HSE warns illegal gas fitters will be punished in court

Date:

9 November 2009

Release No:

HSE/EM/09

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is warning illegal gas fitters that their dangerous and potentially life threatening behaviour will not be tolerated.

In the Boston Magistrates court today, illegal gas fitter Monty Alexander Brittain, of Sleaford Road, Boston in Lincolnshire, was fined £900 and ordered to pay costs of £650 for providing unqualified gas fitting services while fraudulently posing as a CORGI registered professional.

The court heard that in May 2008, Mr Brittain illegally fitted a gas boiler using inappropriately sized pipe work that could have presented a significant danger to his customer. The customer had initially trusted Mr Brittain's claims and false registration number stating that he was a qualified CORGI registered professional. The offence was committed at a time when CORGI ran the gas safe registration scheme - now operated as the 'Gas Safe Register'.

Mr Brittain pleaded guilty on three charges of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 for carrying out work without being suitably qualified to do so; for fitting a gas boiler using inappropriately sized pipe work; and for falsely pretending to be CORGI registered.

HSE Inspector Jo Anderson said:

"Illegal gas work can lead to a gas leak, fire, explosion and exposure to carbon monoxide. The actions of Mr Brittain could have resulted in someone being seriously injured or even killed.

"Anyone employed or self employed working on gas appliances in domestic premises must be a Gas Safe Registered engineer and competent in that area of gas work."

HSE advises that you should arrange for regular maintenance and an annual safety check to be carried out on your gas appliances and installation by a Gas Safe Registered engineer.

Notes to editors

1. If you want to check that your gas fitter is Gas Safe registered log onto: www.gassaferegister.co.uk and follow the link to 'check an engineer'. If the engineer is registered you will be provided with a list of details including: A picture of the engineer, contact details of the Gas Safe registered business, and what gas work they are qualified to carry out.
2. If you suspect your gas fitter is working illegally log onto: www.gassaferegister.co.uk to report them immediately. Alternatively, call: 0800 408 5500 for further information.
3. Free advice on gas safety is available from the HSE Gas Safety Advice Line on 0800 300 363 (free phone service) and by visiting
4. The regulations of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 breached in this case are:
   • Regulation 3(3) states that no employer shall allow any of his employees to carry out any work in relation to a gas fitting or service pipe work and no self-employed person shall carry out any such work, unless the employer or self-employed person, as the case may be, is a member of a class of persons approved for the time being by the Health and Safety Executive to carry out such work.
   • Regulation 26 (1) states that no person shall install a gas appliance unless it can be used without constituting a danger to any person.
   • Regulation 3 (7) states that no person shall falsely pretend to be a member of a class of persons required to be approved.

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Issued on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive by COI News and PR East Midlands