BPAA Conference 2017 Plumbing industry outlook Focused on training

The plumbing industry-compare it with your chair The chair has 4 legs - plumbing has 4 parts 1st leg PLUMBER 2nd leg PLUMBING INSPECTOR These people must have the skills, training & ability to ensure that the community has a safe water supply 3rd leg Legislation, codes & standards 4th leg Product approval (the big W)

PCA 2016 Part B1 Cold water services Scope This part sets out the requirements for the design, construction, installation, replacement, repair, alteration & maintenance of any part of a cold water service of a property that is connected to the drinking water supply, from the point of connection to the points of discharge. One of the objectives of Part B1 is to safeguard people from illness, injury or loss due to the failure of a cold water installation. Can or do backflow prevention devices fail ?

If “WE” believe that backflow prevention work is any or all of the following:- Installing BFPDs Replacing BFPDs Altering BFPDs Maintaining BFPDs Commissioning BFPDs Testing BFPDs Why do “WE” not teach all of the above ?

What should “WE” have done? What happened? What must “WE” do? What did “WE” do? Questions very often asked by apprentices & plumbers when they are involved in training :- What should “WE” have done? What happened? What must “WE” do?

What did “WE” do? Backflow prevention started in Queensland in April 1992, with the amendment of the SWSA 1949. Amended By law 2 definitions (BFD) By law 8 pollution By law 8A NEW (LG roll, when, where & why a BFPD should be installed) By law 17(m) recovery of costs

What did “WE” do? 1990 Backflow training Sydney QLD developed a course to train plumbers to test BFPDs (40 hours) Licensing requirements:- plumbers licence with BF endorsement Revalidation requirement (5 years) Generally referred to as recertification (backflow ticket)

What did “WE” do? Commenced training in October 1992 Client group:- LG inspectors, plumbers (Govt. & private) Permission to use draft standards (QLD) 1 July 1995 State required to comply with code of practice.

What should “WE” have done? Looking back “Hind-sight is 20/20” “WE” should have prepared better WHY ???? Training was outdated Standards were drafts Standards were poorly written For many in the industry, it was their introduction to Australian standards

What happened? For some states, training “to test” has been in place for 27 years QLD is approaching 25 years Training was & is not nationally consistent

What must “WE” do? Legislation must be consistent across Australia (training & licence requirements) Standards require reviewing :- AS/NZS 3500.1:2015 AS/NZS 2845.1:2010 AS 2845.3:2010

CPD introduced nationally How must “WE” do it By a positive approach towards training of plumbing apprentices CPCPWT3027A Connect irrigation systems from drinking water supply One of eleven competencies in CPC32413 Certificate III in Plumbing Sixty four (64) competencies for the Cert.III qualification. Increase the training within the current course. Post trade training for endorsement CPD introduced nationally

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