It is well known that LPG is flammable, but it is also heavier than air. This means that it can settle and may accumulate in low spots, such as drains and basements. Here it could present a fire or explosion or suffocation hazard.

LPG is supplied in a variety of ways including in canisters, cylinders and in bulk storage tanks.

Some simple rules for safe storage of LPG:

• Store and use gas bottles in an upright position
• Store gas bottles in a well-ventilated place
• Ensure gas bottles are stored away from heat and ignition sources
• Make sure gas bottles are stored outdoors, away from building entry/exit points and drains
• Prevent smoking in the storage area – display “No Smoking” signage
• Keep the area clean and tidy and free of rubbish
• Keep weeds and grass in the vicinity cut down (but do not use a chlorate-based weed killer as it can be a fire hazard)
• Minimise the amount of LPG stored at your premises

Assess the risks from the storage of LPG on site and ensure that your precautions are appropriate to the risks created.

The post Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Safe Storage appeared first on LRB.

Key Facts

• A gas fitter was investigated after he fitted a gas hob at a property.
• It transpired he was not on the Gas Safe Register.
• He was found guilty of breaching Gas Safety Regulations, and given a suspended prison sentence.

The Case

The HSE investigated the safety practices of a Walsall based gas fitter after it transpired he was not on the Gas Safe Register when he fitted a hob at a house in Tamworth.

His work was brought to the attention of the HSE after a subsequent work was carried out by a registered gas fitter.

He was charged with breaching Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations but after he failed to appear in court on two separate occasions, he was arrested. His case was heard at Stafford Crown Court where he pleaded guilty and was given a 9 month prison sentence, suspended for 2 years. He was ordered to complete 100 hours of community service, and to pay costs of £100.

What the HSE said

After the hearing, HSE inspector Wayne Owen said

‘When working on gas systems it is vital that the person has sufficient knowledge, training and experience so that they are aware of safe working practices and standards. This is due to the level of risk if gas systems are not worked on and fitted safely. The risk is posed not only to the person carrying out the work but to anyone else who may be in the vicinity of the systems afterwards; in this case the occupants of the house.’

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The post Health And Safety Failings – Illegal gas works leads to suspended sentence appeared first on LRB.

This is another case of gas work being carried out by unqualified workers. An HSE investigation was launched into the safety practices of a Torquay pub worker after gas failings were identified at a flat in Torquay. The homeowner requested commissioning documentation for the new gas boiler, but it was not provided, and so he alerted the HSE to his concerns.

The Case

The 59-year-old barman installed gas pipework and a gas boiler at a flat in Torquay, despite having never been registered with the Gas Safe Register.

The homeowner repeatedly asked the man for the commissioning documentation for the new gas boiler, but when it never materialised, the home owner alerted the HSE to his concerns.

During the subsequent HSE investigation, he admitted that he had not commissioned the boiler after carrying out the work, which would have included tests to ensure the boiler was working properly and not producing high levels of carbon monoxide. Not carrying out these tests put the homeowner at risk from deadly carbon monoxide poisoning.

The case was heard at Newton Abbott Magistrates; Court where the man pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 3(3) and 33(1)(c) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations. He was sentenced to 36 weeks imprisonment suspended for 2 years and ordered to pay £757 in costs.

What The HSE had to say

Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector Simon Jones said

‘Only engineers with the correct competencies and who are registered with Gas Safe can legally carry out gas work and it is fortunate no-one was harmed as a result of Mr Voss’s illegal work.

The post Health and Safety Failings – Pub Worker Fined For Gas Failings appeared first on LRB.

Key Facts

• A tenant raised concerns about gas safety in the property he was renting.
• The HSE investigation identified failings on the landlord’s part
• The landlord was given a suspended sentence and ordered to pay costs.

The Case

A London landlord had been sentenced after tenant raised concerns about gas safety at his property.

The tenant raised concerns about a carbon monoxide leak, and the National Grid switched off the gas supply. The tenant then made a complaint to the HSE about the situation.

The subsequent HSE investigation found that the landlord had failed to have a gas boiler checked for safety by a suitably qualified engineer and had failed to obtain the necessary safety certificate from the Gas Safe Register.

The case was heard at Westminster Magistrates Court where the landlord pleaded guilty to breaching regulation 36(3) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. He was given an 8-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to pay £80 victim surcharge plus costs of £300.

What the HSE had to say

Speaking after the hearing HSE inspector, Neil Fry said

‘It is the duty of landlords to ensure gas safety checks are carried out to protect tenants from the fatal risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.’

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The post Health and Safety Failings – Landlord sentenced for gas safety failings appeared first on LRB.

Key Facts

• A landlord has been prosecuted for failing to provide gas safety certificates for two of his properties.
• The investigation began following a complaint from a tenant.
• The landlord was ordered to undertake 240 hours of community service, and pay full costs.

The Case

An HSE investigation was launched into the practices of a private landlord following a complaint from a tenant.

