Gas Safety Week: Q & A with our Gas Team
his year's Gas Safety Week theme is about celebrating the diversity of Gas Safe engineers and their essential role in keeping us safe.
With diverse motivations, backgrounds and experiences in mind, we spoke to some of our own Gas Team here at the Group to hear about their own experiences and how they help keep our tenants and customers, and their homes, gas safe.
What made you want to become a gas engineer?
Craig: From the age of 12, I started to work at the weekends with my grandad and my two uncles on building sites. My primary role was to sweep up and make the teas and coffees (so nothing exciting, truthfully!) As I got older, I started to get more involved with the heating side of the work, and I found it really interesting and rewarding, so I decided to take this as a career choice.
Lewis: When I left school, I wasn't sure what I would do. My father is a gas engineer, and he offered that I go to work with him while I made a decision. After working with him for a while, it became apparent that I also wanted to be a gas engineer.
Darren: I wanted to learn a trade that would allow me to impact people's lives positively; becoming a gas engineer seemed like a perfect choice back then, which has since proven true.
What do, or did, you most enjoy about the work as a gas engineer?
Craig: I feel that I'm very much a people pleaser, so I find it immensely rewarding to be in a position to help customers keep safe and warm in their homes.
Lewis: What I enjoy most about being a gas engineer is the fault-finding and diagnostic side of the industry. By identifying and fixing problems, I can help to ensure that people's homes are safe and comfortable, which is an important responsibility. I find it very satisfying to use my knowledge and experience to help people.
Darren: The thing I enjoyed the most about being a gas engineer was when I was still carrying out repairs and could help the customer get heating and hot water back on when they really needed it; the gratitude that some customers showed made the job even more satisfying.
What is it like working in Property Services and the Gas Team?
Lewis: It can be a very rewarding experience. It requires skill, expertise, and a solid commitment to safety and customer service.
Darren: Everyone in Property Services has the opportunity to make a difference in our customers' lives, and we can significantly impact the Group's reputation. Being able to make that difference and having the responsibility of upholding the reputation makes working in Property Services and the Gas Team very rewarding.
Jason: As a team, positively impacting our customers' lives and ensuring they are safe and warm in their homes makes it all worth it.
Top gas safety advice tips from our team
Craig: Prevention is better than a cure; if you feel something isn't right, don't take any unnecessary risks, call for help.
Lewis: Don't take risks with gas. Get periodic inspections of gas appliances.
Darren and Jason: Safety first, and do not take risks.
Thanks to Jason, Darren, Craig and Lewis for chatting with us for Gas Safety Week!
Here are some stats from our Gas Team:
The gas and heating industry workloads are very varied. Here at Progress Housing Group, the Gas Team conducts the following on an annual basis:
- 300 to 350 planned and responsive heating upgrades
- 5,000 heating repairs
- 7,000 Landlord Gas Safety Records covering general needs, independent living, RWP and Progress Living across England, Scotland and Wales