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CORGI to Gas Safe
When most people think of safety in gas appliances they think of CORGI registered heating engineers but on 1 April 2009 the CORGI Gas Registration scheme was replaced by the Gas Safe Register™ and has now become the new Gas Safety authority in Great Britain and the Isle of Man. The register exists to protect you, your family, and your property from dangerous gas work.
What is the ‘Gas Safe Register™’
The aims to make Britain a gas safe environment by preventing Only ‘Gas Safe Register’ registered trades people Can carrying out any work on gas installations or appliances. Traditional CORGI registration is no longer valid. By law, anyone carrying out work on gas installations and appliances in your home must now be on the Gas Safe Register.
The 120,000 engineers who were CORGI registered must now be with Gas Safe Register or they will not be able to continue working legally. At Always Plumbing based in St Albans, Hertfordshire we are Gas Safe Registered and all our engineers will produce on request proof of this.
Why the change?
The main priority of Gas Safe Register is to make Britain gas safe and to raise awareness of gas related issues. An average of 35 people a year are killed or injured in gas explosions (Source: HSE Gas Safety Statistics). This is due to badly repaired gas appliances or incorrectly and badly installed gas appliances which are a major cause of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, and can lead to gas leaks and even explosions. On average, 18 people in Britain die due to CO poisoning each year, while others suffer acute or chronic health problems.
How do I know Always plumbers and heating engineeers are Gas Safe Registered?
Always Plumbers always carry their Gas Safe Register ID Card with them and will be able to produce it upon request. The ID Cards have a Gas Safe Register yellow logo, a photo of the holder and unique license number.
For more information, visit the Gas Safe website, or call 0800 408 5500.
The History of CORGI
The catalyst that started the formation of CORGI (then standing for Confederation for the Registration of Gas Installers”) was a disaster in London in 1968 when a 22 storey apartment block in Canning Town, London called Ronan Point was destroyed by a huge gas blast that claimed five lives and injured many more. The cause was unsafe gas work in one of the flats. To protect the public CORGI registration was started in 1970 its remit was the task of ensuring that gas work was carried out safely.
Gas installers registered with CORGI under a voluntary scheme to start with, by joining CORGI it helped to support engineers with information on standards, legislation and show their customers they were associated with the growing CORGI brand.
In 1991 the law changed and instead of a voluntary code to be a registered CORGI engineer. The HSE introduced the requirement that anyone working on gas must be “a member of a class of persons”. This class of persons is defined as registration with a new mandatory gas safety scheme, CORGI became the “Council for Registered Gas Installers” at this time. CORGI has been was introduced to run gas schemes in, the Isle of Man, Guernsey and Jersey. And Northern Ireland
CORGI introduced another business during the 1990’s CORGI Services, dedicated to supporting its members and the industry. It Offered technical publications, tools, insurance, vehicle leasing, monthly magazines and events and exhibitions, Due to the popularity of the brand to the public CORGI Services grew to be recognised as a leading supplier to the heating industry.
A new registration scheme was introduced in 2005 for competent trades people wishing to comply with Building Regulations. CORGI’s electrical, plumbing and ventilation schemes allowed members of CORGI to self certify work and introduce themselves to their customers as CORGI members.
The Customer First, created for existing CORGI members wishing to define their commitment to giving excellent service to their customers was introduced in 2007.
From 1st April 2009 mandatory gas scheme started operating under "Gas Safe Register" brand. However, CORGI remained to operate mandatory gas scheme in Channel Islands and Northern Ireland. In the same year CORGI introduced a new voluntary membership for registered gas installers in England, Scotland and Wales. The new quality scheme was not only gas competent (members of Gas Safe Register) but also, committed to providing excellent customer service, which is what Always plumbing provide to all their customers.
CORGI was successful as a brand with 92% awareness. The CORGI brand means something and the work Always Plumbing over the years with its trust, expertise and quality are the values the general public attach to the brand of CORGI and its members, due to this most members of the public when thinking heating engineer and safety think CORGI, now think , ‘Gas Safe’ At Always plumbing we put your safety above any other consideration Gas is dangerous so use the best, use Always Plumbing of St Albans Hertfordshire.
For more information, visit the Gas Safe website, or call 0800 408 5500.
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