Concerns over gas appliances in town eateries

Steve Hayes

04 February 2010

CHECKS on gas appliances at cafes and restaurants across the district revealed more than half did not have safety certificates.
The council revealed the shocking figures after their environmental health officers gave gas cookers and heating appliances the once over at 28 premises during their routine inspections.
A total of 15 owners were unable to prove their appliances had been maintained properly and officers also discovered three unregistered engineers had been operating illegally in the area whose details were immediately reported to the relevant authorities.
The project was launched with the Health and Safety Executive in a bid to stamp out cowboy fitters and avoid problems such as carbon monoxide poisoning and explosions which are associated with ill-maintained cookers and heating.
By law all gas appliances have to be fitted by an engineer who is registered and records must be kept of its service history. The maximum penalty for breaching the rules is a fine of £20,000.
A council spokesperson said since the inspections 11 of the premises have had their appliances certified and four are being pursued. One was found to have a dangerous appliance which required immediate action.
District council environment chief, Simon Jackson, said the process had identified catering businesses with a poor record.
He said: "As a result of our interventions this situation has improved through informal action, education and raising awareness and this was achieved with the minimum of additional officer time, as the project was carried-out during routine inspections.
"We have also raised awareness of the need for maintenance of gas installations, and of the need for businesses to ensure that the gas engineers they employ are properly registered with the Gas Safe Register. It also identified a number of gas engineers working outside their registered competence, which was one of the aims of the project."
The council said officers will continue to check gas safety at a proportion of premises they visit on health and safety matters.

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