Gas Meter attached to two pliable connectors - is it legal?

[Ines Spires]

A domestic Gas Standard pre-payment Meter was exchanged for a Gas Smart Meter (SM) and then connected back to the pre-existing pliable/semi-rigid/anaconda connectors.
I believe this is illegal and breaks laws and regulations when this was done on 30 March 2017.
But my Utility company who had the Gas SM installed state that the:-
“the pipework did not need to be changed at the point of installation of the gas SMART meter and that the attending engineer completed the work in a compliant manner”. (FULL Response at end)

This came to my attention when later I had a gas leak from the Gas Smart Meter.
So Emergency (Cadent) called who made safe and stated in Notice that “Gas leak from corroded stainless steel anaconda flexible pipe after meter”.
Later Gas Engineer fixed leak as fitted a fixed pipe from the Meter Outlet to bring it up to Current Standards.

1-Gas SM BEFORE - Exchanged Standard Meter to SM.jpeg
2-Gas SM AFTER - Changed Outlet Flexi to Rigid pipe.jpeg
1. 2.


I am a layman and that is why I need your advice and help.
From what I have found from different forums and as I can not access website gas safe register, when a Gas meter is EXCHANGED - not Temporarily Removed and Refitted or Repositioned or Relocated - if two anacondas exist, then the Outlet one has to be replaced by a Fixed pipe. In my case this was not done.

Could you please tell me or correct me with the below.
I want to state back Laws, Standards and/or Codes of Conduct to the Utility company as to why what they did was NOT COMPLIANT.
Has the Utility company broken the law?
Or is what they did just NCS or AR, so maybe wrong but not punishable? (did say I have been reading a lot of forums, hehe)
Or should I just stop complaining?

(1) Legal requirements

• Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 (GSIUR)
• Any other Laws?

(2) National Standards

• BS 6400
• Any other Standards?
• BS 6400-1:2016
• Technical Bulletin TB 084 : The prohibition of two pliable connectors on a domestic gas meter installation

Found this quoted in a forum, but there may be an updated one for 30 March 2017:-
TB084 22/09/10 states "The requirements of Gas Industry Unsafe Situations Procedure(GIUSP)
Where an existing meter installation is encountered with two pliable connections fitted, the installation should be classified as "Not to Current Standards" (NCS) in accordance with the procedure detailed in the current GIUSP (TB001). The Gas user/responsible person should be advised to contact their gas supplier in order to rectify the matter."

(3) Operational / Management / Codes
Ofgen, SMICoP, MAMCoP
Is not an Ofgem Approved Meter Installer (OAMI), who is working on behalf of a meter asset manager (MAM), required to renew the outlet with rigid pipework if they do a meter exchange?
- Any other Codes?

I hope help can be given to me as I believe the Utility company’s work put lives at risk - I thank you in advance, Ines.




Utility Company Response in Full:-
“Your complaint is in relation to the gas meter pipework. I have been in contact with the Compliance Manager of the installing company regarding the original installation appointment. The Compliance Manager has confirmed that the pipework did not need to be changed at the point of installation of the gas and electricity SMART meters and that the attending engineer completed the work in a compliant manner.

I appreciate you having provided a report from a British Gas engineer, however this report is inconclusive to the nature of this facet of your complaint. Furthermore, I am unable to comment on any conversations you have had with an engineer with whom we have no affiliation. Therefore, based on this information, this facet of the complaint will not be upheld.”

 

[Brambles]

The Primary Regulations for installing domestic gas meters are : The Gas Safety (installations and use) Regulations 1998 with amendments. Part C is the relevant section for gas meters.

The Regulations are not specific on the use of the “anaconda” flexible connections. However, the guidance notes published by the Qualification Awarding Bodies ( Such as Logic ) who qualify engineers ( ACS qualification) to apply for Gas Safe Registraion generally state:

“There must not be more than one semi rigid connection on an installation unless the meter is fitted within a semi concealed meter box”. Ref. Logic Certification, Issue 4, 2019.

In essence, your installation has now been corrected. Irrespective of the response you have received, I would suspect that action has been taken by the installing organisation to try to prevent a repeat of the service you have received. It is likely that the individual who installed your meter will now be subject to an increased level of audit. Take some solace from that and move on.

With respect to the anaconda (semi rigid connection) - sadly they often corrode (and it can happen quite quickly) after they have been tested for leaks and not properly wiped clean of leak detection fluid. If you have time, give it a good clean, particularly in the groves, with a slightly damp cloth.

I am not at all suggesting that the Smart Meter installer caused the corrosion, just that corrosion on anacondas is not uncommon.

With respect to classification, the corroded anaconda would be AR, moving to ID if leaking or if there was a smell of gas. There is no longer a classification NCS.

My advice is to move on and focus on other things, there is no benefit in seeking retribution on a problem that has been resolved.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Fine as it was due to the bracket being secured (existing install)

as for now I would get your gas engineer back as he’s done a bad job

outletside isn’t secure in the meter bracket also looks like he’s bent the meter bracket for some reason
[automerge]1578252387[/automerge]

The Primary Regulations for installing domestic gas meters are : The Gas Safety (installations and use) Regulations 1998 with amendments. Part C is the relevant section for gas meters.

The Regulations are not specific on the use of the “anaconda” flexible connections. However, the guidance notes published by the Qualification Awarding Bodies ( Such as Logic ) who qualify engineers ( ACS qualification) to apply for Gas Safe Registraion generally state:

“There must not be more than one semi rigid connection on an installation unless the meter is fitted within a semi concealed meter box”. Ref. Logic Certification, Issue 4, 2019.

