Working on gas lines

[scoz]

Can I run this past a few of you just for your opinions.
I have been a maintenance engineer for over 40 years working on steam, air, oil and gas all my working life with pipe sizes up to 6” in dia. My question is does working on gas in my home require gas safe qualifications, is this right? Or does this come under competent persons statement. I do not intend doing any gas work as I have always had a corgi/gas safe engineers to carry out the work in my home even having to contact an engineer about a gas leak he had left me with. I just wondered that if I have competently worked with gas all my working life would I be ok doing the work. I say again I am not intending to do any work it’s just something that has always crossed my mind and would like your opinions.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

need to be gas safe sorry to say

and you shouldnt of been working on gas lines if you arnt gas safe

 

[snowhead]

and you shouldn't have been working on gas lines if you aren't gas safe

Maybe he works in a factory, mine, quarry or any of the other exempted areas.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Maybe he works in a factory, mine, quarry or any of the other exempted areas.

still have to be competent eg course quals

 

[scoz]

still have to be competent eg course quals

Shaun you are wrong, I’ve worked in a factory all my life so the gas safe regs do not apply as they do to people working in people’s homes and businesses. That is why I raised the question to see If anyone knew the answer. If people with my experience are not allowed to work on gas at home that’s fine but be aware factory regulations are totally different to domestic. Yes we are competent and I have worked on lines that would have made a bloody massive crater if we didn’t know what we were doing.

 

[scoz]

Maybe he works in a factory, mine, quarry or any of the other exempted areas.

Yes snowhead you are right I do work in a factory so gas safe does not apply but competence does.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

i didnt say you needed to be gas safe in factories i said you needed to be qualified, so what happens if something went wrong the insurances would need to see your qualifications

 

[Scott_D]

You must hold some qualifications though?
Do you install, test, purge the pipework to the same standards as else where?

 

[scoz]

i didnt say you needed to be gas safe in factories i said you needed to be qualified, so what happens if something went wrong the insurances would need to see your qualifications

As engineers we have served a recognised apprenticeship which gives us the right to work on all the equipment in the factory we have been trained on. Our factories would not allow us to work on equipment we were not competent to work on. Not only would we be held responsible for something that went wrong but the factory would also be held responsible also. I understand what you say about regs as these are for everyone’s safety but was just wondering if anyone knew the answer for sure.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

As engineers we have served a recognised apprenticeship which gives us the right to work on all the equipment in the factory we have been trained on. Our factories would not allow us to work on equipment we were not competent to work on. Not only would we be held responsible for something that went wrong but the factory would also be held responsible also. I understand what you say about regs as these are for everyone’s safety but was just wondering if anyone knew the answer for sure.

you've just answered your own question

need to be trained / qualified in that machine / line

 

[scoz]

Thankyou for your input everyone, it was nice of you to answer my question. As I was factory based I can understand about the gas safe for domestic work but as I do not intend in carrying out any work it was just a hypothetical question. Thanks

 

[Last Plumber]

I have been a maintenance engineer for over 40 years working on steam, air, oil and gas all my working life

Hello Scoz
I presume it was process Plant/burners/ Boilers you worked on?

 

[scoz]

Hello Scoz
I presume it was process Plant/burners/ Boilers you worked on?

Yes you are right, also glass furnaces running on oil and gas. As a maintenance engineer I have had to have the knowledge to work on everything in the factory including installation and maintenance of all services and machinery. That is why I asked the hypothetical question as I could never understand how I was able to work on pipe work up to 6” but not allowed on 15mm domestic. From the experience I have had with mainly British Gas engineers they wouldn’t know what competence was if it hit them round the face. I have had so many secondary faults caused by gas engineers that I have gone to the small gas engineer as they seem more competence.

 

[Scott_D]

What would you say if it was the other way round. A domestic gas fitter wanting to work in the factory?

 

[scoz]

What would you say if it was the other way round. A domestic gas fitter wanting to work in the factory?

If he was competent to carry out the work there would be no problem. Competence is the key word.