Process heat is part of how Sheffield works. Forges, heat treatment shops, galvanisers and tool makers in the Lower Don Valley burn gas in furnaces that run for weeks at a time. When one of those lines is altered or shut down, the gas work has to be right first time.
Gas Main Installation provides commercial and industrial gas services in Sheffield, from pipework installation and repair to tightness testing, purging, commissioning and decommissioning. All work is carried out by Gas Safe registered engineers.
Gas work for industrial sites
Furnaces, ovens and process burners
Industrial gas systems differ from a typical boiler room. Pipe sizes are larger, pressures can be higher, and a single site may have several burner trains, each with its own valves and safety controls.
Before a new or altered line goes live, it needs a strength test, a tightness test and a purge. On larger pipe volumes we use nitrogen purging so that air and gas are never mixed in the pipe.
Planned shutdowns
Most Sheffield manufacturers can only release a gas line during a planned shutdown. We agree the isolation points, the purge route and the vent location in advance, so the work fits the window you have.
Our team is available seven days a week, which helps when the only gap is a weekend.
Workplaces with flammable atmospheres
Purging releases gas in a controlled way. On sites covered by the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations, the purge plan and vent position need to fit with your existing risk assessments and permit to work system.
Which other Sheffield businesses do we work with?
Heavy industry is only part of the picture.
Advanced manufacturing and research. The technology parks on the Rotherham border, along with newer units at Tinsley and Catcliffe, have test cells, laboratories and workshops that need reliable gas supplies.
Universities and hospitals. The two universities and the teaching hospitals run large boiler plant across several campuses. Pipework is normally tested in sections to keep services running.
Retail and leisure. The large shopping centre beside the M1, along with the arena and retail parks nearby, contains dozens of food outlets and landlord plant rooms.
Food and drink. Kelham Island, Neepsend and the city centre have a strong independent food scene, with breweries, bakeries and restaurants in converted works buildings. We provide commercial catering gas services and gas safety certificates.
What does a tightness test involve?
The pipework is isolated from the supply and from appliances where needed. It is then pressurised, allowed to stabilise, and monitored with a calibrated gauge for a set time.
The allowable pressure drop depends on the volume of the pipework, the gauge used and whether the pipe runs through occupied areas. These limits come from IGEM/UP/1 and IGEM/UP/1A, the industry standards for commercial gas testing.
A test is needed on new pipework, after any alteration or repair, after a reported gas escape, and before gas is restored to a line that has been out of use.
If the test fails, we trace the leak, repair it and test again. You receive a written record of the result.
Commissioning, recommissioning and decommissioning
Gas commissioning brings a new system into service. After testing and purging, each appliance is lit, adjusted and checked against the manufacturer's settings.
Recommissioning applies when a system has been off for a long period, for example after a mothballed unit is let again. The pipework is tested before any gas is restored.
Gas decommissioning takes a system out of service. The gas is purged out, the pipework is cut back and capped, and the records are updated. This is essential before demolition or when plant is being replaced with electric alternatives.
See our gas testing and gas purging page for more detail.
Installing and extending commercial gas pipework
We install new pipework to IGEM/UP/2 in steel, copper and polyethylene. Common projects include supplies to new plant, additional isolation valves, replacement of corroded sections and buried runs between buildings.
On older Sheffield works, we often find pipework that has been extended many times with no record of what was added. A survey before the job saves time on the day.
Where pipework has to go below ground, our underground gas pipework service covers trenching, laying, testing and reinstatement. Connections to live pipework can sometimes be made without a shutdown using gas hot tapping.
Local points to plan for
The Clean Air Zone
A Clean Air Zone covers the inner ring road and the city centre. It applies to certain commercial vehicles, so it is worth considering when arranging deliveries and plant for city centre sites.
Highways and street works
Sheffield City Council is the highway authority, and its highways maintenance is delivered through the long-running Streets Ahead contract. If a gas route crosses a public road or footway, a street works permit or a section 50 licence is normally required before any excavation.
Sites over the boundary come under Rotherham Council, Barnsley Council or Derbyshire County Council. The M1 is managed by National Highways.
The gas network
The local gas network is operated by Cadent, which owns the service pipe up to the emergency control valve. New connections and supply upgrades are arranged with Cadent or through your gas supplier. We look after the pipework from the meter onwards.
If you smell gas, call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999 immediately.
Repairs
We investigate leaks, pressure problems and failed tests on commercial pipework across Sheffield. After an emergency isolation, we can repair the fault, retest the system and restore the supply. Read more about emergency gas repairs.
Working across South Yorkshire and beyond
Gas Main Installation covers all Sheffield postcodes, including Attercliffe, Darnall, Hillsborough, Ecclesall, Woodseats and Mosborough.
Coverage is not limited to the city. We also work in Rotherham in the S60 to S66 postcodes, Chapeltown, Stocksbridge, Dronfield, Chesterfield, Barnsley, Doncaster and Worksop. Our service is available across the UK for businesses with more than one site.
Plan your Sheffield gas project with us
If you are a works manager, contractor, facilities manager or property owner with a gas job to plan, we would like to hear about it.
Call 08000 855 077 or contact Gas Main Installation with the site location, the type of plant and your shutdown dates. We will provide advice and a free, no-obligation quote.