Except at that time, the IEE didn't stipulate what constituted stupid routing of cables. I thought it was well before safe-zones.
I do blame were the number of people who got shocks off the rack and did nothing about it. That was more criminal than the cable route.
Yes it still uses the word "work" to be paid for work on gas.
I don't understand why you keep referring to this deceptive leaflet. Its a great shame don't understand, or worse still, deny, that Gas Safe's definition of 'work' is gainful remuneration in respect of working on gas.
You've already been told to look at the primary legislation which you've chosen not to. Look at:
Paragraphs 2 and 3 refer to anyone "working" with gas in a business, such as those who are employed and self-employed.
I repeat anyone competent to work on gas may do so. It means if you're competent and can follow some simple rules you can safely install your own boiler.
Even the HSE says:
Perhaps you will now accept that Gas Safe are an utterly untrustworthy organisation out to deceive.
Really? And incorrectly fitted hot water cylinder can explode. Mixing potable and non potable water could have serious consequences too.
The rule is simple. If not competent, don't work on gas.
The snag is there are idiots around - both pro and DIY - who aren't. And no law will make the slightest difference to those.
Hmm. Would you run a cable diagonally across a wall? Regulations or not?
Common sense says you wouldn't.
I had to once, becasue of a chimney in the way - but I put a galvanised channel over it.
Yes. Most DIYers with common sense would realise the possible problems. Only pros need a law telling then not to. ;-)
Let's look at the code of practice for these regulations, perhaps they will help you to understand the point. My copy/paste may have mangled things a bit nut hopefully the intentions are clear:
original legislation, regulation3:
"(1) No person shall carry out any work in relation to a gas fitting or gas storage vessel unless he is competent to do so."
Guidance 2(1): para 51: For the purposes of these Regulations, ?work? includes do-it-yourself activities, work undertaken as a favour for friends and relatives, and work for which there is no expectation of reward or gain, eg voluntary activity for charities. This means that anyone carrying out such work must have the necessary competence, as required by regulation 3(1).
-OK that clears up the point that the regs only apply to paid work, wrong!
What about competence?
See above for the definition of 'work' in the legislation.
Note the sexist language but this was 1998! OK but what does competent mean?
ACOP guidance 3(1)-(2), para 82:
"Anyone who does work on a gas fitting or gas storage vessel must be competent to do so (whether or not they are required to be a member of an approved class of persons). Therefore, do-it-yourself gas engineers and those performing favours for friends and relatives all need to have the required competence. The level and range of competence should match the full extent of work done, but needs only to be sufficient for and relevant to that work.
83 Employers of gas engineers are also required under regulation 3(2) to ensure that their employees have the required competence for the work undertaken; in addition to ensuring they are properly experienced and trained (see paragraph 86). This involves ongoing monitoring of performance standards, as necessary.(note para 84) Competence is a combination of practical skill, training, knowledge and experience to carry out the job in hand safely, and ensuring the installation is left in a safe condition for use. Knowledge must be kept up-to-date with changes in the law, technology and safe working practice.
You're missing the point, summarised earlier in para 80 of the code of practice:
Gas work should only be undertaken: (a) by a person who has successfully completed an industry-recognised training course followed by assessment of competence. Training that leads to assessment of competence in safe gas work should be recognised by the industry?s standards setting body; or (various exceptions)
I hope this clarifies this issue for you? 'Competence' must be demonstrable, not just self-assessed!
That's no excuse though, for lack of legislation. There are shop-lifters around even though it's illegal.
No it doesn't. Or rather not in terms of that GasSafe article which conveniently edits out the all important competent bit.
If you don't understand what competent is, simply don't touch gas. Or anything else you're not competent to work on.
All sorts of DIY done by an incompetent could be dangerous to others.
The big snag with many rules and regulations is only the honest and law abiding take notice of them. Cowboy builders ain't going to give a stuff about any - unless they are adequately policed. Which they never are.
Trade organisations like Gas Safe have a vested interest in lying to the public about any such regs. The very idea of having a profit making body policing a trade is fraught with dangers.
