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Billy Bob Bob

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sorry but we cant condone giving out gas safety related advice to non qualified people this includes all aspects of gas installation and repair,if we see anyone giving out advice that we feel may compromise safety we will close that thread
thank you for your understanding,and dont be offended if we close your thread but at the end of the day safety does not have a price​



 
How silly! Information and education is the way forward. What if boiler manufacturers stopped putting installation and service manuals in with their products? The regs say they must be left with the householder. People can read they can simply DIY from them if they wanted to. We just look daft not advising people in the correct way. They can also download the Gas Regs if they want. Why all the secrecy?
 
How many times do yo have to be told?

If people want to kill themselves that's entirely up to them. They won't be doing it with the assistance from these forums. And I've about had it with you keep questioning the forum rules.
 
This does make me chuckle.

Bernie's point of view is not without merit. Like lots of things in life, its not a black and white issue.

However, those who have the responsibility of running this forum have decided on this forum's policy, which has been made crystal clear.

And the great democratic tool that is the internet means that Bernie can go and set up his own forum, with his own preferred rules and policies. And if more people like his forum than this forum, then he will get the visits and the advertising revenue. And potentially the lawsuits.

Carry on old chap. Or to use the vernacular - "knock yerself aahhhtt".
 
I think there is basic generic gas safety advice we can share with public, but when it comes down to fixing a problem then the shutters are down and nothing can be revealed.
 
It's a good rule, I like it.... Lets keep,the gas talk the gas forum!

Next up lets all make a push to make it impossible to buy a gas component without proof of gas safe membership :)
 
It's a good rule, I like it.... Lets keep,the gas talk the gas forum!

Next up lets all make a push to make it impossible to buy a gas component without proof of gas safe membership :)

:agree: no spares without gas safe id. No gas rated issolaters without id, no cooker hose without id, no gas fired boilers water heaters or fires. Serial numbers for parts and appliances logged by retailer against purchasers gas safe reg. No escaping shoddy work by registeted engineers when the parts are traceable.
 
Next up lets all make a push to make it impossible to buy a gas component without proof of gas safe membership :)

:agree: no spares without gas safe id. No gas rated issolaters without id, no cooker hose without id, no gas fired boilers water heaters or fires. Serial numbers for parts and appliances logged by retailer against purchasers gas safe reg. No escaping shoddy work by registeted engineers when the parts are traceable.

OK, I'll take the other side of this argument. :)

Bearing in mind our business model, you might expect me to be strongly in favour of this concept, but after thinking about it for a couple of decades, I have come to the conclusion that its a bad idea.

There are two main reasons - one of principle and one of practicatily.

Firstly, we live in a free country. The default position ought to be that anything is allowed, and that if things that are banned or restricted we have these controls because there is clear and demonstrable evidence that by limiting an individual freedom, there is a greater benefit to society as a whole.

We have several levels or degrees of restriction.

1) Very dangerous items, like firearms, explosives, some drugs and a handful of other items are controlled at point of ownership with laws that are generally enforced pretty thoroughly and are only allowed to be held by people who can demonstrate a clear need for them, and has the relevant protections and controls to stop them from falling into the wrong hands.

2) Another category, including motor vehicles and gas appliances, are free to own, but are controlled by licencing the skill of operators at point of use (ie driving licence, gas safe quals) and is usually enforced by exception - we wait until there is a problem before we deal with enforcement. Otherwise you would have to prove you had a licence every time you got in your car, or bought petrol.

3) There is a final group - including alcohol and cigarettes, which we acknowledge as a society are dangerous, but our only attempt to control them is to prohibit the sale to under 18s. This is barely enforced at all.

What is being suggested is that gas spares and appliances are so dangerous that they should be moved from category two up to category one (along with firearms and class A drugs). I simply don't see the benefit to society that this would bring. Although every death is tragic, there simply are not enough deaths due to preventable DIY gas work to justify such a draconian change. If you really think that every life is so precious than any restriction is worth it to save just one - then you should be arguing for a 20mph speed limit on all roads, or a total ban on alcohol and tobacco!

My second point is a purely practical one. Banning the sale of gas spares does not mean that every job will be done by a competent engineer. In some cases it simply makes it more likely that a DIYer will use an inappropriate product. Can't buy a gas cooker hose? Don't worry, a length of garden hose and two jubilee clips will do! Can't buy a gas-rated valve? Never mind, use one designed for water.

