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Gas safety has been a prime concern for authorities worldwide, including the UK. Over the years, using gas for domestic and commercial purposes has become necessary in almost every part of the world. Gas is typically supplied in cylinders or bottles or directly to the home via a pipe network.
If the basic safety parameters are observed, gas is a very safe and economical energy source. The basic law governing the use of gas in the UK is the Gas Safety (Use and Installation) Regulations 1998, more commonly known as the Gas Safety Regulations 1998. This law was formulated due to an upward trend in gas-related accidents.
The basic idea behind this law was to ensure the safety of people and properties against the possible risks associated with gas, such as fire, explosion, and emissions. Hence, per the provisions of this basic regulation, every homeowner and landlord is bound to have their properties inspected for gas safety and get a gas safety certificate once every 12 months.
The gas safety inspection is an essential and sensitive activity that needs to be carried out by a professionally qualified and registered gas safety engineer. It visually and physically examines all the gas appliances, associated fittings, and pipework. Ever since its inception, gas safety engineers have conducted it through on-site visits.
With consistent technological advancement, online activity trends have gained momentum in recent years. Online events increased manifold during the recent COVID-19 pandemic. So many businesses have gone virtual in the past few years, made possible by the latest developments in IT and AI. The gas safety inspection cannot last in isolation; it has to step into the era of virtual operations.
The gas safe register is quite alert of these developments. In the year 2022, a testing project for virtual gas safety inspection was launched. While the regular onsite gas safety inspection is still in full swing, the virtual and online remote assistance was also conducted experimentally. The feedback from the gas engineers is reportedly quite encouraging. So, it is evident that most gas safety operations might go virtual sooner rather than later. Initial steps have already been taken and will likely move forward in the coming days.
However, at a certain level, it may need the help and assistance of onsite and physical workmanship, mainly when repairing or replacing faulty appliances and pipework. However, most annual or periodic gas safety inspections will soon become virtual.
As is evident from the name, virtual inspection is something where the inspecting engineer does not need his physical presence on the site; instead, he can do it remotely through any online meeting platform such as Zoom or Google Meet. It is done with the help of a facilitator physically present on the property where the inspection is being conducted. The facilitator connects virtually with the gas safety engineer, who joins the video call remotely, probably from his office. The facilitator walks through the entire property while connected with the engineer and facilitates him to have a virtual inspection of the gas installations and appliances, including the boilers and flues.
A technical definition of the Virtual or Remote inspection as per ICC (the International Code Council) is as follows:
Method of inspection that allows the needed inspections to proceed promptly by the owner or contractor located on the job site and the inspector or inspection teams performing the inspection remotely.
Contrary to the conventional on-site inspection, the inspecting engineer does not need to be physically present on the property. Instead, a facilitator walks him through the property while connected on a video call. The facilitator shows him various fittings and appliances through his smartphone. The inspecting engineer may ask him to show a closer view of specific fittings or appliances where he needs a detailed look.
The facilitator may also send videos and photos to the remote engineer for in-depth examination. If a particular appliance needs to be repaired or replaced, the engineer may point this out to the facilitator for onward communication to the landlord or his representative. After completing the inspection process, the engineer will digitally send his findings, recommendations, and suggestions to the landlord.
As with every new technology, virtual inspection also has several benefits. Let's examine them briefly:
Virtual inspection saves you a lot of time. You don't have to wait for the engineer's physical availability. It's easier for both the landlord and the engineer. The engineer can manage the inspection remotely at any time of the day. It involves less movement and travelling and can be completed swiftly.
The engineer can instantly generate digital gas safety records upon completing the inspection. The record and the gas safety certificate can be transmitted digitally to the landlord. It is also easy and convenient for the landlord and the engineer to store the record safely in their mobile devices, laptops, or cloud storage.
Since the virtual inspection does not involve the engineer’s physical movement or travelling, it can save you a pretty handsome amount. You can get a lower virtual inspection quote than a conventional on-site inspection.
As per the gas safe register analysis, the engineers who participated in the experimental virtual inspection events were more satisfied and produced better reports of their inspection tasks. They are in a better office environment to compile a quality inspection report.
Paper documentation is separate when everything is done virtually on computers and mobile devices. Every report and record is stored paperless, which makes it more reliable, trouble-free, and safe.
Gas safety inspections and certificates are very important to every landlord and homeowner. They are legally bound to get their properties inspected for gas safety once a year. All this has been in practice for a long time and is done by the engineer physically visiting your home. However, with advanced technologies, it is now possible to do this inspection remotely through video call platforms like FaceTime and Zoom.
Although not yet wholly shifted to virtual inspection, it will likely move towards it soon. The future of gas safety largely depends on a total shift to virtual inspection in the coming days. The process is initiated and must go faster to meet today's challenges.
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