DIY gas thread - I'm confused

[fixitflav]

Just imagine how it would pan out if the HSE took a diyer before a judge.

HSE: this man is incompetent your honour
Judge: please list the faults in his gas hob installation
HSE: there were no fault's m'lord it was a text book installation
Judge: I'm fining the HSE 5000000 pounds for wasting courts time. Case closed

But in a situation where a DIYer has done gas work in his own home, and due to incompetence or inexperience an event occurs which the HSE get to hear about. Is he then liable?

Anyway, there seems to be consensus that doing DIY gas work in one’s own home is not in itself illegal. But in many posts on this forum gas safe guys have stated that it’s illegal for a householder to so much as remove an outer panel from a boiler if he is not gas safe registered. It appears that is not correct (though they have an obvious motive for saying it).

 

[denso13]

Anyway, there seems to be consensus that doing DIY gas work in one’s own home is not in itself illegal

It isn't, but you need to be able to prove you are competent to do so, that is what the law says. How would you do that?

 

[bernardgreen]

prove you are competent to do so, that is what the law says. How would you do that?

Have the DIY installation examined by a trustworthy professional ?

 

[dilalio]

Have the DIY installation examined by a trustworthy professional ?

... Bringing you DIYers back to square one, as, apparently, "trustworthy" professionals do not exist!

Plus, it is not permitted to sign off somebody else's work.

 

[bernardgreen]

ringing you DIYers back to square one, as, apparently, "trustworthy" professionals do not exist!

I have never said there are no trustworthy professionals, but I do say there are some that are not trustworthy

Plus, it is not permitted to sign off somebody else's work.

The examiner does not sign the work off. The DIYer signs off the work and the examiner confirms that the sign off documentation matches the work carried out. The examiner could additionally carry out a flue gas analysis and a tightness check.

( odd term that "tightness test" when the actual test is for leaks )

 

[denso13]

Have the DIY installation examined by a trustworthy professional ?

We are going round in circles. The law is clear but if you want to think it says something it doesn't that is really up to you.

 

[denso13]

odd term that "tightness test" when the actual test is for leaks

No, that is gas installations 101 and kind of proves the whole competence discussion. If an installation fails the tightness test then you test for leaks by other methods.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

... Bringing you DIYers back to square one, as, apparently, "trustworthy" professionals do not exist!

Plus, it is not permitted to sign off somebody else's work.

They certainly do, but the problem is sorting the wheat from the chaff.

 

[KingPenguin]

I don't think @bernardgreen is saying that's the law.. just that his idea would actually prove competence (or incompetence as the case may be)

The problem is how do you prove competence?

 

[bernardgreen]

If an installation fails the tightness test then you test for leaks by other methods.

125 The gastightness test, sometimes referred to as the soundness, or pressure decay test, is used for confirming that the gas system has no gas escapes/leaks. In domestic situations the test normally needs to cover the installation pipework between the meter control valve or emergency control valve as appropriate, and the appliance shut-off device.

So "tightness" does test for leaks, but finding the leak(s) is a subsequent and separate process.

 

[denso13]

You have to admit that @bernardgreen's idea would 100% prove competence

But the law and the Approved Code of Practice explain what competence is, that it is required and how you can demonstrate it. There is no need to guess what you may or may not need to do.

 

[denso13]

So "tightness" does test for leaks, but finding the leak(s) is a subsequent and separate process.

Perhaps to a diyer.

 

[KingPenguin]

But the law and the Approved Code of Practice explain what competence is, that it is required and how you can demonstrate it. There is no need to guess what you may or may not need to do.

the law isn't enforced.. it should be. HSE need to get their act together

 

[denso13]

I think the discussion has moved on, in that we don't agree with that law

Ok, I really don't have any answer to that then.

 

[KingPenguin]

Ok, I really don't have any answer to that then.

I reworded it