10 gas safety tips that could save your life

[skinz]

10 gas safety tips that could save your life

10 Gas Safety Tips That Could Save Your Life from uSwitch

Letting an illegal gas worker into your home could kill you.

It's a dramatic statement, but letting someone who isn't qualified install or service a gas appliance can put you at serious risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide is incredibly dangerous; it can kill you quickly and with almost no warning, but you can't see, taste or smell it.

Gas Safe Register, the official body for gas safety in UK, reports that 12% of gas appliances it inspects are in a condition that could put your life and your property in immediate danger, while a shocking 74% are in a state that would put your life and your property in danger if they weren't put right quickly. Carbon monoxide poisoning is a very real threat, and letting someone who isn't qualified work on your gas appliances is a huge risk.

Here are ten gas safety tips to keep yourself and your family safe against carbon monoxide and to help you make sure you're using a Gas Safe registered engineer.

1. Always check that an engineer is Gas Safe registered.
It is against the law for anyone to do work on gas appliances in the United Kingdom, Isle of Man or Guernsey unless they are on the Gas Safe Register. Always check that an engineer is Gas Safe registered before you let them work in your home on the Gas Safe Register website or by calling 0800 408 5500.

2. Registered gas engineers will have a Gas Safe ID card.
The Gas Safe ID card looks like this:



There are different kinds of registration - for example, someone may be registered to work on your boiler or pipework, but they might not be qualified to install a gas fire. You can check what kind of work they are qualified to do on the back of their card.

3. It's illegal for someone who works for a Gas Safe-registered business to do private work.
Hiring someone who normally works for a reputable firm, but is doing some extra work 'on the side' isn't the good idea it might seem - it's actually illegal.

4. Report anyone who you suspect of working on gas illegally.
If you think someone is working on gas illegally, report them to the Gas Safe Register and they will investigate their work.

5. Nominate your gas work for an inspection.
If you've had gas work done in the last six months, you can nominate it for a free gas safety inspection from Gas Safe to make sure it's up to scratch.

6. If you move house, get your appliances tested.
If you move into a new home, don't assume the appliances are safe - get everything checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer.

7. Know the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Know the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning - it could save your life:


headaches
dizziness
nausea
breathlessness
collapse or loss of consciousness
symptoms which disappear or get better when you leave home and come back when you return
other people (and animals) experiencing the same symptoms at the same time
8. Know what to do if you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning.
Know what to do if you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning:


get fresh air immediately - open the doors and windows
turn off any gas appliances and turn the gas off at the meter
extinguish naked flames
leave the house
see your doctor immediately or go to hospital - let them know that you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning
call the Gas Emergency Helpline on 0800 111 999 if you think there's any danger
9. Check for warning signs that your appliances may not be working properly.
Check for warning signs that your appliances may not be working properly:


the flame on your gas cooker should be crisp and blue. Lazy yellow or orange flames mean you need to get your cooker checked
you may see soot or black marks or staining around or on gas appliances
your pilot lights may go out frequently
you may see increased condensation inside your windows
10. Get an audible carbon monoxide alarm.
Get an audible carbon monoxide alarm. You can't taste, smell or see carbon monoxide, so an alarm is a good way to protect yourself. Carbon monoxide alarms look like a smoke alarm and are easy to install and should cost under £20. Make sure the alarm you buy has a British or European approval mark on it, such as a Kitemark.

 

[ekwat]

Good info but point 1 is not correct.

 

[skinz]

Can you clarify who is able to carry out this type of work for it to be legal mate

 

[ekwat]

Can you clarify who is able to carry out this type of work for it to be legal mate

ANY competent person. If you are charging for the work i.e. a business, then you need to be registered.

 

[skinz]

So any competant person who does not charge you, is that right - or it does not matter - just has to be competant

 

[ekwat]

So any competant person who does not charge you, is that right - or it does not matter - just has to be competant

That's what the rules say. I looked a few weeks back to show someone who didn't believe. Can't find it at the moment though.

 

[skinz]

So the defining factor is that money must not change hands

 

[ekwat]

So the defining factor is that money must not change hands

Have a read of this and interpret it how you want.

DIY gas work?



