Gas fitter jailed for accidental death

[Rockingit]

I realise that the plumbers forum will be full of this, and justifiably so, but from a skilled trade to another, this is a hard and cold lesson for us all:
if it's not done properly, it can kill.

BBC News - Gas fitter Andrew Hartley jailed over Zoe Anderson's death

 

[Guest111]

and for leaking joints a smatch or smoke pellet should find it....

yep that was the way my old chap did it,ran a lighter along the pipe,as it has to be between 5 and 15 % to explode,me I have a gas leak detector(electronic) and smoke pellets for flues,plus a manometer for initial checks.

 

[trev]

I have no sympathy for this guy, he didn't do his job properly and someone died. It's only right and proper that he goes to jail, pity it's not longer in my opinion.
I'm looking forward to the day when we don't see cowboy sparks on TV but in the dock for sentencing.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

yep that was the way my old chap did it,ran a lighter along the pipe,as it has to be between 5 and 15 % to explode,me I have a gas leak detector(electronic) and smoke pellets for flues,plus a manometer for initial checks.

well a drop test is standard phil......

 

[Guest111]

well a drop test is standard phil......

thats what I told that plumber who didnt do one.

 

[DaveyD]

Its a sad case indeed for all families.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

there was something not long ago where these clowns had connected a 13A outlet wrong polarity....as it turned out a man died because of this....they claimed in court of course that a Zs had been conducted at this outlet.....complete Buls**t as one of the outcomes of loop is polarity confirmation....and anyway.....what happened to doing an R1 Rn...R1 R2 first?...

 

[trev]

Did anyone get locked up for that one Glenn? I remember reading about the guys death but not if anyone paid for it in a court

 

[GLENNSPARK]

Did anyone get locked up for that one Glenn? I remember reading about the guys death but not if anyone paid for it in a court

not sure....if not then you could say that was a scandelous decision by a too lenient judge....i really dont know Trev...

 

[Rockingit]

Did anyone get locked up for that one Glenn? I remember reading about the guys death but not if anyone paid for it in a court

I *think* it had to be left as an open verdict as no-one could either prove or disprove the individual/s responsible, but the company ended up folding due to the case and the fine.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

I *think* it had to be left as an open verdict as no-one could either prove or disprove the individual/s responsible, but the company ended up folding due to the case and the fine.

hmm....windows n doors again.....

 

[Geordie Spark]

If you read through all of the news reports, one of the mid-trial ones has him saying that he hadn't fitted a set of screws - one would presume for a collar of sorts - and couldn't say why not as he would have done normally.

The report I read said it was a Worcester combi boiler.

I've fitted quite a few of these & know that the flue exits the top of the boiler & you have the option of continuing it upwards through the roof or fitting a 90 degree elbow to divert the flue horizontally through an outside wall.

The flue is push-fit into the elbow & sealed with a rubber seal located inside the elbow.

Then, you use 2 small self-tap screws through the walls of both elbow & flue to stop it pulling back out. I'm thinking these were the screws that were missing.

 

[Rockingit]

So, in a nutshell, the screws are there for 'belts and braces' more than a structural device? In which case, it really DOES make you wonder, doesn't it?

@DAN / MODS - if there is a similar thread to this on the plumbing forum which contains some kind of copy of an official report, can you post/copy it on to this one?? I'm sure there's many of us would be interested to read without having to create logins.

 

[applemac]

very sad loss of life, this is my town and five mins away....rip....

 

[Geordie Spark]

So, in a nutshell, the screws are there for 'belts and braces' more than a structural device? In which case, it really DOES make you wonder, doesn't it?

@DAN / MODS - if there is a similar thread to this on the plumbing forum which contains some kind of copy of an official report, can you post/copy it on to this one?? I'm sure there's many of us would be interested to read without having to create logins.

Yes ... but according to the manufacturers instructions they MUST be fitted.

If the flue is cemented into the hole through the wall, then I don't see how it could pull-out of the flue elbow, but the "other" way to fit it is to shove it through a core drilled hole & pop a rubber collar around it on the outside face of the wall. This will stop fumes & rain from leaking back into the room, but will not prevent the flue from being pulled out of the flue elbow.

The screws are quite small and easy to lose and I confess I've lost a few - but I've always found some in my kit to use as replacements.

Baxi boilers use a band clamp which is harder to lose, easier to fit (no need to drill little holes for the screws) and to my mind is a better job.