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Do I Need a Certificate for an LPG Generator in Mobile Catering?

by Ian
(Bournemouth)

Mustard single-axle catering trailer serving a queue at a Dorset seaside event, generator set apart on the grass

Mustard single-axle catering trailer serving a queue at a Dorset seaside event, generator set apart on the grass

Hi,
I have two lpg operational generators, one Greengear 3kw and a Honda EU22i, up until now no one has requested any form of certification, I asked my gas engineer last year when he done my other mobile gas appliance certificates if he could do the generators as they were lpg but he said he couldn't.

There is so little help on knowing what is even required, I have asked Ncass but only had a number to call Greengear, the number didn't work.

Can you possibly tell me what is legally necessary for the use of these generators in mobile catering and in Dorset how do I get this sorted?

Many thanks.

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Nov 03, 2026
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by: MobCater

Ian, you're not alone in finding this confusing, because far less is written about LPG generators than about the cooking side of a catering unit. Your engineer wasn't being awkward either. The gas safety certificate you get for your appliances covers the cooking equipment and pipework in your unit, and a generator is an engine rather than a catering appliance, so it usually falls outside what a mobile catering gas registration covers. Plenty of engineers simply won't sign one off.

As far as I know there isn't a single legal LPG generator certificate in the way there is for your griddle or fryer. What the law does expect, under the Health and Safety at Work Act and the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations, is that the generator is suitable for the job, properly maintained and used safely. In practice that means servicing it to the manufacturer's schedule, keeping the regulator and hose in good condition, replacing the hose before its date runs out, and having the electrical side checked. A qualified electrician can test the generator output and your extension leads and give you a written report, and that report is the piece of paper event organisers most often ask for.

If the Honda has been converted from petrol to LPG, which is common with the EU22i, ask whoever did the conversion for paperwork showing it was fitted by a competent firm. If the Greengear was built for LPG from the factory, keep its manual and markings documentation in your file. Some LPG engineers who work on forklifts, plant or leisure vehicles will also look over the gas side of a generator and write a short report, so it's worth asking around Bournemouth for one.

What inspectors and organisers check on the day is how you run it. Keep the generator outside the unit on level ground, well away from your serving hatch and from customers, with the exhaust pointing away from people, and never run or store it inside. Keep its cylinder apart from your cooking cylinders, have a dry powder extinguisher close by, and write all of this into your risk assessment.

For Dorset, ring the environmental health team at BCP Council, which covers Bournemouth, and ask what they and your regular events expect. Getting that answer in writing before the season saves a lot of last minute scrambling. Once you have your service records and electrical report, the document storage in the Premium tier of the app is a handy place to keep them, so they're on your phone when an organiser asks.

Best of luck

David

Disclaimer: Gas installation and maintenance must be carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Never attempt gas work yourself. Check gassaferegister.co.uk for qualified engineers in your area.

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