Just as prohibition created more problems than it solved, I think that this would actually lead to more DIY disasters than it would prevent.

Let me offer an alternative solution. Spend less than 10th of what implementing such controls would cost on:

a) a really good and sustained public information campaign about the dangers of DIY gas work
b) prosecuting substantially more cases of shoddy and dangerous workmanship

I'm very sorry to say that if we could track back the origins of all the "hall of shame" jobs, many would not be DIY. They would be done by "qualified" blokes.
 
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OK, I'll take the other side of this argument. :)

Bearing in mind our business model, you might expect me to be strongly in favour of this concept, but after thinking about it for a couple of decades, I have come to the conclusion that its a bad idea.

There are two main reasons - one of principle and one of practicatily.

Firstly, we live in a free country. The default position ought to be that anything is allowed, and that if things that are banned or restricted we have these controls because there is clear and demonstrable evidence that by limiting an individual freedom, there is a greater benefit to society as a whole.

We have several levels or degrees of restriction.

1) Very dangerous items, like firearms, explosives, some drugs and a handful of other items are controlled at point of ownership with laws that are generally enforced pretty thoroughly and are only allowed to be held by people who can demonstrate a clear need for them, and has the relevant protections and controls to stop them from falling into the wrong hands.

2) Another category, including motor vehicles and gas appliances, are free to own, but are controlled by licencing the skill of operators at point of use (ie driving licence, gas safe quals) and is usually enforced by exception - we wait until there is a problem before we deal with enforcement. Otherwise you would have to prove you had a licence every time you got in your car, or bought petrol.

3) There is a final group - including alcohol and cigarettes, which we acknowledge as a society are dangerous, but our only attempt to control them is to prohibit the sale to under 18s. This is barely enforced at all.

What is being suggested is that gas spares and appliances are so dangerous that they should be moved from category two up to category one (along with firearms and class A drugs). I simply don't see the benefit to society that this would bring. Although every death is tragic, there simply are not enough deaths due to preventable DIY gas work to justify such a draconian change. If you really think that every life is so precious than any restriction is worth it to save just one - then you should be arguing for a 20mph speed limit on all roads, or a total ban on alcohol and tobacco!

My second point is a purely practical one. Banning the sale of gas spares does not mean that every job will be done by a competent engineer. In some cases it simply makes it more likely that a DIYer will use an inappropriate product. Can't buy a gas cooker hose? Don't worry, a length of garden hose and two jubilee clips will do! Can't buy a gas-rated valve? Never mind, use one designed for water.

Just as prohibition created more problems than it solved, I think that this would actually lead to more DIY disasters than it would prevent.

Let me offer an alternative solution. Spend less than 10th of what implementing such controls would cost on:

a) a really good and sustained public information campaign about the dangers of DIY gas work
b) prosecuting substantially more cases of shoddy and dangerous workmanship

I'm very sorry to say that if we could track back the origins of all the "hall of shame" jobs, many would not be DIY. They would be done by "qualified" blokes.

not to mention the amount of spares outlets would reduce to a few big boys over night, reducing competition and allowing them to push prices up.

not to mention boiler prices would likely rise as the customer couldn't get them directly, the merchants would know that they would be the only avenue of getting the boilers and milk the opportunity ;)
 
Next up lets all make a push to make it impossible to buy a gas component without proof of gas safe membership :)

In theory that is a good idea but it will never happen. I'm afraid not enough people die of botched diy gas work to make the politico's blink an eye. Maybe 2 a week for a year or 2 might get them to sit up and take notice.

On a similar issue it is harder to buy parts for a sprinkler system but that seems to be a closed shop due to insurance requirements.

Maybe the insurance companies could be the ones with the "power" to deter it.
 
In theory that is a good idea but it will never happen. I'm afraid not enough people die of botched diy gas work to make the politico's blink an eye. Maybe 2 a week for a year or 2 might get them to sit up and take notice.

On a similar issue it is harder to buy parts for a sprinkler system but that seems to be a closed shop due to insurance requirements.

Maybe the insurance companies could be the ones with the "power" to deter it.

Some insurance companies only guarantee oil tanks if they are bunded, have a bund built, if metal "serviced".
i noticed with lloyds they want you to replace the oil tank before or at the end of its design life.

if the tanks design life if 10 years and it leaks at 10 years and a day, you're on your own.
 
