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HSE/NW/021/07 24 April 2007

HSE issues gas fitter warning after Barrow heating company fined over faulty boiler installation

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) today warned Cumbrian businesses and residents to check that gas workers are appropriately accredited by CORGI before allowing them to carry out gas fitting or repair work.

The warning comes after a Barrow heating company was today fined £2,000 and ordered to pay £2,732.00 costs after pleading guilty at Barrow Magistrates Court to two criminal charges brought by HSE over the faulty installation of a boiler at a property in Barrow by an employee who was not registered with CORGI.

Andrew John Major was a director and employee of Lakeland Underfloor Heating Specialists Limited of Brow Avenue, Newbarns in Barrow and was involved in installing a Wolf combi boiler in the loft at Bank House Farm at Broadgate in Hallthwaites.

Following a dispute with the property owner about Mr Major’s CORGI registration, another registered firm discovered a leak where a pipe connected to the boiler and other installation faults.

The company pleaded guilty to two charges of two charges:

HSE Inspector Clint Backhouse said:

"Gas appliances that are faulty or poorly installed can lead to death from carbon monoxide poisoning and fire or explosion. That is why the law requires those working on them to be fully trained and registered with CORGI.

"Fortunately there were no injuries or fatalities in this case, but the potential for disaster was there. It was first discovered there was a problem with the boiler installation because the engineer brought in by the property owner detected a strong smell of gas when entering the loft at the outset.

"It was very fortunate that the leaked gas had not found a source of ignition by then. This occurrence has shown, fortunately without serious consequences, how important it is for anyone carrying out work on gas systems to possess the necessary expertise, something that the statutory registration scheme run by CORGI is there to ensure."

Notes to editors

  1. Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colourless, odourless, poisonous gas, produced by incomplete burning of carbon-based fuels, including fuel gas. Every year approximately 20 people die from CO poisoning caused by gas appliances and flues that have not been properly installed or maintained. Many others also suffer ill health. This risk could be dramatically reduced by increasing consumer understanding of the risks and taking sensible precautions. Information and advice on gas safety, including the relevant legal requirements, can be found on HSE’s website: http://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/index.htm
  2. 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 may be, a member of class of persons approved for the time being by the Health and Safety Executive."
  3. Regulation 5(3) states: "No person shall carry out any work in relation to a gas fitting or gas storage vessel otherwise than in accordance with appropriate standards and in such a way as to prevent danger to any person."
  4. The maximum penalty in the Magistrates’ Court for a breach of the above Regulations is a fine of up to £5,000 per offence. It is open to the magistrates to commit cases for trial, or sentencing in the Crown Court, where the maximum penalty is an unlimited fine.

For further information

Clive Naish, Regional Information Officer,
Tel: 0161 952 4517

Issued on behalf of HSE by Government News Network North West.