05.29.09
Gas Fitters Must be Registered with the Gas Safe Register
In an important decision on consumer protection, York Crown Court punished a self employed plumber, one Thomas Dalton, who was accused of breaching the provisions of Health and Safety at Work etc. Act on more than one occasion. Dalton pleaded guilty to the charges and was imprisoned for 12 months.
The case resulted in a strong renewal of warning by the HSE to the gas installers to abide by the provisions of the Act and getting themselves registered under the Gas Safe Register, in order to prevent risking health and safety of the public. It also urged that unregistered and incompetent people like Dalton should be stopped from undertaking any type of gas installation work.
Any gas fitter is deemed to have the necessary competence in his job only if he has had a proper training and is registered under the Gas Safe Register. Thomas Dalton was prohibited from doing any gas fitting work in 2005 itself, when it was found out that he does not possess the necessary skills. Despite that, he performed a gas fitting work and was imprisoned for three months for the violation. He confessed to having defaulted in his duties on a number of occasions.
However, he was again found to have breached the prohibition by undertaking installation of a gas boiler in Harrogate. Due to his incompetence, he was unable to fix the pipe properly, which exposed the residents to a risk of leakage of carbon monoxide.
The issue was taken before the court and Dalton was found guilty of the offence. Following the decision, the HSE issued a notice to people who have employed Dalton in the past to get their gas fittings checked and make sure that they are safe.
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