Appeal for information involving gas work

The Plumbers Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board is appealing to the public to trace a number of gas certificates which may have been issued by a gasfitter in the Auckland area.

The Board has appealed to people who have had gas fitting done in the last 31 months to check their gas certificate numbers against the numbers listed in the Board’s advertisement in the NZ Herald on Monday and on its web site.

It is believed that gas certificates may have been purchased from the Board and then signed by a craftsman gasfitter who then distributed the certificates to other people in the Auckland & Northland areas. Some of these people may not have been qualified to do gas fitting work. The gas certificates were not sent to the Board after the work was completed.

The Chair of the Plumbers Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board, Hazel Armstrong said: “It is important that we trace the certificates so that we can find out what work has been done and whether that work meets the appropriate safety and operational standards”.

“I would ask anyone who has a copy of one of the numbered gas certificates to contact the Board. If your gas work has been undertaken by an un-licensed gasfitter you are not covered by insurance so it is essential that you get the work checked by a licensed craftsman gasfitter”.

“The Board is arranging special audits of the gas work undertaken in properties that have been notified to it. Where unsafe installations are found Energy Safety and the property owner is informed. Safety risks have been identified in some properties audited by the Board.

Registered gas fitters and gas suppliers have been notified of the issue and the Board is working closely with industry representatives and others to ensure the matter is resolved as quickly as possible.

To check whether the person who did the gas work is properly licensed visit www.pgdb.co.nz.

To report one of the missing gas certificates or for further information call the Board on 04 494 2970.

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