Cornish handyman gets 14 month suspended sentence for potentially fatal gas work

Alison Fava

A handyman from Cornwall has been sentenced after conducting gas work and leaving it in an unsafe condition.

Truro Crown Court was told that, throughout April 2016, David Lee Adams undertook the installation of a Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) hob in a permanent static home.

A properly registered gas engineer inspected the work and found it to be immediately dangerous.

The Health and Safety Executive’s investigation found that Adams wasn’t Gas Safe Registered at the time he conducted this work.

Adams of New Portreath Road, Redruth pleaded guilty to breaching Regulations 3(3) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, and Section 3(2) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. He has been sentenced to 14 months imprisonment, suspended for two years, and required to complete 200 hours of unpaid work. Mr Adams was also ordered to pay costs of £4,000.

Poor standard of work

Speaking after the hearing HSE inspector Simon Jones said: “Mr Adams undertook gas work which he knew he was not registered to do. His poor standard of work left a gas leak which could have resulted in a fatal gas explosion.

“All gas work must be done by a registered Gas Safe engineer to ensure the highest standards are met to prevent injury and loss of life.”