This document highlights the requirements for regular inspection of metalic under ground pipework and the replacement of corroded pipework with medium density polythylene pipework (MDPE). It was issued by HSE and aimed at the commercial and industrial owners of liquefied petroleum gas pipework (LPG).

 This Technical iBulletin covers the general overview of British Standard BS 8499, 2009 Specification for domestic gas meter boxes and meter brackets.  

 This Technical iBulletin provides the list of all statutory regulations and list of publications in England, Scotland, Wales and Isle of Man. It also listing all HSC publications relating to gas safety.

Rescue Tape is a self-fusing silicone repair product with infinite uses. This is the most versatile and easy-to-use emergency repair product available. You can repair leaks on plumbing and hoses in a flash, use to insulate electrical wiring and much more...

Rhino's Aluminium Pipe Tube is now available through CORGIdirect....... The Aluminium Pipe tube is  3.05 metre long and allows up to 54 (15mm) copper tubes to be easily transported.

The Gas Safety Trust was operating under the name of The CORGI Trust until March 2010. The Gas Safety Trust is a registered charitable body and has become the UK's leading gas safety charity with the key objectives of further improving  gas safety for the public and industry throughout the UK and reducing the incidents of death and serious injury from carbon monoxide exposure.

The following Regulations have been revised: Water Supply Regulations 2010 – this revision comes into force 20th April 2010 and amends the following sections of The Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2000 – o       Regulation 17 o       Regulation 18 o       Regulation 19 o       Regulation 19A o       Regulation 20; and o       Regulation 26   Water Supply (Miscellaneous Amendments) (England and Wales) Regulations 2010 – this revision comes into force 20th April 2010 and amends Section 19(3) of The Water Industry Act 1991  Water Supply (Water Quality) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 – this revision comes into force 20th April 2010 and amends the following sections of the ‘principle Regulations’, them being The Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007 – o       Regulation 2 o       Regulation 8 o       Regulation 17 o       Regulation 18 o       Regulation 19 o       Regulation 20 o       Regulation 26 o       Table 2 and 3 of Schedule 3   Additionally, Article 31(3)(B) of The Water and Sewerage Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 has been amended. The Regulations listed above can be viewed and downloaded from the Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI) by visiting   www.opsi.gov.uk    

There are corrections to SAP (The Government’s Standard Assessment Procedure for Energy Rating of Dwellings): Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC)

British Standards Institution (BSi) The following list of Standards have recently been updated:

A UK survey by 1st Action Plumbing reveals that 57% of Brits want to see more women making their mark in the plumbing industry. As the plumbing industry has traditionally been male-dominated, this survey is encouraging and proves that people believe qualified female plumbers are just as capable of doing the job as their male counterparts. Richard Clarke, Chairman of 1st Action says: “The 9% of Brits from our poll who believe plumbing is men’s work should think again. Don’t get me wrong, plumbing is hard work and not always the easiest of career paths, but the antiquated view that the job can’t be performed equally by a woman is ridiculous. As an industry we must actively encourage more women in to the industry not only to equalise the current gender bias but also to help tackle issues such as skills shortages in plumbing”. In the case of the elderly and the vulnerable, 12% of respondents said they would feel safer and more at ease hiring a female plumber to do the job. A source says “Elderly people  have been taken advantage of by men in the workplace, so they in particular would appreciate more female representation within the industry”. A recent report from the Equal Opportunities Commission in 2001 reports there are only 17 registered female plumbers, but many local authorities are trying to attract more women into the trades, including plumbing. Clarke concluded: “Despite the fact that there is an obvious demand for more female plumbers, 6% of people didn’t know that female plumbers existed which emphasises that as an industry we aren’t even scratching the surface in terms of an equal representation. My hope is that any past stigma that plumbing is a man’s job will soon fade and that more women will be encouraged into a least considering a career in plumbing”. Source: 1st Action Press Release

CORGIdirect plan to post special deals, promotions, product features and much more on the Facebook page. Fans are welcome to start discussions and make suggestions of new products and services CORGIdirect could offer.

Grey Book, Volume 1: EN fire dampers If you are involved in provision of a fire protection package, at any level, then you share liability for its usefulness and its operation when it’s needed in fire, and that liability will still be there in the event of a court case.

The HSE is encouraging parents to warn their children of the dangers of playing on/in building sites particularly during the summer holidays. 1 child died and 25 others have been injured during 2008/9, according to the HSE.   Companies are also reminded of the need to properly secure sites, with good fencing and regular checks being undertaken to ensure the provisions remain in place and fit for purpose.   • A reminder to all tradesman with regards to ACMs (Asbestos Containing Materials) – The HSE successfully prosecutes a Pontypool building firm for removal of Asbestos Insulation Board (AIB) by non-licensed contractors.   The AIB was used on the inside surface of a boiler compartment, with the door being removed to allow access to the boiler which was being replaced. A licensed contractor working in the vicinity of the works noticed the compartment door outside the property. The contractor approached the men and advised that asbestos was present.   The men were later instructed by a senior manager to cover the inside walls of the compartment with plasterboard.   Caerphilly Magistrates Court fined Ron Couch Building Contractors Ltd £2500 and £1250 costs.   Protect yourself and your customers by ensuring that asbestos isn’t disturbed where present and when work is carried out that involves asbestos, only use licensed asbestos contractors; a list of which can be found on the HSE website at www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos follow the links for asbestos licensing

