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Around the industry
Lincolnshire firm fined £20,000 over unsafe LPG work
A Lincolnshire company has been fined £20,000 after its employee carried out defective LPG work that that they were not competent to do.
Lincoln Magistrates’ Court heard that Glen Farrow UK Ltd installed an LPG cylinder filling system at a food preparation factory near Spalding in January and February 2018.
An inspection by the LPG supplier on 13 February 2018 found numerous defects in the unsafe installation, which put the safety of workers at the factory at risk.
The HSE, prosecuting, said Glen Farrow UK Ltd took on work for which it did not have the competencies. It failed to plan the work adequately and to specify the correct materials and design for the installation. The engineer who carried out the work was not competent to work on an LPG installation of this sort.
The HSE said the company should have realised that the work was outside its competence when it was asked to quote for the work and should instead have subcontracted it to a company with LPG expertise.
Glen Farrow UK Ltd of Glendum Close, Pinchbeck, Spalding, pleaded guilty to breaching Sections 2 and 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Act etc Act 1974. It was fined £20,000 and ordered to pay costs of £3,131.60.
After the hearing, HSE inspector Martin Giles said: “Gas engineers must understand that certain tasks are not part of their normal functions and should only be done by competent contractors.”
Competition winner flushed with happiness
The winner of January’s competition has picked up his prize. Carl Yeomanson (pictured left) of Plumbing and Gas Solutions (PGS) in Milton Keynes was delighted to win Kamco’s unique blue Clearflow CF90 in January’s competition – and luckily the company is based nearby, so he popped in to collect it from Kamco’s Keith MacBain.
A delighted Carl says the company works on both commercial and residential properties, including a lot of work for Center Parcs, and so the CF90 will come in handy for flushing the resort’s many underfloor heating systems.
You can enter this month’s competition on page 51.
Fitter carried out dangerous gas work and faked registration
A Cheshire property services contractor has been given a suspended prison sentence after he pretended to be Gas Safe registered and carried out gas work that was Immediately Dangerous.
Crewe Magistrates’ Court heard that, on 1 June 2019, Robert Allen, a self-employed contractor trading as A&E Property Services, replaced the boiler at a property in Ledward Street, Winsford.
Problems arose after the installation, including loss of pressure and water leaks. In August 2019, a registered gas engineer found multiple issues with the installation, including inadequately sized pipework, and reported the installation under RIDDOR.
The HSE investigation found that Mr Allen had never been Gas Safe registered. He had given himself a false registration number and fraudulently used the registration number of a completely unconnected company.
Inspection of the work at Ledward Street found five separate serious defects, including an unsealed flue, a pressure-relief valve in the wrong place, undersized gas pipework, an uncommissioned appliance, and corrosion to the gas pipework. The court heard that the defects could have led to carbon monoxide leakage, scalding, unsafe combustion and unburned gas release, which could have proved fatal.
Robert Allen of Nixon Drive, Winsford, Cheshire, pleaded guilty to two breaches of Regulation 3(3) of the Gas Safety (Installation & Use) Regulations 1998 and breaches of Regulation 3(7) and Regulation 5(3). He was given a 40-week suspended sentence, ordered to carry out 200 hours of community service and made to pay costs of £5,263.04.
Gas Safe Register adds virtual events to inspections
Virtual inspection events have been approved by HSE and are being incorporated into Gas Safe Register’s regular inspection programme, alongside regular on-site inspections and remote technical assessments.
These inspection events involve an online knowledge check completed in exam conditions from the comfort of your own home. You may remember that the Register trialled these events last year with gas engineer volunteers, who provided constructive and useful feedback.
If you receive a letter or email from Gas Safe Register inviting you to a virtual inspection event, you’ll need the following in order to take part: • Access to the Internet • A laptop or tablet with a webcam • A home office space or equivalent – somewhere quiet where you will not be disturbed.
You can find out more about Virtual Inspection Events in your Gas Safe Register online account. Just sign in and go to www.gassaferegister.
co.uk/engineer/resource-hub/ virtual-inspection-events/
If you’re having trouble attending an event or need to re-arrange, please email
VirtualInspectionEvents@ gassaferegister.co.uk
Gas grid ready to start 20% hydrogen blending from 2023
Britain’s gas grid is ready to start blending hydrogen around the country from 2023, according to new plans from the energy network companies.
