Get Gas Safe www.GetGasSafe.org.uk

Meet the Perils Show this introductory video which introduces the Perils, a wacky family moving into their new home and unpacking their possessions. The video explains the differences between the terms risk and hazard. (5 minutes)  

Risk and hazard What is hazard? What is risk? After watching the introductory video clip, briefly recap the meaning of and differences between the terms hazard and risk. (4 minutes)

Hazards in the home Can you find them all? The Interactive House activity helps pupils to recognize and manage risk in their homes. The house contains three rooms. Each room has potential hazards in it – the challenge is to click on them all. The hazards include gas, electrical and other potentially dangerous household items. The activity can either be carried out by pupils on their own computers, or you can deliver it using a projector or interactive whiteboard. To see all of the hazards at once click the show all hazards button. Discuss the gas hazards briefly: What are the gas hazards? (Boiler, gas cooker, gas fire.) Why is gas hazardous? (It is highly flammable.) Why is it easy to overlook gas as a hazard? (It can’t be seen.) (15 minutes)

Gas in the home 1. Watch the second video clip, which covers: what gas is, including that it is often invisible and odourless, how it is formed and how it reaches our homes carbon monoxide and the dangers of poorly fitted or maintained gas appliances  that solid fuels such as coal, wood, petrol and oil can also produce carbon monoxide why gas appliances need to be fitted by experts and how these experts can be found. 2. Ask the pupils to raise their hands and recite three things they have learnt about gas. Briefly discuss some of their answers. (5 minutes)

Gas in the home What is natural gas? What does it look and smell like? Why are gas appliances potential hazards? How can we reduce the risk of being harmed? If you do not have internet access and cannot watch the video on slide 9, you can use this slide to deliver the key content. Natural gas is a fossil fuel, formed from the fossils of dead dinosaurs and plants. It has no smell and cannot be seen. Therefore, we add a chemical called Mercaptan which gives the natural gas a smell of cabbages. This helps us identify if there a gas leak, which could lead to an explosion or fire. Gas appliances that are not working properly can cause gas leaks, fires, explosions or carbon monoxide poisoning (covered on slide 13) so therefore they are potential hazards. Gas appliances can only be fitted safely and legally by a Gas Safe registered engineer.

Gas in the home 1. Return to the Interactive House and demonstrate how gas is supplied to homes, using the gas infrastructure screen at the top. 2. Emphasise that gas is naturally odourless, so a chemical is added to it to make it smell of cabbage. Ask the class why this is done.  (5 minutes)

Make it safe 1. Watch the third video clip, which covers: what the Gas Safe Register is and how to find a registered engineer why engineers need to be registered why gas appliances need to be checked once a year and serviced regularly. The video clip shows Gas Safe registered engineer Ian Guard helping the Peril family, explaining what carbon monoxide is, why it is dangerous and fitting an alarm. (5 minutes)

Conclusion 1. Only use a Gas Safe registered engineer to fit, fix or service gas appliances 2. Get gas appliances checked every year 3. Fit a carbon monoxide alarm that alerts you when you’re in danger. 1. Draw together the threads of the session and ask pupils what they have learnt about safety in the home, summarizing the safety hazards covered and then focusing on gas and carbon monoxide safety. 2. Repeat the key safety messages:  What to do if gas is smelt (open doors and windows, tell an adult, call the gas emergency number). Carbon monoxide is poisonous and is hard to detect. Badly fitted and poorly maintained gas appliances can cause gas leaks, fires, explosions and carbon monoxide poisoning. All gas appliances should be safety checked once a year and serviced regularly (and this must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer). 3. If there is time pupils can do the gas safety quiz either individually or as a group, which is accessed via the Interactive House.