Any medical bods who can help. A recent fire risk assessment for an indipendant living scheme (communal areas) high lighted one or two of the residents having O2 in their flats (prescibed by the Dr). The question arose as to who checks the cylinders and associated equipment for leaks and general condition, would it be the District Nurse or someone else? Any ideas most welcome One point to mention these residents live in an indepentant living scheme and there is a scheme manager on duty during the day only

The inspection by a competent person as prescribed by the Small Pressure Vessels Regulations should be carried out by the supplier whenever empty cylinders are retutned for refilling. On thing to bear in mind here though is that the people using the cylinders are not employers, and the company managing the independent living scheme is not in an employment relationship with the tenants either; HASAWA doesn't apply to either the tenants or the scheme managers. Employers sending workers into this situation do have duties, but as Bob intimates, these duties will probably extend only to those required to keep their employees safe SFARP. Employers in this situation would not have a right to insist that cylinders etc be serviced, though they should make it clear to employees and tenants alike that care would not be provided if workers felt their personal safety to be at risk, John