How to Ensure Compliance with Commercial Gas Safety Check Regulations

Compliance with rules and regulations is a legal and moral duty of every law-abiding citizen. The main idea behind every law is to maintain discipline in various fields of public activities. Simultaneously, these regulations also ensure the safety of people against possible risks and threats. Hence, complying with these rules and regulations is also in the general public's interest.

Although gas is normally a safe energy source, it has potential risks like explosion, fire, and carbon dioxide poisoning. Being a highly inflammable material, the risk of a fire eruption is always there when using gas for domestic or commercial purposes. Several incidents of gas mishaps occur every year, including in the UK.

The authorities in the UK introduced a comprehensive law to regulate the use of gas in residential and commercial properties. The law is known as the "Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998," more commonly known as the "Gas Safety Regulations.” Successful implementation of these regulations has considerably reduced the chances of gas accidents over the years.

Requirements of Gas Safety Regulations for Commercial Properties

The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, as amended from time to time, provides guidelines for the landlords of commercial properties for using gas in their premises. The landlord of a commercial property is legally bound to comply with the regulations, which are summarized below:

• Landlords must get a commercial gas safety certificate for all the gas appliances installed on their properties.
• Commercial property landlords must conduct annual gas safety checks for all installed gas appliances and associated pipework.
• Boilers and flues are also included in this annual inspection.
• The law also applies to the chimneys and vents.
• Only a gas-safe registered engineer can perform the annual gas safety inspection. The Gas Safe Register licenses such an engineer to work on gas appliances.
• Landlords must ensure that the gas appliances installed in their properties always perform perfectly. Periodic repair, maintenance, and servicing of these appliances will ensure their safe usage and the safety of the employees.
• Keep a watch on possible gas leaks. In case of such eventuality, prompt action must be taken to fix it.
• Landlords are also required to install safety gadgets and devices on their properties. This may include gas leak detectors, fire alarms, and carbon monoxide detectors. Based on the size of the property, they might be required to install more than one such device at different locations within the property.
• After the annual gas safety check, the gas-safe registered engineer will identify faulty gas appliances and will mark them "Do Not Use" or "Not Fit for Use.” These appliances will further be categorized as under:
  • ID—These appliances are immediately dangerous. They are not allowed to be used and need to be replaced or repaired immediately.
  • AR—At risk. The appliances marked as AR are also not allowed to be used, although the risk involved is comparatively less than that of the appliances marked as ID. The landlord should arrange to fix the fault or replace the appliance as soon as possible.
  • NCS—Not to Current Standards. Appliances graded as NCS are usable but might be an older version that does not comply with current safety standards. Hence, they should also be replaced as soon as possible with the latest models to avoid any possible mishap.
• The annual gas safety check should also include checking various safety devices, such as leak and carbon monoxide detectors.

How to Ensure Compliance With Commercial Gas Safety Check Regulations

A simple answer to this very important question might be to become aware of the provisions of the gas safety regulations and fulfill the duties made obligatory on you as a commercial property landlord.

In general, the landlord of a commercial property should do the following, which will go a long way in compliance with the commercial gas safety check regulations:

• The laws and regulations are often complicated for a common man to understand. But one should try to get at least a minimum knowledge of the relevant rules and regulations. So, a landlord must try to get familiarized with the duties and responsibilities imposed on him by the gas safety regulations. Knowing the requirements is always helpful in complying with the rules.
• Ensure regular and periodic gas safety check inspections on all the gas appliances installed on your premises. The law requires you to do so at least once a year, but conducting such inspections more frequently is advisable. In fault detection, the safety check must be conducted immediately without waiting for the scheduled inspection time.
• Ensure that all gas work is conducted by a gas-safe registered engineer. Remember, it is mandatory to get it done by authorized gas-safe engineers. Any work done by an unregistered gas worker may land you in a complex legal situation, especially in a gas mishap.
• Whatever the frequency, the gas safety check must be comprehensively conducted on all gas appliances, including boilers, flues, burners, chimneys, and ventilation systems. Gas pipework should also be included in every gas safety check.
• Gas leakage may occur at any time. It may happen either in a faulty gas appliance or, more commonly, in the gas pipework, especially at the joints and connectors. A wrong installation of any gas appliance can also cause gas leaks. Hence, a thorough inspection must be done on all these parts of the gas system of a commercial property.
• The faulty appliances, as identified by the engineer, must be repaired urgently. If the fault is more serious, you may need to replace that appliance. In any case, faulty appliances must not be used until they are properly repaired or otherwise replaced.
• Make sure that every gas safety inspection is properly documented. The gas safety engineer should record his findings and give complete details of everything inspected by him. The faulty or malfunctioning appliances should be identified and marked accordingly in the gas safety check records. The engineer also needs to sign this document. Landlords should keep the gas safety record in safe custody so that it may be produced whenever required.
• The regulatory authorities often arrange an inspection of a property. Based on their findings, they may send warning alerts. If you receive any such notice or warning from any of the regulatory authorities, you need to immediately fix the issue highlighted by them.

Preventive Measures That May Also Help to Comply With The Gas Safety Check Regulations

A commercial property often has a large number of employees and customers. The landlord is responsible for the safety of all these people. To ensure this very important obligation, a landlord must ensure compliance with gas safety check regulations, as explained above. Some preventive measures should also be in place to ensure the safety of the employees and customers and help comply with the gas safety check regulations.

Here are some of these safety and preventive measures:

• Ensure proper ventilation in the entire building, especially where gas burners are installed. When gas burns, it consumes Oxygen and generates carbon dioxide. Hence, the area where gas is burnt must remain effectively ventilated so fresh air gets in and exhausts the burnt gases.
• Carbon monoxide poisoning is a potential threat associated with gas. It happens due to incomplete gas burning or a fault in any gas appliance. Carbon monoxide is odorless and colorless, so it cannot be detected instantly. Installing carbon monoxide detectors may help detect this dangerous emission, so you may arrange remedial measures to avoid any mishap.
• There must be an exit plan in place at the commercial property in case of an emergency. More importantly, the employees should be aware of the exit points and properly trained to react in any such situation.
• The building maintenance staff or the caretaker must be aware of the exact location of the emergency shut valve so that he may shut down the gas supply in the building to prevent the fire from spreading throughout it.

Conclusion

The landlords of the commercial properties are responsible for the safety of their employees and other occupants of the building. The gas safety regulations legally bind them to do so, and they are also required to comply with rules and regulations, including commercial gas safety check regulations.

To comply with these regulations, it is very important for a landlord to understand what the law expects from him. More importantly, the landlord must be familiar with the relevant provisions of the law that are binding on him. Once he is aware of his responsibilities and duties, it will be easier to comply with the regulations about him as a commercial property landlord. However, one of the basic requirements of the law is to conduct an annual gas safety inspection and get a valid commercial gas safety certificate. Never forget to fulfill this basic requirement.