Gas Law about Boilers

[Reg-plumb]

Dear Friends,

I am a Plumber. Would anyone know what piece of Law tells me I cannot work on a Boiler. Gorgi say that in order for you to work on Gas Appliances you need to be Gas Trained, which is right.

But what if I am changing a Diverter Valve, or a Motorised valve, or a Heat Exchanger, or a water section diapharm. these are not Gas Appliances.

Any ideas please.

Thank you.

 

[cross thread]

after working on any gas appliance you have to carry out saftey checks,even if you are only replacing water parts

 

[geoff@cetltd]

The appliance is the boiler, the heat exchanger is part of that boiler

If you are going to work on that appliance for monetary reward (i.e. business), you have to be CORGI registered and have the appropriate ACOPS

 

[Gasguru]

From Gas Safety Installation and Use Regulations


(9) Where a person performs work on a gas appliance he shall immediately thereafter examine -


(a) the effectiveness of any flue;

(b) the supply of combustion air;

(c) its operating pressure or heat input or, where necessary, both;

(d) its operation so as to ensure its safe functioning,



"gas appliance" means an appliance designed for use by a consumer of gas for heating, lighting, cooking or other purposes for which gas can be used but it does not include a portable or mobile appliance suppled with gas from a cylinder, or the cylinder, pipes and other fittings used for supplying gas to that appliance, save that, for the purposes of regulations 3, 35 and 36 of these Regulations, it does include a portable or mobile space heater supplied with gas from a cylinder, and the cylinder, pipes and other fittings used for supplying gas to that heater;


and


3. (1) No person shall carry out any work in relation to a gas fitting or gas storage vessel unless he is competent to do so.

(2) The employer of any person carrying out such work for that employer, every other employer and self-employed person who has control to any extent of such work and every employer and self-employed person who has required such work to be carried out at any place of work under his control shall ensure that paragraph (1) above is complied with in relation to such work.

(3) Without prejudice to the generality of paragraphs (1) and (2) above and subject to paragraph (4) below, no employer shall allow any of his employees to carry out any work in relation to a gas fitting or service pipework and no self-employed person shall carry out any such work, unless the employer or self-employed person, as the case may be, is a member of a class of persons approved for the time being by the Health and Safety Executive for the purposes of this paragraph.


ie got to be Corgi registered

 

[geoff@cetltd]

... if he is doing work in a professional capacity

 

[corgiman]

very comprehensive gasguru

Thats the one reg

 

[CorgiIOW]

I bet you wished you hadn't asked Reg-plumb

Dave.

 

[Softus]

Dear Friends,

I am a Plumber. Would anyone know what piece of Law tells me I cannot work on a Boiler. Gorgi say that in order for you to work on Gas Appliances you need to be Gas Trained, which is right.

But what if I am changing a Diverter Valve, or a Motorised valve, or a Heat Exchanger, or a water section diapharm. these are not Gas Appliances.

Any ideas please.

Thank you.

Changing a heat exchanger involves disturbing the combustion chamber, which is sufficiently part of the 'gasness' of the appliance such that it falls unambiguously within the provisions of the GSIUR. The other components (that you listed) are not sufficiently related to the gas fittings in the appliance, or to the flueing of air or of the gas combustion products, that they require you to be an RGI to do the work; I've talked to a CORGI representative about this and heard him confirm that this is correct.

In a professional capacity, i.e. as a plumber who is a non RGI, you would have to be CORGI registered (and appropriately qualified) to undertake to change the heat exchanger. As a house owner, provided that you're not renting out the property, the GSIUR permit you to undertake the work as long as you are competent.

You won't get a categorical answer to this on the forum, because it's a long-running discussion that never gets fully resolved. The smart advice to you is that you make up your own mind and consider the risks involved if you're in any doubt as to your competence and/or knowledge.