The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) issued suspension notices on 6 July requiring manufacturers to stop the supply of models of gas hobs with certain elbow joints1. The same date saw publication of a product safety report covering Cata and Culina gas hobs, rated at serious risk level1.
The affected models are listed by product safety reference number and model number1:
| PSD reference number | Model number |
|---|---|
| 2307-0015 | UBGHC601S |
| 2307-0016 | UBGHC701S |
The product is described as a gas hob supplied with an elbow joint on the connecting pipework, with country of origin given as China1. According to the report, the elbow on the connecting pipework of affected hobs can fail, resulting in a significant gas leak, regardless of whether the hob is switched on and in use1. Hazards from such a leak include burns, fire, explosion and poisoning from inhalation1. The report states that the products are not in conformity with the requirements of Regulation 2016/4261.
Risk levels in the report vary by setting. The risk of fire and explosion in traditional built residences is described as high risk, while in a caravan or leisure home it is described as serious risk1. The report says owners and consumers in caravans, leisure homes and motorhomes should check the model links as a matter of urgency, and that anyone using an affected appliance with Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) should disconnect it from the LPG cylinder immediately1. Owners and consumers in domestic premises are told to continue to be vigilant, and to contact the National Gas Emergency Helpline for their area if they smell gas or are concerned their product poses a risk, or a Gas Safe registered installer1. The helpline numbers given are 0800 111 999 in England, Wales and Scotland and 0800 002 001 in Northern Ireland1.
"OPSS has issued suspension notices on 6 July requiring manufacturers to stop the supply of models of gas hobs with certain elbow joints."
Cata and Culina have initiated a modification programme for certain products in scope of the safety issue, and the report says the modification is free of charge1. Contact details given are telephone 0800 041 8839, the Cata and Culina product safety page, or a web form for entering details1. OPSS is urging all affected members of the public, including those unsure whether they are affected, to check the model links and contact the manufacturer1.
Why it matters for households
A gas leak from a failed elbow joint can occur whether or not the appliance is running, so the hazard is not limited to times when a hob is in use1. For a household, the practical questions are whether the installed hob is one of the two listed models and whether it is connected to mains gas or to an LPG cylinder, since the report treats LPG users in caravans, leisure homes and motorhomes as the most urgent group1. The report does not state how many units are affected in the UK, how long the modification takes, or what the modification involves; none of this has been reported1. The underlying rules on gas appliance supply sit within the wider regulation and policy framework that OPSS enforces1.
What happens next
Supply of the affected models must stop under the suspension notices issued on 6 July1. The modification programme is already open, with contact by telephone or through the manufacturer's product safety page1. No completion date for the programme is given in the report1.