Gas safety awareness

An initiative to promote the safe use of gas in homes and businesses is being undertaking by Orkney Islands Council’s environmental health team.

The team is visiting catering establishments that use bottled gas to raise awareness of the need to take care of gas appliances.

Environmental health manager David Brown said: “Many households and businesses in Orkney use bottled gas for heating, hot water and cooking, yet we may take it for granted that our boilers, cookers and gas fires are safe.

“In addition to visiting commercial premises we are also asking the public to take some simple steps to make sure that they, their friends and families are ‘gas safe’.”

Badly fitted and poorly maintained appliances can cause gas leaks, fires, explosions and carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.

To stay safe, businesses and householders are recommended to:

• Get gas appliances such as cookers, heaters and fires safety checked at regular intervals and serviced in line with the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Always use a Gas Safe registered engineer when having gas work carried out. You can find a registered engineer in Orkney by calling Gas Safe Register on 08004085500 or visit https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/.
• Check the front and back of your engineer’s Gas Safe Register ID card, making sure they are qualified to do the specific type of gas work you require.
• Install an audible carbon monoxide alarm which will alert you if dangerous levels are present.
• Check for warning signs your appliances aren’t working correctly, such as a lazy yellow flame instead of a crisp blue one, black marks on or around the appliance and too much condensation in the room.
• Use gas cylinders in a vertical position, unless specifically designed to be used otherwise.
• Securely restrain cylinders to prevent them falling over.
• Always double check that the cylinder and gas are correct for your intended use.
• Before connecting a gas cylinder to equipment or pipe-work, make sure that the regulator and pipe-work are suitable for the type of gas and pressure being used.
• Do not drop, roll or drag gas cylinders.

Landlords are reminded that they have a legal requirement to carry out annual gas safety checks on any regulator, pipework and/or appliance they provide in rented property.

In addition Landlords are also required to provide carbon monoxide alarms in rented properties whenever there is a fixed combustion appliance (other than one solely used for cooking).

For further information on gas safety in commercial catering premises or on gas safety checks in private rented accommodation contact environmental health at the Council Offices on 01856873535 extension 2801 or email env.health@orkney.gov.uk.