Gas leak help

[danja]

Guys thanks for all the reply's, not sure why but I have responded to several of you'r posts but my responses are not showing up. I did notice something about posts having to be checked by a moderator before they show up?

 

[Dotty]

All your posts have been passed, there's nothing currently in the moderation queue.

You may not have been signed in in which case they would have been rejected.

 

[Ermintrude]

Sounds un lucky. You didn't do TT when pipework was hot did u?

 

[tamz]

Do it while the fitting is hot and it will show a drop as it cools.

 

[Ermintrude]

You knew what I was thinking old timer!

 

[Reg Man]

It's not until your in this situation that you appreciate the worry it causes. No one likes to be under investigation. The investigation has to be done properly. You are innocent till proven guilty. Question the investigation technic and the credentials of those taking the investigation.

 

[Gray0689]

Why did they call national grid
And not the company you work for?

 

[Ermintrude]

Ooooh nice thought pattern!

 

[newcastle phill]

Why did they call national grid
And not the company you work for?

Probably emergency notice on meter

 

[danja]

It's not until your in this situation that you appreciate the worry it causes. No one likes to be under investigation. The investigation has to be done properly. You are innocent till proven guilty. Question the investigation technic and the credentials of those taking the investigation.

Its the other way round, guilty until proven innocent. Even before the investigation started the company sent a letter with allegations of not following procedure and not completing tightness test. The investigation was a joke, didn't visit the property or speak to the customer, just went by pictures.

As I said they cant prove I did anything wrong, there's no evidence but it just seems that if a gas leak occurs regardless of the circumstance you will be punished. I'm going to appeal it for all the good it will do. I asked them when they gave me the warning what exactly are they warning me to do, or not to do in future since I followed all the procedures but they had no answer.

 

[danja]

Why did they call national grid
And not the company you work for?

I always leave my number but the customer was out, it was his sister who called national grid, she got the number for gas emergency. The customer actually apologized to me for the fact that she didn't call me.

 

[danja]

Sounds un lucky. You didn't do TT when pipework was hot did u?

No mate, I always let it cool first, at least half an hour after any soldering.

 

[danja]

in future do the tightness test on your fga and print out the results staple it to the benchmark

We are not allowed to, fga is for combustion tests only. We do a tightness test and record on our company ipad. It logs the time of the test.

 

[danja]

Where is the pipe positioned i.e. is it exposed to say a wheelchair hitting it?

Nope, about two foot above a worktop in the kitchen. All the pipe work was completed and the boiler was on when I did the tightness test, only thing I did after was fit the flue and the flue hole was already there so no drilling and the condense. Oh and putting the case on the boiler. Maybe one of these things disturbed the pipe but I don't see how.

National grid were not called until 21 hours after I recorded the test, and they recorded a full drop. Seems a long time for a leak of that size to go unnoticed. Plus who knows if the customer damaged the pipe during that time. Dont see why I should get a warning on the assumption that I disturbed it.

 

[bigads28]

Danja, just by the description you've given I can tell who you work for. I was a TU rep for a couple of years with them.

You could argue until you were blue in the face and they wouldn't give a monkeys, you will always be at fault. They want someone to blame for the escape and it will always be the engineer. They say your Ipad readings are used to protect you, are they heck, they protect the company.

A written warning only lasts 12 months, just be sure you always cover your back.

The sniffers for your Anton are available on the tools catalogue, why you don't have one is beyond me. Accidentally order one lol!

 

[REDSAW]

thought the procedure was verbal before written?

 

[Gray0689]

Depends on severity of incident
Can go straight to dismissal for gross misconduct

 

[danja]

Danja, just by the description you've given I can tell who you work for. I was a TU rep for a couple of years with them.

You could argue until you were blue in the face and they wouldn't give a monkeys, you will always be at fault. They want someone to blame for the escape and it will always be the engineer. They say your Ipad readings are used to protect you, are they heck, they protect the company.

A written warning only lasts 12 months, just be sure you always cover your back.

The sniffers for your Anton are available on the tools catalogue, why you don't have one is beyond me. Accidentally order one lol!

yup, that's pretty much the way of it. The national union rep is appealing it, the disciplinary procedure is to improve behavior not to punish people, they can't even tell my what I did wrong, they admit I followed all the procedures so there is no bad behavior to improve. This is reflected in the fact that I got a 6 month written warning, every other gas leak I've known of recently has been a final written warning for 18 months. Think I will have to order the sniffer just for extra peace of mind.

 

[Reg Man]

Even this is a bit harsh. Little evidence poor investigation and no conclusion on what the leak was caused by.

 

[bigads28]

yup, that's pretty much the way of it. The national union rep is appealing it, the disciplinary procedure is to improve behavior not to punish people, they can't even tell my what I did wrong, they admit I followed all the procedures so there is no bad behavior to improve. This is reflected in the fact that I got a 6 month written warning, every other gas leak I've known of recently has been a final written warning for 18 months. Think I will have to order the sniffer just for extra peace of mind.

They need to have a cause and outcome to a reported escape, they will never say they are at fault. Business Integrity would go to court before they say it's us!!

If they say you've followed all procedures then how the heck can you improve or change behaviours???

 

[danja]

They need to have a cause and outcome to a reported escape, they will never say they are at fault. Business Integrity would go to court before they say it's us!!

If they say you've followed all procedures then how the heck can you improve or change behaviours???

Well that's the grounds for appeal, the warning is punitive which is not allowed. I doubt they will go back on the warning though.

 

[Millsy 82]

We are not allowed to, fga is for combustion tests only. We do a tightness test and record on our company ipad. It logs the time of the test.

I would ignore them on that if they are going to be like that. I would use it and then print it out if they argue say that you are A) covering yourself and B) covering the company. How can they then argue with that.

 

[danja]

I would ignore them on that if they are going to be like that. I would use it and then print it out if they argue say that you are A) covering yourself and B) covering the company. How can they then argue with that.

Yes mate, I will do that. They have now accepted that i did the tightness test but have still given me a warning. Can't win.

 

[kay-jay]

Raises a question in my mind that do
Electronic printout tightness tests carry anymore weight than just being honest and jotting it down...

In other words would we still be having this conversation if it was printed out.

A question I ponder to myself on different occasions as I loath using the kane for TT and prefer the U - but I am mindful of the shortcomings when you may need proof.....

On the local ha district the engineers put a sticker on the meter with date and time of test 1 before work begins and test two after the work and the tenant has to sign that they have witnessed 2 tt and the results are the same.

Cant argue with that[emoji3]

 

[danja]

Well my appeal hearing is for Tuesday this week, I will let you all know how it goes.

Thanks for all the replies fellas.