Plumber given suspended jail sentence after endangering the lives of Norwich homeowners

Date:

9 September 2010

Release No:

HSE-E-27

A self-employed plumber has been prosecuted for carrying out illegal work on gas boilers which put the lives of Norwich residents at risk.

Frank Davey (81) of Breckland Road, New Costessey, pleaded guilty at Norwich Magistrates' Court today to breaching health and safety laws.

Magistrates imposed a three month jail sentence on Mr Davey, suspended for two years, and also banned him from working with electricity or gas for two years.

A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found that Mr Davey carried out gas work and fitted new gas boilers at three houses in The Columbine, Mountfield Avenue and Stylman Road, all in Norwich, between 1 April and 30 November 2009.

Mr Davey was not registered with the Gas Safe Register - a legal requirement for anyone carrying out such work. An inspection at each of the properties revealed his work was defective and dangerous. At one address a gas leak was discovered and had to be made safe.

Mr Davey admitted breaching Regulation 3(3) of the Gas Safety (Installation & Use) Regulations 1998 and Section 3(2) of the Health & Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. He was also ordered to pay £1,000 in costs.

After the sentencing, HSE Inspector Anthony Brookes, said:

"It is illegal for an unregistered person to carry out work on a gas appliance. When unqualified workers try to bypass the law in this way they are not only putting themselves at risk of prosecution and a large fine, they are also putting their customers' lives at risk.

"Working with gas appliances is difficult, specialised and potentially very dangerous. Only qualified and registered engineers should attempt it.

"HSE will not hesitate to prosecute those who break the law in this way."

Paul Johnston, Chief Executive of Gas Safe Register added:

"If you're employing an engineer to fit, fix or service gas appliances, you should always make sure that person is Gas Safe registered. If they say they are, don't just take their word for it. Check they are on the Gas Safe Register and check their ID card when they arrive at your door. You shouldn't take any risks, badly fitted and poorly serviced gas appliances can cause fires, explosions, gas leaks and carbon monoxide poisoning."

Anyone employed to work on gas appliances in domestic premises must be a Gas Safe Registered engineer and competent in that area of gas work. Home owners and landlords should ask to see the ID cards which all Gas Safe Registered engineers carry and which list the areas they are competent to work in. If any doubt you can ring the Gas Safe Register on 0800 408 5500 or check their website www.gassaferegister.co.uk to see if the engineer is registered.

Notes to editors

1. The Health and Safety Executive is Britain's national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to reduce work-related death, injury and ill health. It does so through research, information and advice; promoting training; new or revised regulations and codes of practice; and working with local authority partners by inspection, investigation and enforcement. www.hse.gov.uk
2. Regulation 3(3) of the Gas Safety (Installation & 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, is a member of a class of persons approved for the time being by the Health and Safety Executive."
3. Section 3(2) of the Health & Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 states: "It shall be the duty of every self-employed person to conduct his undertaking in such a way as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that he and other persons (not being his employees) who maybe affected thereby, are not thereby exposed to risks to their health and safety."
4. Badly fitted and poorly serviced gas appliances can cause fires, explosions, gas leaks and carbon monoxide poisoning - always use a Gas Safe registered engineer to fit, fix and service gas appliances.
5. Gas Safe Register is the government approved registration scheme for gas engineers in the UK, Isle of Man and Guernsey. The register of 126,000 gas engineers, aims to protect 21 million gas consumers from dangerous gas work. It is a legal requirement for any gas engineering business or self employed gas engineer carrying out domestic or commercial gas work to be registered under the Gas Safety (Installation & Use) Regulations 1998.
6. Gas Safe Register replaced the CORGI gas registration scheme in Great Britain and Isle of Man on 1 April 2009 and in Northern Ireland and Guernsey on 1 April 2010.
7. To find or check a Gas Safe Registered engineer in your area, go to www.GasSafeRegister.co.uk or call 0800 408 5500.
8. Please visit http://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/index.htm for more information about gas safety specifically.

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