Gas Safety Week comes to and end!

Concluding Gas Safety Week, what to take away from this week?

The 9th annual Gas Safety Week is coming to an end this Sunday, but that doesn't mean an end to safety awareness! Here at Able Skills, we promote health & safety work and advise that all of our graduating students apply to the Gas Safe Register if they intend on carrying out Gas wor - It is a legal requirement that everybody carrying out Gas work in the UK, Isle of Man and Guernsey!

There are too many cases coming to light of un-registered engineers carrying out work on an outdated license or never even being registered - this doesn't only put the safety of the engineer in jeopardy but also the public. This is the reason that regulation and governing bodies exist! The Gas Safe Register stays on top of this in several ways...The existence of the register itself is important as it allows the public to check the validity of the engineer in their home. They also carry out a number of investigations themselves into complaints and random inspections to make sure that registered engineers are working to a good standard.

Here are some tips for staying safe:

• Only use a Gas Safe registered engineer to fit, fix and service your appliances. You can find and check an engineer at GasSafeRegister.co.uk - Do not be ask an engineer for his card, by law all gas engineers will be carrying their license, simply type in the license number into the website and you will be informed to whether the engineer is working legally or not!

• Have all your gas appliances regularly serviced and safety checked every year. If you rent your home ask for a copy of the landlord’s current Gas Safety Record. - It has recently been revealed that people neglect to get their appliances such as their boiler serviced for as long as10-years this is unsafe and concern, it will cost you less in the long run!

• Know the six signs of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning – headaches, dizziness, breathlessness, nausea, collapse and loss of consciousness. Unsafe gas appliances can put you at risk of CO poisoning, gas leaks, fires and explosions. Neglected gas appliances can end up producing this harmful gas that can be fatal, we want homeowners to stay safe, call an engineer if you have a suspicion about CO and make sure to pick up a Carbon Monoxide detector these devices will sound an alarm if the gas is detected in the air and can be picked up for very cheap! (£10)

The Gas Safety Emergency Number Is: 0800 111 999 

• Check gas appliances for warning signs that they are not working properly e.g. lazy yellow flames instead of crisp blue ones, black marks or stains on or around the appliance and too much condensation in the room.

How do I become Gas Safe Registered?

Before applying you must have the relevant qualifications, experience and evidence. Currently, they only accept a few qualifications including; National Vocational Qualification, Accredited Certification Scheme and Scottish Vocational Qualification.

Here at Able Skills, we offer courses such as our Qualified Plumber Gas Training Package that includes core domestic gas safety. This ACS will need to be completed before you are eligible for Gas Safe registration and this is a requirement for all operatives involved in the installation, maintenance and servicing of domestic gas appliances and pipe-work installations. Also, every Gas Safe registered business renews their registration on an annual basis and updates their qualifications every 5 years, meaning you will need to refresh your memory on gas safety every 5-years!

Gas training?

Here at Able Skills, we do cater to new entrants to the industry and deliver new entrant specific courses - New Entrant Gas Training Package 2 - For example,  this series of Gas courses includes everything needed to begin working, including a 7-week learning programme, portfolio completion and the AM2 competency test. This is the absolute best way to get started, build a new career with our help! Our instructors are all highly trained and have a lifetime of experience as Gas engineers they also have had years of experience teaching and know-how to take new entrants from beginner to engineer, they know everything there is to know on the subject!

Need some more information?

If you are considering giving Gas courses a go then, firstly take a look through our website at the many Gas courses that we have on offer. Then if you need some more details or you are ready to enrol you can progress online or give us a call on 01322 280 202. Alternatively, you can come straight down to our office, we have an open policy which means that we are happy to welcome candidates into our facility for a chat, answer questions about Gas courses and discuss your options in terms of Gas courses or any other training you are interested in, we will also show you around so you can get a feel for the environment that you will be learning in!

K5, Riverside Industrial Estate, Riverside Way, Dartford DA1 5BS