Keeping my home 'Gas Safe' during the lockdown
Wednesday 15th of April 2020
Our Business Services Officer, Leanne Farrell talks about her experience and fears of arranging her annual gas safety check during the lockdown.
You can be forgiven for forgetting your Gas Safety Register check is due, especially during a time when your mind is consumed by lockdown and “how many Zoom meetings do I have this week?”, “what on earth am going to cook three times a day, 7 days a week for the foreseeable?, “what day is it?”
The yearly text and email message came through from my landlord (privately rented) to arrange an engineer to come round to conduct the yearly review. Oh great, that’s all I need - here come those pesky inner chimps!
Let’s break my thoughts down: the emotional, the logic and the decision chimp.
Emotional
“But we are on lockdown, this is ridiculous”
“They can’t make me do this can they, surely not”
“I feel a little irrational”
Logical
“Okay, we can work this out, yes there is the COVID-19 risk but there’s also the Carbon Monoxide poisoning risk”
“Safety first people!”
Decision
“Get it done, book it in”
“Be sensible, follow the rules”
After logic and decision chimp brought me back to equilibrium, I arranged the date and time with the engineer for when I knew my fiancée would be doing the weekly food shop; damage limitation point numero uno.
I asked the engineer if he would wear PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) and only check the bare essentials; damage limitation point two, and to conform with social distancing guidelines; damage limitation point three.
He came - I sat outside for some Vitamin D.
He checked - I had a coffee and cracked on with some work.
He went - I wiped down everything with disinfectant.
Point one, two and three – tick! Nowhere near as bad or as tricky as I thought, done and dusted for another year but this was just my experience. For many of you who may be vulnerable, are self-isolating or do not have the confidence to say yes (or no) - it may well be a whole different story.
My advice is if you have any issues or concerns, discuss them with your landlord.
You absolutely have the right to refuse for the time being and reschedule at a later date.
I hope you are keeping healthy in these unprecedented times, I hope we’ll soon see some light at the end of the tunnel.
Stay home. Save lives. Protect the NHS.
Read the Gas Safety Register Guidance here:
https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/help-and-advice/covid-19-advice-and-guidance/