LPG Gas Safety for Food Vendors: Certificates, Setup and the Law

The CP44: what it is and who needs one

A CP44 is a Mobile Catering Gas Safety Certificate. It certifies that the gas appliances, pipework, connections, and safety devices in your mobile food business have been inspected by a qualified engineer and are safe to operate.

You need one if you operate LPG bottled gas equipment in any mobile or outdoor food business setting. This includes food trucks, catering vans, catering trailers, and market stall setups using tabletop gas appliances under gazebos.

The certificate is valid for 12 months. Some engineers may issue one valid for only 6 months if they consider your equipment to be at higher risk; gazebo traders' equipment is noted as "exceptionally high risk" because it is connected and disconnected regularly.

**What the inspection covers:** A typical CP44 inspection takes 1–3 hours. The engineer will check all gas appliances, pipework, and connections for damage or leaks. They will test the tightness of the entire gas system, verify that your regulator is operating at the correct pressure, check that burners produce a stable blue flame, confirm that all flame failure devices are working, and check that you have a fire extinguisher and fire blanket.

**Cost:** Expect to pay £155–300 (ex VAT) depending on your location, number of appliances, and complexity of the setup. London and the South East tend to be at the higher end. If someone is quoting significantly below this range, check their qualifications carefully.

**If you fail:** The engineer will tell you what needs fixing. You cannot trade until the issues are resolved and the equipment is re-inspected. Common reasons for failure include leaking connections, missing or faulty flame failure devices, inadequate ventilation, damaged hoses, and incorrectly rated equipment.

Keep your certificate in your vehicle or with your market trading documents at all times. Craft fair organisers and environmental health officers may ask to see it on site, and many require a copy at the booking stage before confirming your pitch.

**CP44 vs CP42: do not confuse these.** A CP42 is a Commercial Catering Gas Safety Certificate for fixed kitchens in permanent establishments (restaurants, pubs, schools). It is a different certificate requiring different engineer qualifications. A CP42 is not valid for a food truck or market stall.

Finding the right engineer: the qualification trap

This is the most important practical point in this guide, and the area where food vendors most commonly get caught out.

Not all Gas Safe registered engineers can inspect mobile catering equipment. Gas Safe registration is not a single qualification: it covers many different categories of work. An engineer qualified to service domestic boilers is not qualified to inspect your food truck.

The specific qualifications needed for mobile catering LPG work are:

• Registered for **LPG** (not just natural gas).
• Registered for **Commercial Catering** (not just domestic).
• Registered for **Mobile Catering** (not just fixed commercial kitchens).
• Qualified for the **specific appliance type** you use: for example, "Mobile Catering Range Cookers LPG." If you have a griddle, the engineer needs to be qualified for that type of appliance on LPG in a mobile catering context.

**How to check:** Visit the Gas Safe Register and use the "check an engineer" function. Enter the engineer's personal ID number, and it will show exactly what categories they are registered for. You can also call Gas Safe Register on freephone 0800 408 5500. Always ask to see the engineer's Gas Safe ID card before any work begins; the categories they are qualified for are listed on the back.

**What happens if you use the wrong engineer:** If an engineer issues a certificate without holding the correct mobile catering LPG qualifications, that certificate is invalid. Your insurance may be void, you are technically trading without a valid gas safety certificate, and if an incident occurs, you have no legal protection. Some engineers issue "leisure certificates" or domestic LPG certificates for mobile catering setups; these are not the correct certificates and will not be accepted by local authorities or event organisers.

Flame failure devices: why every burner needs one

A Flame Failure Device (FFD), also called a flame supervision device, is a safety mechanism that automatically cuts off the gas supply if a flame goes out, for example if wind blows out a burner on an outdoor stall. Without one, an extinguished burner continues releasing unburnt gas, creating a serious explosion and fire risk.

The industry code of practice (COP24 Part 3) states that all LPG appliance burners in commercial catering must be protected by flame supervision devices. The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 defines an appliance as unsafe if its gas safety devices are inoperative. Using equipment without functioning FFDs at a commercial event is operating unsafe equipment.

**The domestic appliance problem:** Not all LPG appliances sold in the UK are suitable for commercial catering. Domestic camping stoves, some imported burners, and budget paella burners often do not have FFDs because they are designed for domestic or leisure use. Some low-cost imported products are sold in the UK without CE/UKCA conformity standards and without FFDs. Using these at a commercial event is illegal, regardless of how many other traders you have seen using them.

**Retro-fitting:** Some manufacturers offer FFD retro-fit kits for appliances that lack them. These must only be provided by the manufacturer of the specific appliance and must be fitted by a qualified Gas Safe registered engineer. Modifying an appliance outside its CE/UKCA standard without manufacturer permission is illegal.

If you are unsure whether your appliances are suitable for commercial use, ask a Gas Safe LPG engineer to assess them. During a CP44 inspection, the engineer should check that FFDs are fitted and working and should flag any appliances that are unsuitable.

Cylinder storage and handling

LPG is heavier than air. If it leaks, it pools at ground level and can accumulate to dangerous concentrations in enclosed or low-lying spaces. The storage and handling rules exist to prevent this.

