A NEW website has been launched to make it easier for householders to stay gas safe.
And it has been welcomed by a Huddersfield mum, who saw her son die of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Stacey Rodgers has worked closely with the safety industry since the tragic death of 10-year-old Dominic four years ago.
The Gas Safe Register allows customers to check on gas repair workers to make sure they are properly qualified.
Anyone who installs or fixes gas boilers must now be a Gas Safe registered engineer– replacing the CORGI credentials previously required of engineers.
The move comes as research reveals that people in Huddersfield are far too trusting when it comes to gas safety.
The new website allows customers to check the validity of an engineer immediately.
It advises that incorrectly fitted, badly repaired or poorly maintained gas appliances are a major cause of carbon monoxide poisoning – which killed 14 people last year.
The launch of the new register coincides with a new campaign to make the nation gas safe.
Carbon monoxide – dubbed the “silent killer” – cannot be seen or smelled and getting appliances checked regularly and repaired properly can save lives.
Deighton mum Miss Rodgers has been campaigning to highlight the dangers of the gas since she lost her son to carbon monoxide poisoning in 2004.
But research from the Gas Safe Register showed that Huddersfield locals are still taking big risks
Over half of householders in the town said they trusted that their gas engineer was properly registered and never checked that they were.
A fifth of Huddersfield people with a gas boiler also hadn’t had serviced for at least three years – while it is recommended that they should be checked and serviced at least once a year.
The Gas Safe Register is now urging Brits to “be safe, use a registered engineer and always check the card”.
Pete Eldridge, chief executive of Gas Safe Register, said: “As the new hallmark for gas safety in Great Britain, Gas Safe Register will make it much easier for the public to be gas safe because in the wrong hands, gas can kill.
“Our message is simple. To keep you and your family safe, always use a Gas Safe registered engineer when you have any gas work done in your home.
“We will raise public awareness of the importance of always asking for the ID card and checking the unique licence number.
“Different types of gas work requires different skills, so it’s important that you check the back of the ID card to make sure your engineer is qualified to carry out the work you want them to do.”
To find a Gas Safe registered engineer visit www.gassaferegister.co.uk or call 0800 408 5500.
