Australian Capital Territory
Gas Safety Regulations 2001     No 18
made under the
Gas Safety Act 2000
Republication No 1
Republication date: 12 September 2001
Regulations not amended up to this date
Provisions effective to 21 June 2001

Unauthorised version prepared by ACT Parliamentary Counsel's Office

About this republication
The republished law
This is a republication of the Gas Safety Regulations 2001, made under the Gas Safety Act 2000 as in force on 12 September 2001.  It includes any commencement, amendment, repeal or expiry affecting the republished law up to 21 June 2001 and any amendment made under the Legislation Act 2001, part 11.3 (Editorial changes).
The legislation history and amendment history of the republished law are set out in endnotes 3 and 4. 
Kinds of republications
The Parliamentary Counsel’s Office prepares 2 kinds of republications of ACT laws (see the ACT legislation register at www.legislation.act.gov.au):
•	authorised republications to which the Legislation Act 2001 applies
•	unauthorised republications.
The status of this republication appears on the bottom of each page.
Editorial changes
The Legislation Act 2001, part 11.3 authorises the Parliamentary Counsel to make editorial amendments and other changes of a formal nature when preparing a law for republication.  Editorial changes do not change the effect of the law, but have effect as if they had been made by an Act commencing on the republication date (see Legislation Act 2001, s 115 and s 117).  The changes are made if the Parliamentary Counsel considers they are desirable to bring the law into line, or more closely into line, with current legislative drafting practice.  
When preparing the authorised version of this republication amendments were made under part 11.3 (see endnote 1).
Uncommenced provisions and amendments
If a provision of the republished law has not commenced or is affected by an uncommenced amendment, the symbol  U  appears immediately before the provision heading.  The text of the uncommenced provision or amendment appears only in the last endnote.
Modifications
If a provision of the republished law is affected by a current modification, the symbol  M  appears immediately before the provision heading.  The text of the modifying provision appears in the endnotes.  For the legal status of modifications, see Legislation Act 2001, section 95.
Penalties
The value of a penalty unit for an offence against this republished law at the republication date—
	(a)	if the person charged is an individual—$100; or
	(b)	if the person charged is a corporation—$500.

Provisions effective to
21 June 2001

Australian Capital Territory
Gas Safety Regulations 2001
made under the
Gas Safety Act 2000
Contents
	Page
Part 1	Preliminary
	1	Name of regulations	2
	3	Dictionary	2
	4	Notes	2
Part 2	Work safety and standards
	5	People qualified to do gasfitting work—Act, s 7	3
	6	Testing gasfitting work on consumer piping system—Act, s 8	3
	7	Testing gas connection service	3
	8	Appliances to be certified safe	4
	9	Testing appliance connection	4
	10	Testing appliance disconnection etc	4
	11	Compliance indicators	5
	12	Certificates of compliance	5
	13	Interfering with compliance indicators	6
	14	False information on compliance indicators	7
	15	Unsafe consumer piping system—Act, s 12	7
	16	Interfering with defect tags	8
	17	Chief executive may direct testing of consumer piping system	8
Part 3	Use of consumer piping systems and appliances
	18	Consumer piping system not to be used unless certified safe	10
Part 4	Miscellaneous
	19	Approved defect tags	11
	20	Serious gas accidents—prescribed amount	11
Part 5	Savings and transitional provisions
	21	Former certificates of compliance to be kept	12
	22	Records of former certificate information to be kept	12
Dictionary		13
Endnotes
	1	About the endnotes	14
	2	Abbreviation key	14
	3	Legislation history	15
	4	Amendment history	15

Provisions effective to
21 June 2001

Australian Capital Territory
Gas Safety Regulations 2001     

made under the
Gas Safety Act 2000

    

  

Part 1	Preliminary
1	Name of regulations
These regulations are the Gas Safety Regulations 2001.
3	Dictionary
The dictionary at the end of these regulations is part of these regulations.
Note 1	The dictionary at the end of these regulations defines certain words and expressions used in these regulations, and includes references (signpost definitions) to other words and expressions defined elsewhere in these regulations or in other legislation.
	For example, the signpost definition ‘gas distributor—see the Utilities Act 2000, dictionary.’ means that the expression ‘gas distributor’ is defined in that dictionary and the definition applies to these regulations.
Note 2	A definition in the dictionary (including a signpost definition) applies to the entire regulations unless the definition, or another provision of the regulations, provides otherwise or the contrary intention otherwise appears (see Legislation Act 2001, s 155 and s 156 (1)).
4	Notes
A note included in these regulations is explanatory and is not part of these regulations.
Note	See Legislation Act 2001, s 127 (1), (4) and (5) for the legal status of notes.

