A company and its subcontractor has been fined for carrying out dangerous gas work in a family's home.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) successfully prosecuted J S Loft Conversions Ltd and its subcontractor Paul Joynes at Stroud Magistrates court on Wednesday, May 26.

The company and Paul Joynes were hired to install a loft conversion in a Stroud home in March 2009 but the poor quality of their work put the family living in the house in danger.

The court heard how Joynes removed a chimney serving a gas fire because it obstructed the new living area and replaced the chimney with a flexible gas flue pipe.

Following installation of this gas flue, the family decided to ask a registered Gas Safe engineer to check the work prior to use because they had concerns about the safety of the new flue pipe.

Upon inspection in December 2009, the Gas Safe engineer described the installation as 'immediately dangerous' and reported it to HSE.

HSE inspector, Dominic Goacher, said: 'This family was at serious risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, because the alterations made to their home were simply not safe. They expected a professional job to be carried out and instead were left with a new gas flue pipe which might have proved fatal. This is totally unacceptable'.

JS Loft Conversions Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 8(1) and 8 (3) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. It was fined £2,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1,103.10.

Paul Joynes pleaded guilty to breaching 8 (1) and 8 (2) of the same Regulations. He was fined £750 and ordered to pay costs of £250.

'Gas appliances which are badly fitted and poorly serviced pose a serious danger. HSE strongly advises everyone to get their gas appliances checked regularly by a
Gas Safe registered engineer. '