Falkirk Council is committed to maintaining the health and safety of employees and members of the public. The Council recognises the potential risks associated with the use of gas installations and appliances in Council premises and in Council housing stock.

The Council will take all reasonable steps to ensure that appropriate management systems are in place to minimise the risk of employees and/or members of the public being put at risk from the effects of gas or carbon monoxide.

This How To applies to all Falkirk Council properties, workplaces, housing stock, vacant properties available for commercial letting, the common parts of multi-occupancy properties in which the Council, as commercial landlord retains maintenance responsibility and all relevant work undertaken in these properties on the Council's behalf. Falkirk Council holds responsibilities as both an employer and landlord under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998.

This How To forms part of Falkirk Council's safety management system and should be interpreted in conjunction with the Council's Health & Safety Policy and How to Manage Health & Safety Risks. Additionally for further clarification of any terminology within this document readers should refer to the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 and the Approved Code of Practice.

Falkirk Council has a duty to ensure that any gas appliance, installation pipework or flue installed at any place of work under his control is maintained in a safe condition so as to prevent risk of injury to any person. Additionally, Falkirk Council will not permit any employee to carry out work relating to a gas fitting or service pipework.

Additionally Falkirk Council will not permit any employee to carry out work relating to a gas fitting or service pipework unless they are appropriately qualified. 

Falkirk Council will ensure that gas safety checks are carried out within 12 months of new appliances and annually thereafter within housing stock.

This check can be booked up to 2 months before the deadline without affecting the anniversary in a similar fashion to MOTs.

Falkirk Council will ensure that any individual undertaking this work will be competent and suitably registered to perform this work.

The below process should be applied by Services involved in works with gas installations and appliance (specifically Place Services and Transformation, Communities & Corporate Services). Additionally, where works involving these items meets relevant thresholds the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 must be applied.

Competency

Any employee or contractor engaged to perform work by Falkirk Council on any gas fitting, appliance, etc will be a registered GasSafe individual. Replacing a hose or regulator on a portable or mobile space heater or replacing a house connecting a re-fillable cylinder to installation pipework is excluded from this restriction.

Contractor Management

Prior to any contractor undertaking work involving gas appliances, installations or fittings the following conditions must be met:

All contractors carrying out work on gas systems/ appliances/ equipment will be required to be a current member and/or a class of person approved by the HSE and will notify Falkirk Council of any new employees to be working on the contract ie Falkirk Council will ensure at all times that all employees are registered with the Gas Safe Register or the appropriate Licensing Body. 
 
All qualified design engineers/ consultants involved in building design which includes gas heating etc will have been verified and selected based on a process detailing the project specification, competency verification and references. A process as defined by the Association of Consultant Engineers (ACE) or a similar standard should be used to provide the basis for such appointments. 
 
The contractor and qualified design engineers/ consultants must supply referees relating to similar contract work and these referees must be contacted by the Council to confirm that the contractor and qualified design engineers/ consultants met the standards and criteria required by the referee.
 
All contractors will be required to demonstrate that all of their employees are registered for working with the equipment/appliances as specified in the contract. This will include provision of colour copies of training certificates and current Gas Safe Register ID Cards or the appropriate Licensing Body. 
 
Where a Gas Framework Agreement is established for gas works/equipment all those contractors/ suppliers will require to be verified as complying with all gas safety standards and legislative requirements for equipment and their employee competence standards. Prior to the appointment for individual contracts, a verification of all safety requirements and equipment standards pertinent to the contract will be undertaken on the contractor/ supplier chosen. 
 
All managers responsible for overseeing gas contracts will verify the continuation of registration of the Gas Safe Register by routinely checking returned certificates. 
 
The contractor must have detailed and clear procedures including arrangements for dealing with unsafe practice/procedures and for the reporting of RIDDOR incidents, including reporting to Falkirk Council all dangerous gas fittings. 
 
The Contractor must have a Quality Control Inspection procedure defining percentage of works checked and will provide regular reports on performance to the client (ie Falkirk Council).

Construction and Refurbishment Specifications

Any Service must ensure that a process is in place to ensure the competency of individuals to ensure they have appropriate qualifications and experience. This will cover all works that involve the installation of new gas systems, plant and appliances and or modifications to such systems.

Service and maintenance of gas appliances

Services responsible for managing gas appliances, installations and other items covered by the regulations will ensure these items are serviced and maintained in accordance with regulatory and manufacturer requirements.

Quality Control 

Falkirk Council will make sure that all contractors working on gas appliances or systems provide an efficient and effective service by using a quality control procedure. 

All gas work completed by internal or external contractors will be formally audited to check that it meets the standards set out in the contract.

