Gas Safety for Landlords and Homeowners

Millions of households across Britain rely on natural gas for heating and cooking. It is a fuel that is often perceived as a cheap alternative to electricity; some even prefer to use it instead of electricity. But for all the convenience it brings, we should remember that gas has a deadly side to it. Not only can it bring about carbon monoxide poisoning as a result of gas appliances not burning their fuel efficiently, but a build up of gas can also cause an explosion due to its high level of flammability. Great care must therefore be taken in installing and maintaining gas appliances, and also in their use.

Gas in the home

The Health and Safety Executive recommend that domestic gas appliances in the home be checked for their continued safety once every 12 months. Under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, only Council of Register Gas Installers (CORGI) engineers are allowed to service and maintain gas appliances. In fact it is now illegal for an unqualified person to interfere with the gas supply into a property, or work on or install a gas appliance. Anyone installing a gas cooker for example must be CORGI-Registered. Homeowners with knowledge of gas appliance installations could disconnect and/or reconnect bayonet fittings if they wanted to - for the latest rules governing this please refer to the 1998 Regulations and updates provided by the Health and Safety Executive. But the law states that a CORGI-Registered engineer MUST be the person who connects the hose / appliance to the gas supply.

Gas in rented property

Renting out property in the UK requires that landlords adhere to a mass of laws to ensure the safety of their tenants. Among them is the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. Under this umbrella of legislation landlords must:

• Use a CORGI-Registered engineer for installation of new gas appliances, pipe work and flues -- the flues being the pipes and vents that remove burnt gas from appliances and out of the house.

• Use a CORGI-Registered engineer for maintenance of gas appliances, pipe work and flues (as above).

• Arrange for annual gas safety checks at the rented property every 12 months. Checks are to be performed by a CORGI-Registered engineer. If gas installations are passed as safe the engineer will issue a Gas Safety Certificate. Should repair work be necessary, the landlord MUST (by law) enlist the services of a CORGI-Registered engineer to carry out the repair work.

• Keep records of safety checks for a minimum of two years.

• Provide a copy of the Gas Safety Certificate to existing tenants in the property within 28 days of issue by the engineer. For new tenants a copy of the current Gas Safety Certificate must be supplied at the beginning of the tenancy.

For landlords the requirements may seem like a lot of red tape, and just a further expense in running a rental property. However, the Regulations are there for a reason -- to save lives.

The importance of gas safety checks

In September 2005 52-year old Charles Cook from the Middleton area of Greater Manchester suffered serious burns after a gas explosion at his home in the early hours of the morning. The blast, thought to have been caused by a gas leak, destroyed the property and damaged neighbouring houses. Mr Cook was taken to hospital and spent time in intensive care to recover from the ordeal. Sadly, Mr Cook's experience is repeated all too often in homes around the country where regular safety checks on gas appliances have been absent. In some cases the blasts are fatal resulting in a tragic loss of life from situations that might have been avoided had safety checks been implemented.

What to do if you smell gas

While gas safety checks are designed to keep you safe long-term, there is still the chance that a gas appliance might malfunction, or that a gas leak develops in the pipe work between annual safety checks. If you smell gas, this is what you need to do:

1. Call the National Grid's Gas Emergency number immediately. It is a freephone number -- 0800 111 999
2. Open all doors and windows to help gas escape. DO NOT use light switches or handle a naked flame. Both could ignite the gas.
3. Shut off the gas supply. This is done at the meter cupboard by operating the shut-off valve. For your peace of mind and for your safety it is a good idea to locate and practice operating the shut off valve. By doing so you'll have practical experience to call on in the event of a real life gas emergency.

Information about CORGI

CORGI started life as a voluntary organisation in 1970 following a gas cooker explosion in a block of flats in London that caused part of the building to collapse. Some 4,000 gas operatives joined the scheme initially, and by 1991 it became a statutory requirement for anyone working with gas to gain CORGI registration. Today CORGI has some 110,000 engineers operating in the UK. Their work is regulated in the field by CORGI inspectors, each CORGI engineer being required to prove their competence with gas once every five years.

