Common Issues Found During Gas Safety Inspections

Gas safety inspections are a permanent feature, every landlord has to face multiple times. These are the inspections conducted annually to ensure the safety of the occupants of the properties rented out by the landlords. It is their legal responsibility under the gas safety regulations in the UK.

Gas appliances and the allied gas pipework are generally safe for the occupants of a particular property. Still, they might pose serious safety threats, at times, mainly due to gas leaks and carbon monoxide emissions. It often happens due to faulty gas appliances or rusted pipework, resulting from inconsistent service and maintenance. The annual gas safety inspections are conducted to thoroughly examine all the gas pipework as well as the gas appliances and other related installations. 

Upon completing the annual gas safety inspection, the property gets a Gas Safety Certificate, also known as Gas Safety Check Records or CP12, which is another obligatory requirement under the gas safety regulations. However, in case the property does not fulfill the requirements of gas safety, the required gas safety certificate will not be issued by the engineer

Hence, the landlords must have a basic knowledge of the gas safety requirements and the reasons for failing the process. 

Gas Safety Regulations and Annual Gas Safety Inspection

Using gas in residential or commercial properties is a routine matter these days. The gas has almost replaced the conventional fuels like oil and coal. The main reason for this change is the fact that gas is relatively safer as compared to oil or coal. However, the gas cannot be rated as a risk-free energy source. It has some very serious threats, such are fire and explosions. Many gas accidents are reported yearly, involving property loss and occupants' injuries. That's why the authorities formulated a comprehensive law, commonly known as the Gas Safety Regulations 1998.

The 1998 gas safety regulations are titled "The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998". It was in amendment 2018 under "The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) (Amendments) Regulations 2018" to make it more flexible. Since then, gas safety regulations have been helpful in avoiding thousands of gas accidents. However, there are still many instances of gas mishaps reported every year in domestic and non-domestic properties. The primary reason behind these mishaps is the violation and non-adherence to the gas safety regulations.

The main aspect of the gas safety regulations is that the landlords are made responsible for the safety of their tenants against any possible gas accident. For this purpose, they are legally required to conduct the annual gas safety inspection. They are legally bound to arrange annual gas safety inspections on all the gas appliances and allied pipework installed on the property. Pipework is highly important in the safety protocols, as a gas leak from any of its rusted parts may result in a big accident. As they say, gas is safe unless confined within the pipe work. It indicates the possible gas leaks.

Another important factor in gas safety is the legal requirement of conducting the annual gas safety inspection, only through a gas safe registered engineer or company. Gas Safe Register is currently the sole official organization in the UK, replacing the previous body, CORGI (Council of Registered Gas Installers).

The Process of Annual Gas Safety Inspections

The annual gas safety inspection involves a complete examination of each and every gas appliance, installed in the property. It also involves a close examination of allied gas pipe network and other related gas installations. 

The gas safety inspection consists of the following main steps:

• Visual inspection of all the gas appliances, including boilers and flues. 
• Checking the entire pipe network to explore if there are any damaged parts in it. Detection of rusty or damaged parts within the gas appliances, especially the boilers, is also conducted. 
• Incomplete combustion of gas is the main cause of carbon monoxide emissions. Hence, the engineer will specifically check for any such fault in any of the burners. Incomplete burning of the gas may generate odorless, colorless, but harmful carbon monoxide, which needs special attention during the process of gas safety inspection.
• The gas-safe registered engineer will also check the gas pressure. Correct gas pressure is a vital aspect of gas safety in many ways. So, the engineer will also confirm if the burners, boilers, and furnaces are working perfectly with the correct gas pressure. 
• The engineer will also check and confirm that the gas appliances are correctly installed. 
• Check that the joints and connections are tight enough to prevent any leakage.
• Any abnormality in the performance of the gas appliances will be recorded and the appliances will be labeled accordingly. The gas appliances that are considered unsafe or faulty will be marked as “Unfit for Use.” Accordingly, these appliances will be further classified as under:
• Immediately Dangerous (ID) – The appliances marked as “ID” are unsafe for use. These appliances might need to be replaced, if the fault is serious or otherwise, it can be used after proper repair. 
• At Risk (AR) – Any appliance labeled "AR" is also unsafe for use, but the level of risk might be less than the ones categorized as "ID.” Such appliances can be used after repair and maintenance. However, it is recommended not to use such appliances unless the fault is removed.
• Not to Current Standards (NCS) – the appliances labeled "NCS" are considered fit for use, but it is a sort of warning that they may be somewhat risky as they do not meet the current standards of safety. Such appliances should be replaced with new ones as early as possible to avoid any mishaps. 
• Inspecting the flues and chimneys. These should be free from blockages. A choked flue or chimney often results in an accumulation of harmful gases, such as carbon monoxide. Therefore, the engineer should specifically examine these. 
• The engineer will also check the ventilation system of the property. 
• The safety devices, such as gas leak detectors, CO detectors and alarms, installed in the property will also be checked during the annual gas safety inspection. 