The arguement of gas parts only sold to gsr is in theory a good arguement however if you compare our industry to mechanics where any old busy body can buy car parts and repair then isnt that just as dangerous??

money rules imho when it comes to this arguement suppliers will supply to anyone

and as tamz says the govt look upon our industry as well practiced and run as very few deaths
 
Just as an aside, although we don't sell retail, we sell an enormous amount of gas appliances to organisations other than GSR engineers or firms.

Councils
Housing associations
MOD
Hospitals
Schools
Universities

I don't know what the overall proportions are, but I bet there are many hundreds of thousands of gas appliances that are purchased by institutions, and then fitted by qualified subbies.

Speaking as a tax-payer, to be honest I don't want these purchases to have to be made through a GSR subbie, with their markup.
 
You will never stop the diy numpty from attempting a repair most peeps have common sense a few are just idiots .

I had a cust phone me up as they had just moved into a new house and was asked to check gas safety etc etc

the cust watched me do a TT and i informed him they had a drop so i isolated the fire in front room and proceeded to carry out another test, i just happened to peer throught he window and what was the idiot cust doing , using a lighter around the gas pipe !!!!!!

idiots like that you will never stop
 
OK, I'll take the other side of this argument. :)

Bearing in mind our business model, you might expect me to be strongly in favour of this concept, but after thinking about it for a couple of decades, I have come to the conclusion that its a bad idea.

There are two main reasons - one of principle and one of practicatily.

Firstly, we live in a free country. The default position ought to be that anything is allowed, and that if things that are banned or restricted we have these controls because there is clear and demonstrable evidence that by limiting an individual freedom, there is a greater benefit to society as a whole.

We have several levels or degrees of restriction.

1) Very dangerous items, like firearms, explosives, some drugs and a handful of other items are controlled at point of ownership with laws that are generally enforced pretty thoroughly and are only allowed to be held by people who can demonstrate a clear need for them, and has the relevant protections and controls to stop them from falling into the wrong hands.

2) Another category, including motor vehicles and gas appliances, are free to own, but are controlled by licencing the skill of operators at point of use (ie driving licence, gas safe quals) and is usually enforced by exception - we wait until there is a problem before we deal with enforcement. Otherwise you would have to prove you had a licence every time you got in your car, or bought petrol.

3) There is a final group - including alcohol and cigarettes, which we acknowledge as a society are dangerous, but our only attempt to control them is to prohibit the sale to under 18s. This is barely enforced at all.

What is being suggested is that gas spares and appliances are so dangerous that they should be moved from category two up to category one (along with firearms and class A drugs). I simply don't see the benefit to society that this would bring. Although every death is tragic, there simply are not enough deaths due to preventable DIY gas work to justify such a draconian change. If you really think that every life is so precious than any restriction is worth it to save just one - then you should be arguing for a 20mph speed limit on all roads, or a total ban on alcohol and tobacco!

My second point is a purely practical one. Banning the sale of gas spares does not mean that every job will be done by a competent engineer. In some cases it simply makes it more likely that a DIYer will use an inappropriate product. Can't buy a gas cooker hose? Don't worry, a length of garden hose and two jubilee clips will do! Can't buy a gas-rated valve? Never mind, use one designed for water.

Just as prohibition created more problems than it solved, I think that this would actually lead to more DIY disasters than it would prevent.

Let me offer an alternative solution. Spend less than 10th of what implementing such controls would cost on:

a) a really good and sustained public information campaign about the dangers of DIY gas work
b) prosecuting substantially more cases of shoddy and dangerous workmanship

I'm very sorry to say that if we could track back the origins of all the "hall of shame" jobs, many would not be DIY. They would be done by "qualified" blokes.

As usual an excellent rebuttal. An informed and inteligent perspective which shows you have applied more thought to the issue and its total consequences than I had stopped to do. Certainly your last points are definitely something the industry should persue, better policing and prosecution. Especially of rogue "registered" and "unregistered" fitters and repairers.
 
In theory that is a good idea but it will never happen. I'm afraid not enough people die of botched diy gas work to make the politico's blink an eye. Maybe 2 a week for a year or 2 might get them to sit up and take notice.

On a similar issue it is harder to buy parts for a sprinkler system but that seems to be a closed shop due to insurance requirements.

