A bogus gas engineer has been fined after carrying out a series of non-compliant jobs which led to high levels of deadly carbon monoxide gas escaping.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted Chris Bradshaw of Tywyn at Pwllheli Magistrates Court, leading to a total fine of £38,000 and costs of £15,711.
Bradshaw pleaded guilty to a breach of Section 22 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 by working in non-compliance with a prohibition notice and was fined £10,000 on that charge.
He also pleaded guilty to 14 breaches of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1988, and was fined £2,000 for each charge.
A complaint was made to HSE about work Bradshaw had carried out at a domestic property in Tywyn, trading as Chris Bradshaw Heating and Plumbing. Work carried out at two further properties was then also investigated.
The court heard that in April 2007, Bradshaw had installed a combination boiler and gas hob which were not properly converted from natural gas to LPG propane and when in use produced very high levels of dangerous carbon monoxide (CO).
Both installations had numerous risks and were not to current safety standards. Bradshaw was only registered with the former trade regulator CORGI to work on natural gas, not LPG Propane.
In November 2007, Bradshaw also installed a new natural gas fire and boiler which had numerous faults. He was suspended from the CORGI register following a gas leak from the supply pipe to the fire.
In November 2008, Bradshaw then replaced internal and external LPG propane gas pipe work at another property and reconnected the pipe work to an existing gas fire. The fire had dangerous faults and the LPG supply and there were numerous risks with the pipework which was not to current standards. Bradshaw was removed from the CORGI register and subject to a prohibition notice at the time of this work.
HSE Inspector Gary Martin said: "Bradshaw has shown a blatant disregard for the law, codes of practice and standards regulating the domestic gas safety market. Fitters who try to work beyond their assessed competence are not only breaking the law but could also cost lives.
"His work has given rise to a number of immediately dangerous situations and his incompetent work has had the potential to endanger householders, including children, from the risk of fire or explosion or carbon monoxide poisoning."
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