Part 2	Work safety and standards
5	People qualified to do gasfitting work—Act, s 7
	(1)	For the Act, section 7 (1), the prescribed licence is a journeyman gasfitter’s licence under the Plumbers, Drainers and Gasfitters Board Act 1982.
	(2)	For the Act, section 7 (2), the prescribed licence is a gasfitter’s licence or a journeyman gasfitter’s licence under the Plumbers, Drainers and Gasfitters Board Act 1982.
6	Testing gasfitting work on consumer piping system—Act, s 8
Immediately after completing gasfitting work on a consumer piping system, the responsible gasfitter must—
	(a)	cap any appliance outlet from the system that does not have an appliance connected to it; and
	(b)	if the work included the installation of a system—test the system for defects and ensure that it is safe; and
	(c)	if the work was done on part of the system—test the part for defects and ensure that the system is safe.
Maximum penalty: 10 penalty units.
7	Testing gas connection service
A person who connects a consumer piping system to a gas distribution network must—
	(a)	ensure that the system and the installation of each appliance comply with all relevant codes; and
	(b)	inspect and test each appliance connected to the system to ensure that it operates in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and specifications.
Maximum penalty: 10 penalty units.
Note	Code is defined in the Act, dict, as a code of practice approved under the Act, s 69 (Codes of practice) as varied and in force from time to time.
8	Appliances to be certified safe
A gasfitter must not, without reasonable excuse, connect an appliance to a gas outlet in a consumer piping system unless the appliance is—
	(a)	certified, by the Australian Gas Association, as safe for use; or
	(b)	approved for use by the chief executive.
Maximum penalty: 10 penalty units.
9	Testing appliance connection
Immediately after connecting an appliance to a gas outlet in a consumer piping system that is connected to a gas distribution network, the responsible gasfitter must—
	(a)	ensure that the installation of the appliance complies with all relevant codes; and
	(b)	inspect and test the appliance to ensure that it operates in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and specifications.
Maximum penalty: 10 penalty units.
10	Testing appliance disconnection etc
	(1)	This regulation applies to gasfitting work if—
	(a)	in the course of the work an appliance (the original appliance) is disconnected from a consumer piping system; and 
	(b)	the original appliance has not been reconnected; and
	(c)	another appliance has not been connected in place of the original appliance.
	(2)	This regulation applies to gasfitting work whether or not other gasfitting work is performed on the same consumer piping system.
	(3)	As soon as possible after the gasfitting work is performed and before leaving the premises where, at the time of the disconnection, the original appliance was located, the person must—
	(a)	cap the system outlet for the appliance; and 
	(b)	test the system and ensure that there are no leaks.
Maximum penalty: 10 penalty units.
11	Compliance indicators
	(1)	For the Act, section 9 (1), a compliance indicator must be fixed in a conspicuous place to a permanent structure near the meter through which gas is conveyed to the consumer piping system.
	(2)	For the Act, section 9 (2), a compliance indicator must contain sufficient details to identify the consumer piping system that it refers to and the certificate of compliance given for the work.
12	Certificates of compliance
	(1)	For the Act, section 9 (1), the certificate of compliance must be signed by the gasfitter and given to the owner or occupier of the premises where the gasfitting work is completed, either—
	(a)	by giving it to the owner or occupier personally; or
	(b)	by leaving it, addressed to the owner or occupier, in a conspicuous place on the premises.
	(2)	A gasfitter who gives a certificate of compliance in relation to gasfitting work must give a copy of the certificate to the chief executive.
Maximum penalty: 10 penalty units.
	(3)	A gasfitter who gives a certificate of compliance must keep a copy of the certificate for at least 2 years after the day it was signed.
Maximum penalty: 10 penalty units.
