Regulations
The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 place specific duties on gas users, installers, suppliers and landlords. For example:
- Anyone carrying out work on gas appliances or fittings as part of their business must be competent and registered with CORGI.
- Only a competent person can carry out work on gas appliances or fittings. Do-it-yourself work on gas appliances or fittings could be dangerous and is likely to be illegal.
- Do not use any gas appliance or fittings you know or suspect to be unsafe. Through CORGI, the Health & Safety Executive has asked all registered installers to disconnect any gas appliance or fittings that are so dangerous as to be a threat to life if they are used.
The rules around gas have changed. These are important regulations in which affect all homeowners with gas appliances. These are designed to protect you further. You now receive a safety certificate (called a Declaration of Safety) from CORGI after a gas appliance has been installed. It forms an essential part of the Home Information Pack, to be a legal requirement in England and Wales from 2007. For more information about the introduction of the Home Information Pack visit www.odpm.gov.uk
As of the 1st April 2002 new Building Regulations came into force, making changes in the way that installers must work. Every time a boiler or hot water cylinder is changed, the whole heating system must be checked and brought up to the new standards. There are two main documents that give clear advice to both the installer and the homeowner they are The Good Practice Guide 302 and Central Heating Standard Specification these give two levels of control what will be deemed to satisfy the regulations “Good Practice and Best Practice”
What is Required?
- When a boiler or cylinder is replaced, the whole system must be checked and upgraded if necessary.
- The new boiler or cylinder must meet efficiency standards
- When the system must be commissioned to ensure that all components are installed and functioning properly
- When the system is handed over to the householder, operation and maintenance must be explained to the user and instructions left with proof of commissioning. (Eg ; Signed Benchmark Logbook)
Self-Certification
In order to help installers meet the requirement of Building Regulations and allow them to legally undertake the relevant areas of electrical work, CORGI has set up a Part P Self Certification Scheme from 1 st April 2005.
Because this area of work is outside the scope of the Gas Registration Scheme, the CORGI Part P Scheme will operate as a voluntary scheme, alongside the Gas Registration Scheme.
However, installers who choose to join the CORGI Part P Scheme will benefit from the ability to notify electrical work at the same time as gas work, therefore saving both time and money.
Documentation
- TACMA- A new guide – How to comply with the revised building regulations 2001/2002. This guide supports the official guidance covering the use of controls in boiler based, gas and oil fired installations with the revised Building Regulations Part L. Read
- Guidance notes from the Energy Efficiency Partnership for Homes entitled The Domestic Heating & Hot Water Guide to the Building Regulations 2001 – Part L. Read
- Leaflet on the Building Regulations Part L. Read
- Benchmark Logbook. Read
- For a full copy of the Building Regulations Part L1 Visit the TACMA website to download a copy.
Also further information can be found on the CORGI website.
