Inverness catering businesses urged to improve safety of gas appliances.
Findings of a recent health and safety initiative by Highland Council’s Environmental Health Officers have shown that 86% of Inverness takeaway catering business premises inspected had no evidence of gas safety maintenance records.
Mr John Lee, Area Environmental Health Manager revealed the findings to be very disappointing and said of the 86% of the premises inspected that had no evidence of maintenance, this included no work records or paperwork from a registered Gas Safe business competent to carry out catering work.
The initiative by the Council’s Environmental Health Officers was aimed at improving gas safety and increasing awareness of the importance of maintaining gas equipment within takeaway catering premises.
The initiative was triggered by Council Officers after they became increasingly concerned during routine inspections of takeaway catering establishments about the general lack of maintenance records available for gas appliances.
In terms of health and safety legislation, all employers and self employed persons have a legal duty to ensure that any gas appliance, installation pipework or flue installed at any place of work is maintained in a safe condition so as to prevent risk of injury to any persons.
In an effort to determine the extent of the problem, the Council visited 30 takeaway catering premises in the Inverness Area over recent weeks to specifically assess their maintenance arrangements for gas appliances.
While satisfied with the response from those premises visited in addressing the issue, John Lee remained very concerned that the survey results could be indicative of a wider problem across the catering industry.
Mr Lee added that a lack of programmed maintenance in any catering business, where gas appliances are frequently used, posed a serious risk of injury to employees and members of the public. On the back of these results, Mr Lee urged all businesses to review their maintenance arrangements for gas appliances and ensure they are inspected at least annually by a suitably competent Gas Safe Registered engineer.
Phill Brewster, Gas Safe National Investigations Manager advises businesses that one way of achieving effective maintenance of their gas catering equipment is to ensure they receive paperwork that confirms that the installation and appliances have been inspected by an appropriately qualified registered Gas Safe business as per the appliance manufacturer’s instruction manual.
In view of the concerns highlighted by the survey, Highland Council’s Environmental Health Service now intends to extend the initiative across the Highland Council Area throughout 2012 in an effort to improve awareness and maintenance standards within catering premises.
Should catering businesses require any further information regarding their health and safety responsibilities with respect to gas safety, please contact The Highland Council, TEC Services, Environmental Health Service on tel: 01463 703968 or e-mail: envhealth@highland.gov.uk.
Businesses should always verify that an engineer is suitably competent to work on commercial catering equipment by using the Gas Safe website, namely www.gassaferegister.co.uk.