UPDATE: Plumbers apparently not meant to be going to customers homes unless emergency callout?!

[Lou]

UPDATE: Plumbers apparently not meant to be going to customers homes unless emergency callout?!

This was after further questioning to the prime minister. I'm trying to find the actual video or article for you.

 

[Harvest Fields]

Gas safe are currently talking to HSE for clarity on this also on LGSCs

 

[Lou]

Advice for the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak. Please be aware: as this is an ever changing situation information may be updated, amended and added on a regular basis.

UPDATED 23 MARCH - Until the announcement made by the UK Prime Minister on 23rd March, restricting people to their homes, we have continued to operate gas safety inspections and investigations, focusing on the highest risks. Our inspectors have been taking a range of precautions to protect the public and engineers that they come into contact with, as well as themselves; based on the guidance provided to businesses and the public on Gov.uk.

What do the new restrictions announced by the UK Government mean for gas engineers?
The HSE is currently seeking guidance from Cabinet Office on what gas engineering services and scenarios are considered essential for the next 3 weeks; for example, attending emergency breakdown or imminent safety situations. As soon as more definitive guidance is available, we will publish this.
As of the evening of 23rd March, we now anticipate suspending the majority of Gas Safety inspections. We expect to continue Gas Safety Investigations, but will confirm this soon, once we the guidance from Cabinet Office and HSE on what they need from the industry to support the nation.
We had already suspended all of our Inspection Events for the time being, and are looking at suitable alternatives to attending an event in person. This work will continue, and we will communicate details of these as soon as they have been decided.
General Information: Inspections
Where inspections or investigations must take place, our inspectors are taking a range for precautions to protect the public and engineers that they come into contact with, as well as themselves. These are based on the guidance provided on Gov.uk, and include;

• Personal protective equipment, frequent handwashing with soap or use of alcohol hand sanitising gel.
• Inspectors visiting sites, confirm prior to entering the property, whether anyone is anyone is self-isolating, or has been in contact with anyone who has been diagnosed with COVID19 or has recently gone into self-isolation?
• If the answer is ‘yes’, then the inspection will be cancelled and recorded as an aborted visit and held for rescheduling at a later date.
• In addition, if the inspector visiting a site suspects anything that makes them feels uncomfortable with the situation then they can retreat from site and follow the steps above.

In accordance with Government guidance, any member of Gas Safe Register staff residing in a household where another person has symptoms, or presenting symptoms themselves, will self-isolate for 14 days.
General Information: Gas Safe Register service
Gas Safe Register Customer Services and Technical Helpline will be operating reduced hours for the foreseeable future as a result of the COVID-19 situation. Hours of operation will be Mon-Fri 09:00 – 17:00.
Our services for businesses and consumers continue to available via our website 24/7, and through and automated telephone service.
COVID-19: Advice for landlords  
UPDATE 23 March 2020
We are aware that the new restrictions announced by the UK Prime Minister on leaving your own home and avoidance of any social contact will reduce the ability for landlords to arrange annual safety checks. We are working with the HSE to provide new guidance specific to this 3-week period.
Landlords have a legal duty to repair and maintain gas pipework, flues and appliances in a safe condition, to ensure an annual gas safety check on each appliance and flue, and to keep a record of each safety check. 
If you anticipate difficulties in gaining access as the COVID-19 situation progresses, you have the flexibility to carry out annual gas safety checks two months before the deadline date. Landlords can have the annual gas safety checks at their properties carried out any time from 10 to 12 calendar months after the previous check and still retain the original deadline date as if the check had been carried out exactly 12 months after the previous check.   
You are encouraged to arrange your annual gas safety checks as early as possible, as a contingency against tenants being in self-isolation for a period of 14-days (in line with current guidelines), or gas engineers being unavailable due to illness. The two-month period to carry out annual gas safety checks should provide adequate resilience in most situations.
In the event you are unable to gain access to the property, e.g. persistent refusal of access due to vulnerable tenants self-isolating, you will be expected to be able to demonstrate that you took reasonable steps to comply with the law. This will need to include records of communication with the tenant and details of your engineers attempts to gain access. 
Registered Businesses/Engineers