The Energy Networks Association has set out how all five gas grid companies will meet the government’s target for Britain’s network of gas pipes to be ready to deliver 20 per cent hydrogen around the country from 2023, as a replacement for up to one-fifth of the natural gas currently used. It will also mean that gas-fired power plants will be able to use blended hydrogen to generate cleaner electricity.
The companies are calling for the government to double its domestic 2030 hydrogen production target to 10GW from 5GW, to ensure that as much hydrogen as possible is produced in the UK, to better protect homes and businesses from international gas market changes.
Blending 20 per cent hydrogen into the gas grid will reduce carbon emissions by the equivalent of 2.5 million cars a year, without any changes needing to be made to people’s gas appliances, ENA says.
Britain’s Hydrogen Blending Delivery Plan sets out: • A new ‘Target 2023’ timeline that all five of Britain’s gas network companies will follow, to ensure homes are able to
benefit from hydrogen as a replacement for up to a fifth of the natural gas currently used, from the winter of 2023/24 onwards. • Two options from which the government should choose to enable the energy infrastructure changes that need to be made to allow hydrogen blending from 2023 – a strategic approach and a free market approach. • The regulatory changes needed to ensure that gas network companies can start blending hydrogen into the gas grid from 2023.
The plan builds on the progress made by the HyDeploy project, which has shown that blending hydrogen with natural gas is feasible and safe. The project began blending hydrogen into the public gas network in Winlaton, Gateshead, in summer 2021.
David Smith, chief executive of the Energy Networks Association, says: “Hydrogen will help drive up our energy security while driving down our carbon emissions – and Britain’s gas grid companies are ready to get on with the job of delivering that.
“This plan sets out the changes needed to deliver cleaner, more secure energy supplies for all. What’s key is that the government does its bit too, by lifting its target for home-grown hydrogen production this decade.”
Update to Code of Practice 7: storage of full and empty cylinders and cartridges
Liquid Gas UK Code of Practice 7 has been updated, detailing the safety standards for storing full and nominally empty LPG cylinders and cartridges.
Guidance is given on safe stacking and storage of cylinders, which includes recommended quantities for vertical stacking and advice on DSEAR regulations for LPG cylinder storage areas.
There are six comprehensive sections and the information is applicable to all types of LPG cylinder. As well as general storage, sections cover displaying LPG cylinders in retail environments, and on vehicles and trailers.
Richard Hakeem, director of Technical and Safety Policy, says: “We need to be encouraging consumers to return their empty cylinders and cartridges and the Code of Practice includes the relevant information to make the return of cylinders and disposal of cartridges as safe as possible for staff and customers.”
The code is relevant to depots, stockists, retailers, service station forecourts and any other premises involved in the storage of LPG cylinders and cartridges.
• See also Industry Standard Update 107, page 21
Intergas Boilers has changed its name to Intergas Heating Solutions, reflecting the company’s aim to reduce its impact on the environment.
The company says it’s planning new products and engineering solutions with lifetime sustainability in mind. Since its 2019 acquisition by Rheem Global, the companies have been working together to develop energy-saving and water-conserving ranges.
Managing director Stephen Zouch says: “While we want to continue to make products that our customers want, sustainability has to be part of that process. Energy transition is easy to understand and highly complex to achieve, but we are actively involved in decarbonising every aspect of our working day. The name change may be small, but it represents a vast company undertaking.”
www.intergasheating.co.uk
City Plumbing heats up its energy efficiency offer
City Plumbing Supplies’ new Energy Efficiency website reflects its investment in renewable heating amid a forecast increase in demand. The company has also taken on more renewable technology specialists.
The business is investing in extensive training in its branches to ensure its capabilities remain in line with the growth of the renewables market.
Steve Smith, managing director of Energy Efficiency, Electrical and Underfloor, says: “With the current and proposed legislation changes, and the increasing public interest in renewable technologies and solutions, it’s crucial that the UK’s installers, developers and landlords are prepared.
“We saw a much larger appetite for renewable technologies among our customers last year and predict an even larger demand during 2022. However, we understand that there is still a lot of confusion in the market. This is why we are investing heavily in our Energy Efficiency offer, starting with a new website to showcase our commitment to supporting the industry through the changes.
“As part of this investment, we are also pleased to welcome more renewable specialists who are on hand to support our customers.”
www.eecityplumbing.co.uk
Intergas targets sustainability
Mind the gap on hot water storage
Around 18 million homes may need to install a hot water cylinder to help the UK to reach net-zero carbon emissions, says the Hot Water Association (HWA).
