Why Would You Risk It? Aico are joining the fight for a Gas Safe Nation*

Aico are proud to be supporting Gas Safety Week 2019, taking place this week, the 16^th – 22^nd September.

Gas Safety Week is an annual safety week to raise awareness of gas safety and the importance of taking care of your gas appliances and fitting working and tested alarms. It is coordinated by Gas Safe Register who run the official list of gas engineers who are legally allowed to work on gas.

Incorrectly fitted and poorly serviced gas appliances can cause gas leaks, fires, explosions and Carbon Monoxide (CO) poisoning. CO is a highly poisonous gas that can kill quickly with no warning, as you cannot see it, taste it or smell it.  As part of our Why Would You Risk It? CO Campaign we are aiming to highlight what CO is, the symptoms, gas safety management and preventative measures you can take to keep your tenants and yourself safe.

Did you know?

If you’re a landlord, you are legally obliged to make sure:

• Gas pipework, appliances and flues provided for tenants are maintained in a safe condition.
• All gas appliances and flues provided for tenants’ use have an annual safety check. Your tenants can report you to the HSE if you don’t provide one, so it’s important to remember! You can set a free email and/or text reminder so you don’t forget, visit StayGasSafe.co.uk.
• A Gas Safety Record is provided to the tenant within 28 days of completing the check or to any new tenant before they move in.
• You keep a copy of the Gas Safety Record until two further checks have taken place.
• Maintenance and annual safety checks are carried out by a qualified Gas Safe registered engineer.
• All gas equipment (including any appliance left by a previous tenant) is safe or otherwise removed before re-letting.
• All Carbon Monoxide Alarms are fitted and sited correctly and tested on a regular basis.

As a tenant you also need to be aware of the need to take care of your gas appliances properly, by doing so, you are taking care of your home and your loved ones. Follow these few simple checks to keep you and your family safe.

• Check your Landlord’s Gas Safety Record. By law, your landlord must keep gas pipework, appliances and flues supplied for you to use in good condition. They must arrange a gas safety check of the appliances and flues every year and give you a record of the check. If your landlord refuses to provide you with one, you can report their details to the HSE: ly/LGSRReport

• Check any gas appliances you own every year. Your landlord is not responsible for gas appliances that you own, so you should arrange for these to be safety checked once a year and serviced regularly by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Set a reminder so you don’t forget at StayGasSafe.co.uk. 

• Check your engineer is Gas Safe registered. You can find or check an engineer at GasSafeRegister.co.uk or call 0800 408 5500, or ask to see their Gas Safe ID card when they arrive.

• Check your engineer is qualified for the type of gas work you need doing g. natural gas, domestic boiler. You can find this information on the back of their Gas Safe ID card and the Gas Safe Register website.

• Check for warning signs that could indicate your (or others) appliances are not working correctly. Signs may include lazy yellow /orange flames instead of crisp blue ones, black marks on or around the appliance, a pilot light that keeps going out and too much condensation in the room.

• Know the six main symptoms of Carbon Monoxide poisoning – headaches, dizziness, breathlessness, nausea, collapse and loss of consciousness.

• Install an audible Carbon Monoxide alarm and make sure your friends and relatives have one too. Check they are marked EN50291 and display the British Standards’ Kitemark.

For more information about how to stay safe why not visit the following websites: –

StayGasSafe.co.uk.

www.aico.co.uk

*information obtained from Gas Safe Press Pack