   

The Safety Alert 006 provides background to the possible gas safety concern with some gas meter union washers and the actions required by registered gas operatives engaged in work – disconnection and reconnection of either the ECV union or any meter unions – to ensure continued safety. Registered gas operatives/businesses can access and download the free Safety Alert 006 from Gas Safe Registers web site – https://engineers.gassaferegister.co.uk – by login and visit the Technical information area.

TB 008 (Edition 2) highlights the gas safety concerns relating to room-sealed fanned-draught gas appliance chimney systems installed in voids and provides guidance on how to manage the risks and satisfy the requirements of the Gas Safety (Installation and use) Regulations 1998. TB 008 (Edition 2) is available from Gas Safe Registers website, via the Registered Engineers area. Additionally, the HSE has released a Safety Alert entitled ‘Gas boilers – flues in voids’ to highlight the changed guidance; visit - http://www.hse.gov.uk/safetybulletins/fluesinvoids.htm?ebul=safbul/2-dec-10&cr=1

The product recall only affects gas heaters purchased since 1st August 2010 and relates to a small number of heaters malfunctioning. Registered gas operatives/businesses are advised by the safety notice to inform their customers to stop using the heater and to immediately contact Calor on 0800 181 4522 (Great Britain) or 028 9045 5588 (Northern Ireland). Registered gas operatives/businesses should visit www.gassaferegister.co.uk to download a copy of the Safety Alert.

All Gas Safe Register Technical Information is freely available to Gas Safe Register Engineers by logging in to – www.engineers.gassaferegister.co.uk/login • TB 001 – The Gas Industry Unsafe Situations Procedure (Edition 6).   The Gas Industry Unsafe Situations Procedure (GIUSP) Working Group has published amendments to the current GIUSP, which take effect on 1st April 2011.   The amendments are covered in Gas Safe Registers Industry Standard Update (ISU 018).   The updates refer to – •          Table 1, Section 3 – Meter box and/or compartment •          Table 1, Section 4 – Reports of ‘fumes’ •          Table 1, Section 8 – Flues (Room-sealed) •          Table 1, Section 9 – Flues in voids •          Table 1, Section 10 – Appliances (general)   • TB 002(C) Reporting of dangerous gas fittings – Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Legislation (RIDDOR) as applied to the Isle of Man.   The TB provides guidance on RIDDOR requirements for registered gas engineers in the Isle of Man, who have no statutory duty to report ‘dangerous gas fittings’ (unless they work for Manx Gas), but who are encouraged to do so by the Health and Safety at Work Inspectorate (HSWI) in the interests of improving gas safety.   • TB 130 Important Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Pipeline Survey   The TB reminds gas engineers who work in commercial and industrial premises of the need to have customers who have metallic gas pipework supplying LPG to premises, to complete an online survey.   The survey – www.hse.gov.uk/lpg – allows the HSE to build up a picture of those installations which may be affected and require metallic pipework to be replaced with modern alternatives (MDPE for example) on a prioritised and systematic basis.   This survey is in response to a report on a gas explosion, which occurred at ICL Plastics, Glasgow in 2004 prepared by Lord Gill.   • TB 131 Glow-worm Energysaver Combi and British Gas Intelligent Condensing Combi 1 boilers – revised servicing and spare part requirements   Glow-worm has released up-dated servicing requirements and additional inspection/checks for:     •          Energysaver Combi 80 and 100 (1998 – 2003)     •          British Gas Intelligent Condensing Combi 1 (I.C.C.1) (1998 – 2003)   • TB 132 Saunier Duval Ecosy and Enviroplus boiler ranges – revised servicing and spare part requirements   Saunier Duval has released up-dated servicing requirements and additional inspection/checks for:       •          Saunier Duval Ecosy 24e and 28e (1996 – 2003)     •          Saunier Duval Ecosy 24e SB and 28e SB (1998 – 2003)     •          Saunier Duval Enviroplus F24e and F28e (2004 – 2007)     •          Saunier Duval Enviroplus F28e SB (2004 – 2007)    

We fully support the Gas Safe Register with our forms and labels offering you the added benefit of the great CORGI products with the logo to back your registration. Technically accurate and compliant, our forms and labels are essential to your day-to-day work. Offering great value for money compared to other brands, these products are available to take away today!   Also watch this space as we also bring on Gas Safe Register Logo’d Work Wear and Vehicle Signage, further supporting you and your business.   Why wait? Why not order your Gas Safe Register logo'd products now:   Gas Form Set (CPSET2) Landlord/Home Owner Gas Safety Record (CP12) Gas Safety Record (CP1) Gas Safety Inspection Form (CP4) and many more......     