	(4)	The chief executive must keep a record of the information in a certificate received under subregulation (2) for at least 10 years after the day of receipt.
13	Interfering with compliance indicators
	(1)	A person must not, without reasonable excuse, remove, alter, damage or deface a compliance indicator attached to a consumer piping system.
Maximum penalty: 10 penalty units.
	(2)	Subregulation (1) does not apply to the removal of a compliance indicator by the person who attached it to the consumer piping system, or by an inspector, if the person or the inspector believes on reasonable grounds that the system is unsafe.
	(3)	An inspector who removes a compliance indicator under subregulation (2) must, as soon as practicable, notify, in writing, the person who had attached the indicator of the removal.
	(4)	In this regulation:
compliance indicator includes a compliance plate attached in relation to a consumer piping system under the repealed Gas Supply Regulations, regulation 15 (2).
14	False information on compliance indicators
	(1)	A person must not record on a compliance indicator information that is false or misleading in a material particular.
Maximum penalty: 10 penalty units.
	(2)	In this regulation:
compliance indicator includes a compliance plate attached in relation to a consumer piping system under the repealed Gas Supply Regulations, regulation 15 (2).
15	Unsafe consumer piping system—Act, s 12
	(1)	For the Act, section 12 (2), the responsible gasfitter must, immediately upon discovering that a consumer piping system is unsafe—
	(a)	isolate the system from the gas supply; and
	(b)	securely attach, in a conspicuous place to on appropriate meter control or isolation valve in the system, a defect tag that indicates that the system has been isolated because it is unsafe.
Note	If a defect tag is approved under reg 19 (Approved defect tags) for this regulation, the tag must be used.
	(2)	For the Act, section 12 (2), the notice of the unsafe system and the action necessary to make it safe must be given to the owner or occupier of the premises.
	(3)	A gasfitter who gives a notice under subregulation (2) must keep for at least 2 years a record of the notice sufficient to identify the premises where the system is located and when the notice was given.
Maximum penalty: 10 penalty units.
	(4)	A gasfitter who keeps a record under subregulation (3) must not, without reasonable excuse, fail to produce the record if requested to do so by an inspector.
Maximum penalty (subregulation (4)): 10 penalty units.
16	Interfering with defect tags
	(1)	A person must not, without reasonable excuse, remove, alter, damage or deface a defect tag attached to a consumer piping system.
Maximum penalty: 10 penalty units.
	(2)	Subregulation (1) does not apply to the removal of a defect tag by the person who attached it to the consumer piping system, or by an inspector, if the person or the inspector believes on reasonable grounds that the system is safe.
	(3)	An inspector who removes a defect tag under subregulation (2) must, as soon as practicable, notify, in writing, the person who had attached the tag of the removal.
	(4)	In this regulation:
defect tag includes an approved tag attached in relation to a consumer piping system under the repealed Gas Supply Regulations, regulation 14 (2).
17	Chief executive may direct testing of consumer piping system
	(1)	This section applies if the chief executive believes on reasonable grounds that a consumer piping system is not safe, or may not be safe, having regard to all or any of the following matters:
	(a)	the period since the system was tested;
	(b)	the age of the system;
	(c)	the number of times work has been done on the system;
	(d)	an accident, a natural disaster, the alteration of the premises or some other act that may have adversely affected the system.
	(2)	The chief executive may, by notice in writing, direct the owner of premises where the system is installed to arrange for the system to be tested to find out if it is safe.
	(3)	The direction may state that the period within which the testing is to be completed.
	(4)	A person must not, without reasonable excuse, contravene a direction under subregulation (2).
Maximum penalty (subregulation (4)): 10 penalty units.

