Gas Safety In Schools: The Essential Checklist

Gas is frequently used in Schools these days, in the entire world, including the UK. Gas is used in schools for the purpose of heating classrooms and offices. Another use of gas is associated with the preparation of meals for the students. Accordingly, gas appliances such as boilers, kitchen hobs, and cookers are typically used in a school.

While gas provides ease and comfort, both for the management and the students in a school, it poses a certain level of danger for them, as well. Gas is known for potential risks such as fire, explosions, and most importantly, carbon monoxide poisoning. Despite being a safe energy source, these risks and threats cannot be ruled out. Fire or explosion generally occurs due to leakage of gas from a damaged part of gas pipework. Fire can also erupt from any of the faulty or malfunctioning gas appliances. On the other hand, carbon monoxide is generated due to incomplete burning of gas. This often happens in a faulty burner. A choked flue or vent can result in the accumulation of highly dangerous gas, which can create a medical emergency for the occupants. 

The schools are even more exposed to these potential risks due to the involvement of a greater number of young kinds. That makes it highly important for the management to ensure gas safety in their schools. 

The Concept of Gas Safety in Schools

The schools fall under the category of commercial property; hence, the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 for commercial properties are applicable to them. The common risks associated with the usage of gas in a school mainly include:

• Risk of fire, which often occurs due to a gas leak from a damaged part of the gas pipework
• Risk of explosion, which can happen due to the accumulation of leaked gas in a confined environment.
• Carbon monoxide poisoning occurs due to the emission and accumulation of carbon monoxide as a result of incomplete combustion of gas in a faulty appliance. 

So, the basic reason for any such happening is either a gas leak or a malfunctioning gas appliance. Fire or explosion may occur due to leakage of gas, whereas carbon monoxide poisoning may happen due to emission of carbon monoxide, in case of incomplete combustion of gas, in a faulty appliance. 

A regular and timely inspection of all the gas appliances may help reduce or even avoid any such happenings. The prevalent gas safety law, titled, “Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, as amended from time to time, binds the landlord of a commercial property, where a school is housed, to obtain a “Commercial Gas Safety Certificate”. This can be done after conducting annual gas safety inspection on all gas appliances installed in the school. The purpose of this whole exercise is to make the school, “gas safe”. The status of being “gas safe”, can only be achieved, if all the gas appliances installed in the school are perfectly in working condition, as specified in the gas safety protocols. 

A commercial gas safety certificate is of different types, based on the purpose and type of commercial activities in that particular property, such as a school. Getting a relevant gas safety certificate for your school is compulsory under the provisions of gas safety regulations. So, the gas safety of a school is based on the annual gas safety inspection and getting a valid gas safety certificate.

Process of Getting a Gas Safety Certificate for Schools

The process of getting a valid gas safety certificate for a school is very simple and straightforward, as summarized here:

• Landlords are required to arrange annual gas safety inspections on all the gas appliances installed in a school, which are mainly boilers and cookers. 
• The landlord of a school needs to engage the services of a gas safe registered engineer. You can search for a registered gas safety engineer by visiting the website of Gas Safe Register, where credentials of all registered engineers are available. 
• The engineer will visit the site of inspection on the scheduled date and time. 
• The engineer will inspect all the gas appliances and allied fittings and installations to check if they are installed as per the gas safety standards. 
• On successful completion of the annual gas safety inspection, the gas safe registered engineer will issue the gas safety certificate for the school. 
• If the inspection fails due to any breach of the gas safety protocols, the engineer will defer the issuance of a commercial gas safety certificate for your school till such time the faults are removed. This may involve re-inspection of the property. 
• A commercial gas safety certificate is valid for 12 months from the date of inspection. It needs renewal on an annual basis before the expiry of the current certificate. The renewal can be arranged by the landlords anytime during the last two months before the expiry of the current gas safety certificate. 
• The landlords are required to display a copy of this certificate in a prominent place on their commercial property. 
• They are also required to keep a record of annual gas safety inspections for at least two years. This may be helpful for them to prove that the property was inspected for gas safety. 

Gas Safety in Schools: The Essential Checklist

Gas safety of a school is crucial, as it involves the safety of a greater number of occupants, as compared to other properties. It is even more crucial due to the age group of the students, who are often unaware of the gas safety standards. To make a school perfectly “gas safe, " the management and the landlords must adhere to the safety standards stipulated in the gas safety regulations. 

Typically, they need to follow a standard checklist, as summarized here:

• Annual Gas Safety Inspections

As a general rule, all properties where gas is used must arrange an annual gas safety inspection on all the gas appliances installed therein. This regulation is equally applicable to schools. The management or the landlord of the school is legally responsible for arranging gas safety inspections regularly. It is also a pre-requisite for getting a valid gas safety certificate, as required under the provisions of the gas safety regulation. This inspection must include the boilers and flues as well as the entire pipework running through the school building. 

• Regular and Periodic Service and Maintenance of gas appliances

Apart from an annual gas safety inspection, it is also important to conduct regular servicing of the gas appliances. Regular maintenance of these appliances is even more important. Timely maintenance ensures the perfect functioning of a gas appliance. If a fault is left unattended, it may aggravate and cause a serious threat to the safety of the students and employees of a school.

• Ventilation 

Ensure sufficient ventilation in the classrooms and offices within the school building. Ensure that all the vents are free from blockage, dirt, or debris. A blocked vent can cause an accumulation of carbon monoxide, which is highly dangerous for human health. 

• Safety Alarms and Gadgets 

Safety alarms and gadgets are required to be installed in the school to prevent any mishap. Generally, the following safety alarms should be installed in the school to ensure gas safety: 

• Carbon Monoxide Detector
• Gas Leak Detector
• Fire Alarm

Make sure that these are installed in the school building at appropriate places, covering the entire building. Regular testing is also important to ensure the perfect working of these gadgets. Any fault detected in any of these alarms should be fixed urgently. 

• Gas Safety Awareness and Training

Make sure that all the employees are aware of their responsibilities towards the gas safety of the school. They should be provided with comprehensive knowledge and training on gas safety measures. They should be trained on how to react in case of a gas emergency. Each one of them should always be ready to play their role in an emergency situation. Side by side, the students should also be trained on what they need to do in case of any such emergency situation. 

• Make an Emergency Exit Plan

Despite all safety measures, the possibility of a gas emergency cannot be ruled out. It is, therefore, very important for the school management to make a comprehensive emergency exit plan to deal with any such situation. Each of the employees and students should be aware of the emergency plan. They need to be regularly trained in responding to any such situation. They should be well aware of the exit points so the building can be vacated instantly in case of a gas emergency. 

Conclusion

Gas safety is the prime responsibility of the management and the landlord of a school. Schools fall under the category of commercial properties; hence, the relevant gas safety regulations are also applicable to the schools, which include the annual gas safety inspection and getting a gas safety certificate. Apart from adhering to the gas safety regulations, the management of a school is also required to conduct regular maintenance and periodic servicing of all the gas appliances. For the perfect gas safety of a school, the management needs to prepare a comprehensive action plan, following a must-do checklist. This will ensure the perfect gas safety of a school.