RSDT NEWS:
RSDT have appointed a dedicated Gas Safe Registered Engineers to carry out inspections of Gas Equipment installed in DT and Science Departments.

GAS NEWS:
The legislation on gas safety has changed a lot in recent years. ( IGEM/UP/11 Edition 2 is the latest ) Those who are found not to be compliant may face prosecution and big fines. Do you know if your school is following the guidelines?

Most schools use gas. Whether it’s needed for boiler rooms and heating, Science labs, D & T or simply for cooking in the kitchens, almost all of them have some form of fuel gas on site. This frequently makes school bursars and catering managers responsible – and liable – for the safety of the gas systems on their site.

• Gas health and safety law is regulated by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Both the HSE and the UK’s local authorities have enforcement responsibilities under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations of 1998 which aims to prevent injury to the public or consumers from fire, explosion or carbon monoxide poisoning.
• The HSE have warned that those responsible for maintaining and servicing gas appliances in schools must have a robust gas safety management system in place. This came after a council was fined £10,000 following an incident at a school in the North of England. Independent schools should be aware they carry the responsibility themselves.
• Schools and Colleges are on the list of those who must ensure regular safety checks on any fixed or portable gas supplies and flues.
• The checks must be done by an engineer who is listed on the Gas Safe Register.
• As an employer the following duty of care is applied. “It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure that any gas appliance, installation pipework or flue installed at any place of work under their control is maintained in a safe condition so as to prevent risk of injury to any person.”

• Where gas is fitted as part of commercial food preparation equipment, the manager of the premises is responsible for ensuring the equipment is regularly inspected and serviced.
• The Gas Safety registered inspection engineer must leave a safety report signed by both themselves and the premises manager, and is recorded in the Annual Statement of Compliance.
• Any maintenance or installation works must also produce a gas safety report.
• The responsible person should familiarise themselves with safety regulations concerning gas appliances, gas cooking appliances and the education (school premises) regulations.
• The regulations for LPG are the same as for natural gas.
• Failure to comply with the regulations can result in substantial fines and even a custodial sentence for the liable party.
• There are rules laid out in the HSE Sheet 23 that specify the safety features that must be installed at the same time as any gas burning oven or other gas appliance. You must ensure that you follow these if you are having new or second hand .

Wherever there are highly flammable materials or fuels, of course safety is a concern. Leaking gas can build up in enclosed environments posing an explosion risk from a spark when a light switch is activated, for example. And there is the risk of fire from exposed flames. Ensuring your staff are safe, protected and fully trained in the correct use of the equipment is vital for both them, and you as their employer.

Gas explosions are however mercifully rare. What is perhaps of greater concern is the risk from carbon monoxide (CO). CO is a poisonous gas with no odour, colour or taste. It’s caused by badly fitted or poorly functioning gas burners failing to properly burn the gas and poorly maintained extraction systems in D & T Departments. CO is extremely dangerous because it can cause suffocation in a relatively short amount of time by preventing oxygen from being carried around the body by the blood, and people may not realise what is happening to them. Even when an appliance is not working badly to cause death, prolonged exposure to CO can have severe health complications including brain damage and paralysis. This is why proper monitoring and servicing of all gas equipment is so vital. You should also always ensure there is proper ventilation in areas where gas is being burned – for example in boiler rooms or kitchens. Don’t let anyone cover essential vents. Ensure any chimneys or flues are regularly swept. Watch for flames burning yellow or orange rather than blue.

If any of your staff working around gas appliances complain of headaches, nausea, lethargy or dizziness you should refer them to their GP for CO testing and call in an engineer to test the equipment.

“Failure to keep up with inspections could result in an ‘At Risk’ or ‘Immediately Dangerous’ notice which could mean the kitchen - or in the worst case, the school - closing.”

If the school were to face a claim from someone who believed they had been adversely affected by working – or living - around faulty gas equipment it could have massive implications regarding future insurance premiums, and failure to keep up with inspections could result in an engineer issuing an ‘At Risk’ or ‘Immediately Dangerous’ notice which could mean that the kitchen / Department– or in the worst case, the school – would have to close until a full maintenance program had been carried out.

RSDT are now able to carry out saturation testing of fume cupboards in accordance with CLEAPSS guide lines. Full information and guidance available.

Call us now on Tel: 0845 685 0202