Part 3	Use of consumer piping systems and appliances
18	Consumer piping system not to be used unless certified safe
	(1)	This regulation applies to a consumer piping system on which gasfitting work is done after the commencement of these regulations, whether the work involves—
	(a)	installation of the system as new; or
	(b)	work on a previously existing system.
	(2)	The owner of the system must not, without reasonable excuse, use gas supplied through the system, or allow gas supplied through the system to be used, unless, in relation to the gasfitting work done after the commencement—
	(a)	a compliance indicator is attached in accordance with regulation 11 (Compliance indicators); and
	(b)	a certificate of compliance has been given in accordance with regulation 12 (Certificates of compliance).
Maximum penalty: 10 penalty units.
	(3)	Subregulation (1) does not apply to the testing of the system by the responsible gasfitter in relation to the gasfitting work.

Part 4	Miscellaneous
19	Approved defect tags
	(1)	The chief executive may approve defect tags for these regulations.
	(2)	If the chief executive approves a defect tag for a particular purpose, the defect tag must be used for that purpose.
20	Serious gas accidents—prescribed amount
For the Act, dictionary, definition of serious gas accident, paragraph (c), the prescribed amount is $2 000.

Part 5	Savings and transitional provisions
21	Former certificates of compliance to be kept
	(1)	Despite the repeal of the Gas Supply Regulations 1999, the provisions of regulation 17 (1) of those regulations continue to apply in relation to a certificate of compliance issued under the repealed regulations.
	(2)	This regulation expires 2 years after it commences.
22	Records of former certificate information to be kept
	(1)	Despite the repeal of the Gas Supply Regulations 1999, the provisions of regulation 17 (2) of those regulations continue to apply in relation to the owner or operator of a distribution pipeline who, under the repealed regulations, received information contained in a certificate of compliance.
	(2)	This regulation expires 10 years after its commencement.

Dictionary
(see reg 3)
appliance, in part 2 (Work safety and standards), does not include an appliance designed to be portable by users.
defect tag—see regulation 15 (1).
gas distribution network means a gas distribution network under the Utilities Act 2000, section 10 (2).
gas distributor—see the Utilities Act 2000, dictionary.
repealed Gas Supply Regulations means the Gas Supply Regulations 1999 in force before their repeal on 20 June 2001.

Endnotes
1	About the endnotes
Amending and modifying laws are annotated in the legislation history and the amendment history.  Current modifications are not included in the republished law but are set out in the endnotes.
Not all editorial amendments made under the Legislation Act 2001, part 11.3 are annotated in the amendment history.  Full details of any amendments can be obtained from the Parliamentary Counsel’s Office.
Uncommenced amending laws are listed in the legislation history and the amendment history.  These details are underlined.  Uncommenced provisions and amendments are not included in the republished law but are set out in the last endnotes.
If all the provisions of the law have been renumbered, a table of renumbered provisions gives details of previous and current numbering.  
The endnotes also include a table of earlier republications.
If the republished law includes penalties, current information about penalty unit values appears on the republication inside front cover.
2	Abbreviation key

am = amended	ord = ordinance	
amdt = amendment	orig = original	
ch = chapter	p = page	
cl = clause	par = paragraph	
def = definition	pres = present	
dict = dictionary	prev = previous	
disallowed = disallowed by the Legislative 	(prev...) = previously	
Assembly	prov = provision	
div = division	pt = part	
exp = expires/expired	r = rule/subrule	
Gaz = Gazette	reg = regulation/subregulation	
hdg = heading	renum = renumbered	
ins = inserted/added	reloc = relocated	
LA = Legislation Act 2001	R[X] = Republication No	
LR = legislation register	s = section/subsection	
LRA = Legislation (Republication) Act 1996	sch = schedule	
mod = modified / modification	sdiv = subdivision	
No = number	sub = substituted	
o = order	SL  = Subordinate Law	
om = omitted/repealed	underlining = whole or part not commenced	
3	Legislation history
Gas Safety Regulations 2001
notified 21 June 2001 (Gaz 2001 No S37)
commenced 21 June 2001 (reg 2)
4	Amendment history
Commencement
reg 2	om R1 (IA s 43 (4))
Former certificates of compliance to be kept
reg 21	exp 21 June 2003 (reg 21 (2))
Records of former certificate information to be kept
reg 22	exp 21 June 2011 (reg 22 (2))

Unauthorised version prepared by ACT Parliamentary Counsel's Office

©  Australian Capital Territory 2001