**At events:**

• Cylinders must not be placed inside tented structures or gazebos. They must be kept outside the trading structure in a ventilated, tamper-proof enclosure (cage), a minimum of 1 metre from the wall of the structure. A warning notice must be displayed on the enclosure.
• An emergency isolation valve must be fitted and accessible so the gas supply can be shut off quickly.
• Hoses between the cylinder and regulator should not exceed 1 metre in length unless copper piping is used. Hoses must be LPG-rated, marked "High Pressure LPG" if connecting directly to a cylinder or if regulator outlet pressure exceeds 50 mbar. Replace hoses at any sign of wear, stiffness, cracking, or damage; as a general rule, replace every two years regardless.

**Cylinder changeover:** Turn off all cylinder valves and gas taps before disconnecting. Only change cylinders in the open air, never in an enclosed space.

**Transport:** Cylinders must be transported securely in an upright position in a well-ventilated space. Do not transport them in a sealed car boot. Return used cylinders to your supplier; do not attempt to dispose of them yourself.

Ventilation and carbon monoxide

Carbon monoxide (CO) is colourless and odourless. In a poorly ventilated space, gas appliances can produce lethal concentrations.

**Food trucks and trailers** must be sufficiently ventilated so that cooking fumes are removed and CO cannot build up. The size and type of ventilation required depends on the number and type of appliances installed. Most food trucks require purpose-built canopy hoods or extraction systems.

**Market stall gazebos** using tabletop appliances benefit from natural ventilation by being open-sided. However, if side panels are used to reduce airflow in bad weather, ventilation must be carefully considered.

The Gas Safe Register strongly recommends installing an audible CO alarm even in well-ventilated setups. Given the cost of a CO alarm versus the consequences of not having one, this is not a recommendation worth ignoring.

Staff training

The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 and the HSE's CAIS23 guidance require that all catering staff involved in using LPG are trained in safe use and pre-use visual checks.

Training should cover:

• Safe lighting and operation of all appliances.
• Pre-use visual checks: looking for damage, leaks, and hose condition before every use.
• Safe cylinder changeover procedure.
• What to do if you smell gas: turn off the supply, ventilate the area, do not use ignition sources, call for help.
• Location and use of fire safety equipment (fire extinguisher and fire blanket).
• Emergency isolation procedure.

Even if you are the only person who usually operates the equipment, anyone who might need to use or disconnect gas in an emergency needs to know the basics. NCASS offers an LPG Safety training course that is considered good practice and demonstrates due diligence.

What craft fair and market hosts should require from food vendors

If you host events with food vendors, here is what you should be checking:

• A current CP44 certificate dated within the last 12 months.
• Confirmation that appliances are CE/UKCA marked and suitable for commercial use.
• Proof of appropriate fire safety equipment: at minimum, a fire extinguisher and fire blanket.
• Confirmation that the vendor's public liability insurance covers gas use. Some basic PLI policies exclude gas-powered equipment; vendors should check their policy wording.
• Visible gas cylinder storage arrangements: cylinders caged and positioned at least 1 metre from the trading structure.

Walk the site during food vendor setup to visually verify gas safety arrangements before the craft fair or market opens. This is not about being difficult; it is about protecting everyone on site.

Common mistakes

These are the errors that catch food vendors out most often:

**Hiring a domestic gas engineer.** The most common mistake. The resulting certificate is invalid and the vendor is unprotected. Always verify the engineer's specific qualifications on the Gas Safe Register.

**Using domestic or leisure-grade appliances.** Camping stoves, budget imported burners, and paella burners without FFDs are not legal for commercial use, regardless of how many other traders you have seen using them.

**Placing cylinders inside the gazebo.** Explicitly prohibited. Cylinders must be outside, caged, and at least 1 metre from the structure.

**Assuming a new food truck comes fully certified.** New vehicles may come with a manufacturer's safety certificate, but that is not your annual CP44. You still need an annual inspection by a qualified engineer.

**Letting the certificate lapse.** Environmental health officers, event organisers, and insurers are increasingly checking. An expired certificate means you cannot legally demonstrate your equipment is safe.

**Not checking your insurance covers gas.** Some basic public liability insurance policies exclude gas-powered equipment. If your insurer does not know about your gas setup, a claim could be rejected.

What would an officer ask to see?

Gas safety at events is enforced by Environmental Health Officers, the HSE, and in some cases by the Gas Safe Register. Event hosts also routinely require documentation before confirming a food vendor's pitch. The HSE's CAIS23 guidance and the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 set the framework.

An officer or host can ask to see:

• **Your CP44 Mobile Catering Gas Safety Certificate**, dated within the last 12 months. This is the single most important document. An expired or invalid certificate means you cannot demonstrate your equipment is safe.
• **Verification that the issuing engineer held the correct qualifications.** The certificate must be issued by a Gas Safe registered engineer qualified for LPG, Commercial Catering, AND Mobile Catering. Certificates from engineers without all three qualifications are invalid. You can verify any engineer on the Gas Safe Register.
• **CE/UKCA marking evidence for your appliances.** Confirmation that your gas appliances are marked for commercial (not domestic or leisure) use.
• **Fire safety equipment.** Evidence that your fire extinguisher has been serviced and your fire blanket is in date.
• **Staff LPG training records.** Under CAIS23, all staff involved in using LPG must be trained in safe use and pre-use visual checks.
• **Insurance confirmation covering gas use.** Some basic PLI policies exclude gas-powered equipment; officers and hosts may ask you to confirm your cover includes it.

**Your StallSync Event Passport can hold your CP44 certificate, engineer verification records, appliance documentation, and training certificates in one place, ready for any host or officer who asks.**