GSL - Plumbing, Gasfitting & Energy Consultants
Gas Safely Ltd (GSL) provides technical and consultancy services to the plumbing, gasfitting and energy industries throughout New Zealand, specialising in the commercial and industrial sectors. From system design through to appliance and installation certification, Gas Safely is able to provide a solution designed for your business.
The company was founded in 2008 by John DeBernardo a Craftsman Plumber &
Gasfitter and Registered Electrical Service Technician with over 32 years
direct industry experience gained through New Zealand, Australia and the
Asia-Pacific region.
His experience and training in the specialised fields of combustion and process heat transfer have enabled him to successfully carry out the design, installation, commissioning and maintenance for dozens of commercial and industrial installations ranging from simple boiler and burner plant to offshore petrochemical platforms.
Gas Safely offers a wide range of specialist services from installation safety inspections and audits to upskilling training and employer licensing programmes. We are members of the Master Plumbers, Gasfitters & Drainlayers NZ, the NZ Institution of Gas Engineers and the Institute of Refrigeration, Heating & Air Conditioning Engineers of NZ.
Technical Services
Gas Safely offers the following range of technical services. Please contact us to arrange for a consultation to evaluate your needs.
- Equipment and installation design and sizing, including all necessary calculations and documentation for design verification and certification. We can provide detailed technical and project management from concept to commissioning and handover.
-
Plant
and building inspections and energy system audits. Gas Safely provides
regular condition, safety and efficiency reporting for a number of
commercial and industrial installations. We can offer one-off or continuous
management solutions. - Combustion testing and analysis. Gas Safely have a comprehensive range of combustion analysis and gas safety testing equipment.
- Seismic design including the supply of a wide range of earthquake activated gas shut-off valves from ¾” to 8”, both screwed and flanged, with working pressures up to 60psi/410kPa.
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Installation, commissioning and maintenance procedures and manuals. We
can supply operational and as-built manuals for both installation and
maintenance operations.
Certification
Gas Appliances:
New Zealand legislation requires that gas appliances are tested and certified for safe operation. Appliances must be certified in accordance with the Gas Regulations and NZS 5262 Gas Appliance Safety, by the manufacturer, importer or supplier making a compliance declaration on the Ministry of Economic Development Energy Safety website. There are 2 types of Supplier Declarations:
- Tier One Declarations – For gas appliances that are normally manufactured and supplied in volume such as domestic appliances
- Tier 2 Declarations – For use where less than 11 of a particular appliance will be supplied such as a purpose-built industrial dryer.
Gas Safely can assist manufacturers and suppliers with the complete certification process, including all necessary compliance testing. We have considerable experience with certification of both Tier 1 and Tier 2 ‘specials’ and low-volume appliances.
Gas
Installations:
Certification is mandatory in New Zealand for all gas installations that are newly constructed, extensions, additions, replacements, alterations or repairs following a notifiable accident.
The
installation must be certified in accordance with the Gas Regulations and
NZS 5261 Gas Installation. Part 1 of this Standard sets out the mandatory
requirements, whilst Parts 2 & 3 contain means of compliance solutions for
installations below and above 250 mJ/hr.
Gas Safely can assist installers with both technical and specialised means of compliance solutions for their projects. From pipework and ventilation design through to testing and certification we have the expertise to provide safe robust solutions for any installation.
IQP Services
Gas Safely provides specialised IQP services that assist a number of building owners and managers to meet their requirements under the Building Act. Features covered include:
- Escape route pressurisation systems
- Mechanical ventilation or air conditioning systems
- Other mechanical, electrical, hydraulic or electronic systems
- Signs required by the Building Code
- Hand held hose reels for fire fighting
Licensing & Training
Licensing:
Gasfitting in NZ is normally restricted to registered persons however
certain exemptions exist. One such exemption is the Employer Licence which
enables the holder to authorise any employee to carry out gasfitting work
under an accredited system of operation. Under an Employer Licence, the onus
is on the employer to ensure that gasfitting is done safely and competently.
For many medium to large size companies who employ specialists such as pipefitter/welders to carry out gasfitting, an Employer Licence is a cost effective solution to ensure all staff have a sound understanding of both gas safety and their own responsibilities, whilst providing legal coverage for the work they perform.
Gas Safely can tailor an Employer Licence package for any size business, and many people will be surprised to learn that the set-up and operational costs per employee are comparable to a Registered person. Using a standard licensing template we can offer solutions ranging from a basic system of operation through to accreditation and ongoing competency and upskilling training for staff.
Training:
Gas Safely offers a comprehensive range of training services for
industry. Please contact us to arrange for a consultation to evaluate your
needs.
- Technical and Safety Training for plumbers, gasfitters and HVAC specialists. We have a wide range of material covering pipework and ventilation design, gas safety, combustion and testing and commissioning procedures.
- Accredited upskilling training for Plumbers and Gasfitters covering both practical and theoretical skills.
- Specialised training courses for industry groups including in-house training and Employer Licencing groups.
News
Recent Industry News:
NZS 5262: 2003 Gas Appliance Safety will commence a review process once details of the new Gas Regulations are released. All of the means of Compliance Standards listed in NZS 5262 will be revalidated at the same time. Anyone wanting to have a new Means of Compliance Standard listed should contact Standards New Zealand to notify their request.
According to the winter 2009 Gas Association newsletter “Gas Review”, a recent study has shown that gas powered water heaters have compared favourably with heat pumps. The report completed by the Centre for Advanced Engineering helps dispel some of the myths and hype generated by recent heat pump advertising. For more information go to: http://www.ganz.org.nz/publications
Many people will have seen the adverse publicity recently regarding the low pass rates in the latest plumbing and gasfitting registration examinations. In the March issue of Board News, Chairperson Hazel Armstrong details the Plumbers, Gasfitters & Drainlayers Board plans to address this problem. For more information go to: http://www.pgdb.co.nz/download/pdf/news-march-2009.pdf
The February 2009 issue of Codewords (Issue 34) from the Department of Building & Housing provides detailed information about specified systems and compliance Schedules for buildings, including the requirements for gas detection systems. For more information got to: http://www.dbh.govt.nz/codewords-index
Useful Links
AGA Certified Gas Product Directory http://www.aga.asn.au/product_directory
Australian, ISO and IEC Standards http://www.saiglobal.com/shop/script/search.asp
Department of Building and Housing http://www.dbh.govt.nz/
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority http://www.eeca.govt.nz/
Energy Safety http://www.energysafety.govt.nz/
Gas Association of NZ http://www.ganz.org.nz/
Institute of Refrigeration, Heating & Air Conditioning Engineers of NZ http://www.irhace.org.nz/
LPG Association of NZ http://www.lpga.co.nz/
Master Plumbers Gasfitters & Drainlayers NZ http://www.masterplumbers.org.nz/Rexdefault.aspx
NZ Gas Appliance Supplier Declaration Database http://www.energysafety.govt.nz/templates/ESS/ESSView____17537.aspx
NZ Institution of Gas Engineers http://www.nzige.org.nz/
Plumbers, Gasfitters & Drainlayers Board http://www.pgdb.co.nz/
Standards New Zealand http://www.standards.co.nz/default.htm
Contact
If you would like more information about our services, please contact:
John DeBernardo
P O Box 56064
Tawa, Wellilngton 5249
Phone: 04 232 3330
Mobile: 021 424 944
Email: john.debernardo@xtra.co.nz