Gas safety

Gas Safe Register maintain the register of businesses and operatives who are competent to undertake both piped natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) work in Great Britain, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and Guernsey. Under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 for a gas engineering business to legally undertake gas work that is within the scope of the Regulations they must be on the Gas Safe Register.

Gas Safe registered engineers carry an identity card which consumers are encouraged to ask to see before they have gas work carried out in their home.  The front of the card has a photograph, a registration number and an expiry date and the reverse shows the different categories of work that the engineer is qualified to undertake, e.g. cookers, boilers, gas fires.

New businesses and engineers with no previous history or those returning to the industry who have a history of complaints or a record of unsafe gas work will be subject to a time limited probationary period. During that period they will be required to report all gas work they carry out so it can be inspected by a Gas Safe Register Inspector.

The Gas Safe Register have a team of inspectors who monitor that gas work is being undertaken competently and safely. They deal with complaints and undertake risk based proactive inspections and work closely with regulators such as HSE, the HSWI and Local Authorities.

Gas engineers and consumers can contact the Gas Safe Register in any of these ways:

• Gas Safe Register
• Phone - Consumers: 0800 408 5500; Engineers: 0800 408 5577
• Email - enquiries@gassaferegister.co.uk

If you wish to complain about the safety of a gas installation, the work of an engineer or about the service provided by the Gas Safe Register you should contact the Consumer Complaints section of the Gas Safe Register. 

Check an engineer – are they gas safe registered?

The Gas Safe Register website has a 'Find an Engineer' service where you can find a local registered engineer simply by inputting your postcode. Alternatively consumers can call the free phone helpline on 0800 408 5500.

Consumers can also check that the engineer who has come to undertake the work is the engineer the 'found' on the website through the 'Check an Engineer' service on the Gas Safe Register website. By inputting the licence number from the engineers ID card. Consumers will be able to see pictures of the registered engineers and details of their qualifications. 

What is carbon monoxide?

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colourless, odourless, tasteless, poisonous gas produced by incomplete burning of carbon-based fuels, including gas, oil, wood and coal. Carbon-based fuels are safe to use. It is only when the fuel does not burn properly that excess CO is produced, which is poisonous.  When CO enters the body, it prevents the blood from bringing oxygen to cells, tissues, and organs.

You can't see it, taste it or smell it but CO can kill quickly without warning. According to the HSE statistics [OS1] (for the UK) every year around 7 people die from CO poisoning caused by gas appliances and flues that have not been properly installed, maintained or that are poorly ventilated. Levels that do not kill can cause serious harm to health if breathed in over a long period. In extreme cases paralysis and brain damage can be caused as a result of prolonged exposure to CO. Increasing public understanding of the risks of CO poisoning and taking sensible precautions could dramatically reduce this risk.

There are signs that you can look out for which indicate incomplete combustion is occurring and may result in the production of CO:

• yellow or orange rather than blue flames (except fuel effect fires or flueless appliances which display this colour flame)
• soot or yellow/brown staining around or on appliances
• pilot lights that frequently blow out
• increased condensation inside windows 

Carbon monoxide can be produced by any combustion appliance, including those that burn fossil fuels e.g. oil, wood and coal. If you have one of these appliances you should make sure that it is serviced and maintained by a competent person and the chimney is regularly swept. 

What are the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning?

Early symptoms of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning can mimic many common ailments and may easily be confused with food poisoning, viral infections, flu or simple tiredness. Symptoms to look out for include:

• headaches or dizziness
• breathlessness
• nausea
• loss of consciousness
• tiredness
• pains in the chest or stomach
• erratic behaviour
• visual problems

For more information visit the NHS.

If you or your family experience any of the above symptoms and believe you may have been exposed to carbon monoxide, you should seek urgent medical advice from either your GP, MEDS or an A&E department. 

What should I do if I think my appliance is spilling carbon monoxide?

• Call Manx Gas on 0808 1624 444
• Switch off the appliance and shut off the gas supply at the meter control valve
• Open all doors and windows to ventilate the room

Visit your GP and tell him/her that you believe you may have been exposed to carbon monoxide

If you are a landlord then further domestic gas information is available at the UK’s HSW web page general landlords' duties. Or through the Environmental Health Team at DEFA who can be contacted on 01624 685894 or through their online contact service

Report a Health and Safety Concern