What Is a CCN1 Gas Course?

CCN1 gas course refers to a qualification and certification process required of all existing and new engineers who desire to work in the gas industry like working with gas appliances. The CCN1 gas course is well structured to equip gas operatives or gas engineers with the requisite knowledge on government legislation and provide sufficient skills relevant to domestic gas safety. The course focuses on two main elements related to home gas safety; the theoretical and practical components. In addition, it prepares the candidates for the initial CCN1 course assessment.

Upon completion of the course, candidates are given certification to show they have met the required standards to handle gas systems and equipment safely. The certification, Accredited Certification Scheme (ACS), is awarded primarily by the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting (NICEIC) and other similar approved bodies.

The issued certificate equally gives the engineer the required skills and points to get admitted to the Gas Safe Register in the United Kingdom. This may also be referred to as the Domestic Gas Safety course.

CCN1 Course overview

Initial Core Domestic Gas Safety course and appliances, also referred to as CCN1, comprises of training and initial assessment in the sectors outlined below:

CCN1 – Core Domestic Gas Safety includes Combustion Performance Analysis (CPA1)

CENWAT – Central Heating Boilers and Water Heaters

CKR1 – Cookers

HTR1 – Space Heaters, includes Gas Fires and Wall Heaters

What is required to enrol for the course

The initial CCN1 training and assessment course focuses on gas operatives who either wish to acquire ACS qualifications for the first time or are working to renew their expired certification. A certification is deemed expired upon surpassing 12 months from the date of issue. Before a candidate can be allowed to sit for the ACS assessments, they need to provide evidence of completing a certified training programme. Aside from this, sufficient proof of onsite working experience that is supervised by an accredited and duly registered gas engineer is required.

Re-assessment: To be allowed to take a CCN1 re-assessment, the gas operatives ought to complete the course before 12 months of the expiry date of their current CCN1 qualification. Its completion must be within the last six months before the set expiry date.

A candidate with the required ACS assessment prerequisite qualification is not obliged to undertake a refresher training. However, the candidate is not limited to undertake the training if they find it necessary in their preparation for the ACS assessment. This option is however complete left to the discretion of the candidate.

The core domestic gas safety certificate (CCN1) has an equivalent qualification to a Level 3 QCF qualification under the gas utilization sector. It meets the same safety criteria outlined in an ACS assessment, hence it is also recognized by the Gas Safe Register (GSR).

CCN1 Course Content

The initial CCN1 training and assessment curriculum is structured to cover the following topics.

Gas safety legislation and regulations
Relevant pressures, gas rates, and combustion
Gas pipework
Low and medium pressure tightness testing and purging
Chimney systems recognition and testing
Ventilation
Gas controls
Flue gas analysis

The training on appliances also cover topics such as appliance installation, commissioning, proper service and maintenance of the appliances (including service record keeping) and basic gas safety fault assessment.

Course Assessment Methodologies

In line with the training implementation model, course assessments are equally divided into two main modes: a written assessment test and a practical assessment.

Written Assessment Tests

This assessment technique entails four levels of written open book assessments. These assessments pair both candidate memory capacity and research skills. When taking the assessments, candidates are permitted to refer to approved material like the UK Certification manuals to derive comprehensive solutions. All the levels of the written course assessments consist of both multiple choice questions and true/false types of questions.

Practical Assessments

These assessments test the candidate’s capacity to physical do the handy work and knowledge on some standard operating procedures. They include assessments in the area listed below.

Gas safety legislation and safety standards
Gas emergency actions and procedures
Products and characteristics of the combustion
Proper ventilation assessment
Pipework and fittings during the installation process
Tightness testing and purging
Meter regulators checking and setting
Emergency notices, Unsafe situations, and warning labels
Emergency isolation and valves controls, operations, and positioning
Setting burner pressures and gas rates checking and standardizing
Appliance gas safety devices and controls operation and review
Chimney standards review
Chimney testing and inspection
The Setting of open, balanced, and fan assisted chimneys
Re-setting of existing gas supply and relight appliances

The course works best for gas operatives with excellent communication skills, problem-solving prowess, and technical planning skills. It strategically positions prospective and practicing gas operatives to a progressive gas heating engineer career.

