1. General Principles
1.1 The Register of Gas Installers of Ireland (RGII) is the body which has been appointed by the Commission for Energy Regulation (“the Commission”) as the Gas Safety Supervisory Body (GSSB) under Section 9F(1)(a) of the Energy (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2006 (“the Act”).
1.2 RGII’s primary objective is to protect the safety interests of customers with respect to gas installation activities through the registration and supervision of gas installers, all in accordance with the provisions of the Regulatory System as set out in Act and the Criteria Document (which is referred to in the Act). The Criteria Document sets out the safety standards and procedures to be adhered to by Gas Installers. This document is and may be subject to change in accordance with the Act.
1.3. In terms of the Act, an individual shall not carry out gas works (pursuant to the Act) unless that person is registered with a Gas Safety Supervisory Body.
1.4. The Rules shall be subject to revision from time to time and any changes made shall be subject to the approval of the Commission.
2. Confirmations
By signing the Application form, the applicant is confirming for the duration of membership with RGII to be bound as follows:
(i) with all the Regulatory requirements applicable to the member as set out in the Act, the Criteria Document and these Rules; and
(iii) to be deemed to permit all data relating to its application and membership of RGII, including, disciplinary and other records to be disclosed by RGII to third parties insofar as RGII or the Commission deem it to be necessary and reasonable in all the circumstances.
3. Application for Enrolment
3.1 Any installer wishing to become a registered member of RGII must complete the Application Form for Gas Installers (application).
3.2 The application form is available for download on RGII’s website and may be amended from time to time subject to the approval of the Commission.
4. Payment of Fees
4.1 An application fee of the prescribed amount shall be payable in respect of each application and shall accompany the application. The application fee is non refundable. Further fees for annual subscription, inspections, and additional services will also be charged.
4.2 All fees will be charged in accordance with RGII’s Tariff of Fees and Charges, (please refer to the RGII website) approved by the Commission and published on an annual basis.
5. Compliance with Technical Rules
5.1 Every applicant, in addition to the requirements set out In the Act, the Criteria Document and these Rules, shall comply with the technical rules applicable to the Regulatory System being IS 813 Domestic Gas Installations published by the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) or such other technical rules as may be specified by the Criteria Document from time to time.
5.2 The installer shall be in possession in his/her own right of at least one copy of IS 813 Domestic Gas Installations. In the case of a company, enough copies must be kept to ensure that every installer employed by the company has reasonable access when required.
6. Criteria for Eligibility
6.1 The applicant must meet the eligibility criteria contained in Section C.1.2 of the Criteria Document.
7. Evidence of Qualifications
7.1 RGII may, at its discretion, require applicants for enrolment to support their application with such evidence as to their qualifications for registration, their technical competence and their standard of workmanship as RGII may require.
Furthermore, they shall afford to RGII such information and facilities for inspection of gas test equipment and installation work completed or in progress, as RGII may request, in compliance with the Act and Criteria Document.
8. Decisions on Application for Registration
8.1 RGII will follow its Application Procedure (as referred to in the Criteria Document) when considering any application for registration.
8.2 Applicants for registration and renewal shall be entitled to appeal any rejection of either application in accordance with the provisions of the Criteria Document.
9. Certificates of Registration etc
9.1 Every Gas Installer admitted to membership shall have his/her name appear on the Register and shall, after payment of all fees due, be entitled to the following for so long as his/her name remains on the Register:
(i) a Certificate of Registration;
(ii) a registration number;
(iii) the use of the words “Registered Gas Installer” or “RGI”
(iv) the use of the brands of the Regulatory System, including the logos relevant to RGII and the regulatory system brand (in accordance with the Criteria Document) and Terms of Use.
9.2 Every Certificate of Registration shall remain the property of RGII and shall be returned forthwith to RGII upon removal, for any reason, of the holder's name from the Register.
9.3 Dies, electros and printing blocks of such mark, emblem or device as RGII may approve, may be made available to Registered Installers upon payment of such licence fees as may be prescribed by RGII but will remain the property of RGII and shall be returned to RGII upon removal of the Registered Installer’s name from the Register, whatever the reason for such removal or if, for any reason, the Certificate of Registration is cancelled.
