Your employer has a ‘duty of care’ to make sure, as far as possible, your health, safety and welfare while you’re at work. They should start with a risk assessment to spot possible health and safety hazards. They have to appoint a ‘competent person’ with health and safety responsibilities usually one of the owners in smaller firms, or a member of staff trained in health and safety.
If you have boiler cover, which you can sometimes acquire from your energy supplier, alongside your gas and electricity tariff, the annual servicing of your boiler, which normally costs £80, may be covered. If you’re a landlord, you’re required by law to have all gas appliances supplied by you to be safety checked annually by a registered engineer. Pipework and flues should also be inspected. If you’re a tenant, you should receive a record of the annual gas safety checks on the property, known as the the Landlord Gas Safety record, at the start of your tenancy, and within 28 days of any new check.
As an employer or person of responsibility, it is vital that you understand the obligations you have and how to comply with them. To help you achieve this, our trained Inspectors can carry out rigorous checks on your gas equipment and supply a Report of Thorough Examination, which provides written evidence that you are proactively following H&SE requirements, and a certificate will be issued when the equipment is compliant. See extra info at CP7 Gas Checks.
What happens during a service? The exact details of what will happen during your gas service will vary depending on the appliance or installation being serviced. However, as a rough guide, most services will include the following: Check that the appliance is in full working order. Check that the appliance is operating safely. Inspection of the condition of the main components. Check the gas pressure. Check for corrosion or leaks. Cleaning of parts if needed.