, the BSI committee responsible for BS 5950 have reviewed it and confirmed its use until at least 2014/15.

Scottish ministers are currently considering a proposal to amend the guidance given in the Technical Handbooks that support the Scottish Building Regulations. This proposed amendment will replace references to British Standards with references to the Eurocodes. A similar amendment to Approved Document A – Structure in England and Wales was postponed until 2013.

The Building Standards Advisory Committee (Scotland) is currently considering alternative guidance including the use of withdrawn British Standards following a public consultation on the proposed amendment which closed last October. In the meantime, designers and engineers wishing to use British Standards in Scotland may do so.