Schools often have more gas on site than people realise: boiler plant, catering kitchens, science laboratories and sometimes design and technology rooms. Each has its own safety requirements, and the people responsible are usually bursars, business managers and site teams with plenty of other priorities.
Your legal duties
As a workplace, a school must keep its gas appliances, pipework and flues in a safe condition under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. In practice that means regular inspection and maintenance by Gas Safe registered engineers who hold the right commercial qualifications, with written records kept.
Science laboratories
Gas in teaching labs is covered by IGEM/UP/11, the guidance for gas installations in educational establishments. Key points include:
- An emergency isolation valve or button in each lab, easy for staff to reach
- Isolation at the end of each lesson or day
- Bunsen burners and taps in good condition and correctly fitted
- Regular tightness testing of the installation
Catering kitchens
Commercial kitchens need mechanical ventilation, and the gas supply should be interlocked with it so that cooking appliances can't run without the extraction working (BS 6173). Emergency isolation, flame supervision and regular servicing of every appliance all matter here.
Boiler plant
School boilers work hard through the winter and often sit idle over summer. An annual service, ideally in the summer holidays, catches faults before the heating season. Plant rooms should be kept clear, locked and ventilated, with up-to-date records on site.
Planning work around the school year
The summer holidays are the obvious window for plant replacements, pipework alterations and anything that needs the gas or heating off. Half terms suit smaller jobs. Plan larger projects early: surveys and quotes in spring, materials ordered well ahead, and work programmed so systems are back on and tested before staff return.
Contractors working on site during term time should provide RAMS in advance, follow your safeguarding and signing-in procedures, and keep work areas secured from pupils.
How CommGas can help
We work with schools across London and the South East on boiler servicing, plant upgrades, lab gas installations and remedial works, and we're used to planning around term dates. Our engineers are Gas Safe registered, and we're SSIP accredited and Constructionline Silver members.