A NICEIC Inspection saves lives

It is very easy to take electricity for granted. For many of us, the invisible force that lights our homes, helps us cook our meals and powers our computers and home appliances is only ever noticed when it is not there. A power outage, for example, underlines the true impact that electricity has on our lives. The same could be said of electrical hazards -- it is often not until we hear or read about the dangers of electricity, or experience for ourselves an electric shock, burn or even a fire caused by faulty electrical equipment or wiring, that we become appreciative of just how harmful electricity can be.

Faulty wiring kills

In Britain around 10 people die each year and approximately 750 are injured, some badly so, when they come into contact with faulty wiring in the home. Newspaper archives reveal their stories. Some have suffered severe burns; others have had limbs removed to save their lives - and these are the lucky ones. Baroness Tonge, former MP for Richmond Park in London, lost her daughter, Mary Wherry, when she was electrocuted by a metal plate rack fixed to the wall. The rack was in contact with unsafe wiring in the wall, rendering the rack live. Electricity really does not discriminate.

First Aid

Should you be first on the scene to someone who has received an electric shock, great care must be taken in administering first aid. If the injured person is still in contact with the electric current they could be 'live', and could pass that current through to you if you touch them. Your priority then is to make the situation as safe as possible before helping the victim.

First, if it is safe to do so, turn off the power at the mains. Next, separate the injured person from the faulty appliance using a non-conductive item, such as a wooden broom handle. This is important as even in situations where the power is off there could be enough residual current in the injured person's body to shock you.

Once you are confident that there is no further danger to you, check the victim for life signs and call for an ambulance. If the victim is not breathing, start resuscitation. Should the person be conscious keep them calm and attend to injuries where possible. For burns, look to cool them with water -- NEVER use ointments or oils on the burns. Stay at the scene with the victim until the ambulance crew arrive and explain to them what happened. The ambulance crew will do the rest, whilst you should then start praying for the injured.

Preventative measures

Electric shocks arising from faulty equipment and wiring are largely preventable. To reduce the risk in your home all you need do is schedule an inspection of your electrical installations by a NICEIC registered electrician. The electrician will inspect all electrical fittings and circuit wiring in your property to ensure it is safe. They will produce a report, known as a "Periodic Inspection Report for an Electrical Installation" or NICEIC Certificate in short, which will detail the results of their findings. If an electrical installation is found to be unsafe the electrician will notify you of the problem and provide you with an estimate to correct the fault.

For fault correction (and new electrical work) in your property you are now required by law to use a competent person or firm approved by the government under Part-P of the Buildings Regulations. By opting to use a suitably qualified contractor who is registered with the NICEIC (National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting) you'll comply with these requirements. It'll afford you peace of mind too -- NICEIC registered electricians guarantee that their work meets approved industry standards and they'll provide you with up to a six-year - and in case of new-build, up to a ten year - warranty as well. What more could you ask for?

NICEIC inspections are available to homeowners and landlords alike. However, whereas homeowners can decide for themselves whether or not to check their electrical installations, landlords have a duty to ensure the safety of their tenants, and so must carry out periodic checks. This is normally done whenever there is a change of tenant, the reason being that the departing tenant may have altered, installed or damaged electrical installations without notifying the landlord, or even worse, commissioned unqualified workers to carry out those alterations.  Periodic NICEIC inspections help landlords comply with the law here, keeping tenants safe from potentially dangerous electrics that might be present in the property.

Electrical Storms: Property Safety Advice

Spring! It's that the time of year when the air warms up and the sun's strength (should) have us peeling off the layers. It is also the season in which thunderstorm activity begins to build towards its summer crescendo, thanks mostly to those warmer days, the effects of which give rise to strong air convection and thundery skies. When atmospheric conditions are right spectacular thunderstorms develop bringing torrents of rain, hail and lightning strikes - weather phenomena that have the potential to damage property and take lives.

Direct hit!

One of the most feared consequences of a thunderstorm is being hit by lightning. Lightning is a powerful electrical discharge that flows between its parent thunder cloud and the ground below. Typically a strike carries up to 1.5 million volts, deadly for those who are unlucky enough to be in its way. The discharge tends to earth at the nearest available point to the cloud base. It is for this reason that trees and tall buildings such as churches and office blocks are more frequently struck by lightning than residential housing and people.

That said, every year the media report on countless lucky escapes by those whose homes have been hit by lightning. The immense power of a direct hit can blow a hole in the roof of a property and even collapse the ceilings below it. The intense heat associated with the strike may also start a fire at the property. In the worst cases it is the fire rather than the lightning strike itself that has caused the most damage.

