Health and Safety Update (September 2009)

Gas fitter jailed

A gas fitter has been jailed for three years on manslaughter charges after two people died from carbon monoxide poisoning. Cardiff Crown Court heard that 2 people died during the weekend of 16-17 December 2006, after inhaling toxic fumes emitted from a warm-air central-heating system, which had been serviced by the gas fitter the previous month.

The work was carried out at the premises in Port Talbot, Wales. The boiler's flue however, which siphons the combustible gas out of the system, was not cleaned. Consequently, this area of the boiler became blocked and carbon monoxide was pushed round the system and released through heating ducts in the floor of the property.

An investigation by the HSE discovered that although the gas fitter was correctly registered with CORGI (now Gas Safe Register) his accreditation to work on warm-air central-heating systems had lapsed 3 years previously. As a result, his knowledge of the system was not up to date. Gas workers must take competency tests to work on these systems every five years and he should have been well aware of this stated an HSE inspector.

The HSE also inspected four other properties that the gas fitter had worked on, which all had warm-air central-heating systems. There were numerous faults in each of these and he had also failed to identify faults on a gas fire at one of the properties.

Appearing in court on 30 July, he was found guilty on two counts of manslaughter and six breaches of s2(3) of the HSWA 1974. He was given a three-year custodial sentence for each manslaughter charge, to run concurrently, but no further punishment was administered for the safety breaches.

This tragic case demonstrates why it is essential that gas engineers only work on appliances where their competence has been assessed and that they are on the Gas Safe Register.

All gas engineers must carry a card detailing the appliances they are permitted to work on. Householders should always check these details before allowing work to be carried out, as properly registered engineers will be more than happy to prove their competence.