Gas, according to the Health & Safety Executive, has caused a great number of injuries and deaths in the past three years alone. A huge percentage of the gas fires that occur was caused by illegally installed, poorly fitted, and damaged appliances that use natural gas for power or heat. One way to prevent gas leaks, as well as other gas-related incidents like explosions or fire, is by making sure that you employ licensed professionals for any gas-related work you may encounter. They’re called gas fitters or gas safe registered engineers. This means making sure that the person, or company, that you hire to install, check, and repair your gas burners, ovens, boilers, and the like are accredited by the Gas Safe Register. This should be your top priority as it is you and your house’s health and safety that we’re talking about.
What is the Gas Safe Register?
The Gas Safe Register is the official gas registration body of gas engineers and gas companies in the United Kingdom, Isle of Man and Guernsey. They have the authority to inspect, facilitate, and implement such provisions that will ensure businesses and individuals in the field of gas work are all qualified, adequately trained, and equipped to work on gas.
Required by law to be on this register before being eligible to work on gas, engineers will have to go proper training and assessment to be deemed qualified in terms of gas safety, while businesses will only be recognized if they have at least one gas safety qualified engineer on their roster.
The Gas Safe Register also raises consumer awareness and conducts the implementation and investigation of policies, sanctions, and cases of illegal or unsafe work. If you have yet to find an engineer for the job, the Gas Safe Register website also has an engineer-finding feature, which helps you locate qualified gas safe registered engineers in your area.
The Gas Safe Register ID
Knowing that there is a governing body that oversees gas safety is one thing, but knowing which engineers are actually accredited is another. In order to determine if your engineer is gas safe, be sure to check their Gas Safety Register-issued ID card. It is also very important to remember that not all engineers are qualified to work on all kinds of gas-related services, so be sure to check their ID card for these details as well.
Gas Safety registered engineers are provided with an ID card which should contain the engineer’s photo, the validity dates of the ID, license number, the Gas Safety Register security hologram. On the backside of the ID card, there should be a list of services your engineer is qualified to perform.
Check out this video by the Gas Safe Register for more information on how you should check your engineer’s gas safety ID card:
Alternatively, you may also call the Gas Safety Register at 0800 408 5500 or visit the Gas Safe Register website to check the registration and qualifications of your employed engineer.
Keeping Safe
While making sure that your gas engineer or gas service provider is an accredited affiliate of the Gas Safety Register is important, this does not completely prevent gas-related incidents such as gas leaks, fires, and explosions. In order to help lessen the occurrences of such, here are some other tips you should follow:
Hire a Gas Safe Registered Engineer to conduct annual safety checks. This is a regular service that almost any gas safe engineer should be able to provide. By the end of the inspection, the engineer must provide you with a Gas Safety Certificate or a CP12.
During a gas safety check, an engineer should be able to ensure that: All gas appliances are operating with the same amount of pressure, gas is being burned properly, there are enough ventilation and airflow in the appliances, and that all gas devices are not damaged and working properly.
Additionally, if you think a gas safe registered company or engineer has unsafely installed any of your gas appliances, then you may nominate your appliance for a free inspection as conducted by representatives of Gas Safe Register. However, whenever you have any safety concerns, you may also raise a gas safety concern at any time.
Regularly check for any symptoms of a gas leak, especially if you have a gas boiler. Such symptoms include physical effects to humans, plants, and animals, damage to the gas line, a sulfuric or rotten egg smell, hissing sounds, and flames of orange or yellow hue.
Install gas detectors where gas is likely to accumulate. This will alert you of any gas leaks within your property.
Keep your gas appliances well-maintained. It is also best to ensure that they are properly turned off or unplugged when not in use.