Electrocution by lightning is much less of a concern when inside a building, but it can happen! We have to remember that lightning is an electric current. It searches for pathways of least resistance to the ground. If there are highly conductive materials present in the property, such as a telephone wire or metal pipe, the current is more likely to pass down these routes than through something that is more resistant to the current. To avoid being caught out then you should not use a telephone or touch the metal taps in the kitchen or bathroom during a thunderstorm!

Safety first

So what exactly should you do to keep yourself safe and limit the damage to your property in an electrical storm? Well, rule number-one is already clear - that is to stay away from metal and other highly conductive materials until the storm passes. Electricity and water don't mix either, so avoid taking a shower or bath during a storm - and leave that washing up until afterwards!

Do you have any trees close to the property? If they rise above the roofline they stand a greater chance of being hit by lightning than the property itself. If a tree is hit, debris from it could smash through your windows. It's therefore wise to stay away from those windows that are closest to the action!

Finally, do switch off all non-essential electrical appliances when you hear a storm approaching. Lightning strikes on power lines that feed your property can cause power surges that may damage electrical equipment such as TV screens and computers. As a matter of course you can also route the electricity supply to your most cherished electrical devices via a socket fitted with a surge protector. This not only helps to limit the damage to your equipment in the event of a surge from an electrical storm, but also protects your equipment against other minor surges that might hit your electricity supplier's network from time to time.

"Part - P" - Part II

Summary of Electrical Work Exempt from 'Part-P' Regulations

Following on from our article on the new Part-P electrical regulations that have been introduced into the Building Regulation code in 2005 by the government, this article looks at the types of electrical work that are exempted from complying with the new regulation. As you may remember from the previous article, Part-P necessitates that electrical work in homes and rental properties must either be carried out by a qualified person who is able to self-certify the work performed, or, if this is not the case, that arrangements are made to have the work inspected and approved by the local authority's building control department.

Failure to comply with Part-P is a criminal offence, and could result in a fine or even imprisonment for the perpetrator. Certain types of electrical work though - and by 'certain types' we mean those that are deemed as low-risk and would simply just make for an administrative headache if compliance was required - are indeed exempt. For anyone wanting to work on electrical installations at their property, or in someone else's property - DIY-ers and tradespeople included - it is imperative that differentiation is made between works requiring compliance and those that do not. Otherwise, it might be all too easy to get into trouble with the law!

So let's take a look at and get familiar with the types of electrical work that are exempt from the Part-P regulation. Any of the following electrical work can be performed on a DIY basis without the need to defer to an on-site inspection.

 - Installation of electrical sockets -- If the new socket(s) are to be located in rooms other than the bathroom, shower room or kitchen then the work is exempt from Part-P. If the sockets ARE to be located in a bathroom, shower room or kitchen then Part-P applies.

 - Installation of a new light -- Installing a new light on an existing electrical circuit does not need approval via Part-P, so long as the installation is NOT in a bathroom, shower room or kitchen.

 - Connection of Cooker -- Connecting up an electric cooker to your electricity supply does not need approval.

 - Replacing damaged cables for a single circuit -- This type of work does not need to observe Part-P.

 - Replacing a damaged socket / light fitting -- If your electric socket is pulling away from the wall or is otherwise damaged / inoperable, you do not have to comply with Part-P in order to replace the socket, regardless of its location. The same is true of light fittings.

 - Storage heater installation -- Part-P does not control the fitting and connection of storage heaters in a property.

 - Addition of Fused Connection Unit to ring a circuit -- If the work is carried out in a room other than the bathroom, shower room and kitchen then Part-P does not apply.

IMPORTANT: For all other electrical work, no matter how minor that work might be, or appears to be, YOU ARE REQUIRED BY LAW to comply with Part-P of the building regulation code. For further information, or if you are unsure as to whether or not the work you intend to do is controlled by Part-P, you should contact you local authority's building control department for advice.

If you now feel drowsy - after all the heavyweight legalese - it's time to put the kettle on, you do NOT need a Part-P for this...