"The regulations draw a distinction between doing gas work for nothing and doing it in return for payment (of any kind - not just money). If you are receiving payment you MUST be Gas Safe Registered, or the penalty can be a prison sentence. If you are NOT being rewarded in any way (e.g. DIY for yourself) then you need only be what the regulation describes as 'competent'. "

 

[skinz]

This seems like a real can of worms

 

[ekwat]

This seems like a real can of worms

It is, which is why there seems to be a blanket mantra that you need to be Gas Safe registered to work on gas. I'm bookmarking that page for the next time

Defining competent is the real problem.

 

[skinz]

oh yea that would be the next question - how do you define compatent.

As we all know standards vary all over the shop, even if you were gas safe registered you can still be incompetant

 

[mastichick]

Hi

Know of many instances where person carrying out work is not on register then get someone on the gas safe register to check and certify work. Same applies on electrics.

A lot of people are not members of any governing body be it gas or electrics but then get the worked checked and certified by someone who is.

Regards

 

[beezo]

i have just passed my ACS exams. These are exams every wanna be gas fitter has to take and get 100% of it right. without this, you cannot register with the govening (sp?) body 'Gassafe'

the law states that a 'competent' person can only work on gas. this is a real can of worms to define what competent means but basically you can work on gas in your own house a technically that would be legal, but should anything happen and you end up in court. you would have to prove you compentantcy.

you cannot work in another persons house.

HSE say that compentantcy is shown through passing the likes of an ACS course and registering with gas safe. hence why this is the reconised route to working on gas legally

before i passed my ACS course, i was very handy in the plumbing department and could pipe up and solder no problem but working with gas is totally different. its not just about not getting gas leaks but also theres alot abot how much ventillation is required for a certain appliance. is the appliance is installed correctly, burn pressures ok, gas rates in range flue acceptable but not enough ventillation has been provide, this will cause carbon monoxide to develop killing people without them even smelling or tasting anything

my rules to you guys are dont mess with gas!! do what ever u want with water. at the end of the day the worst that will happen with water is you will flood the place and cost yourself a bit of money. with gas, you will never know something is wong until its too late

 

[ekwat]

you cannot work in another persons house.

yes you can. If you are competent then you can do DIY work in any house so long as no money or gift exchanges are made. Things are a bit different if the property is a rental or lease.

HSE say that compentantcy is shown through passing the likes of an ACS course and registering with gas safe. hence why this is the reconised route to working on gas legally

Great, so why don't the rules say that to work on gas you have to pass a course such as ACS etc?

my rules to you guys are dont mess with gas!!

For the best part I'd agree with that since most people struggle to wire a plug.

 

[skinz]

Brilliant just what I like - A nice discussion - Again this is a real can of worms - I dont think we are going to get any agreement here especially if legal eagles can not decipher what it actually means - how will we mere mortals lol

 

[ekwat]

Brilliant just what I like - A nice discussion - Again this is a real can of worms - I dont think we are going to get any agreement here especially if legal eagles can not decipher what it actually means - how will we mere mortals lol

Not looking for winners or losers. I'm just trying to dispel the myth that if you touch anything related to gas you will :

1: Die as a result
2: If you don't die as a result you will be breaking the law and be back scuttled until you submit to the myth that you must be gas safe registered to work on gas.

beezo makes the best point to which I would agree. Don't mess with gas. ( unless like me you know what you're doing even though you've not been on courses and/or on the register )

Domestic gas work to me is simple because of two things. The industry I work in ( which gives me the ability to weld/solder/fit/turn/machine etc at industrial levels ) and the fact that my old man, an electrician who worked in the same industry, taught me how to deal with gas fitting.

How can he do this?
Well, he's one of the old school. Apprenticed in the early 60's as an electrician who became an electrical engineer who then had to take on the role of mechanical and electrical engineer in charge of, amongst other things, gas lit re-heat furnaces and ladle driers etc. He told me once that domestic stuff is easy. Dealing with a few tens of thousand BTU domestic appliances ( and all the related venting/airing and other legal requirements which are well documented ) is far less intense than working on stuff that uses hundreds of burners each with a rating around five million BTU's per burner.

He's not gas safe registered either but I'd trust him over ANY gas safe fitter. And he's do it neatly without having to rush because he doesn't have another job to go to.

 

[skinz]

Im sorry if you thought I was looking for winners and losers, Just wanted a bit a clarification.

Thanks again

I would say there are no winners if it is not done correctly

So dont touch if ya dont know like me