Must you be Gas Safe Registered to do Gas installation? Read HSE's response.

[Masood]

The definition of competency is given in COP20 not the L56.

So it is. And so what? That doesn't change the fact that competency is not currently defined as having passed ACS and being GSR. No amount of wishing or insisting will make that so. That definition does not exist at present.

Secondly the initial and revised version both are flawed no matter how they present the point across. Registering with Gas Safe Register must be the only way to work with Gas as an engineer.

Not many would disagree with you that the definitions are flawed.

those who don't and give the excuse of the regulation, have something to hide.

Maybe, maybe not.

People have different reasons for doing DIY work. Not all do it for money, some do it for the satisfaction. When all's said and done, gas safety to the level required by GSR is really not rocket science. I know GSRs who are thick as p*gs&^t but are good at what they do because they learnt by repetition. They have no understanding of why they
are doing it a certain way, they just do it out of habit. And there are engineers who have never taken an ACS assessment, who know more than you and I will ever learn about gas. They are the people who write the regulations. Who is to say they couldn't safely fit a boiler?

 

[SafeGasInstall]

So it is. And so what? That doesn't change the fact that competency is not currently defined as having passed ACS and being GSR. No amount of wishing or insisting will make that so. That definition does not exist at present.



Not many would disagree with you that the definitions are flawed.



Maybe, maybe not.

People have different reasons for doing DIY work. Not all do it for money, some do it for the satisfaction. When all's said and done, gas safety to the level required by GSR is really not rocket science. I know GSRs who are thick as p*gs&^t but are good at what they do because they learnt by repetition. They have no understanding of why they
are doing it a certain way, they just do it out of habit. And there are engineers who have never taken an ACS assessment, who know more than you and I will ever learn about gas. They are the people who write the regulations. Who is to say they couldn't safely fit a boiler?

in his/her van

 

[Reza]

Mate, we really need to stop playing with words. You can interporate competency whichever way you like, but let me ask you this, is being GSRed being competent! I think you find the answer is yes. Second question, What's one level below being GSRed qualified? I think you find the answer is being ACS qualified. If ACS does not qualify for competency in your book then you must have worked to some other requirements and standards. As far as I know, when you are in reciept of your ACS, few hundred quid later, and you are Gas Safe Registered.

 

[Reza]

Mate I have 2:1 and an MSc in electronic engineering, still, I wouldn't be so fast as to dismissing NVQ 2/3 qualified guys as being thick as PS! Working with Gas requires confidance and consentration. You must also be able to be methodical and number crunch arithmetic equations. Sorry but it seems on that front we don't think alike either!

 

[Reza]

Let me get this absolutely and 100% right Masood. You are saying that it is fine for competant people to work with Gas installation, even though they have no records as being Gas Safe Registered, despite the issues that this may bring along, issues which I have thus far described, i.e. commissioining record, RIDDOR, Unsafe Procedure, not to mention rogue operation with their financial affairs, i.e. contributions and so on and so forth! Is that what your argument is!

 

[SafeGasInstall]

i think we should all have a drink and let it be

 

[Nostrum]

Let me get this absolutely and 100% right Masood. You are saying that it is fine for competant people to work with Gas installation, even though they have no records as being Gas Safe Registered, despite the issues that this may bring along, issues which I have thus far described, i.e. commissioining record, RIDDOR, Unsafe Procedure, not to mention rogue operation with their financial affairs, i.e. contributions and so on and so forth! Is that what your argument is!

sorry, I'm with masood on this one. Whether you like it or not, the regulations currently in force do not define competence in any great detail. Competent persons schemes such as gas safe are in place to allow tradesemen to self certify that the work they have carried out is in compliance with the current building regulations. This is the same for electrical, oil, solid fuel, double glazed windows etc etc the only difference with gas is that the gsiur regulations specify that anyone trading in the gas industry must be registered with the appropriate bodies, gas safe.

There is nothing to stop you fitting your own consumer unit and getting the local building authority to inspect the installation and register it, and that's exactly the same with gas, and the rest of them.

The only way to change this is to get the gsiur regulations altered. Regulations are law, anything else is guidance, best practice, british standard or similar.

 

[Derek Hardman]

If you work on a friends boiler, and you are GSR, they find out and you are going to find yourself on the end of a 'working out of the scope of your card', this, in court, would be the same as doing commercial catering without having your catering ticket, the penalty could possibly be prison. This is what I was told by GSR.

 

[Reza]

The only way to change this is to get the gsiur regulations altered.

I agree with that.

 

[Reza]

i think we should all have a drink and let it be

I hope you don't mind, but I already did, cheers. lol