COMPETENT PERSONS WORKING WITH GAS

"FIND A GAS FITTER"

People who do not work directly on gas installations or appliances, but who work in areas where there are implications for gas safety - such as architects, builders and local authorities working with flues and venting - have a general duty of care under civil law. They should refer to the appropriate regulations covering their work.

The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 place specific duties on gas users, installers, suppliers and landlords. For example:

Anyone carrying out work on gas appliances or fittings as part of their business must be competent and registered with CORGI.
Only a competent person can carry out work on gas appliances or fittings. Do-it-yourself work on gas appliances or fittings could be dangerous and is likely to be illegal.
Do not use any gas appliance or fittings you know or suspect to be unsafe. Through CORGI, the Health & Safety Executive has asked all registered installers to disconnect any gas appliance or fittings that are so dangerous as to be a threat to life if they are used.
Landlords are responsible for making sure that gas fittings and flues are maintained in good order, and gas appliances that they own in their residential premises, and flues, are checked for safety every 12 months. They must also keep a record of the safety checks for at least two years and issue it to existing tenants and any new tenants before they move in.
Tenants are responsible for the maintenance and safety of appliances they own.
The regulations place a number of restrictions on gas appliances installed in bathrooms, shower rooms and bedrooms which are detailed and prescriptive.

It is illegal to install instantaneous water heaters, which are not room sealed or fitted with a safety device that automatically turns the gas supply off before a dangerous level of poisonous fumes builds up.

For further information please call the Health and Safety Executive Gas Safety advice line on 0800 300 363 (or 0800 032 0121 in Northern Ireland).

When gas is used correctly and with respect it is a safe and economical fuel. However - as with any area of expertise - people working with gas need to have the appropriate training and experience. CORGI Registered Installers have to undergo at least the minimum requirement of training before they are accepted on to the CORGI register. Most have significantly more training. The training and assessments that registered gas installers have are not only about the technical know-how of specific appliances but also about safety. All assessments have to be renewed every five years in order to keep installers up to date with ever-changing standards and regulations and to keep their knowledge fresh.

It is not only illegal for people to work with gas unless they are CORGI Registered, it is also highly dangerous. Statistics demonstrate that a significant proportion of gas work carried out by people who are not registered with CORGI is incorrect and therefore potentially unsafe.

If you are unsure whether your installer has the appropriate registration to handle your work, ask to see their ID card and check the details on the reverse.

In order to protect the general public, CORGI Registered Installers are:

• Given an identification card which should be shown upon request
  
• Required to obtain competency certificates in areas of gas work they carry out
  
• Required to update their proof of competence regularly
  
• Subject to regular work inspections carried out by CORGI Inspectors

Don't DIY

Gas is safe in the hands of an expert but in unqualified hands the results can be disastrous. A significant amount of gas work carried out by non-registered installers has been found to have serious safety defects. That's why, by law, all installation businesses carrying out gas work for you must be registered with CORGI.

DIY can be great fun and a great way to save money. But never DIY with gas. You could be breaking the law, you could be endangering lives and you could have enforcement action taken out against you.

It's not worth it.

Remember: no- one checks their gas work to make sure it meets the required safety standards.

Be safe. Ensure your gas appliances are checked for safety annually, and only employ a CORGI Registered Installer. Don't try to save on safety. You may end up paying far more.

CORGI Registered Installers will also make sure that your appliances meet all gas safety and building regulations and that you have the necessary documentation you may need to sell your house in the future. If you are having a gas appliance installed or exchanged in your home, click here for further information on changes to the regulations.

CO - The Silent Killer

Invisible, odourless and tasteless - carbon monoxide (CO) lives up to its name as the silent killer. Exposure to relatively low levels of this highly poisonous gas can cause brain damage or death.

CO can be produced when a gas appliance has not been correctly installed or maintained, or a flue or chimney has become blocked. Symptoms of CO poisoning are similar to those of viral infections and include drowsiness, weakness, headaches, nausea and pains in the chest.

If anyone in your house has any of these symptoms when using a gas appliance, stop using the appliance until it has been checked by a CORGI Registered Installer. Consult a doctor and mention the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning.