Trainers for the dangers of CO
This photo is a picture of registered gas installer, Matthew Nixon, aged 22.
Matthew died in December 2010 as a result of using a petrol generator indoors to power his tools. As a result of offering support to his mother, Stephanie Trotter learned that Matthew had been in the gas industry since the age of 16.
Stephanie had suspected for some years that some registered gas installers did not fully understand the combustion process and that the training they do receive only covers gas.
When Roland Johns very kindly offered to help CO-Gas Safety Stephanie suggested that he put together a training course covering CO dangers from all fuels. Roland was the perfect person to undertake this work as he was a retired investigator and trainer from British Gas.
Roland Johns
Please note that we learned of this death through our data collecting and collating and the details from offering victim support which the charity has undertaken since 1995.
In 2013 another registered installer caused the deaths of Kelly Webster (aged 36) and her daughter Lauren Thornton (aged 10) on Lake Windermere on a boat again with a petrol generator.
Kelly Webster with her daughter Lauren.
In April 2017 CO-Gas Safety won ‘Safety Initiative of the Year 2017’ award from H & V News for this course.
From Left to Right, Host and Comedian Russell Kane, Roland Johns, Board of Reference CO-Gas Safety, Stephanie Trotter, OBE President & Director CO-Gas Safety, Adrian McConnell representing the Gas Distribution Networks and presentater Chris Bielby, MBE.
CO-Gas Safety has gone into partnership with a certifying body BPEC and courses started to be run in November 2013 in Derby. We are most grateful to BPEC for providing certification and we found the organisation really easy and enjoyable to work with.
The course is frequently reviewed and updated.
Tuesday 12th November 2013
Stephanie Trotter travelled to Derby to BPEC to attend the first course about carbon monoxide for trainers of aspiring registered gas installers. Good feedback from the trainers about the course such as:-
Question – Did it cover expectations?
Answer – Covered everything in depth
Question -What did you find most interesting?
Answers
- Up to date data, actual cases.
- Figures of CO incidents with different fuels.
- Very good and informative.
- The course was well taken in by all candidates and I’m looking forward to teaching it myself.
- Trainer has good knowledge of subject
- I found the presentation enlightening bringing to the fore some things I did not realise were brought to my attention which I can investigate further.
- Gave everyone the opportunity to be involved in discussions throughout
- Case scenarios of actual cases highlighted the need for more awareness to the sector and general public
Constructive criticism
- A little more information with regard to other fuels.
- Clarification on one or two questions (One question asked what to do if CO suspected without stating whether the person who suspected was inside or outside the building in question – this is being changed).
CO-Gas Safety is grateful to all who attended and gave us the benefit of their knowledge on the feedback forms. Thanks also to Roland Johns, retired British Gas investigator and trainer to putting the course together with some input from Stephanie and also to BPEC for providing certification for the course.
Potential centres / colleges wanting to offer this awareness course can contact BPEC at info@bpec.org.uk or call 08456446558
If anyone would like further information from CO-Gas Safety about this course, please email office@co-gassafety.co.uk or Mobile 07803 088688 and we would be delighted to talk to you.
All courses are dedicated to the memory of Matthew Nixon.
Note Over the years CO-Gas Safety has been approached by training colleges keen to raise awareness in their students. We have also had approaches from colleges training housing officers etc., not just aspiring registered gas installers. We therefore recognised the need to provide an awareness course that will cover the dangers of carbon monoxide (CO) for innumerable professions from gas installers to fire fighters (a need was shown for this by the case of Elizabeth Kerr Deceased), policemen, housing officers, social workers, health visitors and ambulance personnel etc. We have recently heard that one of the trainers, Roland Johns has trained has recently given the course to a local Womens’ Institute and was surprised both by their interest and by their detailed questions which showed their attentiveness.
Courses Roland has given in 2014
- 27 Aug SGN Portchester
- 28 Aug SGN Burgess Hill
- 16 Sept 2014 SGN Portchester
- 17 Sept 2014 SGN Burgess Hill
Courses Roland has given in 2015
- 28 Apr 2015 NGN Leeds
- 18 Aug 2015 SGN Portchester
- 19 Aug 2015 SGN Burgess Hill
The courses Roland has given in 2016
- 25th Jan for Northern Gas Networks community programme, Leeds
- 01 April 2016 for NGN at Leeds. Employees and Community Groups
- 5th May for Northern Gas Networks community programme, Newcastle
- All of the above supporting NGN’s Community Awareness Programme
- 6th July for SGN apprentice FCO (First Call Operator) programme, Croydon
- 27th July for SGN apprentice FCO programme, Linlithgow, Scotland
- 17th Aug for SGN apprentice FCO programme, Linlithgow, Scotland
- 14 October 2016 for SGN at East Croydon. FCO apprentices
- 23 November 2016 for NGN, Train the Trainer
- All of the above SGN course were supporting SGN’s FCO Apprentice Programme.
Roland has slimmed the course down slightly in response to comments that some points were repeated.
Also Roland has given more emphasis on other fuels following feedback and the statistics now available.
Stephanie and Roland carried out a major review of the course in May 2016.
CO-Gas Safety is very grateful to Gary Barnes, Director of Corporate Services, Scotia Gas Networks for allowing Roland Johns to provide this training about CO and we congratulate SGN on showing in such a practical way that they take CO seriously and wish to protect their employees. CO-Gas Safety is also very grateful to Tom Bell, Head of Social Strategy at Northern Gas Networks for welcoming our course. Tom can now be a trainer himself.
Some parts updated 14.01.18