A Seaton gas fitter has been found guilty of leaving a gas boiler in an unsafe condition.
The gas fitter left a boiler he had serviced in a potentially unsafe condition and was charged with three offences. Exeter magistrates court heard how Mike Burridge Gas Services Ltd, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing in November 2010 in relation to a similar offence involving a gas fire.
The three breaches of the Gas Safety regulations related to work on a fitting without immediately examining the supply of combustion air afterwards, failing to examine the effectiveness of the flue after servicing the boiler, and also failing to check the safe operation of the boiler after performing work on it. All three offences followed an annual service of gas appliances at a domestic property in Axminster.
HSE inspector, Simon Jones, said: 'This prosecution should send an important message to gas fitters that they must undertake work safely to ensure the safety of members of the public. It is important that registered gas fitters undertake work to the highest safety standard.'
Mike Burridge Gas Services Ltd of Beer Road, Seaton pleaded guilty to breaching regulation 26 (9) (b) of the Gas Safety regulations 1998 and was fined £5,000. The company was found guilty of breaching regulation 26 (9) (a) and 26 (9) (d) of the same regulations and was fined a further £5,000 on each charge. The company was fined a total of £15,000 and ordered to pay £15,000 prosecution costs.