Minimising the Risk of Electrical Fires around the Home

Invisible to the eye and often taken for granted, electricity is something few of us would like to be without in our lives. Yet, as familiar as it is to us in our daily routines, the dangers it poses are not as well recognised. Fires caused by faulty electrical equipment or misuse of appliances are common. In the UK there are around 12,000 electrical fires every year - incidents that result in around 20-25 fatalities a year and some 600 injuries. Even something as simple as an overloaded multi-plug - sometimes referred to as a multi-way - or adaptor can cause a fire. By taking time to assess electrical fire risks in your home or rental property however, you can stack the odds in your favour of staying off those electrical fire statistics charts!

Looking for risk

The first step in minimising your risk of electrical fires at your property is to understand the most common causes of such fires. The number-one electrical fire originator in the home is faulty or loose wiring.  Electrical systems tend to deteriorate over time and with use; think of the many times electricity plugs are yanked out from the wall socket, by accident or with intent.  Cables may become worn and connections may work themselves loose as wires become brittle. If the wiring in your property is older than 10-15 years it is a good idea to have it checked.

Drawing too much current into sockets and multiplugs can cause fires too - especially if plugs have loose wires or contain fuses with inappropriate Amp ratings (Amp is an abbreviation for "Ampere", the unit of electrical current). A plug fitted with a higher amperage than the Electrical Circuit is designed for can overload, causing the wire to overheat and physically melt the wire, leading to a fire. As a rough guide, an electrical circuit using 1,000 watts ("watt" (symbol: 'W'), a Unit of Power) should have a fuse of 4 Amps fitted to it.  Advancements in fuse design over the years means that if the correct fuse is used it will act very efficiently in breaking the current before the plug or socket overheats.

Minimising the risk of fire

Once aware of the risks it is much easier to manage them in a way that dramatically reduces the chances of you suffering an electrical fire. Where risks are identified action is required - and the number one action is to have equipment and electrical wiring inspected at regular intervals.  As a guide, The National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting (NICEIC) recommends that all domestic electrical installations should be professionally inspected at least every ten years. They also suggest that wiring throughout the property be examined and upgraded to prevent degraded wires from starting a fire.

Electrical appliances should be inspected too using a PAT testing company. How often the inspection takes place depends upon how often the equipment is used. Electric blankets for instance should be serviced once every three years.

Additionally, for all new electrical installations made in homes and rental properties, it is imperative that the work carried out complies with the new Part-P electrical regulations.

Other actions you should take to minimise the risk of an electrical fire include:

• Keeping electrical appliance cables uncovered (i.e. don't run them under the carpet)
• When using an extension cable do uncoil it to prevent overheating
• Don't put a high wattage bulb into a light fitting designed for lower wattage bulbs
• Switch off electrical appliances when not using them
• Keep electrical sockets and appliances away from moisture sources

Finally, ALWAYS have smoke alarms installed in your property and TEST them weekly to ensure that they work!

Remember, if your electric doorbell is defective you and call an electrician for a repair, don't expect him to 'know' this; give him your contact telephone number just in case...

What is Cross Bonding and Why is it Important?

Few of us would relish the prospect of life without electricity. It is central to the way in which our homes are run and our lives are enjoyed. Yet, as soon as that electrical supply enters our properties it creates, for each and every one of us, a very real hazard. Should the supply be mismanaged or otherwise flow through degraded electrical wiring or into faulty electrical installations and equipment, we become exposed to the risk of electrical shocks, which could be fatal.

Electric shocks

An electric shock happens when a person is exposed to a live electrical conductor, and that person is in contact with a surface or material of different voltage potential - such as the ground beneath their feet. Electricity always seeks the path of least resistance towards earth, so it can discharge. If you happen to be that path, your body will end up connecting the current from electricity supply to earth. The cut a long story short - it only takes a few seconds - there is a real danger of the person to be continously charged for a couple of seconds, by the time realisation hits it might חס וחלילה be too late.  In the home the main danger from electrical shock is, of course, to be working directly on (or with) faulty electrical wiring and equipment. But even if this is not the case, you can still receive a lethal electrical shock by touching materials of high conductivity that have become 'live' in your property, such as metal pipes. It is for this reason that all metal pipes in the home should be cross bonded and earthed.

As of today, there are many houses whose wires were laid in the 1920's and have never been replaced, adapted or even checked.  Any competent Electrical Contractor will then advise the owner to promptly replace the aged circuits with an up to date installation.