The trade association says there are currently around 9 million cylinders already in homes in England, and it highlights what it says are huge gaps in government policy that could result in unnecessary costs to consumers and make decarbonisation harder to reach.
Its recent report No Place Like Home comes with a stark warning that the government needs to do more.
Director of External Affairs Isaac Occhipinti says: “The political focus of decarbonising heating has been solely on the heat source, such as boilers and heat pumps. There has been little to no focus on hot water cylinders and recognition of the vital part they play in the efficient operation of low-carbon heating. There is also currently untapped potential for them to act as domestic batteries.
“To decarbonise heating, all UK homes will need low to zero-carbon heating. Most currently available low-carbon heating solutions require a hot water cylinder.”
“With a gap of 18 million homes in England, it is clear that homeowners are not replacing or installing cylinders at the speed required to meet our decarbonisation targets. Also, where a hot water store has been removed, the space is often repurposed for additional storage or bathrooms and therefore re-introducing a hot water store can prove challenging.
“The government must do more to educate homeowners, local authorities and social landlords on the need for hot water storage, and homeowners should be able to access incentives if they wish to replace their hot water cylinder, with no stipulation on the type of system to be installed, only that it is a suitable replacement. This will also mean that, in the future, the cost of moving to new heating systems will be reduced.”
New V+ loyalty programme from Viessmann
Viessmann’s new partner promotion V+ rewards heating engineers who fit the company’s products on an ongoing basis rather than seasonally.
Gas engineers can register Viessmann boilers, some backdated to 1 November 2021, to accrue points to spend on prizes including inspection cameras and electric power flushers, branded polo shirts, fleece jackets and softshell jackets, Red Letter Days and experience vouchers, and office rewards including iPads, laptops and printers.
The more points collected, the wider the selection of items. There is no expiry date on the promotion.
Customer relationship manager Chris Leech says: “We have moved from a seasonal approach to an ongoing mechanism for rewarding installer loyalty to Viessmann.
“V+ is timed to coincide with the launch of the new Viessmann Partner Portal, our convenient new one-stop destination for installers wishing to access a range of digital services and resources, including the ViCare app, Vitoguide software, technical documents, news, product updates and more.”
partnerportal.viessmann.com/ gb/en.html
Vaillant and merchants raise thousands for foodbanks
Foodbanks have received £35,000 in donations thanks to an initiative by Vaillant and local plumbers’ merchants.
The four-month joint initiative saw every purchase of a Vaillant ecoTEC plus from Willbond, HPS, Plumbcity, Plumbstop, Plumbstore, UKPS, MDS, Plumbase, Gas Centre or Michael Pavis branches matched with a donation to a local food bank, chosen by the contributing merchant branch.
Vaillant regional business managers teamed up with local branches to host fundraising events and activities to raise money, with the help of local gas engineers too.
Steve Wimbledon, commercial director at UK Plumbing Supplies says: “The donations made to foodbanks across the UK will go a long way to helping families in need at this time of year. We’ve had such a great turn out from our loyal customers, who’ve not only been able make a donation through a purchase of an ecoTEC plus, but have also donated from their own pockets, getting involved in branch raffles or competitions.”
Vaillant commercial director Spencer Clark says: “Our latest initiative with UK Plumbing Supplies has been very rewarding and we’re incredibly proud to have been able to support our installers by making the donation for each ecoTEC plus they’ve purchased. I’m sure the £35,000 will really help support these local communities in which our installers are working each and every day.”
Remeha boilers ready for hydrogen blend
Remeha’s Quinta Ace, Gas 220 Ace and Gas 320/620 Ace boilers are now certified to be able operate on a 20 per cent hydrogen blend.
New commissioning settings have also been introduced for Quinta Ace wall-hung boilers and gas 320/620 Ace floor-standing appliances, which enable the boilers to achieve NOx emissions below 24mg/kWh.
Product manager Paul Arnold says: “Securing independent certification for our condensing boilers means peace of mind for specifiers, contractors and end users that they are futureproof to the proposed blend of natural gas with 20 per cent hydrogen.”
The company’s condensing boilers are hybrid ready as standard, making them suitable as a heat source for heat interface units, low-temperature heating and hybrid installations as well as for retrofit applications.
