The HSE on 8 September 2008 signed a contract with Capita Group Plc. to run the new gas installer registration scheme from 1 April 2009 The following provides the background on why the competition took place, and the way in which the procurement exercise was conducted. Domestic (piped and LPG) gas is very widely used in GB (about 21 million homes). However, its increasing use over the years has coincided with an improving trend in the official statistics on gas deaths. Whilst the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations (GSIUR) 1998 have provided a framework for improving safety in gas work, other factors such as improvements in the inherent safety of gas appliances will also have contributed to this trend. The Gas safety review which led to the HSE awarding the gas installer registration scheme from 1st April 2009 revealed a startling lack of public awareness about the danger of gas safety.

      The new DOUBLE VALVE GAS APPLIANCE CONNECTOR will be available in May 09 after the date that the new scheme commences operation (1st April 2009). It will assist Capita to raise the KPIs, being a contribution to safety, it was contrived following installation of hundreds of gas appliances both Natural gas and LPGas (propane), including visits to France and the USA where top politicians were expressing concern over gas safety) giving gas cooker installation assistance as a Corgi engineer and a qualified Electrician.

        The inventor of the device was involved with the Health and Safety Executive designing and building bottled gas filling plants. Experience was also obtained working with British gas engineers designing manufacturing and supplying Natural gas testing equipment to them. This knowledge was used together with a top university Graduate who assisted in the design

       The appliance connector with a double valve had to be compact and suitable for a kitchen wall, also as a acceptable safety device for the public together with being an appliance (Mainly cooker) isolation valve (other gas appliances in a kitchen such as Gas Water Boilers and Gas Water Heaters have an isolation valve fitted but are only operated by installers). Background on why gas safety awareness must be made Throughout the UK nearly all free standing gas cookers are connected to the gas supply with a flexible gas hose with a bayonet fitting, very few members of the public know how it operates and it can be in an inaccessible place such as in the corner of a cupboard and very tight even if which way to push and twist was known by a normal person let alone the elderly or partially disabled therefore the public in the past have been informed to telephone (if they could remember the number) their supplier IF THEY SMELL GAS some would turn the gas off at the gas meter if they knew how to or where the meter is situated (this could be in a dark garage behind personal effects), this has caused accidents with a leaking (faulty) gas appliance, the device was made after experiencing this for twenty years.

      Main Benefits of the                                     DOUBLE VALVE GAS APPLIANCE CONNECTOR

(1)  To prevent gas leaks at gas cooker connection point. Where In many cases a gas cooker (had not been disconnected by a qualified person) was left in a dangerous situation this arose mainly in cases of moving home by turning the gas off at the meter taking the cooker together with the hose and the valve the hose was fitted to leaving an open half inch/ 15mm. open gas pipe, the new owner (or anyone not knowing this) turns the gas back on causing a dangerous leak. The double valve connector prevents that occurring.

(2)  Need for a device to operate as an emergency on/off valve with a large easy to operate lever. This is required for a number of reasons. Some common causes of gas leaks on a cooker (stove) are; Because most cookers sold in the UK do not have Flame Supervision Devices (FSDs) sometimes called or listed as flame failure devices, or flame failure valves fitted on the top burners (required in some EU countries and some US States), and recently in flats in the UK. if the flame is extinguished either by gas running out with a Key/card prepayment meter or being turned off at the meter then when the gas supply is turned on again at the meter unless it was also turned off at the cooker there will be a gas escape at the cooker. other causes are when a pan or kettle boils over it can extinguish the flame and again case a gas escape if the user does not know what caused the gas leak, or the leak was for other reasons faulty appliance by age or reassembling after cleaning. This device gives the facility of an emergency gas shut off at the appliance (mainly cookers) instead of at the meter

 (3)  Use as an isolation valve during cooker installation and Maintenance. In the UK all gas ovens, and to comply with latest requirements, the burners on top of a cooker in multi occupancy dwellings, (e.g. Flats) must be fitted with a Flame Supervision device (FSD) which cuts the gas off at the burner in the event of the flame going out, (other names for this valve are Flame failure device, and Flame failure valve). As the click timing of an FSD is in seconds (max. 60) an isolation valve to hand is a necessity. When installed it can prevent deaths and explosions by delays in the present system of informing the gas supplier whose telephone number is on the meter (not many users know this) it would take the qualified installer a few moments longer when testing and explaining the appliance operation with the customer, also explaining the on/off lever. Other Major gas appliances in a home such as central heating boilers, and gas ducted warm air heaters are fitted with an Isolation valve, the vast majority of gas cookers are not. This was confirmed by one of the largest gas cooker manufacturing companies which also confirmed that of the three main different types of FSDs. Gas cookers used the thermoelectric type which requires click timing when testing. This new device which will be available in May 2009 is to raise public awareness of gas safety, in the UK to only be installed by members of the Gas Safe Register, and in the USA the relevant authority for the state in which it is to be installed. It will reduce accidents as it will be adjacent to the cooker if not in sight e.g. behind the cooker or under a worktop a self adhesive sign marked Appliance Isolation Valve or Cooker Isolation Valve with an arrow pointing to its location will be secured adjacent to the cooker. Therefore the use of the device is to create Gas danger awareness to the public and prevent accidents, also to assist the installer during installation or repair.