gas meters - so whats classed as supported?

[beesley121]

Hi guys,

After readng that the irlam explosion was prob caused by the gas meter being in-adequately supported (pile of bricks) which, caused a previous fracture to become larger, what would you say is classed as supported?

we see loads of meters that are a few inches from the floor. Is it ok to say put a cut flag underneath? thats completey different to a pile of bricks that could topple

 

[mikegas]

It should be on a fixed bracket

 

[Resolute]

If you see an unsupported meter then report it to the supplier, they should then deal.

 

[plumber0808]

If its off the floor it should have a bracket to support it. Nothing underneath holding it up. National grid will sort this no problem.

 

[ambrosia]

the guy they prosecuted sounds like a bit of a scape goat, they couldnt catch the guy who was responsible for the shody pipework, the shody pipework was downstream of the ecv so the leak wouldnt show up in a tightness test



i remember when i was young and green making a fuss about a meter which had flexible pipes either side of the meter and i got laughed at by other gas engineers

 

[AWheating]

its fine for a meter to be standing on a suitable surface without a bracket as long as theres no strain on the pipework/unions. The grid will only do something about meters that are not secure/at risk. such a meter with two flexi tails maybe classed as this.

When the meter next gets changed then it will be fitted with a bracket.

a suitable surface should be something that cant be removed without tools, ie. fixed or something that forms part of the building structure like the floor.

 

[Pssst]

If the meter is stood on a shelf and not either under strain or applying strain to its supporting pipework then it is ok. The Irlam malarky was an accident waiting to happen. For years LAs and HAs have been doing housing refurbs and allowing their contractors to ripout kitchens and leave meters temp propped up on whatever. Even when they have finished the work meters are still left propped up and worse,they butcher kitchen base cabinets to fit round the meter/obstruct/conceal ecvs etc etc..