HSE/GNN623/W/07 8 November 2007

Consumers urged to check gas fitters’ registration after North Wales prosecution

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is warning consumers to check gas fitters are CORGI registered before allowing them to work on domestic gas appliances. The warning comes after a gas fitter from Wrexham was prosecuted by HSE for carrying out work at a house without being CORGI registered.

Nigel Paul Chadwick, of Benjamin Road, Wrexham was fined a total of £1,000 and ordered to pay £1,000 costs after pleading guilty to a breaches of of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998.

Chadwick repaired a leak on a gas cooker at a house in Wrexham, but failed to identify another leak in the system, greatly increasing the risk of fire or explosion. Fortunately the householder noticed there was still a problem and  reported it to Transco who made it safe.

HSE inspector Barbara Francis said: “We will prosecute people who work on gas appliances without the proper accreditation.  In this case, the risk was fire or explosion but improperly maintained appliances can also give rise to carbon monoxide (CO) which is potentially lethal. You cannot see, smell or taste CO fumes, leaving anyone exposed feeling unwell. In the worst situations, CO can kill without warning in just hours.

“The law requires that only trained, competent people work on gas appliances, and the only accreditation currently recognised by HSE is membership of CORGI. If you are having gas work done, always check the fitter’s CORGI identity card before you let them start work.”

Notes to editors

• Regulation 3(1) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 states: “No person shall carry out any work in relation to a gas fitting or gas storage vessel unless he is competent to do so.”
• Regulation 3(3) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 states: “No employer shall allow any of his employees to carry out any work in relation to a gas fitting or service pipework and no self employed person shall carry out any such work unless the employer or self-employed person as the case maybe is a member of a class of persons approved for the time being by the Health and Safety Executive”.
• More information on domestic gas safety can be found at http://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/index.htm
• HSE advice for consumers is:
  • have all gas appliances checked annually
  • check the CORGI registration of anyone carrying out gas work, including the reverse of their identity card which shows the gas appliances they are competent to work on
  • call CORGI on 0800 915 0485 if you are unsure about a fitter’s accreditation

Public enquiries:

HSE InfoLine, Tel: 0845 345 0055, visit: http://www.hse.gov.uk/contact
or write to: HSE InfoLine, Caerphilly Business Park, Caerphilly CF83 3GG.

Media enquiries only:

0844 800 6823.

Issued on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive by Government News Network Wales.