COVID-19 Advice and Guidance

Reviewed 6^th January
Last updated 25^th January - update regarding ACS qualifications

Advice for the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak. Please be aware: as this is an ever-changing situation information may be updated, amended and added on a regular basis.

As a result of recent COVID-19 restrictions affecting the ability of registered engineers to renew their gas safety qualifications, registrations have been temporarily extended.

Therefore, if your engineer’s ID card shows a job category which has expired on or from the 1 March 2020 and this type of work is due to be carried out at your property, please check the engineer’s current registration status. You can do this by using our on-line Find and Check services.

General Information: Gas Safe Register Inspecting gas work carried out by registered businesses and investigating illegal gas work

See What we do for information about when Gas Safe will inspect or investigate gas work

Under the January 4th 2021 lockdown instructions are inspections of gas work and gas businesses still taking place?

In short, yes, we are making some temporary adjustments to processes to make best use of technology and to minimise face to face exposure wherever possible. This will enable us to assess the risk and keep customers, engineers and our employees safe.

What are the key changes?

During the new lockdown period businesses will initially be required to undertake a Remote Technical Assessment (RTA), the outcome of that RTA will determine whether a Face to Face inspection is required.

Complaints/ concerns

We will make an initial assessment of any complaints or concerns raised to us by telephone, making use of available video calling technologies to help with that assessment. We will use this information to confirm next steps e.g. if and when an inspection visit to the property is required.

If a Gas Safe Register Inspector attends my property, will they be equipped with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)?

Your well-being and that of other household members at your property is our priority while carrying out any gas pipework and/or appliance inspections. So that you and our employees stay safe, where appropriate, all our Inspectors will use PPE that meets Government and Health and Safety Executive guidelines. A risk assessment that is specific to your situation will be carried out prior to entering your property, which will determine the appropriate PPE to be worn, for example, gloves, face coverings.

Guidance on keeping yourself safe can be found here: gov.uk/coronavirus

Will Gas Safe Register inspectors want to visit my property if we have symptoms of COVID-19 or are shielding?

So that you, other members of your household and our Inspectors can all stay safe, we won’t visit properties where those living in the home:

• have symptoms of COVID-19
• are self-isolating

We’ll be pleased to carry out an inspection of the gas engineer’s work at your property once you’re feeling well enough and have completed any self-isolation requirements (as per the current Government guidelines) and are happy for us to visit.

If you’re classed as clinically vulnerable, the latest advice from government is that work can be carried out in homes of the clinically vulnerable, but workers should be particularly vigilant in respect of social distancing and good hygiene. See working safely - other people’s homes for more guidance:

• https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/homes#homes-2-1
• https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/staying-alert-and-safe-social-distancing

If you’re classed as clinically extremely vulnerable, you should refer to the latest government advice, see link below, to determine whether the clinically extremely vulnerable are currently being advised to shield. You should also check to see if local lockdown arrangements are in place See:

• https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/staying-alert-and-safe-social-distancing
• https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19

If Government advice is that the clinically extremely vulnerable are currently being advised to shield or if local lockdown arrangements require it, we would ask that you advise us in advance so that we can make arrangements for the inspection of the gas engineer’s work at your property to be carried out at a later date.

Are there any circumstances where Gas Safe Register will terminate an inspection visit?

We want to ensure customers, gas engineers and our employees stay safe. This means all our visits will start with our inspector undertaking a risk assessment before starting any inspection. If a risk is clearly identified, they reserve the right to terminate the visit to ensure the safety of you, any accompanying gas engineer and themselves.

We’ll need to terminate a visit to your property if our inspector falls ill with COVID-19 symptoms or must self-isolate in accordance with the Governments guidelines.

Will the inspector apply the two-metre social distancing guidelines within my property?

To ensure your safety and that of our employees, our inspectors will apply the two-metre social distancing measures. We may also ask you and any other household members to wait in another room or go outside while the inspection is carried out or open doors and windows in the room they are working in.

We’ll call you before our visit to check that you and other household members are well and that no one has suspected COVID-19 symptoms, is self-isolating or shielding.

Which areas of my property will the inspector need to access?

Our inspector will need to access:

• the gas appliance which is the subject of the visit
• the gas meter
• the roof-space (if appropriate) to check the chimney or flue
• we may also need to visually inspect any other installed gas appliances

Will your inspector need hand washing facilities?

Ideally yes, but as part of their PPE our inspectors will have their own hand sanitiser.

Will your inspector require anything else?

We politely ask that the area where the inspector will be working, is clear, tidy and cleaned before the visit.

The inspector will ensure the area of the home worked in is left clean and tidy.

Coronavirus (COVID-19): Advice for engineers and assessment centres on maintaining ACS qualifications – updated 14 January 2021

Engineers are expected to take all reasonable measures to maintain their ACS qualifications, including planning ahead, as maintaining gas safety competence is essential for registered gas engineers. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic some ACS assessment centres closed or are now operating at reduced capacity. This led to some engineers being unable to take their ACS reassessment or experiencing a delay in securing a date for reassessment.

Where assessment centres can operate, they should do so, and follow Gov.uk advice on good hygiene. Centres should advise engineers not to attend if they should be self-isolating.