Cross bonding

Cross bonding is the term used for earthing all fixed metal items in a property, and bonding them together to the earth connection terminal at the consumer unit / fuse box or to a local earth. Once earthed, should these items become live through faulty electrical works, the current will be 'made safe' by the earth connection, so greatly reducing the chances of an electric shock to anyone who touches them. Items to be earthed in the home include metal service pipes (gas and water), radiator pipes and metal pipes for sinks / basins, baths, towel rails, shower units and similar.

The process of cross bonding is, in principal, quite straightforward. All it requires is that an earth connection (yellow/green sleeved earth wire) be attached to the metal pipes by way of an earth clamp or earthing tag. The earth can then be run to other metal objects and attached similarly. Alternatively, each item can be earthed using a separate wire. The earth wires can then be earthed individually or 'grouped' before being earthed at a common point.

In practice it is strongly recommended that only a qualified person undertake the cross bonding process. If a clean earth connection is not made, any number of fixed metal objects in the home could still present a danger if they were to become live. Additional regulations also apply in kitchens and bathrooms, as per the IEE Wiring Regulations.

Cross bonding and the law

At the time of writing there is no legal requirement to cross bond metal items in the home. It is however highly recommended that you do so for your own safety - and if you are a landlord, for the safety of your tenants. Gas safety and electrical safety inspections are a good way to find out if your cross bonding is sufficient or not. Should cross bonding, in the opinion of the inspector, be insufficient, they have a duty to notify you. It is then up to you to take action and make your property a safer place to live in. 

How to Add Electrical Power to your Property

Most homes and businesses in the UK are connected to mains electricity. The electrical supply we take for granted originates from the many power stations dotted around the country, and is delivered to us via National Grid - owner of the UK's power transmission network. Electricity suppliers are then responsible for cabling it into individual properties - and it is they who you need to contact should you wish to have your property connected to the mains.

Inside your property

When new homes are built and when old properties are renovated and brought back into use they will need to be connected to the mains electricity supply. The work begins inside the property with its wiring / re-wiring. There are specific rules relating to the internal electrical wiring of property - the most relevant one being that all wiring must conform to Part P of the Building Regulations. To undertake electrical wiring you will need to employ the services of a 'competent person' qualified to do the work - such as a professional electrician, or, if you choose to do it yourself, you will need to inform the local council's building control department. In the latter case an inspector will visit the property and pass the wiring as safe for use.

Good planning is the key to a good wiring job. Work out where you need lights, power sockets and other electrical outlets before you start - and where best it is to place your wiring cabinet…the central point of your wiring scheme.

Mains cabling

How your property is to be connected to the mains supply rather depends upon where you can access the local supply network, and how much mains cabling is already in place. For example, on a newly built estate, mains connection may involve a short run of cabling from the road outside. For more isolated properties extensive trenching and cabling may be needed.

All mains cabling MUST conform to IEE Wiring Regulations. This dictates that cabling is buried at a minimum depth of 50mm below the surface, and is reinforced / protected against damage. Unless your property has never had mains electricity before, the cabling you need should already be in place to the required standard beneath your property's ground flooring. If it is not then you'll need to make allowances for this to be put in place prior to connection of the supply from outside.

Connection

Connection from outside is the job of your local electricity supply company. They will cost up the project and quote you a price for running cabling off the local supply network and into your property. Depending upon the extent of work required, the job may be quick and cheap or long and expensive!

Note: If mains cabling and internal electrical wiring is already in place at your property, adding an electrical power supply might simply be a case of asking your electricity company to reconnect the old supply route.

Mains alternatives

Adding electrical power to your property does not necessarily mean that you have to rely on mains electricity. There are other ways that electricity can be 'generated'. Here are some ideas:

Photovoltaic (Solar) Panels: Solar panels fitted to the roof of your property can help you generate your own electricity - even on cloudy days!

Wind turbines: A small-scale wind installation in your garden can create electricity from the air.

Ground Source Heat Pumps: Extract heat energy from the ground and transfers it to your home.

Micro Hydro Generation: Good if you have a fast-flowing water source on your land!

One warning: When your fuse is tripping (too) frequently, just check; if you are using a specialised electrical equipment for example a Humidifier or high usage appliance such as a Fridge/Freezer, it could well be that the safety treshold on the fuse is higher than the standard os safety set by the manufacturer and this causes the Fuse to trip.