Which kind of hob job is yours?
| WorkSafe risk class | Certificate of Compliance | |
|---|---|---|
| An equivalent hob in place of the old one, with nothing else changed | Low-risk | Optional |
| A gas hob where the home has no gas installation yet | General | Required |
| A hob added to, or changed on, an existing gas installation | High-risk | Required, and the job is logged on the national high-risk database |
Reading the table
WorkSafe actually uses the gas hob as its worked example. A new installation of a hob is general gasfitting; fitting one as an addition or alteration to an existing installation is high-risk.
A straight swap is low-risk only if nothing else moves. The pipework and flue stay where they are, and the installation pressure, gas type, ventilation, energy consumption and operation don't change. A bigger hob with a higher gas rating, or one that needs the pipe shifted, takes the job out of that class.
Whatever the class, a Gas Safety Certificate is needed once the hob is connected.
Switching between natural gas and LPG
Going from natural gas to bottled LPG, or the other way, is a change of gas type. That rules out the low-risk route, so expect a Certificate of Compliance as well as the safety certificate. Check that the hob you buy suits your gas before it arrives.
What the gasfitter will do
The gasfitter will check the supply pipe and pressure suit the new cooktop, connect it, and look at ventilation, which the Act counts as part of gasfitting. Then they test for leaks, commission the hob so the burners run properly, and issue the certificates.
In a kitchen renovation, ask when they need to be on site. The benchtop cut-out and the gas connection point have to line up, and that's easier to plan than to fix.
Your jobs and the gasfitter's
You can
- Choose the hob and confirm it suits your gas type before buying.
- Clear the cupboard under the cooktop so the connection can be reached.
- File the certificates with your house papers.
Leave to an authorised tradie
- Connecting the hob to the gas supply, piped or bottled.
- Running, extending or moving gas pipe.
- Checking ventilation and commissioning the burners.
- Removing and capping off an old gas hob.
Signs the install isn't being done right
- A kitchen company says its installer will 'just plug the hob in' with no gasfitter involved.
- A restricted gasfitter plans to connect the hob alone. That licence class can't connect an appliance to the supply.
- Nobody mentions a Certificate of Compliance for a new installation or an addition.
- Someone suggests you hook a fixed indoor hob up to a gas bottle yourself.
Why the certificates matter later
PGDB advises keeping gas certificates somewhere safe. You may need them when you sell or for insurance, and a gas provider may ask for a copy before it supplies gas or refills your LPG bottles.
The law backs this up. Unauthorised gasfitting can bring a fine of up to $50,000 for an individual, and knowingly paying an unauthorised person to do it is an offence as well.
What we would do
Decide on the hob with the gas type and the cut-out size in hand, and book the gasfitter before the benchtop goes in. Ask them up front which risk class the job is, so you know whether a Certificate of Compliance is coming. Tell us what you're installing and where, and we'll match you with an authorised gasfitter who connects gas cooktops.