Investigation Revealed Concerns Over Boiler Work

A plumber in Essex has been given a suspended prison sentence and ordered to undertake community service after he was found guilty of gas safety failings related to the installation of a dangerous boiler.

Lee Lawrence, trading as Amber Plumbing Solutions, was charged with three breaches of gas safety regulations after a joint investigation by Gas Safe and the Health and Safety Executive into work undertaken in March 2011.

In a hearing at Colchester Magistrates’ Court, it was revealed that a Gas Safe regional investigations officer found seven defects related to work which saw Mr Lawrence install a gas cooker and move a boiler upstairs into a bedroom intended for use by a child.

The problems came to light when the boiler failed to work properly and the householders contacted an engineer, who subsequently condemned the system as unsafe.

Sally Rissbrook, an expert at Irwin Mitchell who specialises in cases where people have suffered serious illness and injury following gas safety failings, said it was vital lessons are learned from the case.

She outlined: “Ensuring work related to gas is carried out by qualified and registered engineers is absolutely vital, as this terrible case highlights.

“While no one was hurt in this specific case, we have seen many in the past when safety failings related to gas have had devastating consequences. Gas safety is a hugely importance issue and it is vital that everything possible is done to tackle this issue and improve standards, with a view to preventing problems of this kind from emerging again.”