Gas Safety Week

Gas Safety Week (16-22 September) sees organisations from across the UK working together to raise awareness of the dangers of poorly maintained gas appliances, which can cause gas leaks, fires, explosions and carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.

The aim of the annual safety week, which is co-ordinated by Gas Safe Register, the official list of gas engineers who are legally allowed to work on gas, is to raise awareness of gas safety and the importance of taking care of your gas appliances both at work and at home.

At Royal Mail we have Property & Facilities Solutions Ltd engineers trained and registered to complete this work for us. Badly fitted and poorly serviced gas appliances can cause gas leaks, fires, explosions and CO poisoning. Carbon monoxide is a highly poisonous gas that can kill quickly with no warning, as it has no smell, colour or taste.

Top tips to stay gas safe:

• For any gas safety issues identified at Royal Mail you must contact the P&FS helpdesk on 0844 800 9191. Privately, it is recommended to only use Gas Safe-registered engineers to fit, fix and service your appliances. You can find and check such engineers at GasSafeRegister.co.uk or call 0800 408 5500
• Check both sides of your engineer’s Gas Safe Register ID card. Make sure they are qualified for the work you need doing. You can find this information on the back of their card
• Have all your gas appliances regularly serviced and safety checked every year. If you rent your home, ask your landlord for a copy of their current Gas Safety Record
• Be aware of the six signs of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning – headaches, dizziness, breathlessness, nausea, collapse and loss of consciousness. Unsafe gas appliances can put you at risk of CO poisoning, gas leaks, fires and explosions
• Check gas appliances for warning signs that they are not working properly e.g. lazy yellow flames instead of crisp blue ones, black marks or stains on or around the appliance and too much condensation in the room
• Fit an audible carbon monoxide alarm. This will alert you if there is carbon monoxide in your home.

This year, Gas Safety Week will aim to address a range of gas safety matters, from tackling illegal gas work to reminding people to avoid DIY work involving gas appliances. Leave it the experts instead – Gas Safe-registered engineers who are legally qualified to ensure your appliances are working safely and efficiently.

If you have any other questions or enquiries you can:

• Contact your local SHE advisor or area safety rep who can advise and guide
• Contact rmwebsites@ndc-uk.co.uk if you need access to the Compliance Records Database (CRD) to view your unit gas safety checks
• Raise a fault or query by contacting the Property & Facilities Helpdesk on 0844 800 9191.