How many men does it take to move a gas meter?

[Hilary B]

Yet again Elf'n'Safety gets tackled badly and ends up as a farce, in this case a VERY expensive one. I think some of these rules are designed to put the small business out of business!

[Mikey]

They are not designed to put the small business out of work, they are designed to ensure that poor installation practise is outlawed.

Don't get me wrong I don't agree with the amount of different trades there are, but you can understand why they don't train every man up to do all jobs. He'd naff off on his own!!!

My neighbour works for BT, and had his boss with him yesterday assessing his work. He travelled in a vehicle behind my neighbours!!!, so thats why our bills keep going up.

[Hilary B]

They are not designed to put the small business out of work, they are designed to ensure that poor installation practise is outlawed.

Don't get me wrong I don't agree with the amount of different trades there are, but you can understand why they don't train every man up to do all jobs. He'd naff off on his own!!!

My neighbour works for BT, and had his boss with him yesterday assessing his work. He travelled in a vehicle behind my neighbours!!!, so thats why our bills keep going up.

The INTENTION was obviously to eliminate poor practice, but the WAY it has been done looks more like putting small businesses out of business. To some extent it is what comes of having a non-legislative organisation controlling standards. The same problem occurs in other types of industry managed in the same way. If it's going to be law that you comply, then it should be government run, and the costs to the professional kept down!

[Potstubsdustbins]

The original intention was laudable as Mikey points out it was to rid the industry of bad practice. It started with the death of 2 students in Nottm of CO poisoning and to be fair it has made a great difference to what happens now.

I started on East Midlands Gas in 1961 at the age of 15, I signed my indentures in Sept of that year on my 16th birthday with the intention of becoming a gas fitter, the person who worked in houses factories and every other type of building. During the next 5 years I worked everywhere the gas board had a presence so that we understood every and all aspects of our trade. City & Guilds final at 21 and then on to an ONC in gas utilisation.

When I was first told I would have to take assessments to carryon working in my profession to say I was miffed would be a great under statement.

However when I attended the college I soon learnt I was in the wrong it seemed any Tom Dick or Harry had been installing and maintaining gas appliances and I was appalled at their lack of even basic knowledge. I actually ended up assisting the instructors in trying to get the other students up to scratch even then there was a 35% failure rate.

However as time as gone on Hilary's point of view seems to also become of note, how many times do I have to go and sit the same basic exams when an update would do.

Colin

[Bigmallly]

I fully appreciate that qualified persons should move the meter, what I don't get is why those qualified persons dug the hole in the first place but could not re-fill it.............

[Potstubsdustbins]

I suspect the back filling as been sub contracted to another company which would not be unusual.

The original company maybe National Grid (or again it could be subbies) would have knowledge of the underground pipework and the equipment to trace it if necessary. Once they had finished they would be straight of to the next one leaving you guessing.

Two weeks ago I arrived at a rented property in Huthwaite near to Mansfield to carryout the annual gas safety inspection. A guy was already there fitting a new meter he had come down from Rotherham just to fit the meter on behalf of the gas supplier (thats the one you pay your bill to).

I ID myself and we got chatting as I say he came from Rotherham and travelled down as far as Nottm he was also on bonus. A basic of £400 per week and £10 for every meter fitted over 30.

So if we work it out you had at least 3 companies to do your work 1 to excavate and fit the new service pipe, 1 to fit the meter and 1 to backfill.

I sometimes can't make any sense of it myself how do all these companies make it pay I have no idea but then again in these times nothing is much of a surprise anymore.

Colin

[Hilary B]

I think the qualified people had to dig the hole because an unskilled person digging around a gas pipe might cause a leak. (that is an over-simplification, but explains a likely reason).

[Potstubsdustbins]

Spot on Hilary, the pressure in the mains pipework is much higher than the pressure in your home a gas escape without the equipment and know how to stop it could be disaster.

The system still leaves a lot to be desired. If we go back a few years it would all be co-ordinated by one man. a team from the mains and service dept would arrive and excavate, move the service, back fill and make good. On the same day a fitter would arrive fit the new meter, purge and test everything job done.

Colin