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you can be done for having but not applying competence, so i read in gas engineer mag a couple of months ago!

there are other but more difficult ways of proving competence

Your right there: Know loads of people that have done ACS and don't carry this forward to their day to day working practice. This is worse than not knowing what your doing?
 
gas engineers should prove they can do their job and have the knowlege to do it, but the gas industry and in particular the retail side need to step up and take responsibility buy only selling gas critical parts to registered engineers, i was horrified in b+q a couple of weeks ago when i saw a DIY gas fire installation kit consisting of a small coil of 8mm a roll of gas PTFE and a cheap and nasty junior hacksaw, so how as gas engineers are we supposed to enforce safe working practice when companys like b+q sell kits like that to the general public and any other weekend wonder.
 
thats terrible, but not illegal unfortunately, you can fit your own gas stuff if your competent
 
I'm Gas Safe registered,but might only do a service every 2 or 3 months.After 6 pints at lunch time.Who's to know?Nothings gone bang yet!
 
DIY stores justify selling gas fittings by saying that genuine tradespeople buy from them.As opposed to plumbers merchants.
 
DIY stores justify selling gas fittings by saying that genuine tradespeople buy from them.As opposed to plumbers merchants.

What really bugs me about these stores are that not only do they sell fires and boilers,they sell them incomplete,you see hobs with control knob or burner top missing fires with opened boxes with god knows what missing ect ,they are not removed from shelves but discounted due to missing parts,I have pointed this out sometimes,how dangerous these appliances can be, never mind with bits missing and item is often removed,then next day,there it is again,no doubt after they have checked their profit and loss which it seems is always more important than any safety issues that may arise

imho
 
Hmm!

Same old thing, you can buy any kind of knife you like if your over about 16. No harm in that It depends what you do with it afterwards that can be harmful.

Anyone should be able to buy gas fittings anywhere, it is what they do with them that makes the difference. Its a bit like buying Aspirins in a chemist. Should they only be supplied to health professionals? Take enough of many of the medicines on sale in chemists and you can kill yourself and other people just as easily as blowing yourself up or poisoning people with gas.

Anyway if people want to do their own gas fitting they probably will regardless of the law, its illegal to speed but how many do?

Its the people you need to teach about the dangers not ban or restrict gas material sales.
 
Hmm!

Same old thing, you can buy any kind of knife you like if your over about 16. No harm in that It depends what you do with it afterwards that can be harmful.

Anyone should be able to buy gas fittings anywhere, it is what they do with them that makes the difference. Its a bit like buying Aspirins in a chemist. Should they only be supplied to health professionals? Take enough of many of the medicines on sale in chemists and you can kill yourself and other people just as easily as blowing yourself up or poisoning people with gas.

Anyway if people want to do their own gas fitting they probably will regardless of the law, its illegal to speed but how many do?

Its the people you need to teach about the dangers not ban or restrict gas material sales.

totaly agree, the government banned people from having registered hand guns in this country, hand guns dont kill people, people kill people and since the ban there are more illegal unregistered hand guns on the street.
 
Hmm!

Same old thing, you can buy any kind of knife you like if your over about 16. No harm in that It depends what you do with it afterwards that can be harmful.

Anyone should be able to buy gas fittings anywhere, it is what they do with them that makes the difference. Its a bit like buying Aspirins in a chemist. Should they only be supplied to health professionals? Take enough of many of the medicines on sale in chemists and you can kill yourself and other people just as easily as blowing yourself up or poisoning people with gas.

Anyway if people want to do their own gas fitting they probably will regardless of the law, its illegal to speed but how many do?

Its the people you need to teach about the dangers not ban or restrict gas material sales.

Totally disagree, and your analogies are wrong! Aspirin are not a controlled substance, but something like clinical grade heroin is. Can anyone walk into a chemists and buy that heroin? No. The reason is that it needs to be prescribed by a competent person.

If gas works can only be done by a competent person, and there are regulations in place to define what a competent person is, then there's no reason a non-competent person should be able to buy those things. It's not just about protecting people from themselves (the DIY'er who might think they can install their own gas boiler) but also unsuspecting people from dodgy cowboys.

The problem I see is that the definition of competent is open to interpretation in court and isn't as simple as 'is on the gas safe register'. If it was that simple then anyone not on the register shouldn't have a need to buy those things.
 
Totally disagree, and your analogies are wrong! Aspirin are not a controlled substance, but something like clinical grade heroin is. Can anyone walk into a chemists and buy that heroin? No. The reason is that it needs to be prescribed by a competent person.

If gas works can only be done by a competent person, and there are regulations in place to define what a competent person is, then there's no reason a non-competent person should be able to buy those things. It's not just about protecting people from themselves (the DIY'er who might think they can install their own gas boiler) but also unsuspecting people from dodgy cowboys.

