Boiler breakdown cover specialists 247 Home Rescue ensure that all gas work performed by our engineers is conducted safely and within the law. Illegally-performed gas work can put people’s lives in danger and is implicated in a number of deaths every year.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Gas Safe Register investigate, identify and prosecute gas fitters that breach regulations, with the HSE publishing details of successful prosecutions with dull regularity.
Avoid the criminals with boiler breakdown cover
An illegal gas fitter who performed gas work at dozens of Appleby-in-Westmoreland homes was fined in a hearing at Carlisle Magistrates’ Court on March 19th.
Frederisk Cowell, who traded under the name of SC Services, lives on St Michaels Lane and is known by his middle name Stephen, worked at around 40 households in the region and worked on gas fires in 25 properties, despite lacking essential qualifications and not being Gas Safe-registered.
He had previously been registered under his former employer, but this registration expired in April 2011. Cowell continued performing gas work after this time, but HSE was alerted to his activities during July 2012, when a Gas Safe Register investigator spotted him removing a gas fire from a Bongrate Cross house.
Cowell eventually signed up to the Gas Safe register in September 2012. However, he made two false entries for operating pressures in his records during that month, and was found to be failing to properly conduct gas safety checks.
He admitted two breaches of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and one breach of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, and was fined £1, 900 with prosecution costs of £4, 123.
Matthew Tinsley, HSE inspector, confirmed that Cowell potentially put people’s lives in danger. Even after the HSE had intervened in the situation, Cowell failed to operate in a diligent fashion and instead of carrying out gas safety checks effectively, he instead made false entries on records, he added.
The inspector said gas work may be “extremely dangerous” when it is not performed by qualified professionals.
Illegal gas appliance repairs and gas boiler repairs
Poorly fitted, repaired or serviced gas appliances can lead to catastrophe. Fire, explosion, gas leaks and carbon monoxide poisoning are real and serious risks for people who use unqualified gas fitters, as well as for their family members and even their neighbours.
Even those who are lucky enough to not suffer any adverse health effects as a result of illegal gas work could find themselves paying thousands of pounds to have their gas appliances repaired and fitted properly.
Illegal gas engineers can face prosecution, and while the majority of convicted rogue traders receive significant fines, some even end up going to jail.
Despite the punitive sanctions leveled at these individuals, the temptation of quick cash continues to encourage people to perform dangerous and illegal gas work and put innocent people’s lives in unnecessary danger.
You need to use an organisation that will protect your health and safety and that stakes its reputation on the quality of its gas work. Call 247 Home Rescue on 0345 3192 247 or contact us online for more information, or connect with us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn!
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If you’re having trouble with any aspect of your boiler, home appliances or if you’re suffering from a home emergency such as an electrical breakdown, plumbing problem or security issue then be sure to get in touch with us.
You can face a hefty bill if something goes wrong at home so eliminate the possibility and speak to us today.
Call us on 0345 3192 247 and one of our friendly technical team will go through some simple diagnostics to see if your problem can be resolved over the phone. If not, we’ll send an engineer to be with you as soon as possible to ensure you’re back up and running in no time.
