Tag: Scottish Gas Networks

SGN partners with Scotland’s Fire and Rescue Service to combat carbon monoxide dangers

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) has extended its partnership with gas distribution network SGN to raise awareness about the dangers of carbon monoxide (CO) and protect communities from its potentially deadly effects.

Many people in the UK using carbon fuelled appliances, such as gas cookers, are not aware of the dangers of CO and do not have a working audible CO alarm. In 2020, out of 8,000 people surveyed, 45% didn’t know that CO doesn’t have a smell, while only 42% had a working audible CO alarm.

As part of the collaboration, they will work together to provide essential safety advice focusing on the hidden dangers of the colourless and odourless gas that can be fatal. They will also promote the importance of installing CO alarms and maintaining gas appliances, helping to ensure even more homes across Scotland remain safe. All the areas covered are listed below.

The initiative builds upon SGN’s existing partnerships with SFRS operating in Clackmannanshire, Fife & Stirling, and Perth & Kinross, Angus and Dundee (PKAD), as well as similar partnerships we’ve rolled out in southern England, where they’ve seen a positive impact in educating the public about CO safety.

SGN has provided CO alarms to each SFRS partner to give to customers in their area during Home Fire Safety Visits. Alongside the lifesaving CO alarms, customers will also receive a helpful tips leaflet which provides all the information they need to stay safe from the ‘silent killer’, and what steps to follow if they suspect CO is present in their home. SGN has produced and shared this leaflet in nine additional languages to meet regional community needs.

SGN Social Impact Programme Lead Dan Edwards said: “One of the major aspects of my role is developing projects and partnerships using the Vulnerability and Carbon Monoxide Allowance (VCMA) to raise CO awareness and reduce CO harm.

“Working alongside Scottish Fire and Rescue Service means we can reach even more customers within our network area to make sure everyone stays safe and well. Partnering with vital emergency services to help us spread the word on the dangers of CO will help us to meet our top priority of keeping our customers safe and well all year round.”

The partnership now includes:

  • Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray (ACAM)
  • Argyll & Bute, East and West Dunbartonshire (EWDAB)
  • Clackmannanshire, Fife & Stirling (CFS)
  • Dumfries & Galloway (DG)
  • Edinburgh
  • East, North and South Ayrshire (ENSA)
  • East Renfrewshire, Renfrewshire and Inverclyde (ERRI)
  • Falkirk and West Lothian (FWL)
  • Glasgow (GLA)
  • Highlands
  • Lanarkshire (LAN)
  • Midlothian, East Lothian and Scottish Borders
  • Perth & Kinross, Angus and Dundee (PKAD)

Steven Low, Group Commander for the Safer Homes Team at Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, said: “We’re delighted to extend our partnership with SGN to all SFRS areas across mainland Scotland.

“We’ve been working together closely for many years and we know our collaborative approach has been an effective way of achieving our joint goals of making our communities safer.”

Students learn about carbon monoxide safety through unique interactive rewards scheme

Gas distribution network SGN has been encouraging students to learn about the dangers of carbon monoxide (CO) through an innovative augmented reality campaign in a university coffee shop.

Students moving into rented accommodation, attending festivals and having BBQs are at an increased risk of CO poisoning. Lack of awareness of the risks of the colourless and odourless gas and how to prevent CO harm are major contributing factors to the number of CO-related deaths and injuries.

We’ve partnered with technical consultancy Egnida to create the campaign with a unique incentive scheme, creatively designed to engage and educate this hard-to-reach demographic.

Bespoke drinks coasters with QR codes have been placed in the main coffee shop at the University of Edinburgh campus.

After scanning the QR code with their smartphone, the student is taken to our campaign webpage to take part in a three-minute training course. The course uses augmented reality animations to explain the dangers of CO, how to spot the symptoms of CO poisoning and what students can do to keep safe.

Students use their phone’s camera to scan a symbol printed on to the coaster, which transforms into a series of 3D models that appear as if they are on the table in front of them.

As a reward for completing the course, students receive a discount voucher to put towards a drink in the coffee shop where the coaster is located.

We’ve purposefully chosen this small, instant incentive to engage students with our campaign, rather than an opportunity to win a larger incentive, to engage time-poor students with our campaign at the point they see our coasters.

Dan Edwards, Social Impact Programme Lead at SGN, said: “We’re always looking for new and innovative ways to teach people about the dangers of CO.

“By making use of exciting technologies such as augmented reality, we’re hoping to break through to students and reach up to 5,000 young adults in Edinburgh to engage and educate them with potentially lifesaving information.”

The campaign is also available at the University of Birmingham, Sunderland University and Cardiff University campuses, run by gas distribution networks Cadent, Northern Gas Networks and Wales & West Utilities respectively.

Could Help to Heat help someone you know?

This winter will be one of the most difficult in living memory with lockdown and increasing unemployment forcing more people to spend time in homes they can’t afford to heat and potentially ending up in hospital. Many people will use more, pay more and owe more, while earning considerably less.

Yesterday was Fuel Poverty Awareness Day and Scottish Gas Networks is raising awareness of how we can make sure our communities stay safe and warm this winter.

This includes our Help to Heat scheme, which supports those struggling to make ends meet by providing funding to connect some households to our gas network for free. In some cases, we can also fully or partially fund a gas central heating system.

According to National Energy Action (NEA), the same health conditions impacted by cold indoor temperatures will place people at greater risk of contracting COVID-19.

Coping strategies which people normally use to get through the cold winter months, such as only having one heated room for the family to socialise in, could also increase the spread of infection.

