DIY gas work and the New ACOP (4th edition - draft )

[Mrs Tara Plumbi]

As you know ACOP doesn't make the law it explains it.
And from what I have read so far this is a big improvement.
If I am reading it right is clearly explains what it means to be competent to work on gas see para 57 to 61.

It clearly says you have to have had all the training, the practical experience and up to date knowledge that you guys have, even if you are doing DIY.

In other words, you can do DIY gas work if you are not GSR ONLY IF you are qualified to be GSR.

Does any one see any problems with this part of the ACOP?

 

[Kyle87]

We read in college in the gas regs the other day that a competant person is only deemed competant if he/she is qualified and part of whatever necessary governing body is in charge. It wasn't worded like that but basically said that if you ain't qualified and part of gas safe or whoever runs it then you are not deemed competant

 

[Kyle87]

Sorry didn't read title properly

NEW acop!!

 

[Mrs Tara Plumbi]

There's a whole load of people who are ignorant of the rules and think anyone can do diy gas in their own home if they have watched a you tube video.
The acop doesn't change the law - it just explains it.

 

[AWheating]

whats an acop? (approved code of practice i know, but what relevance does it have)

i thought the acops was dropped 15years ago or was that just the old exam that was replaced by the acs?

 

[Nostrum]

Competence is hard to prove. incompetence, in this industry, is usually proven following an incident with dramatic consequences and by this time it's too late. That's about where we are with regulation in its current state.

 

[Mrs Tara Plumbi]

What is the ACOP?
Approved Code of Practice - It is a very high status document - for most purposes it is the law - it explains how you meet the requirement of the Gas Safety regs - line by line.
do what it says and you are meeting the requirement of the law.
It may be possible to meet legal obligations some other way - like those layers of Building Regulation document.

So, new ACOP does not change the law - but changes the way it explains the law to everyone.
If you were in court the ACOP could be used as evidence - for against - you did or didn't do what it said.

As a hands on heating engineer you are more than likely doing everything it says in the ACOP simply by following MIs and TBs and all the other recognised good practice standards.

As an office person who deals with the public I find it Very useful as it is how we explain and justify to the public why we do what we do,- and why they can't do it! For example.

Mr TP told me that as part of his education many years ago they were given a printed copy of the ACOP (we still have it) and went through it in detail in class. So he feels he knows gas regs really well (I assumed that most were taught in this way)...

The consultation doc explains why there is a rewrite - but essentially to bring it uptodate....
e.g. Flue in voids - the law always covered this inspection requirement in general terms - no change to the law, but there is a change in practice to meet the law.

I don't think the definition of competency has changed - but it is now clearer - previously we we refered to another ancient ACOP to find out.

 

[AWheating]

ive personally never seen this doc, and did not even know it existed tbh. How does one obtain a copy?

looking on he hse website is this not just the hse regs book? i didnt know this was an acop document.

 

[XII]

To me competant != qualified as a general note of definition. Tara pretty much summed it up the wording is going to eventually make people do stupid things like trying to install gas fires in their homes after spending a few hours on Youtube thinking "ok I'm competant now I can definitely do this" and then eventually deciding to do it for other people and messing it up. Competance is proven after experience in the industry, incompetance is usually proven by those affected suffering the dire consequences following the mistakes.

Edit: The below post is gold.

 

[lame plumber]

acops is like the highway code. neither is the law but they are referred to in court and if you havent complied, your in the guano

 

[Mrs Tara Plumbi]

ive personally never seen this doc, and did not even know it existed tbh. How does one obtain a copy?

looking on he hse website is this not just the hse regs book? i didnt know this was an acop document.

It probably is what you might think of as the gas Regs book - that's what I think of it as too.
You can buy it or down load (free) the current issue here:
Safety in the installation and use of gas systems and appliances

I stated another thread linking to the consultation on the new draft ACOP.
You can contribute to consultation on the draft acop and down load the draft Acop here;
CD252 ? Consultation on proposals for a Revised Approved Code of Practice on "Safe installation and use of gas systems and appliances" (L56)

 

[jase158]

thanks everyone, just downloaded and printed for gas course next week, great to get all the information ready,100 pages though

 

[Derek Hardman]

Reform Gas Safety in UK Petition