1. I am a registered gas engineer, what advice is there in relation to COVID-19 risks and implications of working in people’s homes etc during this period? Our advice is that you should be following the most up to date guidance issued by Government provided via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19
2. My ACS certification is due to expire soon, and I cannot arrange for assessment because my assessment centre is in lock-down due to COVID-19 precautions, can I legally carry out gas work without valid and current ACS certification until I am able to get re-certification? We have had reports that some ACS assessment centres have closed due to COVID-19, resulting in engineers being unable to take their ACS reassessment. Engineers are expected to take all reasonable measures to maintain their ACS qualifications, including planning ahead where possible. Maintaining gas safety competence is essential for registered gas engineers. If assessment centres have enough staff and customers to keep functioning, they should do so and follow Gov.uk advice on good hygiene and encouraging engineers not to attend if they should be self-isolating. If engineers take all reasonable steps to update their expired ACS certification as soon as possible, and continue to work safely, HSE will permit registered gas engineers to remain on the Register for an additional period during the peak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) measures. Engineers may be required to demonstrate that they have taken reasonable steps to renew their qualifications. Engineers MUST maintain their Gas Safe registration during any extension of their ACS qualification period if they are carrying out gas work.This is a temporary measure and does not remove the standing requirement for registered gas engineers to maintain their ACS certification and renew certification every 5 years.
3. Do I need to obtain customer signatures on documentation e.g. Warning Notices etc? I have concerns over putting myself or my customers at increased by doing so? No, you do not. Regulation 36 of the GSIUR relating to Landlord Gas Safety Records does not specify that a signature is required from the recipient, only from the engineer undertaking the safety checks.
4. What is Gas Safe Register’s position on extending the renewal period as a result of the on-going COVID-19 situation? There is no extension of your registration period as a result of the COVID-19 situation.This is a difficult decision but has been made in recognition that most businesses will have budgeted for this known business overhead, will still be undertaking some gas work, or can opt for a Direct Debit payment option.
5. Are gas engineers critical workers? We have had a range of queries around whether gas engineers are critical workers or not, and we have seen a range of conflicting opinions offered by different organisations.As of 23rd March, the most comprehensive advice is available at: Department for Education - https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-educationWhere these queries relates to the question of provision of emergency school places, we are not in a position to comment, as (a) every engineers situation is different, (b) each situation is also about the specific schools' capacity to provide places to the most vulnerable children and to critical workers. We understand many schools are using a triage system, based around nature of parent/ guardians job roles, and ability for the child to be kept at home safely with a responsible person. The intent to also keep as many children at home as possible, to reduce the spread of the virus.

Businesses who are otherwise impacted financially as a result of COVID-19 should access the various support mechanisms which have been put into effect by Government: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/covid-19-support-for-businesses
If you are unable to undertake gas work because you are a high-risk category person due to your age or an underlying medical condition etc, and you are following Government guidance to not put yourself at higher risk, please let us know immediately and we will suspend your registration until you advise us that you are returning to gas work.
IMPORTANT: During any suspension period, you must not carry out any gas work. If any gas work is carried out by you whilst your registration is suspended, even temporarily, this will be a breach of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations and you may be liable to prosecution.

 

[Jim09876]

Hello fellers

Should we be doing Landlords Gas Certs before they expire or just leaving tenants at risk because of this virus? Got a couple today need doing.
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Sorry missed that previous mammoth post!

 

[Harvest Fields]

Think they are currently suspended until they have clarity

 

[Plumberswife]

Perhaps they should have issued this advice over 2 months ago so that we could get our GSC’s done in advance as suggested

 

[snowhead]

Just to save it being missed above;

My ACS certification is due to expire soon,
HSE will permit registered gas engineers to remain on the Register for an additional period during the peak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) measures. Engineers may be required to demonstrate that they have taken reasonable steps to renew their qualifications. Engineers MUST maintain their Gas Safe registration during any extension of their ACS qualification period if they are carrying out gas work.This is a temporary measure and does not remove the standing requirement for registered gas engineers to maintain their ACS certification and renew certification every 5 years.

Also note Car and Van MOTs and servicing / breakdown as normal, lorries get 3 month extension on MOTs

 

[Chuck]

Advice for the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.

This is very helpful, but can you clearly cite the origin and date of publication of this advice and any similar posts, please? There's a big difference between advice that's published by official bodies, such as the NHS, HSE, etc. and people's personal opinion of what they think it means and I like/need to know which I'm reading.

 

[Harvest Fields]

It’s from the gas safe website mate. They are a regulatory body themselves.