Is there a regulation on how high a boiler can be positioned?

BobFreeman

I have an old boiler that is high on a wall with 12 ft ceiling. I used to have British Gas HomeCare insurance for it. I stopped it last summer and tried to re-start it in May. For insurance to become valid BG needs to carry an initial inspection. However an engineer came and left saying the boiler is too high. I called BG customer service they didnt know what "high" means so we agreed to another inspection. This time the engineer said it has to be 3m high max. I dont know 3m from top edge or bottom. But my problem is that it was OK for BG and other engineers to attend to this boiler for 20 yrs. What has changed? Is there new health and safety regulation or is it BG thing? What was Brexit about if we have more idiotic regulations? 12ft is 3.6m and the boiler is about 70cm tall and the top edge is about 25-30cm off the ceiling. So the bottom edge is below 3m. Whats so hazardly about that?

FreeBear

It has nothing to do with Brexit or EU. It is all about safe working practices. If the engineer needs to us a step ladder or hop-up to get to the boiler, there is a risk of a fall. If you could provide a suitable platform for the engineer to work on, that should satisfy any HSE requirements.

Brie

there were concerns when we were getting our new boiler installed as it couldn't be as high as the previous one.  Simple reason being that given that it's in a cupboard being so high would make it difficult to dangerous to service at all.  When I discussed it with the boiler guy we agreed that there was no reason it had to be so high.  There's a front loading washing machine under it, perhaps the previous owners had a top loader which required more room than we did.

Andy_L

I suspect that BG have had a spate of people falling off ladders & they (or their insurers) have put a ban on people climbing above X m on ladders

Section62

FreeBear said:

If you could provide a suitable platform for the engineer to work on, that should satisfy any HSE requirements.

...then you'll need an insurance certificate to show the platform has been inspected within the last 'x' months.

macman

Use this as an opportunity to self-insure and stop wasting money on BG Homecare. I doubt that an independent RGI will have any reluctance to access the boiler, even with a short ladder.
As mentioned above, this is down to BG's insurers reducing any potential risk.
Obviously, if you need to stand on a ladder to service the boiler, there is a theoretically greater risk involved. Not quite clear why you have to drag Brexit into it, unless you think that abolishing all H&S provisions is a Brexit benefit?

Novice_investor101

My boiler is above the backdoor in the kitchen. It’s a combi that replaced a really old system boiler 10 years ago & it was easier than redoing the whole kitchen to just have it in the same place. 

I’ve used local plumbers & they’ve all been happy to service it using a step ladder, usually mine. I do let them know it’s high up if they’ve not been to it before & none have turned the job down. 

BobFreeman

thank you for your replies. Just to clarify - servicing is done without any complaints (by local specialists). This problem is specific to BG. 

BobFreeman

macman said:

Use this as an opportunity to self-insure and stop wasting money on BG Homecare.

what do you mean by self-insure?

grumbler

BobFreeman said:

macman said:

Use this as an opportunity to self-insure and stop wasting money on BG Homecare.

what do you mean by self-insure? 

How much does BG Homecare cost you? Save this money instead of paying them and then use the savings to pay for repairs if needed.

Simonon77

Ah the good old days when workers would  use their common sense rather than any opportunity to 'accidentally fall' and then claim a big lump sum and then retire early with a bad back....

This probably also has a lot to do with why any independent would be happy to service it as if they aren't working they don't get paid..