acs out now!

[lufc1]

hi lads, somebody has started a petition @ no10. petitions.gov.uk it is titled acs out now! please have a look lads and sign it!

 

[jpm]

hi lads, somebody has started a petition @ no10. petitions.gov.uk it is titled acs out now! please have a look lads and sign it!

and what do you want it replacing with?acops?

 

[lufc1]

dont tell me you work for british gas or gas safe ?
perhaps you would like to tell me the benefits of having a week off work and learning absolutely sweet f/a ? The course is devised by some numpty who has never been on the tools in there lives, they were supposed to streamline the acs! yet now it is longer than it has ever been!, I do the job week in week out and i know my job backwards so why should i go back every 5 years to learn again what i already know?
i agree with my mate in that once you have taken your second acs exam that you should be discharged from having to do acs but instead have an annual q@a session with your gas safe inspector and every time there is a reg update get sent the update and replace in our binders the reg this new reg replaces! so in short do your acs, do your five years retake your acs to demonstrate that you dont forget all that you were taught! and then go on annual inspection! i would be very interested in your answer as to what you think of this idea? and if you disagree why???

 

[radswilldo]

This is part and parcel of being licensed, I cant complain about that, I chose this proffession knowing what it entails. Constant changing of the regs by jobsworths is a different matter, its all about creating paper trails.

 

[lufc1]

the trouble is rads will do i didnt! im 42, yes im all for high standards but as you know if you have done your acs you just go through the motions and get told the answers or should i say get told where the answers lie in the book,
its the biggest load of bollox ever created and my mates option makes far more sense! as does a 1 day refresher per year as an alternative? i could live with this as it has a minimal impact on my business unlike the current system that has forced me to shut up shop for a week at a time when most people are down on there arses!

 

[flat pack]

the time, the cost, what was wrong with corgi in 1997 ,a yearly visit from my local corgi rep on site and at home visit
what next around the corner 1 week acs yearly, and all the plumbers pay
one word comes to mind sheep

 

[jpm]

dont tell me you work for british gas or gas safe ?
perhaps you would like to tell me the benefits of having a week off work and learning absolutely sweet f/a ? The course is devised by some numpty who has never been on the tools in there lives, they were supposed to streamline the acs! yet now it is longer than it has ever been!, I do the job week in week out and i know my job backwards so why should i go back every 5 years to learn again what i already know?
i agree with my mate in that once you have taken your second acs exam that you should be discharged from having to do acs but instead have an annual q@a session with your gas safe inspector and every time there is a reg update get sent the update and replace in our binders the reg this new reg replaces! so in short do your acs, do your five years retake your acs to demonstrate that you dont forget all that you were taught! and then go on annual inspection! i would be very interested in your answer as to what you think of this idea? and if you disagree why???

No I'm a self employed Gas Safe Registered(in my own right)Plumber.I put plumber as this was the first thing I qualified in before progressing to my acops/acs.I'm about your age and read all the post's on lots of sites trying to circumvent the process,but hey it's better than acops!
acs doesn't teach you anything other than looking in the right books!as long as those that pass look in those books when out on the job i.e. working next door to me,then I'm happy.It is a continual learning curve,I learn new stuff all the time and perhaps a Q & A wouldn't give us that.
My 2 peneth worth and I won't be adding further to this thread.

 

[david williams]

in reality it is not about safety its about making money out of plumbers and gas fitters

 

[Puddle]