Common Issues Found During Gas Safety Inspections

As explained above, the gas safety inspection is quite a comprehensive process. It involves thoroughly inspecting all the gas appliances and other related installations. Sometimes, a property may fail the gas safety inspection. It often happens due to widespread but serious lapses on the part of the landlords.

There might be several such lapses, but the most common issues that the gas safety engineer often detects during the annual gas safety inspection are summarized here:

• Gas leakage

This is the most common issue, often detected in loose joints, incorrect connections, and faulty installation of gas appliances. Gas leakage can also occur in any damaged part of the gas pipework. A rusted part of the gas pipework is also vulnerable and may result in gas leakage.

• Incomplete Gas Combustion

Incomplete burning of gas results in emission of carbon monoxide. It often happens if a gas burner needs to be fixed. 

• Bad Ventilation System

Ventilation is important in the safety of occupants of a property against the potential risks associated with gas. A blocked chimney may casue the accumulation of harmful gases like carbon monoxide. It is very harmful for the human health. The inflow of fresh air and outflow of harmful gases is very important. Properties may fail gas safety inspections due to this reason.

• Rusty Gas Pipework

This is another serious issue, detected during the annual gas safety inspections. A rusty gas pipe often results in a gas leak, which may cause fire or explosion. It may cause injuries to the occupants and losses to the property.

• Outdated or Obsolete Gas Appliances

The gas safety protocols are changed for an improved safety of the people and property. Accordingly, the manufacturers keep on improving their products to meet these standards. An old gas appliance might apparently be working perfectly but may not be compliant with the current gas safety standards. If any such gas appliance is installed on the property, it is also highlighted by the engineer during the gas safety inspection.

• Incorrect Installation of Gas Appliances

Gas appliances need perfect installation, strictly following the gas safety standards. It is often observed that the landlords get this sensitive task done by an unprofessional engineer, which results in problems during the gas safety inspection. It also includes loose joints and connections and imperfect gas inlet adjustment. 

• Inconsistent and Poor Maintenance of Gas Appliances

Gas appliances must be maintained and serviced regularly. This is very important for their optimum performance. A poorly maintained gas appliance is another serious issue, often detected during the annual gas safety inspection.

• Faulty Gas Meter and Regulator

Gas meters and regulators also play an important role in the perfect and safe usage of gas. A faulty regulator may cause an irregular inflow of gas, which ultimately affects the performance of the gas appliances. Any such situation may result in some serious safety issues. 

• Faulty Gas Safety Gadgets

Gas safety gadgets, such as leak detectors or CO detectors, are very important in gas safety; hence, they must be in perfect working condition.

Conclusion

Gas safety is critical, both for the landlords and the tenants. The responsibility for the safety of people and property is laid on the shoulders of the landlords. They are legally made responsible for ensuring the safety of their tenants against any possible risk of a gas mishap. For this purpose, they must arrange annual gas safety inspections on all the gas appliances installed on their properties.

The annual gas safety inspection is also a prerequisite for getting the gas safety certificate. It can only be issued if the property successfully passes the gas safety inspection. It is often observed that properties fail this most crucial inspection. Many common issues are found during the annual gas safety inspection. The landlords should be aware of these common issues, which can mostly be avoided easily by adhering to the prevalent gas safety regulations.