First Gas Safe Inspection

[Pipedreamer]

Hi Guys,

Hoping some of you can help me out slightly as I’m bricking it at the minute. I am going to register for my own Gas safety registration soon and am really worried about the inspection.
I have always been under an employers registration and have never actually have a inspection of my own.
I don’t really know what to expect and am worried as I don’t actually have any jobs of my own to take them to so not even sure how I could be inspected as such?

Any pointers would be

 

[Welder]

Hi Guys,

Hoping some of you can help me out slightly as I’m bricking it at the minute. I am going to register for my own Gas safety registration soon and am really worried about the inspection.
I have always been under an employers registration and have never actually have a inspection of my own.
I don’t really know what to expect and am worried as I don’t actually have any jobs of my own to take them to so not even sure how I could be inspected as such?

Any pointers would be

cut off in his prime .... Perhaps it was nerves?

 

[Pipedreamer]

Haha I actually put s thumbs up but it hasn’t appeared!

 

[Welder]

Haha I actually put s thumbs up but it hasn’t appeared!

That's cos you have to use the forums OWN emojis NOT the ones on your phone or whatever
Glad you weren't hit by a bus anyway
There is a viscous rumour that one day UKPF might join the emoji 19th century.

 

[Harvest Fields]

Hi Guys,

Hoping some of you can help me out slightly as I’m bricking it at the minute. I am going to register for my own Gas safety registration soon and am really worried about the inspection.
I have always been under an employers registration and have never actually have a inspection of my own.
I don’t really know what to expect and am worried as I don’t actually have any jobs of my own to take them to so not even sure how I could be inspected as such?

Any pointers would be

You’re worried about something you haven’t got yet. Chill out. Relax. Your first inspection can be a family member if needed.

 

[Pipedreamer]

Yeah but they inspect you regardless don’t they so it is coming!

 

[townfanjon]

your first meet is to get on the regester , I doubt if he will want to see any of your work , or at least thats how it used to be .
Lots of questions, concentrate on what he asks , and the most obvious one dont be a clever **** which I doubt you will , good luck .

 

[Harvest Fields]

The initial is as above a quick coffee and a chit chat. A few questions. If you don’t know don’t guess. Go and get the viper bible and get the answer he wants.

 

[Christopher buzzard]

When I had my 1st inspection after getting my own registration last year he came to my house 1st. Few questions and chit chat. Then I took him to 2 installations and in 1 I did a tightness test and the other I had to do a gas rate. He checked through my benchmark paperwork and left. He covered the Ipswich area. Not sure if they do things differently up and down the country. I had 3 months to gather work to show him.

 

[Harvest Fields]

Technically it should be the same everywhere.

 

[Stu-B]

Very informal, just chatted about where I’d worked and jobs i’d done, a few bits of tech talk and that was about it.
I got the feeling that I was being grilled, and as long as I said the right things in the right lingo, it was ok for him, never even got my tools out.
Let’s face it, I could teach my 6 y/o son to gas rate an appliance and do a tightness test, that’s the easy bit.
Just take it all in your stride pal.

 

[JKG]

There is nothing to worry about they understand that your nervous and really put you at ease.
When I had mine it was just chat a few questions that you should know then he watched me commission a boiler that I’d just installed

 

[Harvest Fields]

Very informal, just chatted about where I’d worked and jobs i’d done, a few bits of tech talk and that was about it.
I got the feeling that I was being grilled, and as long as I said the right things in the right lingo, it was ok for him, never even got my tools out.
Let’s face it, I could teach my 6 y/o son to gas rate an appliance and do a tightness test, that’s the easy bit.
Just take it all in your stride pal.

Yet many people get both wrong.

 

[Stu-B]

Yet many people get both wrong.

People shouldn’t be doing either, best leave it to the experts

 

[Pipedreamer]

Cheers for the replies guys.
So it’s likely that the first one will be informal and the second will be tonsee work?.

What type of questions did you guys get?.

 

[Harvest Fields]

It’s all basic stuff you will know already mate. Shouldn’t really go into to much detail on here. But you honestly shouldn’t have anything to worry about.

 

[Pipedreamer]

Ok thanks. Hopefully you re right!

Is he likely to ask me to do bits at my boiler where I live? It’s a Suprima and I’ve never done anything on older boilers, as usually just out new ones in. Will have to read up on it if so

 

[Last Plumber]

Ok thanks. Hopefully you re right!