This annual inspection, say it takes a morning
One Inspector, car, admin overheads, what charge, lets say we get it cheap for £300 (coz will have to pay)
Times 5 = £ 1500 plus 2 1/2 full days (to match every five years training at present) what am I saving, what am I gaining, in real terms, sweet fa
Maybe it could be a group Q&A at a college or training centre
I am pleased you know every reg and every thing about your job inside out lufc1 , I know quite a bit but unlike you not everything and there are many more registered people who know less, you yourself state regular training is required with Q&A stint
But think one to one alot of people would not find this comfortable and be pressurized
The gas industry and registered installers is a community like it or not, it is not about individuals and there needs. We have to keep standards up and make sure works are done to a certain safe standard by all gas operatives
This has to be done by regular training and or information transmition
Do not throw the baby out with the water
There is a place for class room refresher couses, you say the refreshers are a waste of time, maybe in themselves they are, in your case, but maybe they even get you back in the habit of doing little things that you should and looking up and referring to regs as you should and meeting others in class and the discussions that follow can clarify points and grey areas
I would add the training center I use the instructor is ex British gas, old school, was on tools for years and I could take any reg out of the book and he would be there with real life experiences of situation
And he knows the ones who are up to date with things and those needing a little help and assistance on items, when I do my refreshers I am out by about 1-2pm daily, so Infact only taking two days every 5 years
And if that’s the price I have to pay to keep the industry safe, so be it, as I can assure you, although I know gas operatives, who do not need a refresher, I also know just as many, if not more, who do
And May I add, I to do not work for British gas or gas safe, but I fail to see what that has to do with it

 

[lufc1]

i would love to know what college you are doing you course at ?
because you clearly arent doing the full course! in fact you must be cheating!
which again emphasises the waste of time that course is! i knew this forum would contain patronising idiots and i have netted one straight away? how do i know your cheating? because it is impossible to pass the course without doing the training that takes 2 days as some of the questions arent even in the regs books! its plonkers like you that mean we will continue to be dictated too! and you probably do work for one of the majors? you certainly sound like one of them!

and as a perfect example of us having the **** taken out of us!
please tell me why we should now re-take g3 unvented every 5 years?
comprising of a cylinder, pressure reducing valve, temperature relief valve, pressure relief valve and expansion vessel or air bubble! yeh??? im all ears, what am i going learn about that every 5 years?? **** all thats what!!! and that sir is the same as acs! money making scheme full stop the end! and will all members of the gas board, gas safe etc stop trying to voice there opinion under false identities because i know 40 or so engineers and not 1 has disagreed that this now needs looking at!! there taking the ****! rant over.

 

[Puddle]

' it is impossible to pass the course without doing the training that takes 2 days as some of the questions aren’t even in the regs books '

Give a fool enough robe and a gun and he will shot him self in the foot just before hanging himself, and I must apologize as I gave you to much credit as regards your skills, taking at face valve when you said you know the job inside out.clearly you do not

If it takes you two days to answer a question about this industry and regulations

1 You have blown your argument about not needing training or refresher courses

2 You have also added the question whether other courses should be added,such as 'should a mental illness test also be carried out along with a drugs test in your case every five years!!'

 

[Bernie2]

I must admit I agree to a certain extent. But feel anybody who works with gas for money should at least be registered as doing so.

As to the exams, well basic first timers yes.
Then registered gas workers to be kept up to date by the companies who supply the products they fit and the gas companies who benefit from the users of the appliances.

Also I would make an addendum that the installer was required by law to keep him or herself up to date, of course, courses would still be available but not compulsory and cheaper under £50 a time.

Any cost could be covered by an industry wide levy. The gas companies make billions and so do the appliance makers but the guys who service and install so that the big companies can make money, don't as far as I know.

I'm all for gas education and would probably support a levy for that. Say £10 a year for all working and a couple of million from the gas companies should do it.

 

[so-solar]

As above, we are just another massive revenue making scheme that has been taken over by another set of money grabbing crooks! gas safe say they wont raise the prices for 2 years but you can bet your bottom dollar that after 2 years the prices go upo by about 300%. as much as we hate the system we need to be members to make our living! Is there any surprise we are riddled with un-registered gas engineers? they probably cant afford to join but are very good gas engineers?
I myself have decided that this is the last year for me and wont be re-newing my acs! it is just not worth the hassle!