These audits must be carried out by a suitably qualified member of the Service. The audits will check: 

• the contractor's own quality control measures 
• any independent quality control measures
• the Service's internal quality control measures

Frequency and volume of these audits will be determined by the work area undertaking the audits. They should reflect the level of performance of work and the volume of work audited and frequency should increase where there are concerns regarding a contractor's performance. 

The purpose of the Quality Control (QC) procedure is to ensure that everyone working on gas systems continues to perform to a satisfactory standard. It provides evidence to auditors that engineers are competent and that their work meets the required specification. The Service will decide the best mix of internal checks carried out by the contractor and checks carried out by the Client/ Designer/ Architect. External contractors may be used if additional checks are needed. 

Criteria to be Met

• All Quality Control Inspectors must be competent, appropriately qualified for the equipment involved, and have relevant experience in the gas industry.
• Current work and a sample of past work must be audited by Council employees to ensure compliance with legislation, regulations, and the Gas Safety Management Policy.
• The QC procedure must show that each engineer's work has been properly assessed. 
• Regular feedback on quality control performance must be given to gas contractors and recorded. 

If a new contractor is appointed, the level of quality control checks should be increased. If the contractor cannot show competency, further checks and regular meetings must be put in place until standards are met. 

Emergency Procedures 

Emergency procedures for reporting of gas leaks for all premises will be made available to Falkirk Council employees and leaseholders occupying a property. These procedures will be based on the risk assessment for such eventualities and will cover gas safety management, gas escape, type of appliance/s, release of fumes and unsafe condition of plant, equipment or appliances (Appendix 1).

There is a clearly defined list of circumstances where a failure in the gas management system becomes a notifiable incident under the Reporting of Injuries Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 2013. As part of the emergency response procedures, all services are required to identify the action to be taken. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) must be notified and in such cases they often investigate proceedings.

Any interference with an incident scene following a notifiable occurrence may be construed as breach of RIDDOR and consequently may lead to prosecution. The current "Unsafe situation's procedure" will be used to provide the basis for the reporting and recording of such incidents.
 
A gas engineer registered with the Gas Safe Register must provide details of any gas appliances or fittings that they consider to be dangerous, because the design, construction, installation, modification or servicing could result in: 

• an accidental leakage of gas
• inadequate combustion of gas or
• inadequate removal of products of the combustion of gas.

Where there is an incident involving a "Dangerous gas fitting" resulting from a serious fault in the design or construction of a gas fitting or in the way the initial installation was carried out or was later serviced/ modified, a report shall be made to the HSE ensuring that it is completed and notified to HSE within approved timescales.

In some instances, works that are covered under this document will meet thresholds for specific aspects of the CDM Regulations. Where this occurs, these aspects must be applied to the relevant project or works.

Certain situations related to gas installations, fittings and appliances require specific action to be undertaken to ensure people's safety. These situations are outlined below: 

Void Management

Where a lease on a property is terminated or abandoned the gas supply will be temporarily capped off and any bayonet type fitting removed and made safe. The system will be checked prior to re-letting. 

Gas pipe checks (Tightness testing)

It is a requirement of the Gas Safety (Installation and use) Regulations 1998 to "ensure that any gas appliance, installation pipework or flue installed at any place of work under the Landlord's control is maintained in a safe condition so as to prevent injury to any person". It is recommended that a system of periodic inspection of all gas pipework and fittings and a pressure test be carried out and the results will be recorded. The frequency of inspection/ test will be determined following appropriate risk assessment by a competent person. Records of shall be kept for 2 years. 

Competence of Tradesmen/ management of contracts 

Gas Engineers/ Technicians

All engineers will be required to hold current certificates demonstrating competence and confirming that they are qualified to undertake the work specified. Place Services and Transformation, Communities & Corporate Services will have a procedure that will identify a suitable method for checking this either at the commencement of contracts or checking at a suitable frequency.

Engineers/ Technicians will be required to carry the Gas Safe Register ID Card and be able to produce it on demand for anyone to check.

Management of Contracts

All persons who are required to supervise gas engineers or gas contracts or distribute the gas certificates will have a working knowledge of core elements of current Gas Safety (Installation & Use) Regulations and where required possess gas Safe certification.

Performance Monitoring

Regular performance reporting will be undertaken on gas safety activities. These reports will cover: 

• Number of services carried out 
• Number of times Falkirk Council did not meet statutory to complete a gas safety check as a landlord within 12 months 
• Number of cases progressed to forced entries and number of actual forced entries 
• Percentage of service records kept to gas safety records standards 
• Percentage of services carried out to gas safety records standards 
• Number of premises capped at period end 

Method Statement and Risk Assessments

Place Services and Transformation, Communities & Corporate Services will develop comprehensive Gas Safety Management risk assessments for areas of work within their direct control. All contractors will be required to produce comprehensive Risk Assessments and Method Statements relevant to the work they will be carrying out. 

