The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998

PART C METERS AND REGULATORS

Interpretation of Part C

11.  In this Part—

“meter box” means a receptacle or compartment designed and constructed to contain a meter with its associated fittings;

“meter compound” means an area or room designed and constructed to contain one or more meters with their associated fittings;

“secondary meter” means a meter, other than a primary meter, for ascertaining the quantity of gas provided by a person for use by another person.

Meters—general provisions

12.—(1) No person shall install a meter in any premises unless the site where it is to be installed is such as to ensure so far as is reasonably practicable that the means of escape from those premises in the event of fire is not adversely affected.

(2) No person shall install a meter in any premises unless it is of sound construction adequate to ensure so far as is reasonably practicable that in the event of fire gas is not able to escape in hazardous quantities, save that this paragraph shall not apply to any meter installed in non-domestic premises to which gas is supplied through a readily accessible service valve.

(3) No person shall install a meter unless the installation is so placed as to ensure that there is no risk of damage to it from electrical apparatus.

(4) No person shall install a meter except in a readily accessible position for inspection and maintenance.

(5) Where a meter has bosses or side pipes attached to the meter by a soldered joint only, no person shall make rigid pipe connections to the meter.

(6) Where a person installs a meter and the pipes and other gas fittings associated with it, he shall ensure that—

(a) immediately thereafter they are adequately tested to verify that they are gas tight and examined to verify that they have been installed in accordance with these Regulations; and

(b) immediately after such testing and examination, purging is carried out throughout the meter and every other gas fitting through which gas can then flow so as to remove safely all air and gas other than the gas to be supplied.

Meter housings

13.—(1) Where a meter is housed in a meter box or meter compound attached to or built into the external face of the outside wall of any premises, the meter box or meter compound shall be so constructed and installed that any gas escaping within the box or compound cannot enter the premises or any cavity in the wall but must disperse to the external air.

(2) No person shall knowingly store readily combustible materials in any meter box or meter compound.

(3) No person shall install a meter in a meter box provided with a lock, unless the consumer has been provided with a suitably labelled key to that lock.

(4) No person shall install a meter within a meter compound which is capable of being secured unless the consumer has been provided with a suitably labelled key for that compound.

Regulators

14.—(1) No person shall install a primary meter or meter by pass used in connection with a primary meter unless—

(a) there is a regulator controlling the pressure of gas supplied through the meter or the by pass, as the case may be, which provides adequate automatic means for preventing the gas fittings connected to the downstream side of the regulator from being subjected to a pressure greater than that for which they were designed;

(b) where the normal pressure of the gas supply is 75 millibars or more at the inlet to the regulator, there are also adequate automatic means for preventing, in case the regulator should fail, those gas fittings from being subjected to such a greater pressure; and

(c) where the regulator contains a relief valve or liquid seal, such valve or seal is connected to a vent pipe of adequate size and so installed that it is capable of venting safely.

(2) Without prejudice to the requirements of paragraph (1), no person shall cause gas to be supplied from a gas storage vessel (other than a re-fillable cylinder or a cylinder or cartridge designed to be disposed of when empty) to any service pipework or gas fitting unless—

(a) there is a regulator installed which controls the nominal operating pressure of the gas;

(b) there is adequate automatic means for preventing the installation pipework and gas fittings downstream of the regulator from being subjected to a pressure different from that for which they were designed; and

(c) there is an adequate alternative automatic means for preventing the service pipework from being subjected to a greater pressure than that for which it was designed should the regulator referred to in sub-paragraph (a) above fail.

(3) No person shall cause gas to be supplied through an installation consisting of one or more re-fillable cylinders unless the supply of gas passes through a regulator which controls the nominal operating pressure of the gas.

(4) Without prejudice to paragraph (3) above, no person shall cause gas to be supplied through an installation consisting of four or more re-fillable cylinders connected to an automatic change-over device unless there is an adequate alternative means for preventing the installation pipework and any gas fitting downstream of the regulator from being subjected to a greater pressure than that for which it was designed should the regulator fail.

(5) Where a person installs a regulator for controlling the pressure of gas through a primary meter, a meter by pass used in connection with a primary meter or from a gas storage vessel, or installs a gas appliance itself fitted with a regulator for controlling the pressure of gas to that appliance, he shall immediately thereafter ensure, in either case, that the regulator is adequately sealed so as to prevent its setting from being interfered with without breaking of the seal.

(6) In relation to—

(a) gas from a distribution main, no person except the transporter or a person authorised to act on his behalf;

(b) gas from a gas storage vessel, no person except the supplier or a person authorised to act on his behalf,

shall break a seal applied under paragraph (5) above other than a seal applied to a regulator for controlling the pressure of gas to the appliance to which that regulator is fitted.

(7) A person who breaks a seal applied under paragraph (5) shall apply as soon as is practicable a new seal which is adequate to prevent the setting of the regulator from being interfered with without breaking such seal.

Meters—emergency notices

15.—(1) No person shall supply gas through a primary meter installed after the coming into force of these Regulations or for the first time supply gas through an existing primary meter after the coming into force of these Regulations unless he ensures that a suitably worded notice in permanent form is prominently displayed on or near the meter indicating the procedure to be followed in the event of an escape of gas.

(2) Where a meter is installed or relocated in any premises in either case at a distance of more than 2 metres from, or out of sight of, the nearest upstream emergency control in the premises, no person shall supply or provide gas for the first time through that meter unless he ensures that a suitably worded notice in permanent form is prominently displayed on or near the meter indicating the position of that control.

Primary meters

16.—(1) No person shall install a prepayment meter as a primary meter through which gas passes to a secondary meter.

(2) Any person—

(a) who first provides gas through any service pipe or service pipework after the coming into force of these Regulations to more than one primary meter; or

(b) who subsequently makes any modification which affects the number of primary meters so provided,

shall ensure that a notice in permanent form is prominently displayed on or near each primary meter indicating that more than one primary meter is provided with gas through that service pipe or service pipework.

(3) Where a primary meter is removed, the person who last supplied gas through the meter before removal shall—

(a) where the meter is not forthwith re-installed or replaced by another meter—

(i) close any service valve which controlled the supply of gas to that meter and did not control the supply of gas to any other primary meter; and

(ii) seal the outlet of the emergency control with an appropriate fitting; and

(iii) clearly mark any live gas pipe in the premises in which the meter was installed to the effect that the pipe contains gas; and

(b) where the meter has not been re-installed or replaced by another meter before the expiry of the period of 12 months beginning with the date of removal of the meter and there is no such service valve as is mentioned in sub-paragraph (a)(i) above, ensure that the service pipe or service pipework for those premises is disconnected as near as is reasonably practicable to the main or storage vessel and that any part of the pipe or pipework which is not removed is sealed at both ends with the appropriate fitting.

(4) Where a person proposes to remove a primary meter he shall give sufficient notice of it to the person supplying gas through the meter to enable him to comply with paragraph (3).

Secondary meters

17.—(1) Any person supplying or permitting the supply of gas through a primary meter to a secondary meter shall ensure that a line diagram in permanent form is prominently displayed on or near the primary meter or gas storage vessel and on or near all emergency controls connected to the primary meter showing the configuration of all meters, installation pipework and emergency controls.

(2) Any person who changes the configuration of any meter, installation pipework or emergency control so that the accuracy of the line diagram referred to in paragraph (1) is affected shall ensure that the line diagram is amended so as to show the altered configuration.