The problem I see is that the definition of competent is open to interpretation in court and isn't as simple as 'is on the gas safe register'. If it was that simple then anyone not on the register shouldn't have a need to buy those things.

but there are situations when registration or even ACS is not required so how could it be controlled? Factory work is exempt for example, you can work on gas if competent, how do you check for competence as a shop owner? for example a family friend of mine worked in gas for 50 years, he taught at Bg and helped set up acops and ACS, his acs is out of date, is he competent?
 
for example a family friend of mine worked in gas for 50 years, he taught at Bg and helped set up acops and ACS, his acs is out of date, is he competent?
I totally agree, which is why my last sentence was:
"the definition of competent is open to interpretation in court and isn't as simple as 'is on the gas safe register'. If it was that simple then anyone not on the register shouldn't have a need to buy those things."

I think it should be controlled, and limited to competent people. But how you define a competent person though needs to be more than 'paid for a test this year'. As for how that could be enforced, no idea.
 
sorry, missed that bit

i dont see the issue tbh with selling them to anyone
 
Aspirin can kill its a mistake to think it can't, Heroin is class A but not addictive funnily enough.

Are we to see electrical Kitchen appliance sales restricted to Part P sparks only?

Competence has not been tested that it is true, but I doubt any court would say an ex Gas fitter was incompetent.

If people are educated to the proper use of gas they probably will not DIY unless competent in their own homes.

Lets be honest you do not get many people wanting to fly aeroplanes without training they know its dangerous.
 
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Aspirin can kill its a mistake to think it can't, Heroin is class A but not addictive funnily enough.

Are we to see electrical Kitchen appliance sales restricted to Part P sparks only?

Competence has not been tested that it is true, but I doubt any court would say an ex Gas fitter was incompetent.

If people are educated to the proper use of gas they probably will not DIY unless competent in their own homes.

Lets be honest you do not get many people wanting to fly aeroplanes without training they know its dangerous.

please explain
 
please explain
There's a commonly held belief that pure heroin isn't addictive, and it is only once it hits the streets and has other stuff mixed in that it becomes nasty. This isn't true but heroin isn't the 'one hit and you're hooked' kind of drug it is often made out to be.
I think this belief lives in the same place as the belief that a duck's quack doesn't have an echo :)
 
I don't believe for one second that after one fix your addicted, but to say that heroin is not addictive when it clearly is, is misleading. It is said that nicotine is more addictive than heroin, but if you know any smack heads then you would know that they are addicted and go to extremes to get their next fix
 
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Hmm!

The information that it is none addictive came from a television program that interviewed medical people and it was they said it was not addictive not me. Of course if we have any doctors reading the mails we may get a better view. Apparently the addiction is the risk involved in the life style of Heroine use, not the drug itself, I suppose you could say they where an "Adrenalin junky" not a Heroin addict. But being an ordinary man it seems to be all the same to me.
 
define competent,every one defines it differently,even our courts cant decide.having every qualification in the book does not make you competent.
 
Have had some "interesting" conversations about what competent is! Gas Safe tell me that it means having the qualifications and being able to demonstrate your application of the regulations in a safe and efficient way.
 
Hi there looking for a bit of advice spent many years working for a heating company and had relevant gas qualifications to do my job CCN1 CEN1. For other reasons i retrained as an electrical engineer. Now obviously my qualifications have run out and I think only my CCN1 is in date.

What I am trying to ask is I want to put a combi boiler in my own home, I believe I am more than compotent to do so. just wondering how go about getting someone to commison it, will that need done? Or could that be part of a service. I am having nightmares over a jobsworth coming round and slating my work!!

I'm pretty wise to fitting a boiler and it's a pretty simple job job with 22mm gas supply, waste for condensate, flue hole already there. so obviously moneys tight and want to do it myself!

Anyone fancy keeping me right and telling me what I can and can't do. sorry if this has been asked a million times before!
 
This question is becoming increasingly complex to answer because of issues like adequate system flushing, flue gas analysis and part 'P' regulations. There definitely are some GSR engineers who will let you do the bits you can, and do the other bits like flush, gas connection and commissioning themselves. However as this is a major share of the work and requires the specialist (and expensive) kit, you are unlikely to save much. With reference to your comments about 'Jobsworths' you have to remember that the guy who signs off for you is putting his livelihood on the line if you make a mistake that he doesn't pick up on.
 
Most engineers that I know won't commission a boiler that has been fitted by a non registered individual. When you sign off the boiler install you're even signing off that it's been fixed to the wall correctly.

I'll insist on hanging the boiler, fitting the flue, condense and gas myself at the very minimum before I sign off a boiler install.
 
