South Wales man jailed again for unauthorised gas work

Date:

21 April 2010

Release No:

779/W/10

A self-employed man from Aberdare has been jailed for a second time for carrying out gas work after ignoring a prohibition notice issued by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

Kenneth Parry, 55, of Alma Street, Trecynon, also admitted carrying out gas work without with having his competence assessed by an accredited organisation.

Brecon Magistrates Court heard Mr Parry illegally removed a central heating boiler and installed a new combination boiler at a property in Pontwillym, Brecon in November 2008. The householder contacted Powys Trading Standards who alerted HSE.

The subsequent investigation resulted in the boiler being classified as "at risk". Mr Parry had not set the boiler to the correct pressure or fitted it to correctly-sized pipework.

Now HSE is warning householders to ensure that gas fitters are Gas Safe registered for the appliance they are working on.

Mr Parry pleaded guilty to one charge under Section 22 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, and a further charge under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. He was jailed for six months.

Mr Parry was jailed for four months in July 2007 for a similar breach of a prohibition notice and for carrying out gas work without proper accreditation.

HSE Inspector Hugh Emment said: "Ken Parry has never had his competence assessed and has never been a member of an accredited and approved organisation.

"This was little more than an amateur doing work that by law must be done by a professional. In this case, it was fortunate that the householder recognised the shoddy standard of work and contacted Trading Standards.

"HSE cannot stress enough the need for gas fitters to be Gas Safe registered and working only on appliances on which they been trained to deal with.

"Mr Parry has repeatedly ignored the legal requirement for gas work to be carried out by competent personnel, and his imprisonment should serve as a warning to others who may be undertaking unauthorised gas work - they are putting their customers' lives - and their own liberty - at risk."

The accreditation of a gas fitter can be check at the Gas Safe website http://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/ or by calling 0800 408 0606.

Notes to editors

1. Regulation 3(1) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulation 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."
2. Section 33 (1) g of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 states: "It is an offence for a person....to contravene any requirement or prohibition imposed by an improvement notice or a prohibition notice (including any such notice as modified on appeal)"
3. Information for home owners in relation to gas safety can be found on HSE's website at http://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/domestic/faqownerocc.htm
4. The press release in relation to Parry's previous conviction can be found at http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2007/gnnwal39807.htm

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