Prison for Leeds plumber who put elderly woman at risk

A Leeds plumber has been jailed for 16 months after carrying out illegal and dangerous gas work, despite having been sent to prison previously for similar offences.

Leeds Crown Court heard that Christopher Shaw, also known as Chris Parker and trading as SOS Express Plumbing, attended an elderly woman’s home on Newport Road, Headingley, Leeds, in 2019, where he was hired to carry out gas work. Mr Shaw had been assisting the woman with general plumbing needs for a number of years and told her that he fitted the water heater in her bathroom.

The 81-year-old woman believed that Mr Shaw was qualified to work on gas appliances and asked him to remove the gas boiler and fit a new combi at a cost of £1,157. Mr Shaw had never been registered.

Gas Safe Register investigated the work he had carried out at the house and found several issues, some of which were At Risk.

The chimney/flue was not supported adequately because cardboard had been used for this purpose both inside and outside. Nor was it adequately sealed to the structure of the building. No pipework had been connected to the pressure-relief safety valve.

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Wolseley tests repairing and recycling faulty boiler parts

You can send faulty boiler parts from some of the most popular boiler manufacturers to Wolseley for refurbishment or recycling and receive up to £4 per part in return.

The merchant’s test scheme at a small number of branches sees faulty components, including PCBs, diverter valves and fans, sent on to a specialist company, where they will either be refurbished and put back into the market or recycled where beyond economic repair. Wolseley customers will be able to buy a selection of Kitemarked refurbished products with a two-year warranty and at a much lower cost than buying the part new.

Most faulty parts are currently recycled as other materials or go to landfill rather than being reused.

The merchant’s Emma Conroy says: “We want to help drive a more circular economy in the domestic heating sector and believe there is customer appetite for reconditioned parts as an alternative to new ones. This new service amounts to testing the water at scale, at a time when many UK households need help with reducing costs.

“Evaluating this scheme with our installer customer base, with benefits for householders, the trade and the environment, will allow us to understand the potential for developing it further and extending it to other product categories.”

Wolseley is partnering with Heating Trade Supplies Group (HTS), which has a BSI Kitemark for remanufacturing components.

A further four issues were identified plus three instances of non-compliance with the relevant Building Regulations.

Mr Shaw had already been banned from carrying out gas work by HSE and had been prosecuted for similar illegal gas work previously, resulting in a prison sentence in 2014.

Christopher Roland Shaw, of Stonegate Farm Close, Leeds, Yorkshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Sections 3(1) and 33(1)(g) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and Regulations 3(1) and 3(3) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. He was sentenced to 16 months in prison.

Welsh govt consults on CO alarms for all fuels

The Welsh Government is consulting on the installation of carbon monoxide alarms in all homes.

It is proposing to amend the current guidance in Approved Document J to include the installation of a CO alarm for the installation of all flued fixed-combustion appliances of any fuel type in all residential dwellings, including private homes.

The policy will mean that this will apply to oil, gas (including LPG) and solid fuel. Currently CO alarms are required in all homes when a solid-fuel fixed appliance is fitted.

You can find out more about the proposals and submit your views by 28 April 2023 at: www.gov.wales/carbon-monoxide-alarms