Plumber sentencing highlights need for fixed gas monitors
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A plumber has narrowly avoided jail after being found guilty of breaching a number of gas safety regulations.
The importance of having the correct fixed gas monitors in place both in residential and commercial environments has been underlined after an Essex family had a lucky escape following work carried out by a dodgy plumber.
Tradesman Lee Lawrence’s firm fitted a dangerous boiler in the Clacton-On- Sea home and was recently found guilty of three breaches of gas safety regulations following a joint investigation between the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Gas Safe.
A Gas Safe engineer spotted the problem with the boiler, which was located in what was to become a child’s bedroom, and deemed it unsafe after the family noticed it was not functioning properly.
Mr Lawrence was found guilty of two breaches of Regulation 3 (7) of the Gas Safe (Installation & use Regulations) 1998 and a breach of Regulation 4 of the Gas Safety regulations.
The plumber was told to pay £5,400 in compensation to the householder and £2,385 in costs.
He also narrowly avoided jail time with Colchester Magistrates’ Court sentencing him to a twelve-month suspended prison sentence and 180 hours of unpaid community service for the breaches in regulations connected to the work carried out under the name of his company Amber Plumbing Solutions.
HSE inspector Edward Crick chastised Mr Lawrence and warned those having gas work done to do their homework before agreeing to employ a particular tradesman.
"HSE works closely with inspectors from the Gas Safe Register to ensure that those who carrying out unregistered and illegal gas work are dealt with,” he explained.
"Mr Lawrence showed a blatant disregard for the safety of his customers. A registered gas engineer had no hesitation in labelling the boiler as an immediate danger to life or property. Installing it in what was to be a children’s bedroom was reckless beyond belief and could have had tragic consequences.”
British companies should always take care when it comes to using gas and other airborne substances and multi-gas monitors might be a good way to help them do this. Multi-gas monitors from Drager, MSA and RAE Systems can be found on the Frontline Safety website, as well as single gas and PID monitors and fixed gas systems.
Meanwhile, businesses which regularly place workers in situations where they might encounter asbestos dust could be encouraged to invest in filters and facemasks after a pair of Lincolnshire enterprises were fined for exposing employees during the refurbishment of a Northamptonshire hospital ward.
Posted by Dawn Mitchell