MCS heat pump standards to split into design and installation
MCS has split its heat pump standard MIS 3005 into two, saying this will enable heating engineers to either focus on design or installation.
Separating the standards will support the predicted increase in contractors who can install heat pumps and work alongside independent heat pump designers, it says. The changes come following the closure of the Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (dRHI) at the end of this month (March) and will be mandatory from 1 April 2022.
From April, the national standards body for renewables says: • Companies that are MIS 3005
certified for both design and installation can choose to remain as they are, or switch to become a certified designer (MIS 3005-D) or installer (MIS 3005-I) at their next certification surveillance assessment • Any contractor (design or installer) who holds the customer contract can register a system on the MCS Microgeneration
Installation Database (MID) • Compliance certificates will no longer be required – they were required as part of dRHI • Designers can work according to the new standard immediately, even if installations are completed before the old standard is withdrawn.
The new standards will not affect existing heat pump contractors: by default they are certified for both heat pump design and installation. The certifications will carry over until their next certification surveillance assessment, when installers can choose to be certified for design, installation or both.
MCS chief executive Ian Rippin says: “This is a positive outcome for installers as we approach the end of the dRHI. The diversification of the heat pump standards will enable the industry to deliver the best customer service and [help] contractors who wish to streamline their skillset.”
MCS provides the framework for the certification of microgeneration technologies used to produce electricity and heat from low-carbon sources.
New petition aims to tackle tool theft
More than £46 million worth of tools have been reported stolen from vans since the easing of lockdown in April 2021, according to research from Direct Line. And Fix Radio, a station dedicated to tradespeople, has launched an online petition to help combat the issue.
The petition to the government asks for a parliamentary committee to be created to bring together police, politicians, van and tool manufacturers, insurance providers and society leaders to discuss the issue of tool theft and propose solutions.
Tool theft affects the livelihood and mental health of tradespeople, who, in 59 per cent of cases, don’t have tool insurance and find themselves out of work for days. On average, Direct Line estimates it takes a tradesperson a full working week to replace their tools after they’ve been stolen.
London was the biggest hotspot for tool thieves, with 12,769 reported cases of theft from vehicles, followed by West Yorkshire (400 cases), Northumbria (233 cases) and Kent (217 cases). The research estimates that £245,000 worth of tools are stolen every day, and just 1 per cent are recovered.
Clive Holland, host of the Clive Holland Show on Fix Radio, says: “Despite the size of the problem or its impact on tradespeople everywhere, nothing is being done to combat the tool theft epidemic sweeping the country. Police are overwhelmed, politicians don’t care, and better security features on vans or tools isn’t a priority with manufacturers.
“Tool theft is not a victimless crime – it attacks the livelihoods of the UK’s 2 million tradespeople. It means work is lost, earnings disrupted and plunges many tradespeople into debt just to replace tools just so they can go back to work.”
petition.parliament.uk/ petitions/602211
Two people every day show symptoms of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, the National Poisons Information Service (NPIS) has reported. But the real figure could be much higher because of differences in how CO exposure is recorded and reported.
In a six-year project, funded by the CO Research Trust, the NPIS collected data on 4,323 enquiries from healthcare professionals treating CO-poisoned patients in all four UK nations.
However, the data only represents cases where health professionals contacted the NPIS for advice. The true incidence of CO poisoning in the UK is likely to be significantly greater.
Reports covered all age groups but most frequently involved children and adults aged 20-39. The exposures most commonly occurred at home as the result of faulty boilers.
Where the information was volunteered, a CO alarm activating was reported in just over 20 per cent of those cases.
British Gas rolls out heat pumps
British Gas is now offering heat pumps to customers, starting installations in the South-west of England before rolling out across the UK.
It plans to incorporate Hive heating controls so that customers can manage their heating remotely.
Centrica, under the PH Jones brand, is also installing air source heat pumps in social housing. The company aims to fit up to 1,000 in homes this year, increasing to 20,000 a year by 2025.
British Gas managing director Jana Siber says: “We’ve made a lot of progress helping our customers use less energy with smart technology, and our first mass market heat pump will now help them change the type of energy they use.
“There will not be a single solution for every home but it’s important we act now. Heat pumps are an essential part of decarbonising heat and the momentum around this technology is building. We’ve committed to training 3,500 apprentices over the next decade.”
The company is also offering up to seven years’ interest-free credit.