Hi there looking for a bit of advice spent many years working for a heating company and had relevant gas qualifications to do my job CCN1 CEN1. For other reasons i retrained as an electrical engineer. Now obviously my qualifications have run out and I think only my CCN1 is in date.

What I am trying to ask is I want to put a combi boiler in my own home, I believe I am more than compotent to do so. just wondering how go about getting someone to commison it, will that need done? Or could that be part of a service. I am having nightmares over a jobsworth coming round and slating my work!!

I'm pretty wise to fitting a boiler and it's a pretty simple job job with 22mm gas supply, waste for condensate, flue hole already there. so obviously moneys tight and want to do it myself!

Anyone fancy keeping me right and telling me what I can and can't do. sorry if this has been asked a million times before!

the regs state you can install if competent to do so, if you feel you are competent and can justify yourself in court if the need arises then make your choice
 
the regs state you can install if competent to do so, if you feel you are competent and can justify yourself in court if the need arises then make your choice

This is not the full story. The regs do state if you are competent, from the Gas Regs...

PART B 3. (1) No Person shall carry out any work in relation to a gas fitting or gas storage vessel unless he is competent to do so.

BUT it goes on to say

PART B 3 (3) Without prejudice to the generality of paragraphs (1) and (2) above ... is a member of a class of persons approved for the time being by the health and saftey executive for the purposes of this paragraph.

To me, that's saying you have to be fully registered with gas safe (a way of proving you are in that class of persons approved) and have all other relevant qualifications (Part P, Part L, CENWAT, CPA1 [from April 2012 I believe?] (which ever ones you need for the job), etc) and have good practical experience.

I think you would have a hard time in court saying that you feel competent!

Just be careful you don't drop yourself in it & get a gas safe engineer in to do the work.

Thanks
 
In regards to competency with gas an individual is only competent if they have been deemed competent by a governing body
Gas Installations in a individuals home if carried out by an unqualified homeowner are still classed as illegal installations but these would only come to light if there was a unsafe situation or incident.
 
Hi there looking for a bit of advice spent many years working for a heating company and had relevant gas qualifications to do my job CCN1 CEN1. For other reasons i retrained as an electrical engineer. Now obviously my qualifications have run out and I think only my CCN1 is in date.

What I am trying to ask is I want to put a combi boiler in my own home, I believe I am more than compotent to do so. just wondering how go about getting someone to commison it, will that need done? Or could that be part of a service. I am having nightmares over a jobsworth coming round and slating my work!!

I'm pretty wise to fitting a boiler and it's a pretty simple job job with 22mm gas supply, waste for condensate, flue hole already there. so obviously moneys tight and want to do it myself!

Anyone fancy keeping me right and telling me what I can and can't do. sorry if this has been asked a million times before!


When it comes to gas in my opinion a jobsworth is the best type of gas enginer always to the letter with maximum professionalism if you are as you say competent a gas engineer would not be able to slate your work as it would be to the same standard
im not saying you dont know how to complete the task but i do belive that a little knowlege is far more dangerous that none

Thanks Ryan
 
This is not the full story. The regs do state if you are competent, from the Gas Regs...

PART B 3. (1) No Person shall carry out any work in relation to a gas fitting or gas storage vessel unless he is competent to do so.

BUT it goes on to say

PART B 3 (3) Without prejudice to the generality of paragraphs (1) and (2) above ... is a member of a class of persons approved for the time being by the health and saftey executive for the purposes of this paragraph.

To me, that's saying you have to be fully registered with gas safe (a way of proving you are in that class of persons approved) and have all other relevant qualifications (Part P, Part L, CENWAT, CPA1 [from April 2012 I believe?] (which ever ones you need for the job), etc) and have good practical experience.

I think you would have a hard time in court saying that you feel competent!

Just be careful you don't drop yourself in it & get a gas safe engineer in to do the work.

Thanks

second bit refers to financial gain, for example if you run a business or are self employed.

so regardless you can work on gas if competent to do so, you just cannot run as a business
 
In regards to competency with gas an individual is only competent if they have been deemed competent by a governing body
Gas Installations in a individuals home if carried out by an unqualified homeowner are still classed as illegal installations but these would only come to light if there was a unsafe situation or incident.

not if competent
 
Have you considered hanging the boiler your self,

Plumbing in the water bits (hot, cold, flow & return, condensate run, PRV tube) and having opened up the hole for the flue, get in a local RGI to finish it off at a reasonable price?

Tim
 
Have you considered hanging the boiler your self,

Plumbing in the water bits (hot, cold, flow & return, condensate run, PRV tube) and having opened up the hole for the flue, get in a local RGI to finish it off at a reasonable price?

Tim

all the jobs you mention are jobs to be completed legally only by a gas safe engineer
 
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