Illegal North Somerset gasman lied about credentials

Date:

28 May 2012

A Clevedon man has been prosecuted for illegally installing a gas boiler and flue at a property at Severn Beach, Bristol, while not registered with CORGI, the then industry body.

CORGI was superseded by the Gas Safe Register in April 2009.

North Avon Magistrates' Court was told that Jeffrey Maslen, 47, from Clevedon, Somerset, installed the gas boiler with a totally inadequate flue. The flue in the attic space was later found to have come apart - potentially exposing the occupants of the house to deadly carbon monoxide.

During the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecution, magistrates heard Mr Maslen was not suitably qualified to undertake the work carried out at the property between 1 and 18 March 2009 and also did not hold the correct competencies to carry out the work.

In addition to not being registered with the industry body, he deliberately falsified paperwork to say he was a registered engineer.

Speaking after the hearing, health and safety inspector Caroline Bird said:

"Any business or sole trader who carries out any work on gas appliances without being on the Gas Safe Register is breaking the law. It is imperative that those who carry out work on gas fittings are properly registered with Gas Safe, and are competent to carry out the work.

"The consequences of incorrectly fitted gas appliances and inadequate flues can and does lead to loss of life. In this instance Mr Maslen pretended to be registered and aimed to deceive his customer, which highlights the need for householders to ensure they check the engineer's ID card when they arrive at the door."

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

"Only a suitably qualified Gas Safe registered engineer should work on your gas appliances. Every Gas Safe registered engineer has an ID card and consumers should ask to see the card. Check it to see that it is valid, up to date and that the engineer is qualified to do the particular job at hand. You can also check an engineer by calling us on 0800 408 5500."

Jeffrey Frank Maslen of Macleod Close, Clevedon, North Somerset was charged with contravening Regulation 3 (3), 3 (7) and 27 (1) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. He pleaded guilty and was given a 12 month community order requiring 100 hours of community service, an eight week curfew from 8pm to 7.30am and was ordered to pay full costs of £1,412.50.

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. The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 regulation 3(1) states that:
   "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 for the purposes of this paragraph."
   Regulation 3(7) states: "No person shall falsely pretend to be a member of a class of persons required to be approved under paragraph (3) above".
   Regulation 27 (1) states: "No person shall install a gas appliance to any flue unless the flue is suitable and in a proper condition for the safe operation of the appliance."
3. HSE news releases are available at www.hse.gov.uk/press.

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Issued on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive by COI News and PR (South West)