COVID-19 15/04/2020

NOTICE TO RGIs – COVID-19

Update 15/04/20

Extension of Public Health Measures to 5th May

On 10th April, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announced the further extension of the current public health measures up to 5th May. More information on COVID-19 and government announcements and updates can be found here.

Certificate/NoHz orders and Cert/NoHz returns

RGII is aware RGIs are experiencing delays purchasing certificates during this unprecedented time. We are currently working to return all contacts made by RGIs to ensure certificate orders are processed and dispatched to our customers and will respond to all contacts made by RGIs during this week. Please continue to email orders to info@rgii.ie and contact 01-4997998.

As there may now be more time available for administration work during the stay at home order, we would also please ask RGIs and RGI Companies to return any of your completed (green copy) certificates and issued Notification of Hazards to;

Register of Gas Installers of Ireland

Unit 9 Kimmage Industrial Estate,

Ravensdale Park,

Kimmage,

Dublin 12

D12 E958

Insurance updates

RGII understand this is a difficult time for many and we are receiving some queries in relation to insurance cover. It is a requirement under the CRU Criteria Document that an RGI maintains commercial insurance cover to be a Registered Gas Installer (Section C1.2.1a). However, RGII are aware that Insurance Ireland have announced forbearance and other measures to help customers during the COVID-19 crisis (for more information click here), measures include “reduced premiums for business customers to reflect reduced level of exposure as a result of Covid-19 restrictions for EL / PL and Commercial Motor” please contact your insurance provider or broker directly to discuss these measures.

Domestic Gas Assessment renewals

There are approximately 630 RGIs whose DGA expires this year. Recently RGII wrote to all RGIs who require re-assessment. RGII have also been in close contact with DGA Assessment centres which have confirmed there is capacity for the numbers to complete their assessment this year once restrictions are lifted. We encourage RGIs to book their courses as soon as is possible to avoid any problems with re-registering in 2021 during the peak winter heating season in December/January. RGII will be communicating with these RGIs through email, SMS and website updates in the coming weeks and months. We ask all RGIs keep RGII up to date with their contact details.

Applications & Registration

RGII are currently accepting applications to the RGI scheme, however at this time it is difficult to schedule application inspections which must take place within the first 30 days of registering with RGII. To this end, RGII are pausing applicant’s registration process until a suitable inspection can take place within the HSE guidelines. We will not be taking annual subscription fees until an application inspection can take place and the applicant will not be registered to carry out gas work until the inspection is scheduled and the subscription fees are taken. More information on the process can be found here (COVID-19 applications process flow).

ENDS

Update 06/04/20;

RGI Technical Queries

During the current government restrictions due to Covid-19, RGII are centralising the procedure for RGIs seeking technical advice or technical information. Until further notice, technical enquires will need to be completed online through the following Technical Query Form. You will receive a call back or email response during the same working day where possible, or next working day at the latest. Please ensure that you include your registration and contact number when filling out the form, as technical advice is being prioritised for RGIs. We are working to ensure that your queries are dealt with in a timely manner.

Inspections

During this initial period of restriction, RGII anticipates we will only conduct inspections undertaken by RGII Inspectors into high risk scenarios or gas incidents, and that these will be determined on a case-by-case basis following a risk assessment.  All other inspections will be held and prioritised to be scheduled once the government restrictions are lifted.   

Certificate orders

RGII is aware RGIs are experiencing delays purchasing certificates during this unprecedented time. We are currently working to return all contacts made by RGIs to ensure certificate orders are processed and dispatched to our customers. Please continue to email orders to info@rgii.ie and contact 01-4997998.

ENDS

Update 30/03/20;

The Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, and Minister for Health, Simon Harris, have issued strict guidelines for people to stay at home from midnight on 27th March 2020.

The main rule is to STAY AT HOME. You can only leave your home to:

• Travel to or from work if you are providing an essential service (full list is available on the link at the bottom of this notice).
• Shop for food. You can get the list of essential retail outlets from gov.ie.
• Collect medical prescriptions and medical supplies and go to medical appointments
• Carry out vital services like caring (including family carers)
• Exercise briefly within 2 kilometres of your house. (You can bring children but must keep 2 metres away from others for social distancing)
• Do farm work

You cannot arrange a gathering with anybody you do not live with.

Everyone who can work from home must work from home. This includes essential workers and workers in essential government, utilities or other functions.

Relevant sectoral detail

Construction

• essential health and related projects relevant to the COVID-19 crisis, and supplies necessary for such projects
• repair/construction of critical road and utility infrastructure
• delivery of emergency services to businesses and homes on an emergency call-out basis in areas such as electrical, plumbing, glazing and roofing

Repair and installation of Machinery and Equipment

• the supply, repair and installation of machinery and equipment and industrial machinery and equipment for essential services

Electricity, Gas and Water

• electric power generation, transmission and distribution
• extraction and distribution of gas
• water collection, treatment and supply
• sewerage; waste collection, remediation activities and other waste management treatment and disposal activities

We will keep you updated by notification on the RGII website, email and text message communication.

Please see the link below for the latest Covid-19 update on Gov.ie

https://www.gov.ie/en/news/7e0924-latest-updates-on-covid-19-coronavirus/#march-29