Gas Safe encourages assessment centres to help engineers maintain competence

Gas Safe Register and HSE have written to ACS certification bodies to encourage them to take steps to make sure that gas engineers whose qualifications have expired, or that are about to expire, are supported in maintaining their competence.

Gas engineers are advised to get in touch with their assessment centre to discuss taking any necessary assessments, particularly those that have expired. Assessment centres are likely to be busy and to be operating at a reduced capacity because of social distancing requirements, but they have been requested to give priority to those engineers whose qualifications have already expired.

The open letter to assessment centres states: “During these unprecedented times, it is important that everyone follows government guidance to protect ourselves and the NHS.

“However, essential services such as repair work in properties are still required to keep people safe and healthy in their homes and workplaces.

“Gas engineers undertaking gas work during the COVID-19 lockdown are still required to be Gas Safe registered and competent. While steps have been applied to temporarily maintain the registration status of engineers whose qualifications have recently expired, this position remains under review and we continue to encourage registered engineers to take steps to maintain their certification and be re-assessed where required in a timely way to allow them to continue working legally.

“Government is encouraging businesses to continue to operate wherever possible. HSE and Gas Safe Register encourage all organisations involved in the accreditation and re-accreditation process to support registered engineers by ensuring that assessment centres remain open, or re-open, to allow ACS re-assessment of engineers as soon as possible.

“ACS centres can operate provided that they make reasonable adjustments to ensure the government’s social distancing guidance is followed to protect their own staff and attending engineers. This guidance can be found here and here.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do#should-i-stay-at-home-or-go-to-work

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/guidance-for-employers-and-businesses-on-coronavirus-covid-19

“Prioritisation should be given to those engineers whose ACS qualifications have expired, or are about to expire, to help ensure a sufficient continuity of qualified engineers.”