Gas Safe Register, the official list of registered gas engineers, is launching its first ever Gas Safety Week from 12th – 18th September, aiming to raise awareness of gas safety in the home.
Paul Johnston, chief executive at Gas Safe Register said: “Every year, far too many people suffer from preventable gas related accidents, such as gas leaks, explosions, fires and carbon monoxide poisoning. In the last year alone 10 people died and a further 330 were hospitalised. With Gas Safety Week we want to encourage the public to only use Gas Safe registered engineers to fit, fix and service their gas appliances and to raise awareness of the importance of having an annual safety check.
“If maintained and installed properly, gas appliances are safe. If neglected, gas appliances can kill. In Gas Safety Week we want everyone to find out when they last had all of their gas appliances, including cookers, fires and boilers, checked. If this was over a year ago, you should get them checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer as soon as possible to help ensure your family, and home, are safe.
”If someone other than a Gas Safe registered engineer carries out gas work at your home, you could be risking the safety of your family and your property."
For more information on gas safety go to www.GasSafeRegister.co.uk
Frequently asked questions
What is Gas Safe Register?
Gas Safe Register is the official list of gas engineers who are qualified to work safely and legally on gas appliances. By law gas engineers must be on the Gas Safe Register. Gas Safe Register replaced CORGI in Great Britain and Isle of Man on 1 April 2009 and in Northern Ireland and Guernsey on 1 April 2010. Only use a Gas Safe registered engineer to fit, fix or service your appliances.
Why did Gas Safe Register take over from CORGI?
The HSE (Health and Safety Executive) undertook a review of gas safety in 2006. This review concluded that there was a need for a clearer focus on gas safety and a strong case for modernizing the gas registration scheme to bring added benefits to gas consumers, as well as across the industry.
What is the law?
Gas Safe Register deals with all aspects of the downstream gas industry covered by the following regulations:
- Great Britain: The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998
- Isle of Man: The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1994 as amended and applied by the Gas Safety (Application) Order 1996
- Northern Ireland: The Gas Safety (Installation & Use) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004
- Guernsey: The Health and Safety (Gas) (Guernsey) Ordinance, 2006
It covers both piped natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). It is law that anyone carrying out gas work that is within the scope of the Regulations is on the Gas Safe Register. The register is there to protect consumers from unsafe gas work.