Deirdre Kennedy
Thursday 8th April 2021 - 09:43

Safety checks during the pandemic

Deirdre is a Phoenix resident and member of our Resident Communications Group. Dierdre recently had her first socially distanced gas safety check and shares her tips to prepare. She encourages all residents to keep safe and allow access for essential checks.

I recently had my annual gas safety check and prepared in a different way to usual to keep both myself and the gas engineer safe.

I received a text before the visit, letting me know about my appointment time. If you are unsure about the text, there is a repair line to ask any questions but as I have had a check in the past, I knew what to expect.

On the day of the check, the gas engineer arrived wearing a mask, gloves and a Phoenix ID card. I put on my own mask, opened a window to ventilate the space and then let him in.

I had already cleared my boiler cupboard and opened internal doors before he arrived to limit unnecessary contact. 

He politely explained the areas that he needed to access and the things he needed, such as the cross key to my metre cupboard, while still maintaining a safe distance.

I then stayed in my sitting room to give the engineer space. Usually, when the check is complete, the engineer would come in and go through the paperwork. This time he chose to stay in my kitchen to ensure the required 2-metres.

My neighbour works during the day, but also had a check on the same day. So that she didn’t have to re-schedule, I took the engineer across to her house after my check. My neighbour’s boiler cupboard is upstairs, so I stayed downstairs during the check and again the paperwork was completed in a different room.

If you’re worried about your safety check, I’d really recommend getting in touch with Phoenix to discuss your concerns. I felt very reassured by the training that had obviously been given to the operatives and now have the assurance that our gas appliances are working safely!

Read our information sheet to find out more about the steps our operatives will take to keep you safe when carrying out repairs and safety checks in your home.