Inspection & Compliance of the NI Order Gas Order in relation to Mobile Wagons and fixed premisses

The request was successful.

Dear Ards and North Down Borough Council,

With the introduction of Natural gas and portable gas (LPG) used in commercial catering wagons at indoor and outdoor open air events which mainly take part over the summer months and with our councils tasked to ensure these establishments are compliant with the rules and regulations in place at the time such as the Northern Ireland Gas Order.

How many portable gas catering wagons have been inspected for gas compliance in the last year?
How many establishments (fixed) have been inspected for gas compliance in the last year?
What gas qualification do the council inspectors hold to ensure understanding and public safety is a priority within our borough?
How often are these portable catering wagons inspected for compliance and are they inspected prior to being used at a site/event on council property?
Can unqualified personel test and inspect appliances for compliance in mobile and fixed establishments?
Given the extreme dangers when using gas and the discharge of duties to our councils from hseni to ensure compliance how many mobile gas catering wagons have been refused entry to indoor or outdoor council events?
When a fixed commercial or mobile gas catering wagon is inspected by our councils for compliance what are the actual checks they do?
if an interlock is by passed or an extraction canopy is deemed too small what action do our council inspectors take?
Are our council suitably resourced and qualified to carry out the task of enforcement put on them by hseni in relation to the Northern Ireland Gas Order?

Yours faithfully,

Paul steward

FOI, Ards and North Down Borough Council

Our Ref: EIR43/18-19/018

Good afternoon Paul,

Thank you for your email and request for information.

You have requested from Ards and North Down Borough Council information in relation to inspections of catering wagons for gas compliance.

We confirm your request will be processed as a request under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 Accordingly, you will receive the information you have requested within 20 working days of the date of receipt of your request by the Council unless the Council does not hold the information or there is a reason to withhold all or part of the information requested. Council will write to you in any event.

For further information in relation to the Environmental Information Regulations we would refer you to the Information Commissioner's Office website, www.ico.org.uk

If you wish to discuss the above please do not hesitate to contact us.

Regards,

FOI Team

Ards and North Down Borough Council
Town Hall
The Castle
Bangor
BT20 4BT
Tel: 0300 013 3333 ext 40718

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FOI, Ards and North Down Borough Council

Good afternoon Paul,

 

We refer to the above and write further to your request for information
dated 2 August 2018.

 

Ards and North Down Borough Council has processed your request in
accordance with the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 and please
see Council's response below.

 

How many portable gas catering wagons have been inspected for gas
compliance in the last year?

 

7 Mobile Catering Vans were inspected between 1/4/17 and 31/3/18 for
compliance with the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work (NI)
Order 1978 and Subsidiary Regulations including the Gas Safety
Installation and use Regulations (NI) 2004.

 

How many establishments (fixed) have been inspected for gas compliance in
the last year?

 

272 premises were inspected between 1/4/17 and 31/3/18 for compliance with
the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work (NI) Order 1978 and
Subsidiary Regulations including the Gas Safety Installation and use
Regulations (NI) 2004.

 

What gas qualification do the council inspectors hold to ensure
understanding and public safety is a priority within our borough?

 

Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) inspect premises for compliance with
the provisions of the Health and Safety at Work (NI) Order and Subsidiary
Regulations including the Gas Safety Installation and use Regulations (NI)
2004. The Council is responsible for enforcing this legislation in
premises as defined in the Health and Safety (Enforcing Authority)
Regulations (NI) 1997. EHOs hold a BSc in Environmental Health and are
qualified to assess for compliance with this legislation. EHOs are not
experts in relation to the technical aspects of gas installations, but
rather require evidence of suitable maintenance of gas equipment by means
of a Gas Safe Certificate.

 

How often are these portable catering wagons inspected for compliance and
are they inspected prior to being used at a site/event on council
property?

 

Mobile Vans are inspected in accordance with the Risk Rating assigned to
them according to the Local Authority Circular; Priority Planning; LAC
67/2 (rev2). EHOs do not specifically inspect mobile catering vans prior
to them being used at a site or event on Council property. The onus would
be on the event organiser to comply with all terms and conditions issued
by Council. If Council is the event organiser, documentary evidence would
be required that all statutory requirements are being adhered to.

 

Can unqualified personel test and inspect appliances for compliance in
mobile and fixed establishments?

 

EHOs inspect such premises but do not test gas appliances. Rather they
require confirmation of compliance by means of a Gas Safe certificate from
a Gas Safe Registered Engineer. EHOs also determine whether any follow up
action required by the Gas Safe Certificate has been completed.

 

Given the extreme dangers when using gas and the discharge of duties to
our councils from hseni to ensure compliance how many mobile gas catering
wagons have been refused entry to indoor or outdoor council events?

Council’s Tourism Events section contracts out the task of recruiting
stall holders at events to Small World Music Limited. Small World Music
Ltd has not refused any trader permission solely because they rely on gas
power to operate their stall at any outdoor events Small World Music Ltd
has been involved with on behalf of Council. Council’s Tourism Events
section does not use mobile gas catering wagons at indoor events. Council
has not refused any mobile gas catering units.

 

When a fixed commercial or mobile gas catering wagon is inspected by our
councils for compliance what are the actual checks they do?

 

EHOs visually inspect the gas cylinders and visible fittings such as
vents, emergency shut off valves, etc. and require a gas safe certificate
provided by a Gas Safe Registered Engineer.

 

if an interlock is by passed or an extraction canopy is deemed too small
what action do our council inspectors take?

 

EHOs require any defects noted by the Gas Safe Registered Engineer to be
remedied.

 

Are our council suitably resourced and qualified to carry out the task of
enforcement put on them by hseni in relation to the Northern Ireland Gas
Order?

 

The Environmental Health Department of Ards and North Down Borough Council
is responsible on behalf of the Council for enforcing the provisions of
the Health and Safety at Work (NI) Order 1978 and subsidiary regulations
in classes of premises as defined in the Health and Safety (Enforcing
Authority) Regulations (NI) 1997. This includes enforcing provisions of
the Gas Safety Installation and use Regulations (NI) 2004 in Catering
Premises and mobile Catering Vans. Environmental Health Officers hold a
BSc (Hons) degree in Environmental Health, and also receive additional
topic related training on an ongoing basis. The work of the department is
prioritised to allocate the staff resource available.

 

Should you require clarification on any matter, please do not hesitate to
contact us.

 

We trust this is of assistance.  However, should you be unhappy with the
response you may request an Internal Review by contacting
[1][Ards and North Down Borough Council request email] Please note that requests for Internal
Reviews must be submitted within two months from the date of this
response. Further information on the Internal Review process is available
on the Council’s website.  In the event you are unhappy with the outcome
of any Internal Review conducted by Council you may apply to the
Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) for a review of our response.
Please note that the ICO generally expects Internal Reviews to be
completed prior to reviewing the decisions of public bodies.

 

Regards,

 

FOI Team

Ards and North Down Borough Council

Town Hall

The Castle

Bangor

BT20 4BT

Tel: 0300 013 3333 ext 40718

 

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