Heating and Ventilating

A gas fitter from Poole has been prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for a series of gas safety breaches which put residents at risk.
Colin Yeatman, trading as COB Plumbing Ltd, fitted a gas boiler, cooker and hot water system at a new property in Poole in 2012 and installed a new boiler at a house in Broadstone in 2010. However, it was found that he was unqualified to carry out work on gas appliances, left gas installations in a dangerous condition and falsely claimed to be a registered gas engineer.

On 2 April Bournemouth Magistrates heard that Mr Yeatman's substandard work in Poole created a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning and of potential fire and explosion within the property.

The court was told that his work on the Poole property was investigated by a council building inspector. Although Mr Yeatman's company, COB Plumbing, was identified as the installer, another registered gas engineer's name had been put on the official documentation and that company was registered with Gas safe.

An Investigations Officer from Gas Safe Register discovered seven defects with Mr Yeatman's work, two of which were declared 'At Risk' of causing death or injury.

HSE was informed and found that neither Mr Yeatman nor COB Plumbing were on the Gas Safe Register, meaning they could not legally carry out gas work.

In 2013, the householder in Broadstone discovered the boiler fitted by Mr Yeatman was leaking. A registered gas engineer checked the work and found several defects.

Mr Yeatman pleaded guilty to five breaches of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 and was fined a total of £1,000 and ordered to pay costs of £500.

COB Plumbing Ltd, of High Street, Poole, pleaded guilty to four breaches of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 and was fined a total of £10,000 and ordered to pay £8,056 in costs.