To maintain their Gas Safe registration, engineers must ensure that expired ACS qualifications are renewed:

• Engineers whose ACS qualifications expire before 1 October 2020, and who have been unable to book ACS reassessment, have been permitted to remain on the Register for up to 6 months from the expiry date on their ACS certificate while they arrange for reassessment.
• Engineers with ACS qualifications that expire on or after 1 October 2020 will need to renew their qualifications by 31 March 2021.
• Engineers with ACS qualifications expiring after 31 March 2021 will be required to renew ACS by the qualification expiry date as shown on the certificate

Engineers are advised to book ACS reassessment in advance, as while most assessment centres are open and have availability, some are fully booked up 2 months in advance.

NOTE: As a result of the current lockdown (Dec 2020/Jan 2021), we have been advised that in some cases, scheduled assessments have been cancelled and rebooked by the assessment centres, and that the revised dates being offered mean they will not be able to meet the above timescales (renewing their ACS by 31 March 2021). Engineers who find themselves in this position should make every effort to seek and find alternative assessment provision, which will allow them to meet qualification timescales.

After 31 March 2021 Gas Safe Register will only consider renewal of Gas Safe registration without current ACS in exceptional circumstances. Engineers will be expected to evidence that they have made reasonable attempts to find alternate assessment provision (e.g. provision of evidence of rebooked assessments by original provider and correspondence with at least two alternate providers, seeking alternative assessment arrangements) before requesting their circumstances are taken into consideration for renewal of their Gas Safe registration. Renewal of Gas Safe registration in these circumstances, will be considered on a case by case basis and is not guaranteed.

Information on ACS assessment Centres in your area can be found at https://www.euskills.co.uk/gas-acs-centre-directory/

You can find information on ACS assessment Centres in your area in the December 2020 edition of Registered Gas Engineer magazine. Log into your account to read this issue of RGE.

Engineers MUST maintain their Gas Safe registration during any extension period applied due to ACS expiry during the pandemic if they are carrying out gas work.

Extension of registration is a temporary measure which is regularly reviewed and does not remove the standing requirement for registered gas engineers to maintain their ACS certification and renew certification every 5 years.

Any queries should be sent to enquiries@gassaferegister.co.uk.

Registered Business: Inspections

Are there any circumstances where Gas Safe Register will terminate an inspection visit to my registered business address?

We will terminate a visit to your registered business address if our Inspector has COVID-19 symptoms or must self-isolate in accordance with the Government guidelines. All visits will commence with our Inspector completing a risk assessment. If a risk is identified, they reserve the right to cancel the visit to ensure the safety of you, themselves and your customer.

You will also need to undertake your own risk assessment prior to our visit.

Will Gas Safe Register want to visit a registered business address if I, my family or any members of staff have symptoms of COVID-19 or are shielding?

So that you, other members of your household or staff and our Inspectors can all stay safe, we won’t visit properties where those who maybe present:

• have symptoms of COVID-19
• are self-isolating
• are shielding or classed as vulnerable.

As a registered business, if I am arranging for gas work I have carried out, to be inspected in my customers' properties, what do I need to do in respect of COVID-19?

Please contact your customer to establish if they are self-isolating, shielding or fall within a vulnerable group. You will also need to check if they are happy to apply the social distancing guidelines. Please also ask your customer if they and any other household members will be willing to:

• Wait in another room or go outside while the inspection is carried out
• Open doors and windows in the room which we are working in

If any risks are identified, please arrange another inspection appointment.

Which areas of my customers’ property will the Inspector need to access?

Our Inspector will need to access:

• the gas appliance which is the subject of the visit
• the gas meter
• the roof-space (if appropriate) to check the chimney or flue
• we may also need to visually inspect any other installed gas appliances

Please explain to your customer that we may need to access these areas.

For more information, please see Returning to work – Guidance for registered engineers

Coronavirus (COVID-19): Advice for engineers on working in people’s homes

The latest detailed guidance on working safely in people's homes can be found on the UK Government website https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19.

If you are a member of the public, guidance on keeping yourself safe can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus. Please note, if you are shielding (vulnerable) or have COVID-19 symptoms, and you have a planned visit from a Gas Safe Register Inspector, or a gas engineer from any business, you must make all parties aware and have the appointment re-arranged.

Coronavirus (COVID-19): Advice for landlords Safety Checks

The HSE has provided a wealth of new information for landlords including a variety of scenarios which may help provide some clarity for those concerned for their well-being or the well-being of their customers.

Please visit: https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/help-and-advice/covid-19-advice-and-guidance/landlords/

Coronavirus (COVID-19): Advice for clinically extremely vulnerable (shielded) tenants on landlord gas safety checks

If you’re classed as clinically extremely vulnerable, you should refer to the latest government advice, see link below, to determine whether the clinically extremely vulnerable are currently being advised to shield. You should also check to see if local lockdown arrangements are in place, see:

• https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/staying-alert-and-safe-social-distancing
• https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19

If Government advice is that the clinically extremely vulnerable are currently being advised to shield or if local lockdown arrangements require it, your landlord can find out more about what is expected of them in respect of gas safety checks on the Gas Safe Register website. https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/

If you smell gas, or if you have concerns about the safety of your appliances, you should call the gas emergency service provider on 0800 111 999, and switch off appliances until the gas emergency supplier, or a registered gas engineer, has attended and advised that the appliances are safe to use.

Registered Businesses