Solid Fuel Stoves Code of practice- work begins

[Rob@BSSOffice]

The Boat Safety Scheme is welcoming the first tangible steps to the safer selection, installation and use of solid fuel stoves with the start of work on a new UK code of practice. Especially welcome, is the news that the code making group will have the input of boat owners and users with the help of two people from the Association of Waterways Cruising Clubs (AWCC).

 

Code drafting consultants, Gastec at CRE Ltd, have been commissioned by the British Standards Institution (BSi) committee RHE/28/-/1 and joining the committee is a consumers’ representative from the AWCC who will be presenting boaters views and experiences of choosing, installing, running and maintaining solid fuel stoves. Dr Stuart McGuigan’s role will be to ensure nothing of concern to boaters is overlooked and that the reality of stove use is taken into account with the knowledge that thousands of stoves are in safe daily use in boats on UK waters. Supporting him in this is the AWCC’s Malcolm Wood, who will be gathering together those experiences.

 

Graham Watts, Boat Safety Scheme manager said,

‘Not only has the drafting work started, the committee welcomed our request to see a consumers’ representative who can present a reality check on any potential to introduce unrealistic technical specifications.

 

‘For boat owners wanting advice now, we have published with the Solid Fuel Association a brief guide to using solid fuel stoves on www.boatsafetyscheme.com/fire .’

 

Malcolm Wood, who is the AWCC representative on the BSS Advisory Committee, will be liaising with the other boaters’ organisations to gather their member’s views and experiences of using stoves. Anyone keen to put forward their experience should contact either their own organisation, or contact Malcolm directly by email through the AWCC website to communications@awcc.org.uk or to malbabs@aol.com .

 

 

ADDITIONAL NOTE TO THIS FORUM'S MEMBERS

 

I wish to thanks the various people on this forum for raising questions about stoves, flues, hearths, chimneys, fuels, etc Your questions and your experiences have been given to Stuart McGuigan, the 'consumers' representative on the committee. Hopefully the proposed CoP will mean that manufacturers and suppliers of stoves and boats in the future will be including in their owner's packs, all the information needed to aid choice, installation and maintenance of solid fuel stoves on boats.

 

One key result for everyone here and one member in particular was the challange to me to see that ordinary boaters had a chance to influence the standards making, no omissions and no unfeasible 'gold-plating' eg 4m high flues. I took this forward to my manager who is sitting on the working group. He then sought to have that place filled on the committee table, hence the users rep through AWCC's Dr McGuigan.

 

So thanks chaps , that was a very successful lobby. If you have experiences useful for the standards making group please send it to AWCC care of communications@awcc.org.uk or IWA, NABO, RBOA, RYA, TBA, etc not the BSS.

 

Rob@BSS Office