British Gas joins CORGI Competent Persons Scheme for self-certification of installation of unvented hot water cylinders

(23/06/2006)

British Gas has signed up with CORGI to enable 4,500 of their 9,000 operatives who hold a G3 qualification to self-certify the installation of unvented hot water cylinders.

Through their existing links with CORGI, via membership to the Gas Registration Scheme, British Gas approached CORGI’s large business team in March, prior to the change in Building Regulations that became law in April.

The scope of Corgi’s Plumbing Competent Persons Scheme covers unvented hot water storage and the installation of plumbing appliances as follows:

- The new installation of a w.c. macerator, urinal, bidet, washbasin, bath and / or shower tray in new and existing dwellings. Where plumbing appliances are replaced and services are upgraded, for example, upgrading to meet Water Regulations, these will be deemed notifiable under the CORGI scheme.

- The installation and replacement of un-vented hot water storage system (exceeding 15 litres capacity) in new and existing dwellings.

Natalie Minter, part of the Competent Persons Scheme development team, commented: “We are used to working with the prescriptive requirements of bigger businesses. However, the greatest challenge is making sure that our Competent Persons Schemes guarantee a consistent level of competence across a large workforce and will work in theory as well as practically in the field. This is really important as the CORGI brand has a fantastic reputation among consumers for high standards of work and service.

“Following the guidelines laid down by Government, we have used our expertise in scheme management and registration to develop a process that enables our competent persons schemes to accommodate businesses with large numbers of operatives,” continued Minter. “The number of operatives and the way in which they are managed is key and we invest a lot of time ensuring that the scheme meets the client’s brief and visa versa,” Minter concluded.

“Because there wasn’t a Self certification scheme for unvented cylinders, British Gas pulled out of the installation of these products some years ago as it was too difficult and expensive to notify through Building Control. We have been strongly recommending to Government for some time, the need to extend self certification beyond gas and electrical work so that we could re-enter the unvented market and offer a product and service that would meet our customers needs,” commented Mark Bugler.

“As well as our multi skilled Gas Technical and Installation Engineer operatives, we have a number of plumbers who undertake specific plumbing work which can involve only the installation of unvented hot water cylinders, so CORGI has enabled us to join their plumbing scheme with a limited scope to cover this one element and it has worked out to be very cost effective for us,” continued Bugler.

“Membership to CORGI’s Competent Persons Scheme will provide our expert operatives with an additional badge of consumer approval and trust. With this in mind, we also have plans to make membership to CORGI’s plumbing scheme available to our plumbing and draining franchises, Dynorod and Dynoplumbing,” said Bugler.

Related categories:  Baths   Equipment   Hot water generation and supply   Legislation and regulations   Macerators   Residential applications   Sanitaryware   Shower pumps   Toilets   Wash basins 

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