Is he likely to ask me to do bits at my boiler where I live? It’s a Suprima and I’ve never done anything on older boilers, as usually just out new ones in. Will have to read up on it if so

You might be over thinking this a bit which is understandable but don't worry. Whoever comes will have been in your shoes. They are human just like you. The ones I met over the years have all been ex-engineers. If they can tell you are conscientious (and going off this post you probably are) they should be happy. If you are unsure of anything then ask the question. Good luck.

 

[Pipedreamer]

Well I at least try to be. You might be right about overthinking this as I am definitely a worrier when it comes to exams etc. I can panic about the simplest of things in an exam situation. I expect if he asks me to do a tightness test I’ll be shaking and dropping the test nipper cap etc.

Just wondered if there were any particular areas they will definitely ask. I assumed tightness testing, gas rating maybe clearances etc. I wasn’t sure on certain things like Se or U ducts were going to come in or ducts in series anything like that as it’s not stuff Ive done bar the classroom

 

[Scott_D]

It would be s good idea to know your way around your own appliances

They will also want to look at your paperwork, warning pads, FGA calibration

 

[Last Plumber]

Just wondered if there were any particular areas they will definitely ask. I assumed tightness testing, gas rating maybe clearances etc. I wasn’t sure on certain things like Se or U ducts were going to come in or ducts in series anything like that as it’s not stuff Ive done bar the classroom

I cannot see them quizzing you on S + U duct installation to be honest. Those are things many of us don't come across that often.

The main things will be that you know the basic everyday safety checks e.g. Let-by, Tightness, Standing pressure, Working Pressure, Burner Pressure, Ventilation, flue termination, Gas Rates, Spillage testing (don't forget extract fans and interconnecting doors), Flue flow, ECV (Emergency Control Valve) position and labeling, Earthing/bonding etc etc.

If you test something make sure you test the test point/nipple with something like LDF or a sniffer if you have one (if you don't it won't matter for this) when you have finished. Check the anaconda joints and the thing itself with LDF (wipe it off after) or a sniffer. They are pre-governor so will be likely to have a higher pressure inside than the test pressure you use on the installation side, so will the ECV. I always test the joint pre-ECV with something too as that is definitely not tested during a tightness test. The Governor can lock up in some circumstances and any leak on the anaconda or ECV would fail to show a drop on the tightness test being carried out on the delivery side of the Governor (rare but seen it with my own eyes), that's another reason to test the anaconda.

If he is going to take you to see work, have your general everyday kit ready. e.g. LDF (Leak Detection Fluid), manometer and tube, stop watch (phone will do nowadays), FGA (calibrated), calculator (phone will do nowadays), Smoke bombs, Closure plate/duct tape, some caps/plugs/stop ends, fittings etc, warning notice pads, your book of words.

I hope this helps ease the worry. He is not coming to trick you in any way. If there are doubts/questions in your mind I'm sure they would prefer that you asked. It is up to them whether they release you into the world to work on Gas so they will want to see that if you don't know the answer, you'll find out!!

Any questions over anything I mentioned, I'm sure I or others will answer you.

Don't panic.

 

[JTplumbingservices]

Just out of curiosity has anyone ever failed this inspection ?
If so what was the outcome ?
The other Gas Safe guy at my work had an inspection ( he’s been gas safe his full career and in his 50’s now ) don’t know what he had to do or what the outcome was because he wouldn’t tell me but my boss told me he failed it.

 

[Pipedreamer]

Thanks for your advice guys, much appreciated.
I’ll try and brush up as much as possible on bits and see how it goes!.

 

[townfanjon]

Cheers for the replies guys.
So it’s likely that the first one will be informal and the second will be tonsee work?.

What type of questions did you guys get?.

It will be stuff you know , but if you dont know it , he will want to know that you know where to find it .

 

[bigdc]

i would have a copy of the unsafe sits.

 

[Pipedreamer]

Yeah I was wondering about them the other day. Where’s the best place to get a set of them?

 

[Harvest Fields]

A set?

 

[Aire]

Funnily enough I'm just looking at the unsafe situations book myself

Revised Eighth Edition (2018) USP1 The Gas Industry Unsafe Situations Procedure

 

[Pipedreamer]

Ha a turn of phrase I admit it doesn’t make sense on paper!.

 

[bigdc]

if you have a printer just get them off the igem website