Work experience was a gas for Ryan  

 (Ayrshire Post article November 2011)

Thousands of Ayrshire teenagers have had their first taste of life in the workplace thanks to the new Work Experience programme.

Now run by Ayrshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the scheme encourages local businesses to provide opportunities for Work Experience for young people within schools in Ayrshire, offering pupils the opportunity to prepare for the challenges of working life.

One of the most recent success stories is that of 15-year-old Belmont Academy pupil Ryan Simpson, who completed a one-week placement with Ayr-based gas service company O'Neil Gas.

Ryan said: “I study all the science subjects at school and I had an idea that I wanted to become a plumber or gas engineer. After my week with O’Neil Gas I am now sure that’s what I want to do because I really enjoyed my time working with O’Neil Gas.”

O'Neil Gas manager Brian O'Neil said: "Our company has always been proud of its links to the community through various channels, including our apprenticeship programme which we have been able to run successfully due to being the current gas maintenance contractor for South Ayrshire Council and Ayrshire Housing.

“This is the second year we have participated in the Work Experience scheme and I am sure that Ryan will have gained a valuable insight into life outside school and gained valuable knowledge of what it's like in a working environment.

"Over the past seven years we have taken nine school leavers into the company, trained them and now employ them full time as highly qualified gas engineers. The Work Experience scheme has benefited greatly from the Chamber's involvement and youngsters like Ryan will have reaped the benefit of a structured and well-organised programme."

O'Neil Gas Gain Accrediations from CHAS Health & Safety

The company have recently completed an in depth inspection audit of their health and safety policy and management competence from the Government regulation body CHAS.

Service Manager Brian O'Neil said "We are delighted to be given this accreditation from a Government appointment health and safety inspection organisation such as CHAS.

As well as gaining the nationally recognised award certificate the inspection audit allowed us to put into place improvement to our health and safety management systems and by implementing these procedures i feel it has made the company stronger.

Multi Award Winning Apprentices

In the past six years, O'Neil have trained seven local school leavers in this way, all of whom are employed by the Company.

Award winning apprentices Blair Dunlop and Christopher Given proudly show off their awards from Glasgow Metropolitan College, where both O'Neil Gas apprentices won awards.

Brian O'Neil, Managing Director of the business said I am delighted Blair and Kris have won awards this year as both of them are excellent apprentices and i know they will make first class gas engineers once their training is complete. One of O’Neil Gas key goals has always been to give something back to the local community & we feel giving the opportunity to young schools to learn a trade is a very positive step in achieving this goal.

Pictures shows: Prize-winning apprentices Blair Dunlop and Christopher Given

An Investment In The Community

Bucking the current trend in industry, O’Neil Gas Services have taken on nine apprentices from the local area in the last seven years. Five have already been fully trained with another four in training that includes attending specialised colleges for a full three year course.

We also assist South Ayrshire Council with the training of their apprentices and over the last few years have been involved in the training of these young apprentices. We are also registered with Ayrshire Chamber of Commerce offering school kids the opportunity of work experience.

Brian O’Neil, Managing Director of O’Neil Gas Services, said; “This kind of training is a huge financial investment for our company, but we’ve found it to be the best way to produce the highly skilled engineers to the level of service that our private and public section customers expect. Having a long term association with South Ayrshire Council and Ayrshire Housing has allowed us to invest locally by employing and training school leavers, giving them the opportunity of a long term job in the local community”.

Last year, our service engineers made over 20,000 calls to customers throughout Ayrshire. Not bad for a Company that began with only five employees and now employs eighteen all of them living in Ayrshire.

Warning for firms over gas safety checks  (article taken from Ayrshire Post May 2011)

Hundreds of Ayrshire businesses could face prosecution after failing to have their premises checked for gas safety, according to industry experts. The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulation 35 1998 states that all rented and managed property MUST be tested annually by a registered Gas Safe engineer and a certificate (Gas Safe CP17) issued.

Failure to comply can lead to prosecution, personal injury claims or invalid insurance. Brian O’Neil is service manager of one of Ayrshire’s leading Gas Safe registered companies, O’Neil Gas Services Ltd, and his team of 18 gas engineers carry out thousands of checks each year on commercial and domestic properties.

Based on his company data, Brian believes there are hundreds of businesses in Ayrshire without a current certificate. Brian explained: “Any owner or manager of a commercial property has a legal duty under the regulations to ensure that any gas appliance, pipe work or flue installed on their premises is maintained in a safe condition and is inspected and certificated every 12 months.

“Failure to have premises checked may be placing staff or customers in danger and failure to have a current certificate can lead to prosecution under Health and Safety regulations. In many cases it will render buildings insurance or personal liability insurance invalid.  “Maintaining all gas appliances in a safe condition is obviously vital for the wellbeing of staff or visiting customers or clients and, for that reason alone, all commercial premises should be checked and certificated.”

There have been a number of high-profile legal cases in recent years where business owners have been prosecuted or sued following injury caused by unsafe gas installations.

Brian added: “It is important for businesses to realise that certification should be carried out by registered commercial Gas Safe engineers who specialise in the types of boilers and systems installed in both large and small commercial premises.”

O’Neil Gas employs four of these specially trained engineers, visiting thousands of premises each year, ranging from shops, offices, restaurant and bars to swimming pools and sports centres.