Commercial Property Gas Safety Checks

Gas safety checks are mandatory when you have gas appliances in your commercial property. You need to monitor the status and performance of your gas system from time to time. A gas-safe registered engineer must conducts regular safety checks to ensure your appliances are in good working condition. The law states that all your commercial gas appliances in your premises must be checked and serviced according to the appliance’s instructions at least every 12 months.

Landlords are required to obtain a gas safety certificate for their property every year. Once you have had your premises inspected, you are required to have your annual gas safety certificates in hand for at least two years. Landlords are also required to issue a copy of the certificate to their tenants within 28 days of the inspection. In case of any new tenants, landlords should not forget to issue them a copy of the CP12 certificate as they move into the premises. However, tenants using their gas appliances in the property are responsible for their own safety checks and maintenance. Failing to comply with this gas safety regulation invites fines and impacts your insurance if you ever need to make a claim.

Doing so ensures that you keep your surroundings safe from accidents that may occur, such as carbon monoxide poisoning. The process involves inspecting any available gas appliances such as gas cookers and boilers and ensuring that they are working appropriately and correctly.

Benefits of maintaining your gas appliances regularly:

Maintaining your gas appliances will enable them to perform at optimal capacity.
Saves money on unnecessary repairs.
Maintaining your gas appliances annually (which is a legal requirement) also keeps the appliance in warranty.

A gas safety check normally involves several checks:
If your gas appliances were installed correctly and in the right location.
If your gas appliances are working correctly and if they are at the right pressure status.
If the current safety devices such as cut outs that have been installed on your gas system are working correctly.
If the airflow of your gas appliances in the ventilation passages has any blockages.
If the flues of your gas appliance are clear, including emissions.
If there is an adequate supply of air flowing into your appliance and whether the gas is burning correctly.

Who and when should an annual gas safety check be conducted

A gas safety check takes about one hour.

Any premise that has any gas appliance is required to have their appliances checked annually. This prevents accidents from happening and also ensures a high level of safety in its environment.

The following properties are required to have their gas appliances checked every 12 months:

Schools, colleges, and universities
Catering establishments
Hostels
Public houses
Nurseries
Hospitals
Clinics
Hotels
Bed and breakfast establishments

What does a gas safety check certificate entail?

After a gas engineer inspects your commercial property and is happy with the performance of your gas appliances, they will present you with a certificate that states that you are compliant with the regulations set. A Gas Safety Certificate, typically known as a CP12 – is a document that entails a confirmation that your gas appliances have been inspected and examined for safety by a qualified gas safety engineer. The safety engineer is required to officially visit your premises and inspect your appliances before presenting you with the certificate. The engineer will visually inspect your appliances, examine the pressure, how they operate, and their functionality. If your gas appliances consist of an extraction system that emits gases, the engineer will examine the appropriate extraction method.

The certificate will contain information on:

Details of the inspection carried out and approval that the equipment present in the premises is safe to use.
Name of the agent or landlord present.
Details of where your equipment is located and the description of the flues inspected during the gas safety visit.
Any problems/defects identified by the gas safety engineer and the solutions provided.
Description of any other tasks undertaken during the inspection.
Conclusion on the visual inspection conducted by the gas safety engineer on your appliances and the gas supply pipes of your equipment.
The name of the gas safety engineer, their signature as well as the gas safe register number.
A confirmation that the engineer conducted the inspection satisfactorily, according to Regulation 26(9)

Regulation 26(9) demands that the minimum requirements expected when conducting a gas safety check include:

The gas appliance(S) has an adequate supply of air required for combustion.
That both the appliance and the safety device installed can function safely.
That any defect or flaw is identified and reported to the person responsible.
That the flues have been inspected and are considered to be working adequately.

What will happen if the engineer finds a fault during the safety check?

When an engineer finds a fault in your appliance, he will issue a notice to turn off the defective appliance. They will then explain any problems that have been identified and record them on a form. They are also mandated to inform the office and schedule a follow-up visit. Once the notice has been issued, it is illegal for any individual apart from the engineer to take it down.

Importance of gas safety checks

Gas safety checks are essential as they can detect high levels of carbon monoxide emitted from gas appliances. When there is a problem in the ventilation, carbon monoxide tends to build up, and in the case where these fumes leak into the commercial property, there is a possibility of serious health hazards to the occupants of the property.

Carbon monoxide fumes can cause headaches, dizziness, breathlessness, nausea, and loss of consciousness. Since Carbon Monoxide is odourless and colourless, it can also cause deaths, with the statistics reporting around 50 deaths each year. It is advisable to fit your commercial property with an audible carbon monoxide alarm that will act as a second line of defence against carbon monoxide poisoning.

How much does a gas safety check cost?

The cost of a gas safety engineer varies from one engineer to the next.

How to check if my gas appliances are faulty before an annual visit

There are several warning signs to look out for that will warn you that your gas appliances are faulty, such as:

A lazy yellow flame from your appliance instead of crisp blue one
Black stains on the gas appliances
An increase in the level of condensation on the windows of the room
Occasional blackout of the pilot light

If you notice any of the above signs, you should turn off the appliance and contact a certified gas safety engineer immediately. You should also open all the windows and doors of the room since there is a possibility of a gas leak.

Vacate the room with the appliance and keep it locked until the engineer arrives and informs you that it is safe to re-enter the room.