Accredited Certification Scheme (ACS) Qualification

All prospective engineers looking forward to venturing into the gas engineering sector must attain a certain set of qualifications and certification. Attaining this will grant them the right to work in the gas sector. In the United Kingdom, you must complete the recognized and mandatory ACS certification before appearing in the Gas Safe Register.

The certification scheme operates under the supervision of the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS). UKAS oversees adherence to international set standards, certification institutions, and organizations that offer testing and calibration services.

Gas engineering consists of various fields of expertise or exposure. A high-level gas engineer must have prowess in all the classes of the assessment. To remain relevant and a member of the Gas Safe Register, they ought to refresh their gas courses after every five years.

Category 1

Candidates in this category are experienced gas operatives. They hold a current or expired ACS Certificate. Some of them may have also completed an accredited Gas Managed Learning Programme. Evidence of completion of the training is required to qualify as a Category 1 applicant.

Category 2

Candidates ought to have qualified for a nationally approved qualification like the NVQ or City and Guilds Craft certificate in a gas operations trade. Equally, applicants with two or more years of work experience working under the supervision of a certified gas engineer stand a better chance to qualify. Proof of employment, often a letter of employment with credentials of the certified supervisor, should be appended to the application documents.

The course empowers candidates with the skills necessary to install hot and cold water pipework and fittings. However, verification and assessment will be undertaken by the prospective candidates in the theory assessment type. The course assessment test has multiple choice questions.

Category 3

This category consists of new gas operatives in the industry who lack the relevant qualification and experience. These new entrants most often are joining the employment sector for the first time or are transitioning from other careers and aspire to be gas operatives.

How to Join the Gas Safe Register (GSR)

Once you have attained the required qualifications, the next step is getting admitted to the Gas Safe Register (GSR). Getting listed on this register gives the gas operatives the authority to deal with gas and appliances. The GSR is the official list of UK businesses and engineers qualified to legally engage in gas appliances in the UK, Isle of Man, and Guernsey. GSR remains the only gas registration body in the United Kingdom. They also started overseeing the certification process in Guernsey from 2009 and Isle of Man in 2010.

To join the register, you will need to prove you have the necessary qualifications and provide evidence of your experience and competence in working with gas. With all that ready, all you need to do is apply for a probationary registration.

The GSR and all associated services operate in their respective regions and on behalf of the relevant Health and Safety Authority for the area they work under. These areas include the Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man, and Guernsey.

In the above countries, all companies and individuals dealing with gas ought to be registered in the Gas Safe Register. Also, the registration must be up to date and all requisite requirements met.

Training Materials

Gas assessment does not require one to have prior training to be allowed to undertake it. However, candidates are permitted to undertake the gas and appliances training programs.

What Does a Gas Engineer Do?

The routine job of a gas engineer has for a long while remained to be the maintenance and installation of gas systems and appliances, fixtures, pipework, and fittings. All their tasks have the objective of ensuring the building remains comfortable and warm for the occupants.

Whether working on residential or commercial premises, the engineer must ensure that the building is safe for occupancy. They are required to continuously assess the central heating systems for faults that may reduce the extent of energy save, increase costs, and increase carbon emissions.

The National Careers Service outlines below some of the routine duties of a gas engineer or a maintenance engineer:

Installing heating appliances and systems including boilers
Systems and equipment check and timely maintenance
Testing controls and safety devices
Identifying and correcting gas leaks using fault-finding technology
Replacing or repairing faulty or old parts
Guiding customers on the best gas safety measures and ways to maximize energy use.

How long does the CCN1 course take?

Gas engineers looking to do CCN1 reassessment are allowed up to six days to complete the assessment.
However, gas engineers undertaking their initial CCN1 course have between five to seven days to complete it, depending on their prior gas experience and onsite gas knowledge.