Gas Safety (Management) Regulations 1996 (GSMR)
What this means for your business
- Applies to
- United Kingdom
- On this page
- 6 compliance obligations, 1 practical guide
What you must do
6 compliance obligations under this legislation.
Management duties 4
Co‑operate with gas network and emergency services and provide required gas information
If your business supplies, transports or controls gas, you must help the gas network operator, the emergency co‑ordinator and any emergency‑reporting service when they ask you to. You also have to obey any direction to stop using gas and give the operating pressure details to anyone carrying out work on a gas fitting.
Ensure gas you convey meets required specifications
Unlimited fineIf your business conveys gas through a network you must make sure the gas meets the quality standards set out in Schedule 3, Part I. You need to carry out appropriate tests to prove the gas complies (or, in an emergency, that it meets the alternative standards in Part II). The only exception is for out‑of‑spec biogas moved in a dedicated pipe for treatment or blending.
Follow the approved safety case procedures
Unlimited fineIf you run a gas network or act as the emergency co‑ordinator or reporting service and you have had a safety case accepted, you must make sure the procedures set out in that safety case (and any updates) are carried out every day. In practice this means embedding those steps into your operating routines and checking they are being followed.
Maintain and regularly review your gas safety case
If you have prepared a gas safety case, you must keep it up‑to‑date. Update it whenever you become aware of changes, but if the update would make the case substantially different you must first get the Executive’s approval. In addition, you must carry out a full review of the accepted safety case at least every three years.
Record keeping 1
Keep safety case and related records for 3 years
If your business prepares a gas safety case you must tell the regulator the UK address where you will store it and any related documents. Keep the safety case (and any updates), audit reports, action logs, review reports and test records at that address, make sure they can be reproduced as hard copies and are protected from loss or unauthorised access, and retain them for three years (or for as long as the safety case is current).
Reporting and filing 1
Report gas escapes immediately and investigate promptly
If you supply or control gas, or you own/occupy premises that receive gas, you must provide a 24‑hour staffed phone number for the public to report leaks, report any leak you discover straight away to the appropriate emergency reporting service, go to the site as soon as practicable and stop the leak within 12 hours, and carry out a competent investigation if the leak causes a fire, explosion or carbon‑monoxide incident.
Penalties for non-compliance
2 penalties under this legislation. 2 carry an unlimited fine.
Ensure gas you convey meets required specifications
Unlimited fine
Follow the approved safety case procedures
Unlimited fine
Practical guidance
Our guides explain how to comply with the requirements above.
Sections and provisions
14 classified provisions from this legislation.