JTL is proud to once again support Gas Safety Week, taking place from 9th to 15th September 2024. Now in its 14th year, Gas Safety Week is an annual campaign highlighting the importance of gas safety in keeping homes and communities safe.
JTL is dedicated to training apprentices to the highest standards of gas safety. JTL apprentices go through rigorous training to develop the skills, knowledge, and behaviours needed to install, commission, decommission, and service and repair gas appliances in either a domestic or non-domestic setting. By the end of the apprenticeship with JTL, gas engineers will be registered on the Gas Safe® Register as competent to undertake this work. Learn more about our gold-standard Level 3 gas engineering apprenticeship qualification here.
Poorly installed or maintained gas appliances can be dangerous and lead to gas leaks, fires, explosions, and carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Carbon monoxide is a deadly gas that you can’t see, taste, or smell.
In keeping with this year’s Gas Safety Week theme, “Checking — Every Check Counts”, JTL wants to ensure everyone knows to do regular safety checks of all gas appliances and prioritise gas safety in their homes.
From booking annual gas safety inspections, ensuring your gas engineers are Gas Safe registered and checking carbon monoxide alarms, every step plays a vital role in keeping you and your family safe against gas-related incidents.
Below are additional simple checks that you can do at home:
- Check that you’ve had an annual gas safety check. 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. Always use a Gas Safe registered engineer and ensure they’re qualified for the work that needs doing via the Gas Safe Register website and the engineer’s ID card.
- Check for warning signs that could indicate your gas appliances are not working correctly. Signs may include lazy yellow/orange flames instead of crisp blue ones, black marks on or around the appliance, a pilot light that keeps going out, too much condensation in the room, or error messages on the appliance’s control panel.
- Check that vents or flues are not blocked. Vents and flues are there to ensure your gas appliances work safely. Blocking them could prevent this.
- Check your knowledge. Remember the six main symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning: headaches, dizziness, breathlessness, nausea, collapse, and loss of consciousness.
- Check your carbon monoxide (CO) alarm. Regular testing ensures that alarms are operational and capable of alerting you to the presence of deadly CO. Also, check they are marked to standards EN50291 and still in date (if applicable).
- Check before doing DIY. Before drilling or hammering, check that there is no risk of hitting a gas pipe. Never DIY on a gas appliance; if you suspect there is something wrong with your appliance or it is not working correctly, call a Gas Safe registered engineer. You can find one at co.uk or call 0800 408 5500.
Chris Claydon, Chief Executive of JTL said:
“As the UK works to increase housebuilding and accelerate critical national infrastructure projects, highly-skilled gas engineers will play a key role in ensuring the safety and quality of our homes. In light of Gas Safety Week, it’s a reminder of how important it is to have certified, well-trained professionals who can meet the increasing demand for safe, efficient installations and repairs.
At JTL, we are dedicated to delivering gold-standard apprentice training that emphasises both quality and safety, equipping our apprentices with the knowledge and skills needed to protect homes and communities as they contribute to the growth of the sector.”
Gas Safety Week is coordinated by the Gas Safe Register, the official list of authorised gas engineers, who want everyone to know the fundamentals of staying gas safe.
Learn more about Gas Safety Week’s national campaign by following @GasSafeRegister on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and search #GSW24 and #GasSafetyWeek.