Following the complaint, an Improvement Notice was issued to the landlord by the HSE failing to provide gas safety certificates for gas appliances in his property. He failed to comply with the notice and during the subsequent investigation, it was found that a second of the landlord’s property was also lacking a gas safety certificate.

The case was heard at Harrogate Magistrates’ Court on 5 Jan 2016 where the landlord pleaded guilty to breaching Section 33 (1) g of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, Section 36 (3) and Section 36 (6) of the Gas Safety Installation and Use Regulations. He was ordered to pay costs of £2,767 and undertake 240 hours of community service.

What the law states:

Section 33 (1) g of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 states:

It is an offence for a person to contravene any requirement or prohibition imposed by an improvement notice or a prohibition notice (including any such notice as modified on appeal) 

What the HSE had to say:  

Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector Julian Franklin said:

‘If you rent property out, you must comply with requirements of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations, including the need to have a gas safety certificate. Gas appliances should be regularly checked, as faulty appliances can kill.’

Find more about Gas Safety here >>

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The post Health and Safety Failings – Landlord fined for gas safety failings appeared first on LRB.

Key Facts

• A kitchen fitter has been fined after carrying out unsafe gas work at a residential property.
• His work was classified as immediately dangerous, posing a potential risk of explosion.
• He was fined £5,000 plus costs of £483.

The Case

An HSE investigation was launched into the health and safety practices of a Torquay based kitchen fitter.

After falsely claiming to be on the Gas Safe register, the kitchen fitter removed a hob in Sep 2014, but failed to cap the remaining gas pipe, putting residents at risk. The alarm was raised after a Gas Safe registered engineer was called to complete the job.

The subsequent HSE investigation found that the supply pipe had been left uncapped, and the kitchen fitter had simply turned off the supply at the emergency control. This meant it could be turned on by accident at any time, posing a potential gas explosion risk. The Gas Safe registered employee classified the work as ‘immediately dangerous’. He was also operating under the Gas Safe register logo, despite neither himself nor his company being registered with Gas Safe.

The case was heard at Torquay Magistrates’ court on Fri 15 May 2015 where the kitchen fitter pleaded guilty to three breaches of the gas safety regulations. He was fined £5,000 plus costs of £483.

What the law states

Regulation 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 for the purposes of this paragraph.’

Regulation 3(7) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 states

‘No person shall falsely pretend to be a member of a class of persons required to be approved under paragraph (3) above.’

Regulation 26(1) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 states:

‘No person shall install a gas appliance unless it can be used without constituting a danger to any person.’

Regulation 6(2) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 states:

‘No person carrying out work in relation to a gas fitting shall leave the fitting unattended unless every incomplete gasway has been sealed with the appropriate fitting or the gas fitting is otherwise safe.’

What the HSE inspector had to say

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Simon Jones said:

‘Mr Heath put his customer’s life at risk by carrying out work on gas pipes which he was not legally entitled to do. He also deceived customers by claiming his company was registered with Gas Safe.

All domestic gas work must be done by registered Gas Safe engineers to ensure the highest standards are met to prevent injury and loss of life.’

Further information on gas safety can be found here >>

Find details of our safety training courses here 

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Don’t hesitate to get in touch if we can help you find a solution to your safety matters.

The post Health and Safety Failings – Kitchen fitter fined for illegal gas work appeared first on LRB.

Key Facts

• A self-employed gardener has been prosecuted following gas safety failings
• He carried out gas works whilst not on the gas safe register
• He was fined £800 plays costs of £200

The Case

An investigation was launched into the practices of a self-employed gardener after he carried out illegal gas work.

The gardener was carrying out groundworks at a Cornwall residential property. Whilst using a mini digger, he severed a live gas pipe, which he then capped with a plastic water bottle. He was not on the Gas Safe register at the time, and left the site without alerting the emergency services nor the gas supply network.

The case was heard at Truro Magistrates’ Court where he pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 3(3) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. He was fined £800 plus costs of £200.

What the HSE inspector had to say

Speaking after the case, Inspector Simon Jones said:

It is extremely fortunate this case didn’t result in a major gas leak with the potential for a gas explosion and subsequent fire in this residential area.  If a worker damages a gas pipe they should immediately telephone the gas emergency number on 0800 111 999 or telephone the emergency services so that the situation can be made safe by those who can do the job properly.

Workers should not attempt to repair a damaged gas pipe themselves and in this case using a plastic water bottle tied to the live open gas pipe and then leaving site is obviously totally inappropriate and shows a complete disregard for public safety.

What the law states

Regulation 3 (3) Gas Safety (Installation & Use) Regulations 1998 states

No self-employed person shall carry out any work in relation to a gas fitting or service pipework, unless the self-employed person is a member of a class of persons approved for the time being by the Health and Safety Executive.

