Since 2006, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) has worked with the gas industry to put in place a new regulatory system to supervise the work of gas installers with respect to safety. This new statutory-based regulatory system has replaced the previous voluntary register operated by Bord Gaìs.
The CRU has appointed Safe Energy Ireland as the Safety Supervisory Body (SSB).
Safe Energy Ireland is wholly owned by SGS Ireland Limited and is responsible for the registering of gas installers and regulating their activities with respect to safety. Safe Energy Ireland will carry out this function on behalf of the Commission for Regulation of Utilities as set down in the Criteria Document Version 1.7 of 13/08/2020
On the 26 June 2009 the CRU enacted the Energy (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2006 which makes it illegal for any person who is not a Registered Gas Installer (RGI) registered with the RGI scheme to undertake “Gas Work”. It has also became a legal requirement for all RGIs to issue a Declaration of Conformance (completion cert) for all “Gas Work” carried out. Individuals who carry out “Gas Work” and who are not registered will be subject to criminal proceedings. It is the CRU’s responsibility to proceed with such prosecutions where necessary under the Act.
The CRU definition for the scope “Gas Work” CER/09/083 (www.cer.ie) Summarized: For the purposes of section 9G(3) of the Electricity Regulation Act 1999, ‘works which are gas works’ means the installation, removal, repair, servicing, maintenance or replacement (or any combination of foregoing) of a Natural Gas Fitting covered by Irish Standard I.S. 813:2014 + A1:2017 which is:(a) used or designed to be used by a Domestic Gas Customer; or(b) which is designed to be used by a Domestic Gas Customer but which is installed in a Commercial or an Industrial Premises;
This including all domestic appliances designed to be used by domestic customers, where they are used by both commercial and industrial customers.
The Gas Installer Register is an individual register i.e. each Installer is registered individually with their own Rxxxx ID number, being a Sole Trader or working for a Gas Company. Gas Companies are also registered under an ID number Cxxxx.
Note: Registered Gas Installers (RGI) are separate entities to Safe Energy Ireland i.e. businesses or sole traders and Safe Energy Ireland has no control over their methods and practices except in relation to Gas Safety. Safe Energy Ireland would at all times recommend customers to contact a least three RGIs to compare cost, quality and service issues before entering into any contract. As RGIs are separate businesses or sole traders, Safe Energy Ireland cannot instruct any RGI to enter into a contract for services.