Opinions on tightness test

[The Goose]

I am after some opinions on tightness tesing please.............

I was at a job which had a 2.5mbar drop during testing. No smell/reported smell of gas etc and within limits so all good there.
I have come across this many times before and always made a note on the paperwork or traced and repaired etc.

However my manager did not want me to make a note of the drop on the paperwork saying it looks bad to the landlord (social housing). He said that if there was a problem it would look much worse for me if I had noted it than if I hadnt. My reply was along the lines of if there was a problem or someone tested it the next day etc then it would look like I didnt do what I was meant to. He said to just deny there was ever a drop and it will be fine.

Any thought or opinions?

 

[diamondgas]

Managers eh!! SHeeeeeeeeeeeesh! You are the last on the job and noting a pressure drop is perfectly okay. As long as it isn't being smelt anyhoo's! I bet he wouldn't cover your backside if the fan got poop on it!

 

[mylesy]

that is one poor manager, hope he isnt gas gafe??? i personnaly dont like having a drop and would fully invetigate the applience that is causing it, noting down all your findings. there is no drop allowed on pipework only. so if you isolate all appliences and test pipework only (if you have a leak on pipework only, cap it off)and there is no drop, open each applience one by one till you identify the one. just note it all, you have nothing to hide if you cover all angles. and like diamond says, he will NOT back you up if anything happens!!!!!!!!

 

[aggis]

Always make a note of the drop, and ask if they've smelt anything & get them to sign job sheet. I'd prefer to trace & repair
Not impressed!!! Follow his advice & why bother putting on a test!!!!!!

 

[The Goose]

He is Gas Safe registered.
Would he back me up if something happens? No chance!

Personally I dont like leaving anything with a drop but as someone else is paying the bill it opens a whole new can of worms if I start looking so I like to get permission/authority first.

Forgot to mention that another engineer had been there very recently and not noted any drop. Dont know if that was because he was told not to though!

 

[diamondgas]

No doubt there'll come a time when the body's to be will govern no permissable regardless. I wonder how they came up with the regs to start with? Any how, I can safely walk away from some 3mbar drops yet others I'll want to trace. General rule of thumb for me is how big i judge the installation to be!

 

[villa_tom]

I know what I would say to him and the second word is OFF!

How does this look bad to the housing association? Surely it proves that you are doing the job properly and finding things that may be missed otherwise. Plus if your drop is within tolerances then adding it to the paperwork makes no difference to the job you have done. If you went by his rule then you would have no need to list "not to current standards" as this would also look bad. I would just put it on there and ignore what he says, your in the right and he could not get you in trouble for it anyway.

 

[AWheating]

you may find that pressure is put on from the housing bum. to explain the drop and try and fix it without any extra charges? this is not uncommon and would depend on the actual contract details your company has with them. For example if the contract is a one off fee to cover any problems for a year then its in the housing bum. interest to try and get you to fix it as it wont cost them.

i dont note small drops on the certs i do.

 

[mickie]

whats the point in noting it down, we're talking about a leak thats within its limits..a leak you couldnt even light with a lighter, its not ID AR NCS so why then write it down ?

i dont mind permisable leaks on appliances, because i know how small they are..pipe work is maybe something to think about as the pipe could be rotting away on a damp brick wall, obviously no loss on pipework

 

[Davinder]

To be honest I’ve never seen anyone note down the drop on a tightness test ether (still learning and currently doing my gas course, so have only seen the work of 2 or 3 engineers), nothing wrong with it mind you.

So perhaps I can offer a solution:

The Anton flue gas analyser I intend to by (don't worry I’m not trying to sell you a Anton!!) also does tightness tests and prints out the results, with the pressure drop on the print out in small writing and the fact that it passed the test in BIG.

So, would it be possible for you to do something to this effect, and staple the print out to the rest of the paper work you do. If your manger is still
unhappy with this then keep the printouts for your own records so should the worse happen (heaven forbid) you have at least covered yourself.

Hope that helps - Davinder

 

[mfgs]

I always make a note on the paperwork, but I would happily walk away with a 2.5mb drop and no smell of gas. Its within the limits, there is no need to investigate this further unless there is a reported smell.

 

[The Goose]

I was sent there to alter some gas pipework.

The work I was sent there for was chargeable to the landlord and it would be a chargeable job to trace/repair a leak.As it happens I did not do the job in the end.

I do have a fga with built in u gauge but no printer.

My main concern was what would happen if I had done the pipework and left. Then a smell of gas is reported the next day and I was the last one there,carried out work to the gas pipes, but not mentioned any drops etc.

 

[stani]

I was sent there to alter some gas pipework.

The work I was sent there for was chargeable to the landlord and it would be a chargeable job to trace/repair a leak.As it happens I did not do the job in the end.

I do have a fga with built in u gauge but no printer.

My main concern was what would happen if I had done the pipework and left. Then a smell of gas is reported the next day and I was the last one there,carried out work to the gas pipes, but not mentioned any drops etc.

what would happen is that you would be hung out as the sacrificial lamb. All your mates dissapear and suddenly everyone of your bosses is unavailable,

 

[Davinder]

I do have a fga with built in u gauge but no printer.

I see, most FGA have a USB connection for a computer, could you perhaps save the results of the tightness test on to the unit and then when you get home, transfer them to your computer and keep them as a electronic record. That way you could print them off if needs be.

- Davinder

 

[tamz]

Regardless of what your halfwit manager says, always document everything. As Stani said, if anything were ever to come of it you would be hung out on your own.

 

[mylesy]

davinder your right, i have the anton. it can tell you the drop over the two minutes but you have to write on it if its pipework only or not, great bit of kit, worth every penny mate. good choice 😉
mickie if its within limits, why NOT write it down. everytime i have ever had a drop iv located were the drop is coming from iv either sorted it out if possible, or if i know its the diagrams in the meter etc. but i will find out why its doing it. then write it all down like you should do. why not cover your back and test everything, its what were trained and most of all expected to do. always think would you leave it, if it was your home.

 

[mylesy]

there will be a time when you have to investigate it further, trust me. may as well start geting used to it

 

[kirkgas]

whats the point in noting it down, we're talking about a leak thats within its limits..a leak you couldnt even light with a lighter, its not ID AR NCS so why then write it down ?

i dont mind permisable leaks on appliances, because i know how small they are..pipe work is maybe something to think about as the pipe could be rotting away on a damp brick wall, obviously no loss on pipework

the reason i write it down is so that next year when my 2.5mb drop becomes a 3.5mb the responsible person has been given ALL relevant info to allow them to decide whether they want to trace and repair it, if i simply tick "PASS" then the leak gets worse then they will say i didnt advise them properly

 

[GrahamM]

You MUST note down everything. Keep yourself right at all times. If you were under a Gas Safe inspection would you decline to note down a permissible drop on the paperwork?
Look after number one!

 

[stani]

You MUST note down everything. Keep yourself right at all times. If you were under a Gas Safe inspection would you decline to note down a permissible drop on the paperwork?
Look after number one!

exactly right, can you imagine saying to your GSR inspector 'naw it'll be ok I never put anything down unless its over 5-6 mb' its your back only you can cover it.