Further information on Gas Safety can be found here >>

Find details of our safety training courses here 

Follow us on twitter: @safety_matters

Don’t hesitate to get in touch if we can help you find a solution to your safety matters.

can be found here >>

The post Health and Safety Failings – Gardener guilty of gas safety failings appeared first on LRB.

Key Facts:

• A plumber has been prosecuted for the second time in four months for breaching Gas Safe Register legislation.
• The plumber carried out gas works whilst not registered and in breach of an HSE Prohibition Notice.
• He was given a 6 month suspended sentence.

The Case: 

A Bude based plumber has been prosecuted by the HSE for the second time in four months.

A further HSE investigation found that the plumber had been undertaking gas work while not on the Gas Safe Register. He was found guilty of breaches of  Regulation 3(3) and 33(1)(c) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 and Section 33(g) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

The case was heard at Bodmin Magistrates’ Court in May 2015, where he was found guilty and given a 6 month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.

His previous prosecution had been again for undertaking work while not on the Gas Safe Register, falsely using the Gas Safe Register logo, and breaching an HSE Prohibition Notice. Two days before pleading guilty to this, he installed another gas boiler illegally. He thereby breached other HSE Prohibition Notice, and failed to install the boiler according to the manufacturers instructions whilst he had not been commissioned, therefore rendering it unsafe to use.

What the HSE had to say: 

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Simon Jones said

“Mr Congdon showed utter contempt for public safety when he continued to undertake gaswork when he knew he should not. Previous gaswork by Mr Congdon had been found to be substandard and posed a danger to the public.”

What the law states: 

Regulation 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 for the purposes of this paragraph.”

Regulation 33(1)(c) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 states:

“Where a person installs a gas appliance at a time when gas is being supplied to the premises in which the appliance is installed, he shall immediately thereafter test its connection to the installation pipework to verify that it is gastight and examine the appliance and the gas fittings and other works for the supply of gas and any flue or means of ventilation to be used in connection with the appliance for the purpose of ascertaining whether (c) the appliance has been installed with due regard to any manufacturer’s instructions provided to accompany the appliance.

Section 33(g) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 states

‘it is an offence for a person to contravene any requirement or prohibition imposed by a prohibition notice

More information about Gas Safe Register can be found here >>

Find details of our safety training courses here 

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The post Health and Safety Failings – Gas Safe Register breaches lead to prosecution appeared first on LRB.

• An HSE investigation was launched into gas safety practices of a person in charge of gas work at a residential property in Torquay.
• The investigation found that the man had employed someone who was not on the Gas Safe Register to carry out gas work on his behalf.
• He was fined £4,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,500.

The Case:

An HSE investigation was launched into the gas safety practices of a Totnes based man in charge of gas work at a residential property.

The investigation found that in October 2012, the man had employed somebody else to undertake the gas work on his behalf who was not a member of the Gas Safe Register.

The case was heard at Newton Abbot Magistrates Court in May 2015, where the employer pleaded guilty to a breach of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. He was fined £4,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,500.

What the law states: 

Regulation 4 of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 states:

“Where and employer or self employed person requires work in relation to a gas fitting to be carried out at any place of work under his control he shall take reasonable steps to ensure that the person undertaking that work is a member of Gas Safe Register”.

Find out more about safe work with gas here >>

Find details of our safety training courses here 

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The post Health and Safety Failings – Prosecution follows unsafe gas work appeared first on LRB.

Key Facts:

• Unsafe gas work was undertaken at a property occupied by a pregnant mother and her two children.
• A handyman who was not Gas Safe registered was contracted to cut a gas pipe at the property as it posed a trip hazard. However, this resulted in the property being flooded with gas causing a serious risk of fire or explosion.
• The housing association responsible were fined £2,500 and ordered to pay £1,000 in costs.

The Case:

An HSE investigation was launched into the conduct of a housing association after it was found that unsafe gas work had been undertaken at a property being rented by a pregnant mother. At the time she was residing there with her two children.

In May 2014, a handyman who was not Gas Safe registered was contracted by the housing association to cut a has pipe that was posing a tripping hazard in the woman’s living room. The housing association believed that the pipe was not connected to the proerty’s gas supply. However, when the tenant topped up her gas meter later that day, her property was flooded with gas. This caused a serious risk of fire and explosion, but fortunately there were no injuries or damage caused.

The case was heard at Westminster Magistrates Court earlier this year, where the housing association pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. Taking into account the organisation’s ’not for profit’ status, they were fined £2,500 plus costs of £1,000.

What the HSE had to say:

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Zameer Bhunnoo said:

‘It is essential that landlords have adequate procedures in place to ensure that an appropriately competent tradesperson is assigned for any repairs required. In this case, a Gas Safe registered engineer should have been used.’

Further information on safe work with gas can be found here >>

Find details of our safety training courses here 

Follow us on twitter: @safety_matters

Don’t hesitate to get in touch if we can help you find a solution to your safety matters.

The post Housing Association Fined For Unsafe Gas Work | Health & Safety appeared first on LRB.