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The minimum overall programme FIGURE 1
duration is six months consistent
learning and the maximum time spent SITUATION RECOMMENDATION
to complete the programme is expected
to be two years. After an initial investigation by
On satisfactory completion of an engineer with appropriate Leave gas disconnected and
the programme, a certificate will 1 appliance competencies has failed installation classified as ID.
to identify the cause of the CO alarm
Escalate to an engineer with further
be issued detailing the name of the activation/source of fumes or smell. specialist investigation competence
training provider and the scope of the Investigations must consider other e.g., CMDDA1.
programme. This certificate will be sources of CO: see 2 below.
required as proof of training prior to
attending initial ACS assessment. Where CO from neighbouring
Among the changes in this latest If other potential sources of CO properties is suspected, contact
edition of the specification, new have not been inspected/checked: the ESP or gas supplier
entrants to the industry are required to 2 Suspected gas appliances in (in the case of LPG)
For other fuel sources solid fuel, oil
neighbouring properties,
understand CO poisoning and detection Suspected other sources - solid appliances, etc., contact the relevant
including the sources and migration of fuel, oil appliances, etc. competent person (see table
CO and the symptoms of CO poisoning. scenario 1.4 of IGEM/G/11.
Also, candidates taking the central
heating option are also required to learn To rule out ambient CO in the
about central heating system design property atmosphere where gas Escalate to an engineer with further
and controls. This is an important 3 appliances are satisfactory, but specialist investigation competence
step in ensuring that engineers have no cause of alarm activation or e.g., CMDDA1.
the correct skills and competencies to symptoms has been identified.
enable them to provide energy efficient The gas user/responsible person If not on-site report to the ESP or
systems for their customers. reports a previous occurrence of gas supplier (in the case of LPG)
All other subjects in the specification CO alarm activation, reports of If on-site disconnect the gas supply
have been updated and modernised to 4 fumes or smells within the property and escalate to an engineer with
improve safety and knowledge which (within a three-month timeframe) further specialist investigation
will lead to gas engineers entering the with no identified obvious cause. competence e.g., CMDDA1.
industry with more competence and their
customer receiving a better experience.
fumes. The short answer is “Yes, they The document provides escalation
can”. After all, confirming appliances routes for the engineer for situations
IGEM/G/11 SUPPLEMENT 1 RESPONDING TO are safe to use is what competent where an obvious cause cannot be
DOMESTIC CO ALARM ACTIVATIONS engineers do every day. found or it is a repeat visit requiring
By Martin Garbutt, Head of Gas Policy and The gas industry recognised further investigation. The key process
Investigation at HomeServe Membership this problem and work began on a is detailed within a flowchart contained
Ltd and G/11 panel member new IGEM document: IGEM/G/11 within IGEM/G/11 Supplement 1.
With the increased sales of carbon Supplement 1 Responding to domestic IGEM/ G/11 Supplement 1 sits under
monoxide detectors within the UK, it is CO alarm activations/reports of fumes the overall document of IGEM/G/11 Gas
quite likely that a Gas Safe-registered after attendance by the emergency service industry unsafe situation procedure.
engineer may be called to a property provider or the liquefied petroleum gas It is important to remember that
where a CO detector has activated or supplier. any situation that has occurred which
there has been a report of fumes from a IGEM/G/11 Supplement 1 is aimed meets the criteria of RIDDOR 11(1) e.g.,
gas appliance within that property. at both domestic and non-domestic death, unconsciousness or a person
This raises the question from installers and provides clear guidance as being taken to hospital, no work shall be
engineers of: “What should I do if I to what a gas engineer should do or not undertaken apart from turning off the gas
receive such a call? Can I attend?” do when attending a property recently supply to the property until the Health &
Unfortunately, there has never visited by the ESP or gas supplier Safety Executive (HSE) has been informed
been any clear guidance as to what following the activation of a CO detector. and granted permission to proceed.
engineers could/should do in these Perhaps most importantly, Proceeding without permission may
circumstances. Without clear guidance, the document indicates where compromise a legal investigation and
it is quite possible that nuisance further specialist competencies may be may be a breach of the law.
CO detector activation could be required e.g., CMDDA1. As mentioned above, gas engineers
misdiagnosed as a faulty CO detector – This approach builds on an article may not always be able to pinpoint the
as opposed to truly identifying the root which appeared in Registered Gas cause of the CO detector activation. In
cause of the CO detector activation. Engineer dated circa 2016, which provided these situations, the document provides
There is confusion around whether a reference point where additional a defined route of escalation. An extract
an engineer without an additional competencies are required. of some of the escalation scenarios
competency, such as CMDDA1 Domestic It is important to note that contained within the document is
carbon monoxide/carbon dioxide the document is written for an shown in Figure 1.
atmosphere and appliance testing; engineer attending after the emergency
appliances burning 1st, 2nd and service provider or the LPG supplier, For more information on IGEM
3rd family gases, can attend a report who has made the appliance safe and standards and how to access them,
of a CO alarm activation/report of deemed the property’s atmosphere safe. visit www.igem.org.uk/technical-services

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