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HSE safety alert - Explosion risk from redundant domestic back boilers
09 May 2008
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has today issued a safety alert
aimed at homeowners, tenants, landlords and heating professionals
following five incidents in the last five years where redundant solid
fuel back boilers exploded. A number of these incidents led to injury
and sadly in one case a fatality.
The risk can arise when a disused boiler has been left at the back of a
fireplace and a coal or wood fire is lit in front of it. This can mean
the boiler heats up causing the boiler casing to explode. If you have a
redundant back boiler you should not light an open fire in front of it.
Information in the alert should help you identify whether you have this
potential risk in your property / housing stock and what steps you
should take. If you are unsure if you have a back boiler behind your
fireplace you should seek further advice from your landlord or a
competent professional such as a plumber or heating engineer.
For practical and technical advice you can contact the Solid Fuel Association helpline on 0845 6014406 http://www.solidfuel.co.uk/http://www.solidfuel.co.uk/or HETAS, the body recognised for official testing and approval of domestic solid fuel burning appliances at http://www.hetas.co.uk/ <http://www.hetas.co.uk/
The alert is on the HSE website at
http://www.hse.gov.uk/services/localgovernment/alert.htm
http://www.hse.gov.uk/services/localgovernment/alert.htm