Gas Safe News

2020: the year in campaigns

TV advertising

The 10th anniversary of the industry’s biggest annual gas safety event focused on the importance of communities, and looking out for those around us who are vulnerable. And this focus was particularly relevant during a year dominated by the COVID pandemic.

Gas Safe Register research found that Britons’ sense of community is here to stay, with 57 per cent of people saying they are taking better care of themselves specifically so they can do their part of protect the health of their neighbours.

Gas Safe’s striking short film, the Ripple Effect, showed the devastating impact that an innocent gas safety slip in any one home can have on the wider neighbourhood. You can still see it at: www.GasSafeRegister. co.uk/therippleeffect The latest wave of Gas Safe Register advertising started in the autumn, rolling across TV, radio, press and online. The ads remind people that gas safety starts at home: a message that resonates strongly as people spend more time indoors this winter.

The ads show the warm glow that comes from homes that are gas safe, and reminds people how and where to search for their registered gas engineer with a simple three-word reminder: Search, Service, Safe. Gas Safe Register’s TV ads have appeared regularly in 2020, starring dad Jack Corner who is obsessed with corners but who would never cut them – especially when it comes to gas safety. The ads are a great reminder that Gas Safe registered engineers are the only people who are qualified to carry out gas work in the

Gas Safety Week 2020

33.9 million reach via regional media

Safety starts at home

UK’s homes.

Maintaining your ACS qualifications

A message from the Standard Setting Body.

As you will be aware, the Health and Safety Executive and Gas Safe Register permitted a six-month extension to ACS qualification lifespans to permit the registration status of those engineers who are unable to undertake their ACS reassessment as a result of pandemic restrictions. These extension periods will expire in accordance with the parameters set out below.

To maintain your Gas Safe Registration beyond these parameters, you must ensure that expired ACS qualifications are renewed within the relevant timescales as detailed below:

Engineers whose ACS qualifications expired before 1 October 2020, and who were unable to book ACS reassessment, have been permitted to remain on the Register for up to six months from the expiry date on their ACS certificate while they arrange for re-assessment.

Engineers with ACS qualifications that expired on or after 1 October 2020 need to renew their qualifications by 31 March 2021.

Engineers with ACS qualifications expiring after 31 March 2021 will be required to renew ACS by the qualification expiry date as shown on the certificate.

You are strongly advised to renew your ACS qualifications as soon as possible, to avoid the risk of being unable to access re-assessment due to the expected high demand for re-assessment as extension periods expire.

It is important to note that no further extensions to this period will be applied. Engineers without valid ACS qualifications at the point of expiry of any applied extension will be suspended and will be unable to legally carry out gas work.

Gas Safe Register business improvement director Mark Rolfe says: “Feedback from assessment providers is that some engineers are cancelling booked re-assessments in order to benefit from the full six-month extension periods and will attempt to re-book closer to their extension expiry date.

“This approach is disappointing and is placing undue pressure on assessment centre capacity, which could mean that some engineers may find themselves unqualified and suspended from registration.

“Assessment centres are encouraged to prioritise assessment for engineers who have not previously cancelled booked re-assessment unless they can demonstrate good reasons for having done so.”

Registered Gas Engineer’s 2020 Directory of ACS centres and details of the assessments that they provide starts on page 31 of this edition.

‘Make LPG part of Panel Scott Darroch, head of industry conversations’ communications, Gas Safe Register Carl Banister, technical helpline manager, Gas Safe Register Last month’s Open Channel event educating consumers that the Richard Hakeem, director of looked at LPG, the role it plays in gas is not a DIY fuel, and that technical and safety policy, our industry and in helping the UK on its path to net-zero carbon. Open connecting LPG to a domestic property should only be Liquid Gas UK Noelene Maguire, Representatives from Liquid Gas UK (formerly known as Channel undertaken by an appropriately qualified gas engineer. membership development manager, Liquid Gas UK UKLPG) discussed the trade Richard added that the Kaz Dziamarski, managing association’s role in promoting the association has been working director, Clesse UK safe use of LPG, raising the hard to incorporate LPG into profile of its benefits, the future industry standards – LPG in role of bioLPG, and in creating and what to do about equipment domestic premises is now Register is aware of this and will Codes of Practice – its industry that has a limited lifespan, such covered in BS 6891, for example work to make sure that the right standards. Director Richard as hoses. Carl said that the – and to bring consistency and information is available to them: Hakeem was keen to encourage technical team has received more clarity into its Codes of Practice. Registered Gas Engineer engineers working with the gas to calls this year about mobile One engineer pointed out that magazine will aim to publish make sure that people know that catering, caravans and holiday some LPG uses are not covered technical articles on specialist the association has free guidance parks, which may have been by ACS currently: Carl said the areas of LPG in future editions. for consumers, as well as for gas due to the increased number engineers. of people holidaying in the UK

As with all gases, using them during the pandemic. This The article provides just a highlight of the event that took place safely is crucial, and Gas Safe’s highlighted the importance of in mid-November. You can watch it in full, as well as previous Carl Banister highlighted some of servicing, maintenance and discussions on RIDDOR and the role of hydrogen, by searching the frequently asked questions replacement of LPG equipment. for Open Channel from Gas Safe Register on Facebook. that come through to the Responding to questions from Open Channel is a way for gas engineers and the Register to talk technical helpline: many around gas engineers watching the event about the things that really matter to you and aims to cover a wide when over-pressure shut-off live, Kaz Dziamarski said that one variety of topics. If you have any suggestions for future topics, (OPSO) regulators are needed, of LPG’s biggest challenges is please email: RGEOpenChannel@GasSafeRegister.co.uk