The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has pledged its support for Gas Safety Week;(16-22 September).
The campaign warns that dangerous gas work can kill. Badly fitted and poorly serviced gas appliances cause gas leaks, fires, explosions and carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. In the last year, 333 people were injured and four people died in the United Kingdom as a result of gas related incidents. Data compiled by Gas Safe Register, which has inspected just under 3,000 homes in Scotland in the last three years, found that one in five (20%) homes had an unsafe gas appliance. Appliances in one in 20 Scottish homes (5%) were immediately dangerous and if left unchecked were at risk of causing a gas fire, explosion, leak or carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.
Assistant Chief Officer Lewis Ramsay, Director of Prevention and Protection, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, said: “To reduce the chances of suffering the potentially devastating effect of a gas explosion or carbon monoxide poisoning I would urge users of gas appliances and gas heating to ensure that these are regularly serviced and maintained by a Gas Safe registered engineer.”
Russell Kramer, chief executive for Gas Safe Register, said: “Every year, far too many people suffer from preventable gas related accidents, such as gas leaks, explosions, fires and carbon monoxide poisoning. It’s great therefore, that the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has pledged its support and is raising awareness of gas safety issues, helping to let the 21 million gas consumers in the UK know about the simple checks they can make to stay safe.”
Follow these simple checks to stay gas safe:
Check your gas appliances every year. Gas appliances should be safety checked once a year and serviced regularly by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Tenants – make sure your landlord arranges this.
Check your engineer is Gas Safe registered. You can find and check an engineer at www.GasSafeRegister.co.uk or call 0800 408 5500.
Check your engineer’s Gas Safe Register ID card. Make sure they are qualified for the work you need doing. You can find this information on the back of the card.
Check for warning signs your appliances aren’t working correctly, such as lazy yellow or orange flames instead of crisp blue ones, black marks on or around the appliance and too much condensation in the room.
Check you know the six signs of carbon monoxide poisoning – headaches, dizziness, breathlessness, nausea, collapse and loss of consciousness.
Check you have an audible carbon monoxide alarm. This will alert you if there is carbon monoxide in your home.
For more information or to find a Gas Safe registered engineer visit www.GasSafeRegister.co.uk or call 0800 408 5500
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