 

[flat pack]

don't get this in spain ,if the people of a large amount 50s to 1000s don't like something
they are on the streets the next day.
plumbers giving up gas because of the cost for little return , that not right.

but the east Europe plumbers are still coming taking there acs in there language .advertising on gumtree polish plumbers wanted work in London

any person/s can still go in to b and q or wicks etc and buy boilers
what a /////// joke, but again you in the uk take it .
how do you say rubbing it in your face

down with acs
up with a union

 

[newbie1]

what a whinger ime sure youre the greatest gas engineer in the world who knows everything but the fact remains things change and while some engineers would take note of updates others will throw them in the bin because human nature is to say sod it
the idea of acs is to ensure every 5 years that you as an engineer have stayed current with the regs and changes and are still safe
the cost is a different issue and yes it is expensive and you have a choice to stay as a gas engineer or not
isnt life tough i hope you never have a problem greater than this to worry about

 

[flat pack]

IT IS NOT ABOUT ,what a whinge
it about being fair , return to corgi 1997 system.
the plumbers in uk in general earn around 65000k ish to cover all bill NO
so what happens to the lower pay plumber who in many cases are better

return to plumbing only
or work for a company on the cards on a lower wage

 

[newbie1]

IT IS NOT ABOUT ,what a whinge
it about being fair , return to corgi 1997 system.
the plumbers in uk in general earn around 65000k ish to cover all bill NO
so what happens to the lower pay plumber who in many cases are better

return to plumbing only
or work for a company on the cards on a lower wage

when you became a gas fitter/engineer you knew the rules assessed every 5 years to ensure safety and update with lates changes if you dont like it do a different job

and i was referring to op in case you misunderstood flatpack


and flat pack i was referring to the op incase you thought i meant you
what youre on about is get assessed once then do what you want and have a chat every 5 years
the idea is being independantly assessed each five years without fear or favour like i said you have a choice no one forced you to become a gas engineer there are plenty of plumbers who earn a very good living
people become complacent and the acs is designed to ensure people stay current

fyi flatpack i was referring to op about being a whinger

 

[flat pack]

1/ don't judge a person when you don't know them
2/i am not a gas fitter ?
3/ i dint not say anything about a 5 year chat. yearly inspection with lower subs is a better way.
4/i know we need rules but fair for all us and the clients.
5/ i write on here for the whole not just for myself
6/ why do so many find the system unfair ,why corgi/corgi/acop/corgi/gas safe. there is the problem. does any listen to the trade person share and stand up for the trade not just to be told what to do we are plumbers not apprentices
7/ just one more thing i have been in the trade for 28 years
8/ anger management needed or love sex or a san Miguel
9/ perhaps uk needs to be more positive
10/ our before long we will all be killing each other, plumbers pandemic

 

[newbie1]

well if you go into the industry that has a set of rules and no one has tricked you into that industry then you have done so of your free choice and in doing so accept those rules and if you are so good you could do the assesments over a couple of days
the point is quite a few need the refresher so it takes longer and thats the whole point people do forget things over the 5 years and need to be bought up to speed
everyone has a choice whether to be a rgi or a plumber both require training but gas needs to be regulated and a s such its a tightening of the standards we need not relaxing
ime in a property at the moment had landlord cert issued year after year and flue is adjacent to porch exiting through air brick in cavity wall
cooker inside has no chain and the bayonet fitting is facing upwards
boiler sits flush tight to hardboard boxing

 

[lufc1]

and you need the acs to highlight those basic non compliancies??? maybe we do need to keep the acs then! (eyes rolling shaking head)

also newby! whats all this if you go into the industry you knew the rules bollox??
alot of us have been engineers for 20 years or more when there were no rules!
so please stop coming out with that one, you sound like a spotty 23 year old!

 

[newbie1]

bit personal there mate not 23 and not spotty better get back to your petition its up to 3 now
sorry you dont like my opinion but there you go
sorry you dont like the rules either