From Wiki:-
The scheme is administered by Capita Group on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive.[4] in the United Kingdom Mainland and for the Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland. The contract differs in Northern Ireland in relation to the main contract for mainland of the United Kingdom. When Gas Safe took over, the pre-registration inspection previously carried out by the CORGI inspector was abolished, meaning once a profit-making training and assessment centre passed a candidate, an application form and payment was all that was required to commence gas work.[citation needed] Previously the CORGI inspector undertook an interview to verify the new registration and engineer to ensure that the knowledge was sufficient to operate to a reasonable standard of safety. In Northern Ireland the number of inspectors was reduced from two full-time to one part-time inspector.
That's the original legislation.
No, that's Guidance from HSE. It is not law. You are conflating the two in an attempt to prove your (faulty) point.
No, the definition of 'work' that you quote is NOT in the legislation. It's in an HSE Guidance Note.
THat's the Code of Practice, not the law. And clearly aimed at the trade.
Let's not.
You're wrong. This point comes up regularly here, and it's always wrong. Now run along and let the adults talk, eh?
Practicalities at the time were such I moved a cooker socket laterally, such that the cable was no longer vertical. This was some decades ago.
Of course, these days I would extend the cable by crimping and run the cable along the ceiling the foot or so required.
Hence my question; when did the IEE stipulate horizontal and vertical cable runs and invent safe-zones?
A galvanised channel would not have the mechanical protection now required. You would need 3mm thick steel.
Yes, it says "SHOULD" not must or any other statutory requirement to complete any course and be assessed..
If you understand the difference between "SHOULD" and "MUST" you can now agree it is not illegal to carry out your own gas work.
As others have indicated many have fallen in to the trap Gas Safe from their lies and deception.
Most deaths and prosecution for faulty installations have been a result of Gas Safe plumber incompetence.
I'm not sure of your point. The difference is a competent DIYer working on gas is legal and shoplifting isn't.
But, I did this in 1967. It was quite safe then.
I've often wondered what would be 100% proof to those hardened picture hook nails?
IME It doesn't. Not unless you need a landlords safety thing but that I shouldn't wonder is some ill informed regulation bought to be by the industry that thrives through fearmongering based on the possibility of antique legacy devices that might still be in use.
I'd suggest that things that don't have "consumables" to be replaced like engine oil and air filters are more likely to break down between annual prodding than things that are left well alone.
You see more horror stories of gas-safe "sales" f*ckwits tampering with things that didn't need twiddling and subsequently breaking them, add to that, a high majority of public still naively trust British Gas but all the annual service is to them is an opportunity go get through the door to say your boiler needs replacing, isn't big enough or is oversized for your house etc etc. £££
On my home condensing boiler I regularly drain the syphon to which I pushed an O-ring into the drain cap to make sealing/removal easier and with less force than as standard. I've also had to replace the pump and the diverter valve actuator (twice) and break open the wet condenser side when a fault code implied the heat exchanger/siphon might be blocked thereby needing to replace all O rings that had gone hard/square before I could re-assemble it.
My non-condensing boiler at the shop (Valiant turbomax) is now over 15 years old. Runs flat out for 12 hours a day from autumn to spring and has never broken down except for a few weeks ago. An ignition failure code kept appearing so I removed the cover, removed the burner cover and simply cleaned the white oxide from the thermocouple flame sensor, re-assembled and off we go. 5 minute job. sorted. No "servicing" has ever been done on that one.
But it really comes down to personal peace of mind. Just do what you feel most comfortable with. :)
But it wouldn't have prevented a picture hook nail from going through the cable.
Steel capping provides no protection for cables apart from stopping the plasterer's trowel from cutting them. I once came across a picture hook nail that had gone through the capping and neatly penetrated the live conductor of some 7/.029 with 3 strands one side and 4 the other. Surprisingly it had been like that for many years with nobody aware of the problem until the cable was exposed when adding an extra socket.
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