Guide to Registering with Gas Safe for the First Time

Using gas for homes and industries is a common practice worldwide, including in the UK. It is considered a safe and economical energy source compared to conventional sources like oil and coal. Moreover, it is also environmentally friendly. 

Despite all these plus points, gas cannot be rated as a risk-free fuel. The risk involved in using gas is mainly due to leakage, which can cause an explosion or eruption of fire. Carbon monoxide poisoning is another serious threat due to incomplete combustion of gas. Many such gas-related mishaps are reported every year in the UK. 

To overcome these incidents and regulate gas usage for domestic and non-domestic purposes, a comprehensive law was introduced in 1998, commonly called gas safety regulations. One of the clauses of these regulations requires that only the gas-safe registered engineers can work on gas installations and appliances. 

Hence, it is legally required for gas safety engineers and companies to get them registered with the gas safe register to work on gas appliances and installations, including gas pipework.

What is the Gas Safe Register?

Gas Safe Register is an official UK organization. It is responsible for registering and maintaining the complete data of gas safety engineers who are licensed to work on gas installations and appliances. Previously, this was being done by CORGI (Council for Registered Gas Installers). 

Under the provisions of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, as amended from time to time, only the engineers registered with the gas safe register are authorized to conduct gas jobs, such as installation, repair, service, and annual gas safety inspection. Work conducted by an unregistered gas engineer would not be considered legal or valid. 

The license issued by the gas safe register is valid for one year. The engineers registered with the gas safe register are also provided with an ID card with their photo and other details printed on it. This ID expires in one year and requires renewal; otherwise, the engineer will not be allowed to work on gas installations. 

Guide to Registering with Gas Safe for the First Time

It is a legal requirement for intending gas safety engineers to register with the Gas Safe Register so that they may work on gas appliances and installations. Gas service-providing companies are also required to have at least one gas-safe registered engineer on their panel. Hence, the engineers need to register with the Gas Safe Register.

The process of registering with Gas Safe for the first time is somewhat lengthy. You need to fulfill their standard parameters, which include your qualifications, skills, and work experience. The basic requirements for securing a registration with a gas safe register are explained here:

Acquire the Right Gas-Safe Qualification

Various institutes offer several gas safety courses, but if you want to join the gas safe register, you need to take one that is officially recognized by them. That course should also be acceptable and recognized by the gas trade and industry. Any course that is not on their approved list will be useless. 

Courses such as CCN1 or NVQ are commonly acceptable to both gas-safe registers and the gas trade. NVQ (National Vocational Qualification) and SVQ (Scottish Vocational Qualification) level 3 is considered to be one of the best diploma courses for Gas Engineering, Plumbing, and Heating. However, you need to cross-check the validity of any such course through a reliable source to ensure the Gas Safe Register recognizes these courses. 

Complete a Recognized Training Program in Gas Safety

Qualifying in gas safety is not sufficient to secure gas-safe registration. You will also need practical training to qualify as a gas-safe registered engineer. Like the gas safety courses, different organizations offer several training programs. Usually, there are two types of training programs offered by various organizations. 

Some of them lead to a certified qualification, whereas others are refresher training aimed at providing practical training on the knowledge you already possess. If you have already obtained the qualification through any of the above-mentioned courses, you should take a practical training program to refresh your knowledge.

Completing a gas safety training program is equally important, but you need to ensure that the gas safe register officially recognizes the program. You should double-check before acquiring any such training program through reliable websites to make sure that it will be acceptable to the gas safe register. 

Gas Safe Register Needs a Proof of Your Competency

The gas safe register needs to assess your competency level in gas safety work. That’s why you need to gain qualification and practical training to fulfill the criteria of being eligible for registration with the gas safe register. The certified qualification in both these fields will help you prove that you have the required competency in gas safety work. 

It is also important to understand that gas work is not restricted only to the installation and service of domestic gas appliances. Gas work is quite a diversified field. It includes boilers, cookers, and burners for domestic purposes. It also involves heating and, occasionally, plumbing work. 

On the other hand, if you want to become a commercial or industrial gas engineer, several other tasks are involved, such as meter installation and carbon monoxide testing gadgets. Industrial gas work also involves emergency response operations. Then, another category of gas safety engineers may specialize in LPG gas work. 

Hence, you need to get a specialized qualification, experience, and competency in any of the above-referred fields of gas safety work. 

How to Apply for Gas-Safe Registration?

Applying for gas-safe registration is relatively simple, but you must prepare beforehand. Application for registration has to be completed and submitted online. You need to keep handy all the details about yourself, your qualifications, your work training and experience, and your field of specialization. You will also require certificates of qualification and training programs attended by you as proof of your competency to secure gas-safe registration.

Once you have all the necessary information and certificates, you can complete the application and submit it online. Here is the stepwise process of applying for gas-safe registration:

• Open the official website of the Gas Safe Register.
• Create your account.
• Login to the website using your sign-in credentials.
• Click the link “Apply for Registration”.
• Complete the online application with the correct information and upload the documents if required by the website.
• Pay the prescribed fee.
• After the application is successfully completed and accepted, the gas safe register will issue your ID card, which will be valid for one year and require renewal each year.

How Much is the Cost of Registration

The registration cost is around £415 to £450 for one engineer. Subsequent registration of more engineers may cost £32 per engineer. This is payable online when applying for registration of engineers with the Gas Safe Register. 

The registration is for one year and must be renewed every year. The cost of renewal is currently around £188 if you renew online. The cost for manual/paper renewal is £32. The cost of new and renewal cases may be subject to confirmation at the time of payment, as it may change at any time. 

Conclusion

All gas engineers who want to work on gas installations and appliances for domestic and non-domestic purposes are legally required to get them registered with the Gas Safe Register. Per the provisions of the Gas Safety Regulations, only the gas-safe registered engineers are authorized to work on gas appliances, including installation, repair, service, and annual gas safety inspection. 

Hence, the engineers and the gas service-providing companies must register themselves with the gas safe register to become eligible for working on gas appliances. The process of applying for registration with a gas-safe register is simple and has to be done online. But before that, you need to acquire the basic qualification and training, which has to be acceptable and recognized by the gas trade as well as the gas safe register. So, if you are interested in this business, you need to get the required qualifications and work experience. Only then will you be eligible for registering with the gas safe register.