Santa’s safety warning for UK as 1 in 6 gas appliances found to be unsafe
Top 10 unsafe cities revealed - where does your area rank?
With just a month to go until Santa starts up his sleigh and delivers his Christmas presents, Gas Safe Register has identified cities across the UK with homes harbouring a large proportion of unsafe gas appliances, putting families (and Santa) at risk this festive season.
With this in mind, Gas Safe Register have got together with the Fire and Rescue Service to issue a joint festive safety warning. December continues to be the time of year when the highest number of unsafe gas appliances are found in UK homes, with one in six boilers, cookers and fires investigated in the last five years found to be unsafe. Unsafe gas appliances carry risks such as gas leaks, fires, explosions and carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.
Check out our top ten unsafe cities – is your home town among them?
Top 10 unsafe cities in the UK
Edinburgh: 40% of unsafe gas appliances found.
Birmingham: 33% of unsafe gas appliances found.
Norwich: 31% of unsafe gas appliances found.
Swindon: 29% of unsafe gas appliances found.
Ipswich: 28% of unsafe gas appliances found.
Wolverhampton: 27% of unsafe gas appliances found.
London (outer): 25% of unsafe gas appliances found.
Sheffield: 24% of unsafe gas appliances found.
Coventry: 22% of unsafe gas appliances found.
London (central): 22% of unsafe gas appliances found.
Find out how safe your area is at StayGasSafe.co.uk - just enter your postcode to check.
Jonathan Samuel, chief executive at Gas Safe Register, said:
“Christmas is a fun and exciting time of the year for families who get together and relax in their homes. However, it can quickly go wrong if families’ gas appliances stop working or become unsafe. Our data shows that December is a month where a lot of unsafe gas appliances are found as part of our investigations. Gas Safe Register is urging families to ensure that they get their annual gas safety check in time for the Christmas festivities so that they can enjoy the holidays with peace of mind that their gas appliances are working safely and efficiently.”
Mark Jones from Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service said:
“December is always a busy time of the year for fire related incidents. As a first line of defence, it is important to keep all appliances well maintained and ensure that the appropriate safety checks are carried out regularly, as well as having both CO and smoke alarms installed in homes.”
To stay safe at home this festive season, check out Santa’s top tips on our YouTube channel.
Also, don’t forget Gas Safe Register’s advice below:
- Only employ a qualified Gas Safe registered engineer when having gas work carried out in your home. You can find or check a registered engineer in your area here or by calling Gas Safe Register on 0800 408 5500.
- ‘Trust the Triangle’ and always ask to see your engineer’s Gas Safe ID card. Make sure you check the back of the card, which will state which gas appliances they are qualified to work on.
- Sign up for a reminder service to make sure your gas appliances are checked annually: StayGasSafe.co.uk
You can use our online search to find or check a Gas Safe registered engineer in your area. Wishing you a happy (and safe) Christmas!