Luton man prosecuted for illegal gas work

Date:

23 January 2012

Release No:

HSE-E-61

A self-employed plumber has been fined for carrying out unregistered work on gas appliances in the Luton area despite previous guidance and warnings from inspectors.

Mr Tara Rayat, 52, of Toddington Road, Luton, admitted breaching health and safety laws when he appeared at Luton Magistrates' Court today.

After an investigation in March 2010, the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) found that Mr Rayat was approving gas installations under a false registration, using the identity of a company that he was retained to do work for but in these circumstances was carrying out work in his self-employed capacity. The HSE issued Mr Rayat with an Improvement Notice to stop working unless he became registered with Gas Safe, a government approved registration scheme for gas engineers.

The HSE also found that Mr Rayat was signing off work for a plumber who was unregistered and unqualified and was issued a Prohibition Notice to stop this practice immediately.

In February 2011, the HSE received further complaints relating to Mr Rayat's work following the recent installation of a gas boiler at a house in Clinton Avenue, Luton. The HSE found that Mr Rayat was still not registered with Gas Safe and had ignored the notices issued to him.

After the sentencing, HSE Inspector Stephen Manley, said:

"Mr Rayat had been a registered engineer a number of years ago so was well aware of his legal requirements in order to carry out work on gas appliances. He was foolish not to act on the notices that were served to him, if he had, he may have avoided prosecution.

"Not only are unregistered engineers working illegally they are putting peoples' lives at risk and taking work away from qualified and law abiding professionals in the industry."

Mr Rayat admitted breaching Regulation 3(3) of the Gas Safety (Installation & Use) Regulations 1998 and was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay £1,187.20 costs and a victim surcharge of £15.

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, landlords and others engaging gas fitters 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. Badly fitted and poorly serviced gas appliances can cause fires, explosions, gas leaks and carbon monoxide poisoning - around 20 people a year die from carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide is often called the 'silent killer' because you can't see it, smell it or taste it. Always use a Gas Safe registered engineer to fit, fix and service gas appliances.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. To find or check a Gas Safe Registered engineer in your area, go to www.GasSafeRegister.co.uk or call 0800 408 5500. Please visit http://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/index.htm for more information about gas safety specifically.

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