Maybe the insurance companies could be the ones with the "power" to deter it.

Don't think so, Tamz, An awful lot of people get killed by cars (second only to the AK47 in terms of 'dangerous to humans') every day, still an awful lot of cars on the road though!
 
Just reading through the comments, while you have major DIY chains supplying gas fittings and components to anyone willing to purchase them, the issue of the public tampering and playing with gas will always be around. Perhaps a large advertising campaign by Gas Safe on the TV and in the main stream press will start to educate the public to the dangers of non GSRs tampering with gas.
This would also create a whole new line of customers seeking gas repairs ect.. This must be driven by Gas Safe and use our registration fees, to finally benefit the GSR engineers.
 
If Joe bloggs Diy'er extends a flue pipe, or removes a boiler cover etc...they don't see that as being wrong. I was sat in the pub a while back and someone asked me about the price to fit a cooker, I told them, you have to TT, check clearances, gas rates etc but I was universally shot down by a few ppl round the table '' Oh, you don't need to do all that, ppl have fitted them for years'' . Same on LSC's, I'd notify ppl of NCS and they'd just laugh the stuff off '' It's been like that for years''. The whole image of the industry needs changing and the regs need simplifying too, there's too much confusion.
 
I spoke to a gas safe inspector on why DIY shops are able to sell gas products to general public he told me they went to court to try and stop this but it was thrown out under freedom of trade act
 
I spoke to a gas safe inspector on why DIY shops are able to sell gas products to general public he told me they went to court to try and stop this but it was thrown out under freedom of trade act
I do not think it went to court, but it was explored as a proposal, through the legalities and it did result in the cross over of how it effected the freedom of trade and was therefore not able to go forward.
 
If we restrict gas spares to gas engineers we must restrict electrical spares to sparks and some car spares to garages, can see a few of us moaning about that
 
:agree: no spares without gas safe id. No gas rated issolaters without id, no cooker hose without id, no gas fired boilers water heaters or fires. Serial numbers for parts and appliances logged by retailer against purchasers gas safe reg. No escaping shoddy work by registeted engineers when the parts are traceable.

Pitty this is not the case they do it in Germany but anyone can walk in and buy a boiler.
Are there any plans to do this in the UK ?
 
If Joe bloggs Diy'er extends a flue pipe, or removes a boiler cover etc...they don't see that as being wrong. I was sat in the pub a while back and someone asked me about the price to fit a cooker, I told them, you have to TT, check clearances, gas rates etc but I was universally shot down by a few ppl round the table '' Oh, you don't need to do all that, ppl have fitted them for years'' . Same on LSC's, I'd notify ppl of NCS and they'd just laugh the stuff off '' It's been like that for years''. The whole image of the industry needs changing and the regs need simplifying too, there's too much confusion.

Its true to the point that GSR fitters even ignore gas rates, I have seen countless cookers fitted and the only test carried out is (does the pizo work and does the gas light) the odd fitter does a proper purge most just click till it lights.
As for boilers its the same they write down the generic gas rates in the benchmark and off they trot, still I am waiting to see a flue gas analyser used, and before you ask yes these guys are fully qualified and on the gas safe register and there are plenty more working on it who have no idea about the gas safe regs/rates etc day in day out, same for many trades people know its easy to fit a boiler and if they make a mistake the boiler will not fire in this scenario they call out the pros, we fix it (with the false knowledge they had a friend of a friend do it) and away they go.
Maybe boilers should have a slot for your GS card , personally I think only GSR people should be able to buy gas fittings/appliances, we would all benefit from the extra work created, it would basically stop all unsafe gas works, and retailers would not miss out whatsoever the same amount of stuff needs to be fitted just this way by the correct people, its a no brainer.
 
personally I think only GSR people should be able to buy gas fittings/appliances, we would all benefit from the extra work created, it would basically stop all unsafe gas works, and retailers would not miss out whatsoever the same amount of stuff needs to be fitted just this way by the correct people, its a no brainer.

This comes up regularly, and I won't bore forum regulars with all the reasons that it would a) be completely impractical and b) not achieve what it set out to achieve. The PURCHASE isn't the problem. Its the installation.


