Gas Safe – What it is and how to be safe
Gas Safe Register is the official gas registration body for the United Kingdom, Isle of Man and Guernsey. It’s a legal requirement for all gas engineers to be on this register in order to work on boilers, cookers, fires and all other gas appliances.
Badly fitted and poorly serviced gas appliances can cause gas leaks, fires, explosions and carbon monoxide poisoning. According to research carried out by Gas Safe Register, 1.1 million gas jobs are carried out in the UK every year by illegal fitters who aren’t properly qualified, putting householders at risk.
Gas Safe Register has investigated almost 5,000 illegal gas jobs in recent years, finding that 3 out of 5 were in an unsafe condition. A worrying 1 in 5 were deemed to be so dangerous that the appliance had to be disconnected immediately. The research finds that 75% of victims had employed the tradesman based on a recommendation from a friend. In no cases did the householder check the fitter’s credentials, despite it being a legal requirement for an engineer to be on the register.
4 top tips from Gas Safe Register to stay safe:
- Only employ a legal Gas Safe registered engineer when having gas work carried out in your home.
- Every registered gas engineer carries an ID card. Always ask to see the card and check their unique licence number. The back of the card will also show which gas appliances they are qualified to work on.
- If you smell gas or think there might be a gas leak, call the free 24 hour national gas emergency number immediately on 0800 111 999.
- If you suspect that someone is an illegal fitter or are worried about gas work carried out in your home, contact Gas Safe Register.
Ask your engineer for their ID card and check the unique licence number at Gas Safe Register.