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Jobman Workwear is a premium range of workwear from Sweden.  Extremely innovative and of the highest quality, Jobman workwear is perfect for you.   Jobman use only the highest quality materials (washable at 85 degrees) and everything is made for purpose. Jobman trousers have double layered reinforced swing pockets, two phone pockets and an ID tag and many other useful features – all of Jobman trousers are tested before they go into production to ensure everything is where it should be. 

The following Approved Documents (AD) have been revised: ·        AD F Ventilation 2010 – this revision comes into force 1st October 2010. The main changes in the 2010 Edition are in 2 parts; legal requirements and technical guidance –   Legal requirements – o       All fixed mechanical ventilation systems, where they can be tested and adjusted, shall be commissioned and a commissioning notice provided to the Building Control Body o       Mechanical ventilation systems installed in new dwellings shall be measured on site and a notice provided to the Building Control Body. This also applies to intermittently used extract fans and cooker hoods. o       The owner shall be provided with sufficient information about the ventilation system and its maintenance requirements.   Technical guidance – o       Ventilation provisions have been increased for air tight dwellings i.e. those designed with an air permeability of less than or equal to 5m3/hr/m2 at 50Pa o       Passive Stack Ventilation (PSV) diameters have been increased to 125mm for all room types, with additional clarification provided for inner wet rooms. o       Guidance on ventilation provisions for refurbished kitchens and bathrooms has been clarified. o       Reference is made to a new ‘Domestic Ventilation Compliance’ guide for installing, inspecting, testing and commissioning of ventilation systems in dwellings.     ·        AD J Combustion appliances and fuel storage systems 2010 – this revision comes into force 1st October 2010. The main changes in the 2010 Edition are – o       Section 1 – New guidance is included for access for visual inspection of concealed flues (Ed. this information supports that of existing Technical Bulletins produced by the then gas registration body CORGI and now Gas Safe Register™ whereby concealed flues within ceiling voids [flats for example] require additional considerations) o       Section 2 – New guidance on the requirement to have Carbon Monoxide alarms installed where solid fuel appliances are installed (Ed. an interesting note in Section 0 is that although Carbon Monoxide alarms are not stipulated within Section 3 for gas appliances or indeed for other fuel types such as oil, it is recognised that their use can reduce the risk of poisoning; the implication being that their use ought to be considered). Further guidance is also provided for solid fuel on flue outlet clearances, hearths and wall clearances to take account of modern appliances. o       Sections 2, 3 & 4 – An increase in the ventilation requirements for open-flued appliances in very air tight houses (those with a design air permeability of less than or equal to 0.5m3/hr/m2). Appendix F provides guidance on assessing air permeability of older houses. o       Section 4 – Explicitly includes liquid biofuel and blends of mineral oil/liquid biofuel. o       Section 5 – Additional guidance includes the inner protection zone shown by the Environment Agency’s groundwater source maps where secondary containment is required for oil tanks. o       Appendix G – Provides an explanation of the European designation for certain flue and chimney products.   ·        AD L1A Conservation of fuel and power in new dwellings 2010 – this revision comes into force 1st October 2010. The main changes in the 2010 Edition concern themselves with those responsible for designing and building new dwellings, particularly with regards to CO2 emission rates.   As this is not normally in the preserve of professional tradesman the detail of the changes is not listed here.   ·        AD L1B Conservation of fuel and power in existing dwellings 2010 – this revision comes into force 1st October 2010. The main changes in the 2010 Edition are similar to those for new dwellings in that they concern themselves with thermal elements, controlled fittings and controlled services. Some of the changes of note, with regards to professional tradesman are – o       The list of work in schedule 2B (i.e. work that need not be notified to building control) is amended to include thermal insulation in roof/loft spaces where this is the only work being carried out and is not carried out to comply with any requirement in the Building Regulations. o       Amended guidance provided for historic and traditional buildings, which may have an exemption from energy efficiency requirements or where special considerations apply. o       Guidance for swimming pool basins (walls and floors) in existing dwellings.   ·        AD L2A Conservation of fuel and power in new buildings other than dwellings 2010 – this revision comes into force 1st October 2010. The main changes in the 2010 Edition are similar to those for AD L1A ‘new dwellings’ in that they concern themselves with those responsible for designing and erecting new buildings, particularly with regards to CO2 emission rates.   As this is not normally in the preserve of professional tradesman the detail of the changes is not listed here.   ·        AD L2B Conservation of fuel and power in existing buildings other than dwellings 2010 – this revision comes into force 1st October 2010. The main changes in the 2010 Edition are similar to those for AD L1B ‘existing dwellings’ in that they concern themselves with thermal elements, controlled fittings and controlled services.   As this is not normally in the preserve of professional tradesman the detail of the changes is not listed here.   To help support these regulations, please take a look at the following products: LCA301 Anemometer (TSI1) LCA301 Anemometer Hoods (TSI2) IAQ-910 CO2 Meter (TSI3)   The ADs are freely available to download as pdfs from the governments planning portal, visit www.planningportal.gov.uk and follow the links for Approved Documents.    

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