If your boiler breaks down or there’s a serious problem, you need to call an engineer to come and help. In the first place, it’s very important to ensure your engineer is gas safe registered.
Gas appliances can be dangerous. Therefore it is very risky to do any work yourself. You could even put your family at risk of fire or carbon monoxide poisoning.
That’s why it’s essential to use an expert. To say nothing of the fact that you need to make sure the person who is carrying out the work on the gas appliance is qualified to do so.
A Gas Safe engineer can install and service gas appliances like boilers, gas cookers, and fires in a safe and reliable way.
What Is the Gas Safe Register?
The Gas Safe Register is the UK’s official list of businesses and engineers to work on gas appliances. All the engineers on the list will have the right training and qualifications. Presently, there are around 120,000 Gas Safe registered engineers in the UK.
Together with a list of qualified engineers, the register also promotes safe professional practices within the gas industry in the UK. Additionally, they can investigate cases of unsafe gas practices. This includes mishaps, non-compliance, and illegal operations.
Furthermore, they help to raise awareness of gas safety through education campaigns.
Every gas engineer needs a license to carry out gas work. In light of this, they can only get a license if they hold a valid and current qualification. Engineers achieve this qualification through a recognised route of training and assessment.
However, the register doesn’t employ the gas engineers. It is purely a list of professional gas engineers who are qualified to carry out the work on your home. It is up to you to choose who you want to do the job.
In the past, you may have heard of CORGI gas engineers. The Gas Safety Register replaced CORGI in Great Britain in 2009 and is now the only gas registration body in Great Britain.
How Does It Protect Me?
If work has taken place in your home and you’re unaware if your engineer is gas safe registered, it’s wise to check their details on the register. Above all, it’s worth being safe and guaranteeing your peace of mind.
Research shows that illegal and unqualified engineers do over 1 million gas works every year. Obviously, you do not want to put you and your family at risk.
When you ensure that your engineer is gas safe registered, it protects you in many ways.
Firstly, the work that takes place is legal as you have a qualified and registered engineer.
Secondly, if something goes wrong, you are covered by insurance or warranty if this is in place. Using a non-registered engineer could affect an insurance claim rendering it invalid.
Thirdly, you can easily check that the person who arrives at your home is the right person and can safely complete the work.
How Do I Check My Engineer is Gas Safe?
A verified engineer always carries a Gas Safe card with them as part of their ID. They will show it to you. Even if you have checked the engineer’s credentials already on the Gas Safe register website, you should still ask for their ID card.
If an engineer can’t produce their iD card, postpone the work until they make it available.
Check An Engineer is Gas Safe
To ensure that your engineer is gas safe registered, check their ID card. Be sure to look at both sides of it and watch out for the following details:
- Match the engineer’s face to the photograph on the card
- Check the issue and expiry dates on the card
- Look for the license number on the card. Cross check it against the one mentioned on the Gas Safe Register website.
- Make sure the card carries the Gas Safety security hologram
- Ensure the engineer works for the business you have hired
- Check the back of the card to see whether the engineer can carry out the particular gas work you need to get done. For example, are they qualified to install boilers? Their card will mention this.
Check a Business is Gas Safe
To find a Gas Safe registered business, simply go to the Gas Safety Register website. Type in your postcode and choose the appliance you’re looking for them to work on. Then click ‘find’.
You will then be able to identify the business’ engineers and check their qualifications.
In short, make sure you do check the register first. A gas services company may still carry the Gas Safe Register logo on their website or their vehicles. But this doesn’t guarantee they are listed on the register. It’s worth a check beforehand.
To Conclude: How to Ensure Your Engineer is Gas Safe Registered
To sum up, it is essential to ensure your engineer is gas safe registered. Ultimately, it is illegal to hire an unauthorised gas engineer. You could be putting your family at risk if you do this.
With this in mind, some simple checks on the gas safety register and the engineer’s ID card will help you.
Perhaps you have looked at a few engineers and compared quotes. Maybe one is cheaper than the other. However, the risk of hiring an unregistered engineer is not worth the money you may save.
Ultimately, if something goes wrong, your insurance provider may declare your policy invalid. In conclusion, you could end up paying hundreds or even thousands more than expected depending on the situation. Henceforth, if you want to hire a Gas Safe Registered engineer, look no further.
At Greener Homes, all our engineers are qualified to do all kinds of gas work. They will also be very happy for you to check their ID cards at the door. Thus giving you peace of mind that your engineer is qualified to do the right work for you and your family.