open end gas pipes in void props?

[kon]

hi all. i work for a local housing trust,plumber/gas. my main duties are to do with gas safety,we receive up to 10 void props a week and i carry out a gas safety(visual mainly) and soundness test fill out a cp12. the problem is when i attend to do a gas cap off,the prop as a gas open end where cooker bayonet as been taken. & also a lot of voids are getting broke into & boilers & copper pipework being stolen,again leaving gas open ends. i record all this on my cp12 form and make the gas safe before i leave. i inform the inspector & manager of the voids(both former joiners,no clue about gas) that they need reporting to riddor(they never do).. does anyone know who's responsible? me or the housing trust?. could'nt get a straight answer when i called gassafe.. thanks for reading,any replies would be great.

 

[SimonJohns]

Was the meter capped?

 

[kon]

no. thats my job. we cap off (disc in meter) when prop becomes void. then another contractor does a turn on and test when prop is re_let. cheers

 

[Puddle]

You are as the competant inspecting person,how can an unqualified person report anything
Also do not understand what you mean by mostly visual inspection to fill a cp12 out,this can not be done,physical checks and tests have to be made

Would add if you are saying it is common practice to find open pipework when flats are vacated that further preventive action be taken to provent this as even if riddar reported,if something happens and it is discovered that the housing trust or whoever let tenants leave open pipework on a regular basis ,heads will roll and rightly so

Imho

 

[kirkgas]

you will never stop the break ins and wont ever be liable, and you will never really stop the tenants stripping out the cooker and leaving an open end, it is RIDDOR reportable but nothing will come of it, so you need to minimise the potential damage, to do this in social housing you need a robust reporting procedure via the letting side of the housing, whe the tenant informs the housing they are leaving the property a gas engineer should call that day to cap the gas supply, it is very easy to do as the letting officer contacts maintenance gives address and date and a job is raised to cap the gas, at least then if there is a break in they cant cause much damage, it also reduces the chance of squatters as they have no gas.
HOWEVER, as usual it falls down in the real world, in my experience the tenant moves out at the weekend and hands the keys back on the monday, so unless it is done via call out it will lie empty all weekend with an open end and a passing ECV, but the bottom line is the housing is liable for whatever happens not you, as long as you attend to the cut and cap on the day it is arranged,

 

[Pssst]

There is presumably nothing to stop you submitting RIDDOR reports on line via the HSE website?

 

[AWheating]

It needs to be brought up with management to cover yourself. If they do not act upon the information you have passed up the food chain then you can if ever required prove that you brought the potential risks to your line manager/s. Put it in writing with dates etc and keep a copy of it and any replys.

If all else fails riddor, riddor, riddor........ if the hse contacts your managment they may ask for proof of how they manage the risks which could make them take it alot more seriously.