Gas engineers fined following illegal gas work in Greater Belfast area

The Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland (HSENI) has successfully led a prosecution against two separate gas engineers, David Horner trading as EDH Plumbing, Belfast, and Ian Campbell trading as Ian Campbell Gas Services, Bangor, Co. Down.

Both individuals were sentenced today (12 April 2022) at Belfast Magistrates Court, Laganside. David Horner and Ian Campbell were fined £2500 and £1500 respectively for multiple offences under gas safety legislation. David Horner was also fined for failing to comply with an earlier prohibition notice.

The HSENI investigation followed notification that David Horner had been conducting gas work despite being suspended as a gas engineer from the Gas Safe Register. It was found that between February 2017 and October 2017, David Horner completed multiple gas safety checks and a gas boiler installation at various residential properties within the Greater Belfast area.

The investigation also found that David Horner conducted gas work despite having been prohibited from carrying out such work following the service of a prohibition notice in June 2017 by an HSENI Inspector.

A total of 34 gas safe checks were sub-contracted to him by Ian Campbell, who had initially failed to check and ensure that David Horner was a registered Gas Safe engineer before any gas work commenced.

Speaking after the hearing, Gavin Rowan, an Inspector with HSENI’s Major Investigation Team, said: “Conducting gas work without being registered to do so is not only a failure to comply with gas safety regulations, it unnecessarily places home owners, tenants and others at significant risk from gas installations that may not have been properly maintained or inspected.

“All gas engineers have a legal responsibility to ensure that they are registered with Gas Safe Register as competent to do the work. Home owners and occupants can check if a gas engineer is currently Gas Safe Registered by visiting www.gassaferegister.co.uk

Further information on the legal requirements of gas work can be found at 

• Gas article page

Notes to editors: 

1. Breaches and fines for David Horner trading as EDH Plumbing are as follows:
a) Article 5(2) of the Health and Safety at Work (Northern Ireland) Order 1978: fine £500
b) Regulation 3(7) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004: fine £500
c) Regulation 3(3) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004: fine £500
d) Article 31(1)(g) of the Health and Safety at Work (Northern Ireland) Order 1978:  fine £500
e) Regulation 27(5) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004: fine £500

2. Breaches and fines for Ian Campbell trading as Ian Campbell Gas Services are as follows:
a) Article 5(2) of the Health and Safety at Work (Northern Ireland) Order 1978: fine £750
b) Regulation 4 of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004: fine £750

3. For media enquiries please contact HSENI Press Office on 028 9024 3249 or email media@hseni.gov.uk. For out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer on 028 9037 8110.

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