What happens if my core gas training qualification expires - can I still work?

What happens if my core gas training qualification expires – can I still work?

Working with gas carries significant risks for technicians and homeowners. As a result, a number of laws exist to protect the public and promote safety within the industry. Often here at Gas Training and Assessment we’re asked ‘What happens if my core gas training qualification expires – can I still work?’

To legally undertake domestic gas work in the UK, an engineer must renew their Gas Core Safety (CCN1) qualification every five years. If they have previously trained and qualified to work on specific heating or gas appliances, they must also retake these certificates of competence.’

With re-taking these professional qualifications, it is illegal to undertake any gas work and you could leave yourself open to prosecution from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

Gas Safe

Every gas engineer working in the UK must also register with the Gas Safety Register . The Gas Safe Register is the official body responsible for regulating the gas industry in the UK, Isle of Man and Guernsey.

The organisation replaced CORGI as the gas registration body in April 2009 and is focusing on driving safety improvements in the industry and ensuring that engineers adopt the highest standards of work. Currently, more than 120,000 engineers are registered to work legally in the sector however many more are working illegally.

Those who continue to work with gas without formal qualifications and registration are putting the lives of homeowners at significant risk. Gas Safe Register operates a team of investigators whose work is to track down such bogus gas workers and prosecute them.

When an engineer’s core gas safety or appliance qualifications expire at the end of a five-year period, registration with the Gas Safe Register also expires. This is easily rectified by reapplying for the assessments in good time before the expiry date.

Even if you intend to stay registered with the Gas Safety Register but have not yet managed to re-sit your assessments, your registration must still cease. A rule to registration is that you must hold certificates of competence for the areas of gas you work in.

Courses

There are a number of courses available for engineers whose licences are about to expire or have expired within the last 12 months.

These courses will be slightly different to the core gas safety first time around because of the assumed knowledge and on-the-job experience. They are aimed at delivering refresher training before the assessment.

Typically, re-fresher courses consist of one day training and two days re-assessment. Upon successful completion of the course, gas engineers will be able to legally work unsupervised on core gas work.

We hope you found our article on ‘What happens if my core gas training qualification expires – can I still work?’ useful.