Maybe boilers should have a slot for your GS card

This, on the other hand, may be genius. A chip in your GS card and a slot on the boiler PCB. Boiler comes out of the box in "precommissioning mode" - ie it won't do anything until commissioned with a card in the slot. Then two sets of fault detection. Low pressure? No problem, thats a user code. Allow boiler to restart once re-pressurised. Gas valve fail? Oops, thats a GSR code and boiler reverts to "precommissioning mode" until attended by a professional to put their card in the slot.
 
Hmmmmm....... That would then lock the installer to that boiler which would then mean if he's one of the unscrupulous ones who considers having an fga in the same room as the appliance to be a successful test, then he'd never get caught out, his work rectified and then there's a fatality.

Going on from this though how long will it be before domestic boilers are monitoring their own poc's and adjusting themselves accordingly?
 
Hmmmmm....... That would then lock the installer to that boiler which would then mean if he's one of the unscrupulous ones who considers having an fga in the same room as the appliance to be a successful test, then he'd never get caught out, his work rectified and then there's a fatality.

Going on from this though how long will it be before domestic boilers are monitoring their own poc's and adjusting themselves accordingly?

Thats very possible but would have to be a secondary and even a third stage failure because of the nature of thow beast but you could be onto to somethin there croppie, and not only that all readings will be sent to main hub like a smart meter telling customer of any changes in combustion notifying of a problem,
 
Hmmmmm....... That would then lock the installer to that boiler which would then mean if he's one of the unscrupulous ones who considers having an fga in the same room as the appliance to be a successful test, then he'd never get caught out, his work rectified and then there's a fatality.

Going on from this though how long will it be before domestic boilers are monitoring their own poc's and adjusting themselves accordingly?
Fine till you have to send it off for calibration. Every year.
 
Hmmmmm....... That would then lock the installer to that boiler

Not necessarily. It could accept any GSR card that was coded with the relevant appliance.

It might also keep a record of what cards had been inserted and when, so there would be no question about who last worked on an appliance. The more I think about it, the more I like it.
 
Not necessarily. It could accept any GSR card that was coded with the relevant appliance.

It might also keep a record of what cards had been inserted and when, so there would be no question about who last worked on an appliance. The more I think about it, the more I like it.

Basically means a phone line needs to be installed. That or it be fitted with a SIM.

Which, if you're out of range, renders you with a boiler you can't fire up and commission.
 
Basically means a phone line needs to be installed. That or it be fitted with a SIM.

Which, if you're out of range, renders you with a boiler you can't fire up and commission.

Not at all.

Imagine your GS card has a chip in it, which encodes your name, number and what appliance types you are covered for.

You go to a domestic gas boiler, whos PCB has a dock for your card. You shove your card in, and it agrees that you are ok to work on this appliance. If your card said that you were only ok for gas hobs, then it would just sit there and sulk. No reason for external comms.

If there was ever a serious problem, a Gas safe investigator would attend, and put his "boss card" into the slot, which would then tell him the id numbers of the last 5 engineer cards in the slot.

Simples!
 
The issue is we get new numbers each year. Plus new businesses start up and others close down. For your idea to be effective the system needs to be live or anyone with an expired card can get the boiler firing.
 
The issue is we get new numbers each year. Plus new businesses start up and others close down. For your idea to be effective the system needs to be live or anyone with an expired card can get the boiler firing.

Unless I am missing something, I don't see why!

Your card can have dates encoded. The appliance can have dates encoded. If my debit card expires, I can't withdraw cash. Why should we not use the same tech?
 
As it happens, WB are in the process of designing their new generation boilers to be fitted with smart intelligent software that after the boiler is fitted, it's performance will be remotely measured from Head Office. In effect, if say the pump, fan, gas valve etc started to show the slightest signs of failure, a WB engineer from their team nearest to the property and having the part in van will be sent to knock on Mrs Smith's door and inform her that they have come to change her fan in boiler.

Imagine the look on her face?
Mrs Smith: ''You've come to do what?'' Then shouts at boyfriend to come downstairs. ''Jim, get down here. There is an idiot here claiming he needs to change the fan on our boiler? Did you report the boiler as not working? I can here it working as we speak?''
WB Engineer@ Errrhhh madame, your boiler is fitted with an intelligent monitoring software. It is proactive and tells us when something is about to go wrong. That way we can address it and keep you going without the need for any problems''

Happy days. At this rate, the small guys will soon be out of business. As if sending their agents round to do the annual service, thus depriving us of income is not bad enough.
 
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