You also have responsibilities for your own health and safety at work. You can refuse to do something that isn’t safe without being threatened with disciplinary action. If you think your employer isn’t meeting their responsibilities, talk to them first. Your safety representative or a trade union official may be able to help you with this. As a last resort, you may need to report your employer to the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland or to the environmental health department of your local authority.

Only use an engineer who appears on the Gas Safe Register and who can show an identity card to prove it-to install, repair, and service gas appliances The Gas Safe Register is the official list of businesses and engineers who are competent and qualified to do gas work. To be listed on the register, engineers need to hold relevant qualifications and demonstrate competence. Registration must be renewed every year and qualifications updated every five years. The Gas Safe Register also conducts inspections of the work of registered engineers.

As an employer or person of responsibility, it is vital that you understand the obligations you have and how to comply with them. To help you achieve this, our trained Inspectors can carry out rigorous checks on your gas equipment and supply a Report of Thorough Examination, which provides written evidence that you are proactively following H&SE requirements, and a certificate will be issued when the equipment is compliant. Read more details at CP7 Gas Checks.

Keep ventilation clear and unblocked. Ventilation for gas appliances can include chimney flues and air vents and bricks. Black soot marks appearing on an appliance can be a sign that the ventilation is blocked. Properly fit a carbon monoxide detector: Carbon monoxide is a highly dangerous colourless and odourless gas, making it difficult to detect until it’s too late without a carbon monoxide detector. All homes containing gas appliances should have a detector, which can be bought from most DIY stores and are readily available to buy online. When choosing an alarm, make sure that it meets European safety standards.