| By :
Martin Hofschroer
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted a gas fitter for undertaking illegal work which could have had deadly consequences. Chris Bradshaw of Tywyn was fined in excess of £50,000 by Pwllheli Magistrates Court after he pleaded guilty to a breach of Section 22 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and 14 breaches of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1988. Mr Bradshaw was investigated by the HSE after a complaint was made about his installation of a combination boiler and gas hob in a domestic property in April 2007. The appliances posed a number of risks as they were not properly converted from natural gas to LPG propane and did not meet current safety standards which meant they produced high levels of carbon monoxide every time they were used. Mr Bradshaw was registered with CORGI to work on natural gas but not LPG Propane as he had not completed the appropriate gas training courses or commercial gas courses. The HSE was compelled to examine more examples of Mr Bradshaw's work after they finished their initial investigation into the dangerous boiler and gas hob installation. Mr Bradshaw was suspended from the CORGI register in November 2007 after the HSE discovered that he installed a new natural gas fire and boiler which had a gas leak from the supply pipe to the fire. CORGI removed Mr Bradshaw from their register and subjected him to a prohibition notice the following year after it was found that he had undertaken more dangerous gas work. Chris Bradshaw replaced internal and external LPG propane gas pipe work and reconnected the pipe work to an existing gas fire at another property, which posed numerous risks and did not meet current safety standards. HSE Inspector Gary Martin said that fitters who undertake work without completing the necessary gas training courses or commercial gas courses could be putting lives at risk. He said: "Mr Bradshaw has shown a blatant disregard for the law, codes of practice and standards regulating the domestic gas safety market. Fitters who try to work beyond their assessed competence are not only breaking the law but could also cost lives. "His work has given rise to a number of immediately dangerous situations and his incompetent work has had the potential to endanger householders, including children, from the risk of fire or explosion or carbon monoxide poisoning." The HSE has reminded homeowners that only Gas Safe registered engineers are legally allowed to carryout gas work.
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