Date: 15th September, 2017
Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS) has pledged its support for Gas Safety Week (18-24 September 2017) and will be raising awareness of gas safety and urging the public to keep themselves safe from dangerous gas appliances.
The seventh annual Gas Safety Week will see organisations from across the UK work together, to encourage all gas consumers to make sure they have their gas appliances checked annually by a Gas Safe registered engineer and protect against the dangers of unsafe gas appliances, such as fires, leaks, explosions and carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.
With 21 deaths and over 800 gas-related injuries in the last three years1, it’s crucial that people have their appliances checked each year to be assured they are working safely and efficiently. People should also ‘Trust the Triangle’ and check that their engineer is Gas Safe registered. Anyone working on gas appliances while not being registered is working illegally.
Safe & Well Manager, Vikki Thomas said: “The importance of a having safe gas appliances in the home, cannot be overstated. With cooler months on the horizon, the demand on our appliances will be higher and without checking they are working correctly, the level of risk increases as well.”
Jonathan Samuel, managing director for Gas Safe Register, said: “It’s great to have the support of DWFRS this Gas Safety Week. By working together we can reach more people and help to reduce the number of dangerous gas appliances that could be lurking in the homes of the UK’s 23 million gas consumers. We know from our own investigations data that one in six gas appliances in the UK are unsafe2 meaning far too many people are victims of preventable gas related incidents.”
Stay Gas Safe at home this Gas Safety Week by following these top tips:
- Sign up to a free annual gas safety check reminder service at staygassafe.co.uk.
- Be aware of the signs that an unsafe gas appliance may cause such as a lazy yellow flame instead of a crisp blue flame; soot or staining on or around the appliance; excess condensation in the room
- Know the symptoms of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. CO gas is known as the ‘silent killer’ as it has no smell, taste or colour. The symptoms of CO poisoning include headaches, dizziness, nausea, breathlessness, collapse and loss of consciousness, which can easily be mistaken for something else
- ‘Trust the Triangle’ and always ask to see an engineer’s Gas Safe ID card and check it to make sure the engineer is qualified to check or fit the appliance in question.
For more information on the potential dangers of using gas in the home, or to arrange a Safe & Well visit please, visit www.dwfire.org.uk/safety or call 0800 038 2323.
Alternatively, visit www.StayGasSafe.co.uk and to find a Gas Safe registered engineer call 0800 408 5500 or visit www.GasSafeRegister.co.uk.