The Health and Safety Inspectorate has updated its Approved Code of Practice (ACoP) entitled ‘Safe Work with Gas Systems and Appliances’. The ACoP addresses the recognised dangers from working with gas, including the installation of gas fittings and appliances and their use in work situations.
The updated ACoP came into effect from 1st January 2022 and now includes the requirement that gas engineers working in Jersey are assessed as competent by completion of an Accredited Certification Scheme (ACS) and are registered with the approved body, currently Gas Safe Register.
Who should read the ACoP
The ACoP is relevant to anybody with responsibility for work that may involve gas or gas appliances, such as employers, managers and individual gas engineers.
Those in control of work premises equipped with gas appliances will have a duty to maintain gas appliances in a safe condition. People whose work may affect the safe operation of a gas appliance without actually working on the appliance itself should also be aware of duties on them contained in the ACoP. For example, builders carrying out roof work that affects the safe operation of a flue.
Basic principles
Gas, by its very nature, is highly combustible and presents a serious risk of fire and / or explosion where leaks occur due to poor workmanship or maintenance. There is also a very serious risk of carbon monoxide poisoning from poorly installed or poorly maintained appliances.
The ACoP reflects the basic principles that only people that are competent and have the correct qualifications and experience should carry out work on gas fittings and that work should be carried out safely in accordance with industry practices.
In addition to competency requirements, the ACoP includes relevant minimum standards for materials, workmanship, fittings, flues and pipework and the safety checks to be made by engineers. These standards should already be well known to competent and experienced engineers.
Safe work with gas systems and appliances, inc Gas Safe Registration
Gas Safe Register website https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/
gov.je