Unregistered gas fitter fined after putting lives at risk

Date:

10 May 2011

Release No:

HSE-E-21-11

An unregistered gas fitter misled customers into believing he was a legally registered gas engineer and then carried out work that put lives at risk.

Clive Farrant, 57, from Chelmsford, used a false CORGI registration number in adverts and paperwork when trading as Essex Plumbing Connection. He also committed offences as a director of Secret Heat Ltd. Both companies were registered to his home address.

The CORGI gas registration scheme was replaced by Gas Safe Register in Great Britain in 2009. The register aims to protect 21 million gas consumers from dangerous gas work.

Investigations by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found Mr Farrant had carried out gas work at several properties and left them all in a dangerous condition.

He worked at a number of homes in and around Chelmsford, Essex, between July 2006 and June 2009. During the same period, he also instructed another unregistered engineer to carry out work at properties in Tadley, Hampshire and in and around Chelmsford.

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.

Mr Farrant of Hawthorne Walk, South Woodham Ferrers, admitted ten out of 11 charges relating to the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and Gas Safety Regulations 1998 when he appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court today. He was fined £23,000 with £5,000 costs.

After the sentencing, HSE Inspector Samantha Thomson, said:

"There is no excuse for illegally carrying out work on gas appliances - and to falsify documentation in order to defraud customers is not only a terrible thing to do but also a very serious offence.

"It is illegal for any unregistered person to carry out such work. When unqualified workers try to bypass the law in this way they are not only putting themselves at risk of prosecution, a large fine and a lengthy time in prison - 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:

"People employing an engineer to fit, fix or service gas appliances, should always make sure that person is Gas Safe registered. 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.

"People shouldn't take any risks. Badly fitted and poorly serviced gas appliances can cause fires, explosions, gas leaks and carbon monoxide poisoning."

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. Mr Farrant admitted the following breaches as a director of Secret Heat Ltd
   • Regulations 3(1) and 3(3) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, for not being legally registered to carry out gas work at a property in Meadway, Benfleet
   • Regulation 4 of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, for instructing an unregistered engineer to carry out gas work in Tadley, Hampshire
   Mr Farrant admitted the following breaches trading as Essex Plumbing Connections
   • Regulation 3 of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 for failing to take reasonable steps to ensure that the person carrying out work at a property in Meadway, Benfleet was legally registered
   • Regulation 4 of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, for instructing an unregistered engineer to carry out gas work in Tadley, Hampshire
   • Regulation (3) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, for not being legally registered to carry out gas work at a property in West View, Loughton
   • Section 3(2) of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 for failing to ensure that others were not exposed to risks to their health and safety following the installation of a boiler in Carrisbrooke Drive, South Woodham Ferrers
   • Section 3(2) of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 for failing to ensure that others were not exposed to risks to their health and safety following the installation of a boiler in Halyard Reach, South Woodham Ferrers
   • Regulation 3(7) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, for using a false registration number
   • Regulation 3(3) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, for not being legally registered to carry out gas work at five properties in Essex between 13 July 2006 and 31 May 2007
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. Regulation 3(1) of the Gas Safety (Installation & 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."
5. 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."
6. Regulation 3(7) of the Gas Safety (Installation & Use) Regulations 1998 states: "No person shall falsely pretend to be a member of a class of persons required to be approved by the Health and Safety Executive."
7. Regulation 4 of the Gas Safety (Installation & Use) Regulations 1998 states: "Where an employer or self-employed person requires any work in relation to a gas fitting to be carried out at any place of work under his control or where an employee or self-employed person has control to any extent of work in relation to a gas fitting, he shall take reasonable steps to ensure that the person undertaking that work is, or is employed by, a member of a class of persons approved by the Health and Safety Executive."
8. Gas Safe Register replaced the CORGI gas registration scheme in Great Britain in 2009 and 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.
9. To find or check a Gas Safe Registered engineer in your area, go to www.GasSafeRegister.co.uk or call 0800 408 5500.

Press enquiries

Regional reporters should call the appropriate Regional News Network press office.

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