From next April, all Gas Safe registered engineers will require the Combustion Performance of Domestic Appliance Qualification.
This represents an excellent safety standard requirement for gas service engineers.
So what’s the good news?
It actually makes no difference to Aquatech customers, as our gas service engineers are already qualified to the new standard which means that when gas appliances are serviced by us the provision of a high safety standard is already common practice.
There are approximately 120,000 registered gas service engineers; 45,000 currently use a flue gas analyser when completing gas safety checks.
In April 2012 this qualification will become statute. Gas service engineers will need to demonstrate how to use a flue gas analyser correctly in order to gain CPA1 qualification, the recognised gas safety course and assessment.
So why has this qualification been made a pre-requisite?
Simple.
Between 1995 and 2010, 594 people in the UK died as a result of CO2 poisoning, with some 2,085 being hospitalised. This is probably just a small representation of those cases that were mis-diagnosed! (Source: H&PM ~Sept 2011)
One death from CO2 poisoning is one too many and if fatalities can be avoided by carrying out simple safety checks using a flue gas analyser then the new safety standard can’t come soon enough, above all else, it will improve safety standards across the UK.
With over 1.5 million high efficiency appliances being fitted each year, a safety standard is a much needed pre-requisite to demonstrate a high level of safety competency.
This doesn’t mean gas service engineers who are registered are deemed unsafe, but it will ensure that appliances are correctly installed and hi-light any faults once installation is complete.
Gas safety checks don’t require the use of a gas flue analyser and any faulty component or faulty installation is not required by law to be checked in this way irrespective of the skill of the engineer!
Are your gas appliances safe and regularly tested?
Gas Safe Register is the official stamp for gas safety. By law all gas engineers must be Gas Safe registered. The Gas Safe register replaced the CORGI gas installer scheme.
Make sure the person carrying out your gas work is Gas Safe registered and always ask to see their Gas Safe ID card.
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