When it comes to servicing appliances in roof spaces, ensuring safety and adhering to relevant regulations are of great importance.
AS5601.1:2013 Gas Installations 6.3.11 and the Residential Tenancies Act 2021, outline the requirements and considerations for the maintenance and servicing of appliances. This article aims to highlight the reasons why servicing an appliance in a roof space without a walkway or with an inadequate manhole can be problematic and non-compliant with gas regulations.
AS5601.1:2013 Gas Installations - 6.3.11
Residential Tenancies Act 2021
gas safety check means—
(iii) that gas appliances and their components are accessible for servicing and adjustment;
To comply with gas regulations 6.3.11 and the Residential Tenancies Act 2021, and ensure safe appliance servicing in roof spaces, the following is advised:
Walkway
A designated walkway must be installed in the roof space to provide technicians with safe and convenient access to the appliance. The walkway should be sturdy, non-slip, and able to support the weight of technicians and their equipment. The walkway should be at least 600mm wide, capable of supporting the weight of a person and permanently fixed to the building.
Working in a confined space without a proper walkway or sufficient access poses significant safety hazards such as falling through the ceiling, tripping over obstacles, or damaging the structure.
Servicing Platform
A servicing platform that complies with the manufacturer's requirements and gas regulations. The servicing platform allows adequate room around the appliance to access important servicing components. Where required this should be 750mm.
Manhole Size and Location
Gas regulations emphasise the importance of providing technicians with adequate access to appliances for maintenance and servicing tasks. If the manhole leading to the roof space is too small, hard to access, or located far away from the appliance, it becomes challenging to service the appliance safely. This falls into the Residential Tenancies Act 2021 requirement that gas appliances and their components are accessible for servicing and adjustment. We recommend contacting a carpenter, or alternate trade to increase the manhole size or change the location to be closer to the appliance.