In essence, your installation has now been corrected. Irrespective of the response you have received, I would suspect that action has been taken by the installing organisation to try to prevent a repeat of the service you have received. It is likely that the individual who installed your meter will now be subject to an increased level of audit. Take some solace from that and move on.

With respect to the anaconda (semi rigid connection) - sadly they often corrode (and it can happen quite quickly) after they have been tested for leaks and not properly wiped clean of leak detection fluid. If you have time, give it a good clean, particularly in the groves, with a slightly damp cloth.

I am not at all suggesting that the Smart Meter installer caused the corrosion, just that corrosion on anacondas is not uncommon.

With respect to classification, the corroded anaconda would be AR, moving to ID if leaking or if there was a smell of gas. There is no longer a classification NCS.

My advice is to move on and focus on other things, there is no benefit in seeking retribution on a problem that has been resolved.

ncs doesn’t become ar automatically

also there is still ncs

 

[Brambles]

Shaun,

As an Assessor, I appreciate that the communication from Gas Safe is not where it needs to be, however you understanding of current GSR regulations is not correct.

The criteria of Not to Current Standards (NCS) was removed from the GS(IU)Regulations on the 1st July 2015 by the update, Edition 7, of the Unsafe Situations Procedure, published by The Gas Safe Register on the said date. That update contained a number of other significant changes, so it is well worth a read. One specific inclusion is a corroded anaconda to be categorised as AR.

The site does not seem to accept the link to the HSE GSR web site, but Google will no doubt bring up the link on the Gas Safe Registered site.

Your other comments are relevant, My response was specifically to the question of the use of two semi rigid connections.

I would appreciate the removal of your disagreement comment, once you have read the update cited above.

 

[Gasmk1]

Fine as it was due to the bracket being secured (existing install)

as for now I would get your gas engineer back as he’s done a bad job

outletside isn’t secure in the meter bracket also looks like he’s bent the meter bracket for some reason
[automerge]1578252387[/automerge]


ncs doesn’t become ar automatically

also there is still ncs

Looks like he hasn't used a slotted meter union that fits into the bracket just used a standard one so he has forced it under the bracket

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Shaun,

As an Assessor, I appreciate that the communication from Gas Safe is not where it needs to be, however you understanding of current 'Registered Professional Gas Engineer' regulations is not correct.

The criteria of Not to Current Standards (NCS) was removed from the GS(IU)Regulations on the 1st July 2015 by the update, Edition 7, of the Unsafe Situations Procedure, published by The Gas Safe Register on the said date. That update contained a number of other significant changes, so it is well worth a read. One specific inclusion is a corroded anaconda to be categorised as AR.

The site does not seem to accept the link to the HSE 'Registered Professional Gas Engineer' web site, but Google will no doubt bring up the link on the Gas Safe Registered site.

Your other comments are relevant, My response was specifically to the question of the use of two semi rigid connections.

I would appreciate the removal of your disagreement comment, once you have read the update cited above.

ncs is still about and still notable just don’t need to tell the customer

 

[Ines Spires]

I truly appreciate greatly the comments and responses I have received. Thank you so much.

@ShaunCorbs @Gasmk1 - re: slotted meter union and bent bracket - I will inform BG, as they replaced outlet broken anaconda with the fixed pipe. Bent bracket I believe may have been done by Gas SM installer.

@ Brambles - re: move on and focus on other things, there is no benefit in seeking retribution on a problem that has been resolved.
I really should but I can’t! And it is not financial compensation, as I am sure you all know, all the Energy Ombudsman will give me is £50/100 max.

So what am I trying to achieve? At the risk of sounding arrogant and pompous, it is a matter of principle AND safety.
The Energy company (Not BG but a new player) I am dealing with have done so many wrong things in their SM Gas AND Electric installation that I have found out in hindsight. They have been unethical and incompetent in many ways, but I am not going to state all that here as I am pursuing those matters separately. I will update here later if anyone is still interested.

As Gas Engineers is not safety of paramount importance in the work you do - of course it is!
If the Energy company’s appointed Gas SM installers (I won’t call them engineers) are exchanging meters that breaks the Law and Regulations, or even ‘bending’ the laws, should not Ofgem and/or Gas Safe be made aware?

So sorry to ask again, but has the Energy company installed the Gas SM in a “compliant manner” or are they being ‘economical with the truth’?
If they have been Compliant, then what about:-

• Technical Bulletin TB 084?
• Is not an Ofgem Approved Meter Installer (OAMI), who is working on behalf of a meter asset manager (MAM), required to renew the outlet with rigid pipework if they do a meter exchange?
• Should not the installer have at the very least informed me of safety issues regarding the outlet anaconda as per their own Code of Practice for Approved Meter Installers?

I will be going to the Energy Ombudsman about this Gas SM exchange, but I just want information before I do from forum members - so I know what I am saying about Regulations, Codes and Laws is correct.

I just want to make sure for my own peace of mind that the many other Gas SMs installed by this company have been done up to current standards and if they are not then make the relevant authorities aware before something unfortunate happens.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

It’s still straight after the meter has been replaced

its compliant at the time of the install aslong as it was gastite

 

[crossjitsu]

Storm in a tea cup. You wont get anywhere, as it was like that when the SM was installed, its not your god given right to have your pipework upgraded free of charge.

Some energy suppliers will replace the flexible outlet, some will note it down and leave it, depends on their policy.

The leak was after the meter and therefore your property, you rightly paid to have it repaired.