Loophole means hotel gas installers are unregulated

A LOOPHOLE in energy regulations means that tradesmen who install gas appliances in hotels are not legally required to be registered to do so.

Gas installers must be officially listed to fit and maintain domestic appliances in homes and residences – but there is currently no such regulation for commercial premises.

It means that appliances in hotels, restaurants and pubs can be fitted by handymen who are not official gas installers – with no comeback.

However, the omission is due to be rectified next year by the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER). It is expected to publish recommendations in January for extending the scheme to cover commercial premises.

The issue is being highlighted a week after a plumber was cleared of criminal charges following the tragic death of a woman from carbon monoxide poisoning.

Contractor Richard Davis, 46, was acquitted of the manslaughter of Miriam Reidy, 35, who was found dead at the Trident Hotel in Kinsale, Co. Cork in 2011. A jury also cleared Davis of two charges under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act related to the conversion of a hotel boiler five days before Ms Reidy died.

Davis told gardaí he conducted a computerised carbon monoxide safety test on the boiler, but later admitted no such test took place.

His trial heard how he holds no formal qualifications with the Registered Gas Installers of Ireland (RGII).

A CER spokesman said that when its training courses are in place it will be made a legal requirement for tradesmen to be registered with RGII before installing such appliances on commercial premises.