The Community Housing Group has pledged its support for Gas Safety Week (16-22 September).

This third annual Gas Safety Week will see the whole industry coming together to bring gas safety issues to the forefront of people’s minds. Dangerous gas work can kill. Badly fitted and poorly serviced gas appliances cause gas leaks, fires, explosions and carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.  In the last year, 333 people were injured and four people died as a result of gas related incidents.

Russell Kramer, chief executive for Gas Safe Register, said: “Every year, far too many people suffer from preventable gas related accidents, such as gas leaks, explosions, fires and carbon monoxide poisoning. It’s great therefore, that The Community Housing Group has pledged its support and is raising awareness of gas safety issues, helping to let the 21 million gas consumers in the UK know about the simple checks they can make to stay safe.”

The safety of tenants, their families and their neighbours is of paramount importance to The Community Housing Group (TCHG).

Every year, they arrange for a free safety check on all gas appliances owned by the tenant, as well as servicing the appliances owned by the Company.

It is a legal requirement under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 to enter a tenant’s home and carry out the gas safety check. However, many tenants do not allow access for these checks to take place, and are putting their lives at risk.

To help encourage this process, TCHG are now running a quarterly prize draw for tenants who have had the annual service carried out at the first appointment.

Congratulations to Mrs Yohe of Kidderminster, who is the lucky winner of the first prize draw, receiving a cheque for £250.

Head of CHG Property Services (part of The Community Housing Group), Mark Dainter said: “Hopefully, this new incentive will urge all tenants to think about their safety, and that of their families and neighbours, and will encourage them to have the gas safety check carried out. However, those tenants who continue to refuse access leave themselves at risk should the appliances fail to operate correctly and we have now introduced new measures to try and combat this”.

TCHG have traditionally instigated legal proceedings to tackle repeated denied access, but following consultation and consent from tenant groups, a new range of action has been agreed. These include, fitting gas service interrupters which fit to the boiler controls to remind the tenant that a safety check is due, ‘capping off’ gas supplies to prevent use until the safety check is completed, and forcing access if necessary.

Where these actions have been taken, affected tenants will be able to contact TCHG to arrange for an engineer to call, carry out the safety check and reconnect the supply.

Wyre Forest residents should follow these simple checks to stay gas safe:

• Check your gas appliances every year. Gas appliances should be safety checked once a year and serviced regularly by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Tenants – make sure your landlord arranges this.

• Check your engineer is Gas Safe registered. You can find and check an engineer at www.GasSafeRegister.co.uk or call 0800 408 5500.

• Check your engineer’s Gas Safe Register ID card. Make sure they are qualified for the work you need doing. You can find this information on the back of the card.

• Check for warning signs your appliances aren’t working correctly, such as lazy yellow or orange flames instead of crisp blue ones, black marks on or around the appliance and too much condensation in the room.

• Check you know the six signs of carbon monoxide poisoning – headaches, dizziness, breathlessness, nausea, collapse and loss of consciousness.

• Check you have an audible carbon monoxide alarm. This will alert you if there is carbon monoxide in your home.

For more information or to find Gas Safe registered engineer visit www.GasSafeRegister.co.uk or call 0800 408 5500.