Gas – smoking out unaccredited gas fitters

Many people will have put on their heating for the first time this autumn and will be checking the safety of their gas boilers. HSE recommends regular boiler maintenance and an annual check by a Gas Safe registered engineer to ensure that all gas appliances are working efficiently. Landlords are legally required to carry out an annual check.

Unsafe gas work can lead to a gas leak, fire, explosion and exposure to carbon monoxide, which could result in serious injury or death. In a recent case two pensioners, Margaret Powell and Thomas Morgan, were killed by carbon monoxide poisoning days after a non registered gas engineer serviced the heater in their home. The gas fitter was jailed for three years for manslaughter.

HSE has recently launched it's Gas Safe Register campaign to highlight the need to use a Gas Safe Registered engineer to carry out all checks and maintenance. A recent study by the Gas Safe Register has estimated that around 7500 illegal gas fitters are doing jobs without the requisite skills and qualifications.

Anyone employed to work on gas appliances in domestic premises must be Gas Safe Registered and competent in that area of gas work. To find a Gas Safe Registered engineer in your area you should use the Gas Safe website http://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/ or call 0800 408 5500. You can also check the back of an engineers ID card to see if they are qualified to do the specified type of gas work.

HSE pages on gas safety http://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/index.htm and their gas safety http://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/gas-cowboys.htm