Insurance?
1) It is a legal requirement to have all mobile catering vehicles and trailers that have gas equipment installed, inspected by a Gas Safe registered engineer at least every 12 months.
2) Unless made before 1996 all gas equipment must be of a proprietary manufacture and be CE marked, which means that it has been tested by an approved test house, and conforms to a European standard.
To have none CE equipment installed means that the Gas Safe Engineer should not issue a certificate. The fact is that some Gas Safe engineers are issuing certificates to trailers that have none CE marked equipment for whatever reason.
This has now come to the attention of both Gas safe and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) who are taking action against these engineers.
Even more worrying is that this could easily render the caterers insurance void as most policies have a clause in them to say that the insured must be operating within the law to be covered under the policy
3) It is illegal to remove or replace any piece of gas equipment, the only exception to this is if the equipment has been fitted with ‘snap connector’ type hoses unless you are a Gas Safe registered engineer
4) It is illegal to service a piece of Gas equipment unless you are a Gas Safe registered engineer
( see below)
A Gas Safe engineer has to have additional qualifications to work on LPG catering equipment so make sure that the engineer working in your business is suitably qualified.
Ok, a quick cut and paste that is applicable to another trade, food wagons.
I believe they also require a separate cabinet made from a certain thickness steel to carry the LPG bottle, which is also separate from the main body of the vehicle, or something similar.
Whilst these DIY kits certainly produce hot water, it's worth noting the risks and legalities involved.
I know insurance companies are strict at the best of times, just try telling them you have a naked flame heater near a ratcheted in gas bottle, I'm sure it won't add to your annual premium.