A self employed plumber, who falsely claimed to be a fully qualified engineer has finally been prosecuted for carrying out illegal work on gas boilers.
Michael Gallimore, appeared at Bury St Edmunds Magistrates’ Court on charged with four counts of breaching his general duty to his customer after falsely claiming to be a legally registered engineer while working at the house in Weeting.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) was alerted to Gallimore’s illegal work by the Gas Safe Register, which had carried out an investigation following a complaint from a customer about his shoddy workmanship.
The defendant had installed gas boilers at homes in Bury St Edmunds and Weeting in Norfolk between 2008 and 2009.
The investigating officer found that the installation at Weeting
was “immediately dangerous” and classified both installations as “at risk”.
Magistrates sentenced him to a conditional discharge for 12 months and ordered him to pay £4,000 in costs after he admitted breaching the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 and the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
HSE inspector Sue Matthews said: “It is illegal for an unregistered person to carry out work on a gas appliance.
“When unregistered workers try to bypass the law in this way they are not only putting themselves at risk of prosecution and a large fine, they are also putting their customers’ lives at risk.”
Paul Johnston, chief executive of Gas Safe Register, said: “Badly fitted and poorly serviced gas appliances can cause gas leaks, fires, explosions and carbon monoxide poisoning.”
He said customers should always use a Gas Safe registered engineer and should always check the engineer’s ID card to make sure they are qualified for the work.