9.4 The Registered Gas Installer shall be obliged to ensure its business documentation includes its registration number and logo of RGII and GSSB.
10. Registration and Renewal of Registration
10.1 Registration shall be effective from the initial date of approval of a fully completed application form to the end of the financial year in which approval takes place unless, in the meantime, the Registered Installer’s name is removed from the Register.
10.2 Continued registration shall be on an annual basis and subject to the payment of an annual subscription and continued compliance with the conditions of registration (as referred to in the Criteria Document).
10.3 Renewal notices will be issued each year and confirmation of continued registration will be required within 30 days of the issue of this notice. In the event of non compliance with this clause, RGII may, at its discretion, lapse the registration and demand the return of all property and removal of all reference to registration from the installer's notepaper and property.
10.4 RGII financial year is the calendar year.
10.5 The Annual Subscription Fee, payable in accordance with the Tariff of fees and charges referred to in section 4 above must be paid within 90 days of renewal date.
11. Evidence of Registration
11.1 Every registered installer shall be prepared to produce his/her Certificate of Registration for inspection by any duly authorised officer of RGII.
12. Change of Registration Details
12.1 Every registered installer shall give notice in writing to RGII of any change in business status or of any other change in the particulars contained in his application form, within30 days of such changes.
12.2 Failure to comply with this clause will cause the installer to be liable to disciplinary action in accordance with Section D of the Criteria Document.
13. Completion Certificate
13.1 Every registered installer shall issue a valid completion certifiate to its customer in respect of each piece of gas work carried out (to include all installation, commissioning or servicing).
13.2 This clause is subject to the "Operational Procedure No. 1 Certificate" (referred to in the Criteria Document) developed by RGII in conjunction with the Commission.
14. Records
14.1 The registered installer is required to keep all records in accordance with Section C.3 of the Criteria Document.
15. Responsibilities in relation to Gas Works
15.1 The Registered Gas Installer will carry out all gas works with the highest regard for safety. This includes making arrangements for the safety of unfinished works in accordance with Section C 3.2.5 of the Criteria Document.
16. Inspection and Audit of Premises, Equipment and Gas Works
16.1 Every registered installer shall permit RGII to carry out an inspection and/or audit at any time in accordance with the Audit and Inspection Procedures published by RGII and approved by the Commission and Section C.3 and B.3 of the Criteria Document. 16.2 Failure to comply with this clause will cause the installer to be liable to disciplinary action in accordance with Section D of the Criteria Document and RGII’s disciplinary procedure.
17. Disciplinary Process
17.1 The registered installer will be subject to RGII’s disciplinary procedure as approved by the Commission in accordance with Section D of the Criteria Document. The disciplinary procedure also includes provision for appeals in accordance with Section D.11-12 and Section E of the Criteria Document.
17.2 In the event that a registered installer is found to have been in breach of the provisions of the Act, the Criteria Document or these Rules he/she may be faced with a serious sanction including, but not limited to, the loss of certification facility, suspension and/or revocation of registration.
17.3 The installer will be provided with fair procedures throughout. The suspension and revocation procedures shall be subject to the approval of the Commission. 6
18. De-registration
18.1 Where a registered installer is de-registered for whatever reason, the installer must remove all reference to registration from his notepaper and property and he shall not in any way represent himself or his business as being registered with RGII. The installer will no longer be entitled to use the branding associated with the Regulatory System.
18.2 The installer must return all RGII property, including the registration certificate. It must also relinquish all completion certificates.
18.3 Where reasonable, the RGII may, at its discretion, publish or advertise the cancellation of a installer's name from the register on RGII’s website and also in such newspaper or periodicals and in such manner as it may think reasonable (in accordance with the Act and Criteria Document).
19. Complaints
19.1 RGII shall deal with all complaints received from Registered Gas Installers concerning matters associated with registration and certification and other related matters in accordance with the provisions of the Criteria Document.
20. Public awareness
20.1 RGII shall establish and maintain a website for the purposes of presenting information relating to its operation of its activities to registered gas installers and the general public. This website shall present such information and be in such format as may be specified by the Commission.