Regional gas safety campaign helps save lives

Since October 2012, Gas Safe Register has checked the safety of gas appliances in 1,616 homes across the region.

Nearly one in five gas appliances (17 per cent) were unsafe and could have resulted in gas explosions, fires, leaks or carbon monoxide poisoning, if left unchecked. 

A total of 94 illegal gas jobs have also been investigated since October 2012. More than one in 10 (11 per cent) victims’ homes were left in a seriously dangerous condition and the Register’s team had to shut off the gas immediately.

In the period between 2006-2011 the Health and Safety Executive reported 106 injuries in the North-west from gas explosions, fires, leaks and carbon monoxide poisoning.

Gas Safe Register’s own data showed that in a 12-month period from June 2011 to July 2012, 640 (8 per cent) of North-west homes out of 8,004 checked were unsafe. These inspections also revealed danger hot spots across the region.

Gas Safe Register chief executive Russell Kramer said: “Gas safety is a life or death matter. This is therefore a really important campaign, as residents across the North-west can find out how unsafe their area is and take action to protect themselves.

“By signing up to have an annual safety check and following a few simple tips, people can avoid explosions, fires, gas escapes and carbon monoxide poisoning, which has already affected far too many people across the North-west in recent years.”