Gas engineer left pub kitchen at risk

Date:

17 February 2012

Release No:

COISE/17-02

A gas engineer from Ascot has been fined for work he carried out on a commercial catering gas installation in a local pub, despite not being registered for such work

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted Philip Payne, 49, trading as Wentworth Plumbing and Heating, for work he carried out in the kitchen at The Swinley in Ascot. On an unspecified date between 1 and 14 August 2009, he carried out work in the pub's catering kitchen but did not do the work in line with appropriate standards, leaving it at risk.

Reading Magistrates' Court heard that, although Mr Payne was registered with Gas Safe Register for work on domestic boilers, he was not registered to work on commercial catering installations, which would have required a different set of competencies.

The faulty work was discovered by an engineer carrying out repairs to the cooking range under warranty. He filed a RIDDOR report and Gas Safe Register and HSE investigated, discovering that Mr Payne was not registered for that type of commercial gas work.

HSE inspector Ray Kelly said:

"Gas Safe Register is there to save lives: it ensures that gas engineers are fully trained and competent to carry out specific types of gas work, so it is vital that anyone working with gas appliances is registered.

"In this instance, Mr Payne was competent and registered to carry out work on domestic boilers, but not on gas-fired commercial catering equipment, which has very different requirements: there are rules, regulations and standards to be aware of which don't apply to domestic settings.

"An engineer who is Gas Safe Registered for commercial catering work would have the necessary training to carry out this installation correctly. While the installation was not immediately dangerous, the failures meant that it could become unsafe if faults developed."

Paul Johnston, chief executive of Gas Safe Register, said:

"Every Gas Safe registered engineer has an ID card which gives information about the kind of work they are qualified to undertake, including whether that work is on domestic or non-domestic appliances. Our advice to businesses is the same as our advice to homeowners - before you let anyone work on your gas appliances check that they have the correct qualifications to carry out the job. You can check a business or an engineer by calling 0800 408 5500 or by visiting www.gassaferegister.co.uk"

Philip Payne, of Brook Avenue, Ruby Brook, Ascot, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulations 3(3) and 5(3) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 and was fined £1,300 in total and ordered to pay £1,000 in costs.

Workers undertaking gas installation and maintenance work must be registered with Gas Safe Register. This new gas registration scheme came into force on 1 April 2009, replacing the CORGI statutory registration scheme. Gas engineers will often have a range of qualifications that allow them to carry out specific types of gas work. Further information about the gas registration scheme is available at: http://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/about.aspx

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. Section 3(3) of the Gas Safety (Installation and 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 5(3) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 states: "No person shall carry out any work in relation to a gas fitting or gas storage vessel otherwise than in accordance with appropriate standards and in such a way as to prevent danger to any person."

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