gas safe inspection this friday

[thomas donovan]

i am a newly qualified engineer and have an inspection this fri the insp has called me and because i have no work to show him he wants me to do a mock l/lord cert. the boiler i will use is a potterton prima 50f 20 yrs oldish good nick if i do the visual inspection, gas rates burner pressure, is that enough to satisfy the inspector or would he expect me to stick a fga on to it. any advice would be a huge help

 

[Paulplumb]

I bet you're pooping bricks. I can't help you on this one but I wish you good luck. Let us know how you get on.

 

[archiedale]

no need to panic, inspectors are there to help not hinder your future, relax and do it all by the book.if your working on a twenty year old boiler would,nt think a FGA is a requirement but if used could show the inspector your new CPA 1 skills.atb for friday.

 

[Toddyplumb]

Tightness test

 

[paulster]

had inspection about 4 weeks ago and was bricking it but no need,as archie says the inspectors are there to help you.

 

[kirkgas]

you MUST confirm the appliance is safe, so as it is a standard efficiency boiler there are checks and tests you can do to confirm it is safe, TT, gas rate, BP, visual inspection of burner and combustion chamber seal, flue seal etc, this will ensure you know what you are doing, confirm if it needs compartment ventilation etc, relax and prove to the guy you are competant, you are competant and safe aren't you? relax and prove it, and good luck

 

[dontknowitall]

If it's anything like OFTEC they'll be more interested in your paperwork and health and safety practices rather than your ability to service a boiler.

 

[thomas donovan]

kirkgas i consider myself to be safe and competent, would not be doing anything with gas if i had doubts in my abilities, was just wondering how thorough/anal the inspectors could be. don't have a fga yet so was hoping he wouldn't be expecting it but as some have said it is an old boiler so can't see it being a requirement.
alot of reference to the tt what about let by fellas
thanks to all for all the advice you've put my mind at ease... a bit!

 

[GPSNewcastle]

You wont have to do an FGA as its old and it wont say it in the MI. Dont worry about it mate, as long as you are amiable and make it clear to the guy that you want to do everything spot on he will be on your side. Dont let nerves get to you, this is what you do for a living so you should be confident. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

 

[thomas donovan]

will do thanks again

 

[kirkgas]

kirkgas i consider myself to be safe and competent, would not be doing anything with gas if i had doubts in my abilities, was just wondering how thorough/anal the inspectors could be. don't have a fga yet so was hoping he wouldn't be expecting it but as some have said it is an old boiler so can't see it being a requirement.
alot of reference to the tt what about let by fellas
thanks to all for all the advice you've put my mind at ease... a bit!

sorry if you have picked up a negative from my post it wasnt meant to be, i wasnt questioning your skill, i wanted you to be positive that you are competant and safe therefore you are the kind of guy the inspector will enjoy inspecting, thourough yes he wil be, anal, i would hope not (some are!!) like everyone else if they get someone being an arse with them they will retaliate, if you are straight with him on the wee bits you cant remember and check your books without guessing he wil be fine with that, it is all about him ticking boxes to say you are safe at what you do, (which was where my cack handed comment came from, sorry) re the FGA it is only required if your work load demands it, yes you have to CPA1 with CEN1 & HTR1, but you dont need a FGA to service. maintain or check an old appliance, if however you took him to a recent install of a HE boiler you will struggle o convince him you set it up correctly. hope the inspection goes well

 

[JonM]

Had my inspection today. All went well, bloke was really nice and he's taken me off probation! Good times

 

[dontknowitall]

Well done Sir!!

Re point earlier, why no FGA on an old boiler? I'd have thought that was exactly the type of boiler that had to have a flue gas test.

 

[kirkgas]

Well done Sir!!

Re point earlier, why no FGA on an old boiler? I'd have thought that was exactly the type of boiler that had to have a flue gas test.[/

on a new boiler you cant do a visual inspection on flame picture or take burner pressure so you must use FGA to check POC's on an older boiler you can check flame pic and take burner pressure, so the visual inspection and check s that you do confirm if the appliance is safe or not therefore a FGA isnt req'd, some people strip/clean/service an old boiler then use a FGa to confirm everything is ok, to me that means they arent comfortable in doing the checks and interpretating the results, different when you first get a FGA you use it on everything to play with it, same as when you get a new digital gas leak detector, you create a wee leak to test your detector is working

 

[GPSNewcastle]

Excellent reply kirkgas...perfect explanation of why no FGA...because it is pointless...with an old boiler the service u carry out under MI already proves the points you are looking for with FGA.

 

[thomas donovan]

had my inspection, not half as bad as i thought, inspector was by his own admission, picky and intimidating but all went well he was happy and so was i when he left

 

[quality]

Well done chap

 

[Paulplumb]

Yeah congratulations! When you're working 20 hours a day 7 days a week this winter fixing boilers you'll wish you never had it lol

 

[james the plumb]

hey thomas. i had my first inspection last week and i was brickin it. no need tho. jus got my defect sheets through and most of them were the shelves the cust had put in after the job lol. hope it went ok???

 

[Bernie2]

We had loads of inspections and sometimes we gave the inspectors a hard time as well as biscuits and a cup of tea. They where all old BG engineers who had ate and slept gas since they where kids, like we had done on and off as Plumbers.

They knew the score and virtually right away knew if you did or not.

A lot depends on the lingo you use, if you talk like you have just learnt gas fitting on a course using all the proper terminology out of a book, instead of gas fitting talk, they know right away and usually watch you closely.

If your an old hand they more than likely discuss football and talk about any new changes in the regs and what might change.

We always suggested any changes to the regs we thought should be made and they usually told us why they weren't able to push them through. It was interesting and we looked forward to the inspector coming. But then, being fair, we probably did thousands of services and repairs a year.

The procedures got to be like a song in your head, which you recited as you worked and when you got a duff note you looked for what was wrong.

The use of a FGA was a BG idea, because when they first offered gas services the call backs after their engineers had disturbed the boiler where fantastic and their market went into debt. They then started using FGA's and that brought it back into profit because they did not have to disturb the boiler.

It wasn't for safety reasons, it was for cash, even though I think they are a good idea.

 

[thomas donovan]

then they make you pay to take a course (every 5 years) on how to use one when instructions would suffice. its all about money.

 

[pauls]

i had mine a few months back nothing to worry about he said he is here to help not trip you up they want to see you are doing the job properly safely and you are competent