Gas inspection

[piperdave]

Hello everyone im gas safe registered now got my card through and everything passed in november , i got a letter saying a gas inspector will be coming out to see me and if i dont have any jobs to show him i will have to do a competency based inspection at my address , has anyone had this and what does it involve ?

 

[Blake]

He/she will want to see that you are competent and can do the basics. You will probably need to carry out a tightness test, let-by etc.

May want you to service a boiler or fire and just watch you to make sure you are doing it all ok. I know it can be daunting but they are there to help. Just take your time and try to relax and you will be fine.

 

[mfgs]

When I had mine, I just showed him about 3 boiler installs and he made me run through the commisioning procedure on one of the jobs and made sure all readings were correct. Also got asked to do a tightness test. Other than that he was just generally talking about gas safety and asking me questions, discussing situations and what I would do if said situation occured. All pretty basic really, he was a nice chap aswell. It didnt seem like he was trying to catch me out on anything. If I was unsure of an answer I just said I'm not 100% I would have to look it up in my book and showed him I knew how to find the relevant info and he was fine. You arent expected to know everything off the top of your head, thats why we all carry books with us on the van.

 

[GQuigley67]

what's the best book to get ? I hear about this Viper but not quite sure what it is, also are the Corgi unsafe situations booklets good ?

 

[fagsanbooz]

Vipers good but expensive unless u r a member of viper!! contact bpec, £38 does domestic ccn1 and appliances, pretty decent. Unsafe procedures booklets (6th ed) are now produced by gas safe. sent free to registered operatives. I'm sure you can get a pdf from somewhere.

 

[pauls]

i have the viper book i rate it as a good book and very handy to have in the front of the van

 

[kirkgas]

what's the best book to get ? I hear about this Viper but not quite sure what it is, also are the Corgi unsafe situations booklets good ?

log into GSR website with your GSR number (you might need to phone them to set it up) IUP Edition 6 and ALL Technical Bulletins are there, plus lots of other bits and bobs like safety alerts, well worth a look, as you need to ensure you are up to date on everything that is going on

 

[villa_tom]

Viper is good, got the new version just keep it on the passenger seat. Also use that little grey book, I can't remember what its called though I thinks its called the 6th edition or something like that. You get one when your gas safe card comes through - its very good for unsafe situations. As far as the gas safe inspection goes just service your own boiler infront of him - thats what I did. You just have to do a drop test and complete the service. He'll ask you questions along the way but its nothing to taxing and you'll know all the answers. I was nervous before it but after five minutes with him I was fine.

 

[kirkgas]

Vipers good but expensive unless u r a member of viper!! contact bpec, £38 does domestic ccn1 and appliances, pretty decent. Unsafe procedures booklets (6th ed) are now produced by gas safe. sent free to registered operatives. I'm sure you can get a pdf from somewhere.

i work in a bpec centre so i use and like their books(haha) however if you order from bpec make sure you get the new version as it has just changed, no point in getting the old one

 

[thomas donovan]

i had my first inspection in oct last yr. the inspector came to my house and asked me to do a mock l/lords cert and explain operation of safety devices, as i had not done any jobs to show to him. he came out again to a job i was in the process of doing asked me a few questions and left. i think it depends on the inspector.good luck

 

[Reg Man]

Its very important, that you show a job. The inspector is not there to catch you out. Just go through the statutory tests and all should be fine. If you have no work to show, do your own property. But they will want to come back and see work that you have carried out as part of your buisness. Just get a some work to show. It will reduce repeat calls. Its only their job to ensure your gas safe. You have done it already in the assessment centre.

 

[REDSAW]

is it not possible just to give a family member or mate a free service check etc.
after all, they could be a customer?.

will they need to see any more?.

 

[kirkgas]

is it not possible just to give a family member or mate a free service check etc.
after all, they could be a customer?.

will they need to see any more?.

it is perfectly acceptable to do friends and family jobs, CORGI as they were didnt care about the tax side of things, they are interested in confirming you are safe, when guys are employees and thinking of going on their own they need to sort out registration etc before they leave their firm, so technically the only kobs they have to show are the homers (which they should not have been doing) so the way round it is to attend with the inspector and do a service or safety check in fromt of them, obviously i cannot suggest it is visited before hand to check/confirm EVERYTHING is ok BEFORE you take him there!! i used to think the old CORGI inspectors were like the Queen (who thinks the world smells of disinfectant and new paint) in that every old boiler he visits with someone for the first time is gleaming in the inside, seriously take him anywhere and be ready for the safety questions, flues, vents IUP etc etc, as others have said you have passed the criteria so he just needs to confirm you know your stuff

 

[princegoose]

I has my first inspection this morning. He watched me do a landlords safety check, and I had to AR the boiler as flue too close to opening.

 

[andyg0507]

a nervous morning then princegoose??

 

[princegoose]

a nervous morning then princegoose??

Yes, worse than my ACS. managed to forget plenty of stuff, like checking gas pipe sleeved, temporary bonding while checking ESV for let by, ummmmmmm, probably didnt go as badly as id feared but he could tell i was cacking it. hes coming back to see me in a month, I dont think he will be seeing another CPA1 with the same landlord.

 

[CMairiD]

He expected temporary earth bonding on a let-by???

 

[princegoose]

No, he wanted me to show him what id do if the let by had failed. spray ldf on the ecv by removing anaconda.

 

[CMairiD]

Ah, gotcha! Thanks.

 

[princegoose]

incase someone looks at this thread who hasnt had an inspection yet, when using temp cont bonding make sure you use a volt pen or whatever you call them to check the pipe isnt live, because i didnt and he told me off.

 

[andyg0507]

the main thing is you got through it princegose so that shows you have learnt what you have been taught so well done, ive got my acs coming up in a few months and to be honest im nervous, not because i dont no what im doing just the process, never mind the inspection.

 

[franky]

Jesus Princegoose you got a tough one. My guy came in I showed him the job he moaned at me for not lagging the condensate pipe. Did a gas rate and then he chatted to me about the rest of the job he was more interested in the bathroom I put in. Hopefully you get a different guy

 

[CMairiD]

incase someone looks at this thread who hasnt had an inspection yet, when using temp cont bonding make sure you use a volt pen or whatever you call them to check the pipe isnt live, because i didnt and he told me off.

And check your volt stick against a known source too! Our auditor has told me off on more than one occasion for forgetting; he makes me check the boiler case isn't live and is properly isolated too. I'm getting better at remembering now!

 

[princegoose]

when i say he told me off, i lie, he just mentioned what i did wrong, which ive never learnt to do, was a nice bloke really.

 

[Puddle]

since the terrible tragedy regarding the fatality of that poor lad,do you think they are clamping down on the safety of the engineer aspect more ?

Have any inspectors mentioned /checked gas plumbers carrying co2 alarms as well ?