This not only threatens even more lives but hampers collective efforts to reduce infection and prevent the NHS from being overwhelmed. Some households also take risks by using unsafe heating sources such as a cooker or outdoor patio heater to get warmed up, which can cause carbon monoxide poisoning or start fires.

In 2017/18, excess winter deaths exceeded 50,000 across the UK, and the NEA estimates that 17,000 people died because they were unable to keep adequately warm at a reasonable cost. This winter, that figure could be far greater as people self-isolate in a cold home in response to COVID-19.

It’s important to us that our communities are safe and warm this winter and we want to help people to reduce their heating costs.

Heating a home with electricity is proven to be three times more expensive than it would be with a gas central heating system, so could you or someone you know benefit from a free connection to our gas network?

Mr R, a father of two from Winchester, received funding for a gas connection and A-rated central heating system from SGN’s Help to Heat Scheme. Mr R said: “I found the scheme while my heating was being temperamental. When we found out we could get the funding me and my wife were very happy, it was a huge relief. The heating system install was actually rushed through because eventually our old oil boiler just broke.”

The family had their brand new energy efficient heating system installed during the coronavirus pandemic, with emergency work continuing to ensure they weren’t left without heating.

“The contractors were great, I was really happy with the installation, it all ran very smoothly. I was really happy with Felicity on the phone, she took control of my install and I’m thrilled with the outcome, it worked out brilliantly!”

To find out if you or someone you know is eligible for a free gas connection and gas central heating from our Help to Heat scheme, visit sgn.co.uk/HelptoHeat, or call YES Energy Solutions on 0800 015 5174 to speak to a Help to Heat advisor.

You can also email our team at HelptoHeat@sgn.co.uk with your name and contact details.

If you’re already connected to our gas network, you can receive free independent support to assess your energy bills and consumption.

We work with established partners to help you to reduce your utility costs and help you to stay safe and warm this winter. Find out more at sgn.co.uk/extra-help

Stockbridge Shuttle plugs the gap

SGN INFO ABOUT THE STOCKBRIDGE SHUTTLE BUS SERVICE:

Normal buses are unable to travel along Raeburn Place, so the Lothian bus service isn’t running westbound along Comley Bank Road and Raeburn Place as originally planned. So …

‘To ensure that transport is still available westbound along the road as planned, we are supplying a free bus service (from 18 February) which will be available until we’ve completed our work.

‘The Stockbridge Shuttle will run between 8.30am and 5.30pm Tuesday-Saturday and will visit each stop on the route three times an hour. Please see the map for more information.’

More Queensferry Road disruption ahead

SGN Gas Network Upgrade – Queensferry Road, Edinburgh

Scottish Gas Network:

Our work in the Queensferry Road area will begin on Thursday 13 February and last approximately four days. (Sun Feb 16)

During this project it will be necessary to close the following roads to ensure everyone’s safety:

Cammo Road at the junction with Queensferry Road.

During this time traffic will be diverted via Cammo Gardens and Maybury Road.

Queensferry Road will be down to ONE lane in both directions and may cause delays.

Signed local diversion routes will be in place for motorists, commuters and pedestrians.

This project have been planned to coincide with the school holidays, and when traffic is likely to be quieter, ensuring disruption is kept to a minimum.

We’ll be working extended hours to complete our works within the timeframe. We know that this is a busy area and wish to assure you that work will progress as quickly as possible and we’ll be doing everything we can to limit delays and disruption.

Please feel free to share this information with your stakeholders, colleagues and anyone else who may be impacted by our work. All local residents have been notified.

If you have any specific enquiries about this project, please call us on 0131 469 1728 during office hours (8am to 4.00pm) or 0800 912 1700 and our customer service team will be happy to help.

I’d like to thank you in advance for your support and understanding during this time.

Gas works to bring months of disruption to Blackhall and Craigleith

SGN Network Upgrade – Possible Disruption Queensferry Road  

https://www.sgn.co.uk/

SGN: Our work will start on Monday 16 September and last for approximately 13 weeks. 8am-4pm for traffic contra-flows.

Close the following roads to ensure everyone’s safety:

Orchard Road and Orchard Road South junction with Queensferry Road
Belford Avenue junction with Queensferry Terrace
Queensferry Terrace junction with Queensferry Road

Parking suspensions:

Full width of Queensferry Road between Queensferry Terrace and Orchard Road

Signed local diversion routes will be in place for motorists, commuters and access for local residents and businesses will be maintained where possible. We’ll also need to use temporary traffic lights during various stages of the project. These will be manually controlled during peak times to minimise disruption as much as possible.

Phases of this project have been planned to coincide with the autumn school holidays, and when traffic is likely to be quieter, ensuring disruption is kept to a minimum.

We’ll be working Monday to Friday between 8am – 4pm, and at weekends where required. We know that this is a busy area and wish to assure you that work will progress as quickly as possible and we’ll be doing everything we can to limit delays and disruption.

We will post regular updates on our website https://www.sgn.co.uk/our-gas-works/roadworks-your-area and using social media and traffic bulletins to keep everyone informed.

Please feel free to share this information with your stakeholders, colleagues and anyone else who may be impacted by our work. All local residents have been notified.

If you have any specific enquiries about this project, please call us on 0131 469 1728 during office hours (8am to 4.00pm) or 0800 912 1700 and our customer service team will be happy to help.

SGN used to be known as Scotland Gas Networks and Southern Gas Networks, but following a rebrand in 2014 is now just SGN.

Scottish Gas Networks: Pennywell Road info

We’re working to upgrade the gas network in Pennywell Road, Edinburgh, as part of an £88,000 project. This essential work involves the replacement of old, metal gas mains with new plastic pipe to ensure a continued safe and reliable gas supply. Continue reading Scottish Gas Networks: Pennywell Road info