Published on:
06
November 2009
Trading Standard Officers are asking local residents to take care when looking for someone to repair or fit any type of gas appliance in the home. This could be a boiler, central heating system or cooker, consumers must make sure it is being repaired or installed by a fully qualified engineer - as the alternative could prove lethal.
Brian Wilson a Trading Standards Officer with the Stirling and Clackmannanshire Councils Joint Trading Standards Service, said: "Trading Standards are very concerned by new figures showing that a quarter of a million gas jobs are potentially botched every year by irresponsible traders who don't have relevant skills or qualifications. Gas and rogue fitters can be a lethal mix and we'd urge anyone who needs gas work done in their home to not only make sure the trader carries a Gas Safe card, but that they check the back of the card where it states what appliances the gas engineer is qualified to work on."
Consumers who need work done in their home are advised to find a trader by asking friends and family for their recommendations and to wherever possible get three written quotes for comparison.
Brian adds: "Don't use anyone who just drops in a leaflet or just comes to you doorstep to offer their services - they could be anyone. Also check that the address where they are based is legitimate - simple spelling mistakes are often a tell tale sign. If in doubt give Trading Standards a call."
Research recently commissioned by Gas Safe Register revealed that 250,000 gas jobs are done every year by cowboy traders who do not have the necessary skills or qualifications for the task at hand.
An estimated 7,500 illegal gas fitters are behind these shocking figures, putting thousands of lives and homes at risk every year.
They will not only carry out gas work but will take on plumbing jobs (90%), bathroom fitting (81%), kitchen fitting (67%), general building (43%) and electrical work (43%).
One in 10 of the illegal gas installations investigated in the last nine months were immediately dangerous and appliances had to be disabled straight away to make them safe. Over a third of these were leaking gas, and almost half had faults that could lead to lethal carbon monoxide exposure.
"It is important that everyone understands that different types of gas work require different qualifications. Just because someone is qualified and registered to work on one gas appliance, for example gas boilers, does not mean that they are automatically qualified to put in a gas fire. The work that engineers can legally do is listed on the back of their Gas Safe card - it's very important to check this every time you have work done," added Brian."
The Stirling Council and Clackmannanshire Council Joint Trading Standards Service can be contacted between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday at their office in the Municipal Buildings, 8-10 Corn Exchange Road, Stirling, FK8 2HU, by telephone on 0877 277 7000 or by emailing tradingstandards@stirling.gov.uk
Accent carried out the research for Gas Safe Register in August 2009. To be in scope for the interview, respondents had to say that they personally undertook at least one of four types of gas work (fitting gas cookers or hobs, gas fires, gas boilers or doing gas pipework). In total, 427 people were interviewed of whom 270 were from online sources and 157 were advertising in Yellow Pages or Thomson directories.
In the last year, 20 people died from CO poisoning, fire, explosion and other exposure related to gas and 289 were hospitalised. (Source: HSE Gas Safety Statistics)