Group Competence Scheme (GCS)

Stroma Certification’s Group Competence Scheme (GCS) is an alternative to the Accredited Competency Scheme (ACS) to provide certification for companies with large numbers of gas installers. Traditionally, ACS involves a costly, prolonged assessment of gas engineers off site for companies who employ a large number of engineers. GCS allows the required competency checks to be done more cost effectively on site without interruption to your daily business activity.

Our Group Competence Scheme is accredited by UKAS in line with ISO 17021:2011 to provide Competent Management System Certification in accordance with the Energy and Utility Skills Group Competence Scheme for the Gas Safe Re-Registration of employees standard.

What is the Group Competence Scheme?

There is a legal requirement for a gas installer to renew their competency every 5 years. ACS therefore checks competence in line with this 5 year period. We believe this is too long since the Matters of Gas Safety change every 6 months. If any regulations change your gas engineers would be non-compliant in their working method until the next assessment. GCS offers an alternative process which involves an annual assessment window. The annual assessments take place on site and reduces the risk of non-compliance due to regulation changes.

Certification is provided to organisations for their Competence Management System under the EU Skills Group Competence Scheme for the Gas Safe Re-Registration of Employees.

Why join our GCS scheme?

GCS Certification ensures that your gas engineers are compliant within a year of any changes in gas regulation. Other schemes test gas installer compliance at an external location, meaning your operatives could be unavailable for up to a week. We understand how valuable it is that your installers are available for work. That’s why we carry out on site assessment at a fraction of the cost of external training.

Stroma is committed to using our clients’ existing strengths to help deliver compliance under GCS. Our approach is non-prescriptive, maximising existing processes and minimising unnecessary costs and time to deliver external validation and quality assurance.

What gas work can be certified under GCS?

We provide certification in line with the core gas safety elements for the major areas of gas work:

• Domestic natural gas and LPG work
• Commercial natural gas and LPG work
• Commercial Catering natural gas and LPG work
• Commercial Laundry natural gas and LPG work
• LPG External Pipework and Vessels

Please contact us on 01977 665420 to discuss your requirements for GCS Certification.

About EU Skills

Stroma Certification has partnered with EU Skills to provide our Group Competence Scheme. EU Skills are an organisation committed to finding competent installers for the country’s electricity, gas, water and waste networks. The original EU Skills Group Competence Scheme is endorsed by the Industry Standards Setting Body. It is also supported by UKAS and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

Certification Scheme Information

Stroma Certification's Group Competence Certification scheme documents are made available to the public, applicants and certified Organisations through a downloadable members pack that contains documents including the following:

• CMS Certification Application Form
  • To be completed for those Organisations requiring certification or alternatively the online application can be completed.

• CMS Scheme Membership Handbook
  • Documents the certification scheme processes for granting, refusing, maintaining, renewing, suspending, restoring or withdrawing certification or expanding or reducing the scope of certification.

• Impartiality Policy
  • Documents Stroma Certification's commitment to ensuring impartiality in all aspects of our certification and business activities. Further information is also available on the Consumer Advice page.

• Complaints & Appeals Policy
  • Documents how a complaint or appeal can be notified to Stroma Certification and how it will be dealt with. Further information is also available on the Consumer Advice page.

• Support Policy
  • Documents the means by which Stroma Certification can be contacted concerning ISO 9001 certification and other business related activities.

If you are unclear on any aspect of the certification process please contact Stroma Certification by emailing info@stroma.com or telephone 0845 621 11 11.

GCS assessment

The assessment procedure for the Group Competence Scheme involves an initial review of your company’s processes against the Group Competence Scheme for the Gas Safe Re-Registration of Employees. The Competence Management System is then reviewed to ascertain whether the standard is being met.

Once you have applied for GCS Certification we will carry out a formal on site audit of your processes and competencies. This comprises an initial certification audit followed by a detailed examination of your competencies in addition to on site witnessed assessments. Finally the decision maker will review the final decision to award certification.

Please note that the assessment and audit schedule varies depending on the size of your organisation. Your GCS assessment schedule will be confirmed with you following application.

Benefits of GCS