Keeping safe around electricity must be a priority for every installer, says Steve Dunning, Managing Director of Martindale Electric.
There is a tendency to dismiss electrical safety as the remit of the electrician – but the reality is that many gas engineers come into contact with electricity whilst carrying out a variety of tasks. Sadly, avoidable accidents and even deaths still occur due to electrocution.
It was agreed in July 2020 that gas engineers will need to be able to show that they have the knowledge and competence to isolate the electrical supply to a gas appliance safely. By July 2025, the five-year ACS cycle will be completed, which means that all gas engineers should have knowledge of safe electrical isolation.
The Gas Safe Register’s Technical Bulletin 118 has addressed test procedures to keep service engineers safe from electrical hazards providing information and guidance which relates to safe-to-touch and safe isolation procedures on single-phase supplies when carrying out gas work.
Safety kits
This is recognised as a safety requirement for most service teams working on the installation and maintenance of mains appliances. Martindale has two comprehensive electrical safety kits designed specifically for gas engineers.
The TB118KITA comprises of a specific set of lock off tools plus the all-important voltage indicator and matched proving unit. The second kit, the new TB118KITB is an update to the popular TB118KIT1, now upgraded with the EZ664 socket tester, offering additional functionality to help gas engineers execute tests on mains sockets plus the ability to check earth impedance to ensure a valid earth is present.
The Gas Safe Register’s TB118 provides essential guidance on safe electrical isolation procedures during gas work. For gas engineers, adhering to these guidelines is not just recommended, it’s a regulatory necessity. The TB118KITB offers a complete solution to achieve compliance with TB118, allowing gas engineers to verify that installations are safe and meet the requirements set by the Electricity at Work Regulations. The kit includes tools for safely locking off electrical circuits and proving dead by correct use of a voltage indicator with proving unit. In addition, the EZ664 socket tester included with the kit gives an earth verification capability ensuring that engineers have additional testing capability above the requirements of TB118.
One of the features of the new TB118KITB is the inclusion of the newly developed EZ664 socket tester this differentiates the kit from the TB118KITA. The EZ664 allows users to connect to standard 13-amp plugs or use flying leads for testing fused spurs, light fittings and terminals. The EZ664 has the ability to measure earth loop impedance without tripping a 30mA or higher residual current device (RCD) in the circuit, making it a versatile tool for both domestic and commercial installations. The tester provides an easy-to-read display using three LEDs that indicate the measured earth loop impedance across six discrete ranges, offering users a simple indication to help ensure that circuits are properly grounded.
