Who would you trust with Gas safety?

C_Mababejive

See poll and possible ensuing discussion..!

chanz4

I would trust the grid and only the grids direct engineers, not contractors and not gas safe engineers. Their is a rise in bent ones, and ones that cut corners

Terrylw1

I've put none of the above.

I would generally trust an engineer as they have training/experience, however I've come across rubbish ones as well so I always recommend a customer be onsite on a tricky one. I've also come across dangerous ones leaving live cables exposed (one for their emergency guys) and some dodgy ones making their own decisions against what was required or telling the customer I right load of bull. The elec guys are registered too so it didn't say much for those individuals.

I don't have much faith in industry bodies. The industry is a bit of a dinosaur and over a decade later, its still playing catch up on what should have been bottomed out as part of deregulation.

That's covers both elec and gas for me, although my experience is more elec.

C_Mababejive

Does anyone remember the King Report?

Following several gas explosions over the Christmas and New Year period of 1976/77, the Secretary of State for Energy commissioned an inquiry chaired by Dr P J King, to examine the circumstances surrounding the incidents and to consider improvements to existing procedures or systems, and new measures which might reasonably be implemented to lead to reduction in such incidents.


It seems amazing that Cast Iron/Spun Iron and Ductile iron were thought to be suitable materials to bury in the ground to convey gas. After all,wouldnt it corrode and isnt it brittle? I guess at the time, it was the best choice and so there is an awful lot of in the ground running past peoples front doors.

It doesnt like directional loads/corrosion/vibration and ground movement. It snaps/corrodes and leaks.

This happens more in cold frosty weather..like in Winter.

OFGEM the industry regulator sets budgets for gas networks.

The networks would like to replace lots more of this old pipe.

After some high profile incidents involving death such as this one and others..

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/574819.stm

Also

http://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/supply/dundeereportfeb04.pdf

OFGEM finally relaxed its grip on budgets and gave the green light to big spend on iron pipe replacement. The idea was to replace as much iron pipe as possible within 30m of property within 30 years with plastic piping.

This has been going on since 2002.

The rationale for that case was supported by OFGEM and the HSE then.

Fast forward to this year and OFGEM have all but pursuaded the HSE that we no longer have to do that and that their reports say we can back off,extend the life of such old pipes and not bother replacing them as quickly.

The Regulator commissioned the report supplemented by Economists. They have all but convinced the HSE who have yet to put the final stamp on it.

The Gas Engineers disagree.

http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrhtm/rr888.htm

Man_Overboard_2

If I were faced with having to choose between: (1) replacing my gas supply pipes at a cost of maybe £1000 or more, when they have lain undisturbed with no sign of any kind of problem for several decades, and (2) leaving them undisturbed for, potentially, several more decades at zero cost to myself, then it would be hard to choose the former

C_Mababejive

Man_Overboard wrote: »

If I were faced with having to choose between: (1) replacing my gas supply pipes at a cost of maybe £1000 or more, when they have lain undisturbed with no sign of any kind of problem for several decades, and (2) leaving them undisturbed for, potentially, several more decades at zero cost to myself, then it would be hard to choose the former

Thats understandable but if we apply economies of scale and you were told that the cost,smeared over every gas consumer from domestic through to large Industrial amounted to a couple of pounds a year,would you be happy with it ?

thousands and thousands of homes have Iron mains running within feet of their homes though they dont know it.

If they fracture,the situation can deteriorate rapidly.

A few pounds a year going forward seems a small cost to allow the Engineers to do what is necessary. To ensure public safety and to fund a free at point of use National Gas Emergency Service.

OFGEM want to make huge cuts in these spends based on Economics.

Terrylw1

I don't think determining a risk factor and comparing it to the cost of prevention, is of benefit when it comes to safety.

Common sense should really prevail over probabilities! Even a small % of potential dangerous scenarios should be enough to mean preventative measures are required.

Otherwise, why bother doing any safety checks?...hang on, bad example since they don't seem to be monitoring this area very well or the lethal tampers that sacsquacco has been finding!