Be safe - check your boiler

Friday 28 February 2014

Home owners are being warned to get a certificate proving their boiler has been correctly installed.

It follows the prosecution of a plumbing firm, Kanetech Ltd, who were fined £9,000 in the Magistrate's Court for installing 16 central heating boilers without the required permissions.

The Environment department argues that the prosecution of Kanetech has highlighted the need for heating boiler installations to meet the health and safety standards set out within the island's building-bye laws.

Director of Building Control, Mo Roscouet, said: “We are reminding any person who is having an oil or gas boiler fitted of the importance of receiving a certificate of compliance. An incorrectly installed boiler can result in the release of poisonous carbon monoxide gas and increased fire safety risks.”

He is urging Islanders to ask the department for a certificate in cases where a building application is needed; or alternatively, to get one from the installer’s registration body, to confirm that the work has been done by a competent person. These are the Oil Firing Technical Association (OFTEC) http://www.oftec.co.uk/ or the Gas Safe competent person scheme http://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/.