At some point between 1st and 14th August 2009 Philip Payne carried out a commercial catering gas installation in the kitchen at The Swinley pub in Ascot.
Although registered with Gas Safe Register for work on domestic boilers, Reading Magistrates’ Court was told, Mr Payne was not registered to work on commercial catering installations, which require a different set of competencies.
Mr Payne, who trades as Wentworth Plumbing and Heating, failed to do the work in line with appropriate standards, leaving it at risk.
The court heard the faulty work was discovered by an engineer carrying out repairs to the cooking range under warranty.
The engineer filed a RIDDOR report and Gas Safe Register and the HSE investigated.
HSE inspector Ray Kelly commented:
“Mr Payne was competent and registered to carry out work on domestic boilers, but not on gas-fired commercial catering equipment, which has very different requirements.
“There are rules, regulations and standards to be aware of which don’t apply to domestic settings,” he explained.
“An engineer who is Gas Safe Registered for commercial catering work would have the necessary training to carry out this installation correctly.
“While the installation was not immediately dangerous,” he conceded, “the failures meant that it could become unsafe if faults developed.”
After pleading guilty to breaching Regulations 3(3) and 5(3) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, Philip Payne, of Brook Avenue, Ruby Brook, Ascot, was fined £1,300 in total and ordered to pay £1,000 in costs.
