Gas Safety Week: Fighting for a Gas Safe Nation

Gas Safety Week is an annual safety week to raise awareness of gas safety and the importance of taking care of your gas appliances. It is co-ordinated by Gas Safe Register, the official list of gas engineers who are legally allowed to work on gas.  

Badly fitted and poorly serviced gas appliances can cause gas leaks, fires, explosions and carbon monoxide poisoning. Every year thousands of people across the UK are diagnosed with carbon monoxide poisoning. It is a highly poisonous gas that can kill quickly with no warning, as you cannot see it, taste it or smell it.

Why not take the time to help your customers so they know to:

• Check their gas appliances every year. Gas appliances should be safety checked once a year and serviced regularly by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Tenants should be aware that it’s their landlord’s responsibility to arrange this. Encourage your customers to set a reminder so they don’t forget at StayGasSafe.co.uk.

• Check their engineer is Gas Safe registered and qualified for the type of work they need doing. Let them know they can find this information on the Gas Safe Register website and the back of the Gas Safe ID card. When you go to your customer’s home, be proud to show them your card before they ask for it.

• Check for warning signs that their appliances aren’t working correctly, such as lazy yellow /orange flames instead of crisp blue ones, black marks on or around the appliance, a pilot light that keeps going out and too much condensation in the room.

• Check they know the six main symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning – headaches, dizziness, breathlessness, nausea, collapse and loss of consciousness.

• Check they have an audible carbon monoxide alarm. This will alert them if there is carbon monoxide in their home.