1.1 This Guidance is part of a series of Institution of Gas Engineers and Managers (IGEM) publications, for all sectors of the gas industry providing practical guidance to support the Gas Safety (Management) Regulations (GS(M)R), Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations (GS(I&U)R) and the Pipelines Safety Regulations (PSR). The Guidance also supports engineers in carrying out their work in achieving their company’s business objectives. It has been drafted by an IGEM Working Group, which included representatives of all the gas distribution networks, the association of independent gas transporters (AIGT), BG Group, Energy and Utility Skills (EU Skills) and independent consultants, appointed by IGEM’s Gas Transmission and Distribution Committee, and has been approved by IGEM’s Technical Co-ordinating Committee on behalf of IGEM’s Council. 
 
1.2 This Guidance is the basis for good practice for the industry, including but not limited to: 

• •    Gas transmission and storage companies 
• Gas distribution network companies 
• Independent gas transporters 
• Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) storage and transmission companies 
• Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) storage, transmission and distribution companies 
• The nominated contractor 
• Health and Safety Executive (HSE) 
• Office of Gas and Energy Markets (Ofgem) • Individuals who are or aspire to be employees in the industry. 

 
1.3    The relevant parts of this Guidance may be cited in a gas transporter’s (GT’s) Safety Case.  
 
1.4    This Guidance makes use of the term “must”. The term “must” identifies a requirement by law in GB at the time of publication. 
 
Such a term may have different meanings when used in legislation, or Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Approved Codes of Practice (ACoPs) or guidance, and reference needs to be made to such statutory legislation or official guidance for information on legal obligations. 
 
1.5    The Competence Framework, developed by IGEM and supported by EU Skills, is intended to provide a means that companies may use to determine competence requirements for particular roles and assess whether individual employees meet those requirements. The Competence Framework may also be used by individual employees or those aspiring to roles in the industry to understand and seek to demonstrate the relevant competence.  
 
The Guidance associated with the Competence Framework includes a process that may be applied to all roles within the scope set out in Section 2 but the detailed supporting information in Appendix 3 has been compiled from an existing asset management model and is not currently comprehensive for all industry roles. It is intended that the contents of Appendix 3 will be reviewed regularly by IGEM, revised in the light of feedback from those who have used the Competence Framework and extended where appropriate to include additional categories and subject areas identified by users. 
 
1.6    New and improved practices may be adopted prior to this Guidance being updated. Amendments to this Guidance will be issued when necessary and their publication will be announced in the Journal of IGEM and elsewhere as appropriate. 
 
1.7    Requests for interpretation of this Guidance in relation to matters within its scope, but not precisely covered by the current text, should be addressed to Technical Services, IGEM, IGEM House, High Street, Kegworth, Derbyshire, DE74 2DA. Such requests will be submitted to the relevant Committee. Any advice given by or on behalf of IGEM does not imply acceptance of any liability, and does not relieve any party of their obligations. 
 
1.8    This Guidance was published in June 2012. 

2.1 The purpose of this Guidance is to provide a recognised industry framework that will enable businesses to sustain the management and supervisory technical competences required to carry out their work and assist to achieve their business objectives. 
 
2.2 Competence is defined as the ability, appropriate training, knowledge and experience to carry out the work being undertaken against defined standards, assessed consistently, over time, in the workplace. 
 
2.3 The term `Competent Person' (CP) occurs frequently in the safety Regulations. Clarification of the definitions of competence has been established through case law brought under these Regulations.  
 
“A Competent Person should have practical and theoretical knowledge as well as sufficient experience of the particular machinery, plant or procedure involved to enable them to identify defects or weaknesses, and to assess their importance in relation to strengths and functions of the machinery.” (Taken from Brazier v. Skipton Company (1962) His Lordship Winn). 
 
For the purposes of this Guidance, a competent person is defined as a person having the ability, appropriate training, knowledge and experience to supervise or carry out work being undertaken in a safe and proper manner (see IGEM/G/4). 
 
2.4 This Guidance is targeted at the transmission, storage and distribution sector of the gas industry, which includes Natural Gas (NG), LNG and LPG installations, but could be applied to other parts of the industry if required. 
 
2.5 This Competence Framework may be used for any engineering specialist or first line and above, engineering manager within the gas industry. It is a generic framework, but may be built upon for particular specialist roles by adding competence requirements that apply to these roles as necessary. 
 
2.6 It is intended that application of the Competence Framework will enable gas industry companies to demonstrate the competence of their engineering specialists, such as planners and network analysts and engineering managers, through a systematic process. The outcomes that may be obtained through implementation of this framework are: 

• to enable companies to comply with statutory obligations for competence, in order to maintain the licence to operate 
• to assure the public and other gas industry stakeholders that the industry is being managed by competent people and companies 
• a comprehensive competence matrix for all engineering specialists and managers in scope 
• individual competence profiles for each engineering specialist and manager 
• a suitable means of assessment 
• a training needs analysis that enables appropriate action planning 
• to plan and budget for training provision 
• demonstrably competent post holders 
• to inform workforce planning strategies 
• to inform the planning of engineering succession 
• provide employees with career path navigation routes 
• to provide a basis for individuals to demonstrate competence  
• to assist the development of individual engineers 
• to inform strategies for the development of professional engineers 
• to provide a link to registration routes.