Employers have responsibilities for the health and safety of their employees and any visitors to their premises such as customers, suppliers and the general public. In addition to these duties, there are regulations to deal with particular hazards and for industries where hazards are particularly high.
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.
The Construction (Design & Management) Regulations (CDM 2015) are the main set of regulations for managing the health, safety and welfare of construction projects. CDM applies to all building and construction work and includes new build, demolition, refurbishment, extensions, conversions, repair and maintenance. See extra details on CP7 Gas Checks.
Keep ventilation clear and unblocked. Ventilation for gas appliances can include chimney flues and air vents and bricks. Black soot marks appearing on an appliance can be a sign that the ventilation is blocked. Properly fit a carbon monoxide detector: Carbon monoxide is a highly dangerous colourless and odourless gas, making it difficult to detect until it’s too late without a carbon monoxide detector. All homes containing gas appliances should have a detector, which can be bought from most DIY stores and are readily available to buy online. When choosing an alarm, make sure that it meets European safety standards.