Chief Executive, Directors and Heads of Service 

The Chief Executive and Chief Officers of the Council are responsible for the effective operation of the Policy across the Council as a whole and for ensuring effective procedures are developed and implemented within their Service. They are also responsible for ensuring that the management of their properties is clearly defined. They will ensure that adequate resources are made available to implement appropriate procedures, train key personnel, and to ensure appropriate emergency procedures are drawn up as defined in this Framework for Gas Safety Management. 

Director of Place Services

The Director of Place Services will be responsible for ensuring the regular review of Gas Safety Management Procedures within the Service. These procedures must be in line with this document. A performance report will be provided to the Property Compliance Board annually to provide evidence that all the gas management procedures are in place, performance has been monitored and that the gas safety management systems are working effectively. 

Head of Investment, Asset & Climate 

The Head of Investment, Asset & Climate will ensure that processes are in place to ensure that Council workplaces, building projects and commercial premises meet the requirements of this document and relevant legislations. 

Building Design Manager 

Workplaces 

The Building Design Manager will ensure that procedures are developed and maintained for the design of new buildings and major refurbishment projects. These procedures will ensure that the specification of new gas heating systems, the appointment of competent gas contractors or any work on gas appliances/ systems in any council workplaces/ meet the legislative standards. All works undertaken on gas appliances/ systems will meet these minimum standards.

The Building Design Manager will ensure that process are in place so all gas appliances in workplaces meet the statutory legal duties. Additionally, they are responsible for ensuring all new buildings or major refurbishments comply with the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 and appropriate HSE Guidance.

The Manager (Asset Management)

The Manager (Asset Management) will ensure that procedures are developed and maintained for the monitoring and management of gas systems in commercial vacant properties, which will be in line with this How To and ensure that all gas systems are safe and up to date safety checks are carried out on gas pipes and equipment prior to handover to new tenants.

Falkirk Council acts as the Landlord for commercially let premises. The Manager (Asset Management) will ensure that all gas appliances within vacant properties are in safe working order prior to leasing properties.

The Manager (Asset Management) is therefore responsible for ensuring that the tenant is made aware of their gas safety management responsibilities contained within the lease agreement. 

Services that lease premises from a non-council Landlord may, depending on the conditions of their lease, be responsible for undertaking checks on fire alarms, electrical and gas installations. The Manager (Asset Management) is responsible for ensuring that Services are aware that these installations should be checked with Place Services, Building Design prior to signing the lease. 

Property Compliance Manager  

Workplaces 

The Property Compliance Manager will ensure that there is appropriate performance monitoring in place for Council workplaces within Places Services' control. Additionally, they will ensure that gas safety documentation is available for Premises Managers on the Profess Portal.

Building & Maintenance Division Manager

The BMD manager will ensure that any employee or contractor engaged by BMD working on relevant gas appliances or fittings is competent and appropriately certified as per the requirements of the Gas Safety (Installation & Use) Regulations 1998. Additionally, they will ensure arrangements for gaining entry to council houses for gas servicing and maintenance work are kept under regular review. 

They will ensure that relevant gas fittings, appliances in housing stock meet the statutory legal requirements as per Regulation 36 of the Gas Safety (Installation & Use) Regulations 1998. In this case relevant refers to items the Council is responsible for and not items the tenant is responsible for. 
They will ensure that Transformation, Communities & Corporate Services are provided with regular performance management reports. 

Director of Transformation, Communities & Corporate Services 

The Director of Transformation, Communities & Corporate Services will be responsible for ensuring the regular review of gas safety management procedures within Transformation, Communities & Corporate Services. These procedures must be in line with this document.

Senior Manager Housing Operations

Housing Stock 

The Senior Manager Housing Operations will ensure the performance for gas safety related activities to housing properties is effectively monitored. 

Premises Managers of Council Workplaces 

Premises Managers will ensure that there are local arrangements within their building for the reporting of gas safety emergencies such as a gas leak. Additionally, they will ensure they access to relevant gas safety documents on the Profess Portal. 

The Property Compliance Manager will review this when there are relevant chances to regulations or material changes to gas safety activities within the Council. Where there are changes to gas safety activities within the Council the relevant work area should notify the Property Compliance Manager.

• Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998
• Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) – Gas Safety (Installation & Use)
• Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
• Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 2013
• Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015
• Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 (GSIUR) as amended. Approved Code of Practice and guidance (L56)