Electrician’s illegal gas work was dangerous
A Burnley electrician has been handed a suspended jail sentence after he fitted a boiler illegally.
Manchester Magistrates’ Court heard that Robert Parker had carried out gas work between March and August 2017 and installed a boiler on 24 October 2017 at a domestic property in Rossendale – despite not being Gas Safe registered.
The property’s occupants contacted Gas Safe Register because they were concerned that there were defects in the installation, and Gas Safe attended. The boiler was found to be Immediately Dangerous because there was no chimney/flue connected. Inspectors said the work also had At Risk defects and was not to current standards.
The HSE, investigating, found that Robert Parker was not Gas Safe registered and was neither qualified nor competent to undertake gas work.
Robert Parker of Burnley, Lancashire, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 3(1) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. He was sentenced to 26 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months. He was also ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work pay costs of £2,298.20.
HSE inspector Sharon Butler said after the hearing: “Mr Parker undertook gas work which he knew he was not registered to do. All gas work must be done by registered Gas Safe engineers to ensure the highest standards are met, to prevent injury and loss of life.”
