Draining testing reminder Building and Energy is reminding licensed plumbers of their obligations to test sanitary plumbing and sanitary drainage installations to ensure they are water-tight prior to backfill. Tests conducted by Building and Energy’s plumbing compliance team has identified a high rate of non-compliance when the drains were tested by inspectors. “Carrying out the required tests before backfill is obviously far more straightforward compared to costly, complex and timeconsuming testing and rectifications later on when other work has progressed at the site,” Building and Energy Executive Director Saj Abdoolakhan said. “It is unacceptable to cut any corners during high-risk work such as drainage, which can have community health and environmental impacts.” Section 15 of the Plumbing Standards AS/NZS 3500.2:2018 outlines the requirements and methods for hydrostatic, air pressure or vacuum testing of all new, repaired or replaced sanitary plumbing and sanitary drainage installations to show they are watertight prior to burial. Last year, Building and Energy published Industry Bulletin 133 (available at commerce.wa.gov.au/publications) which provides more information on drainage testing and notification requirements. Before 4.30pm every Wednesday, licensed plumbers are required to provide details to the Plumbers Licensing Board about any sanitary drainage work they carried out in the past seven days.
Gas safety campaign on appliance servicing Building and Energy’s latest gas safety campaign is emphasising the importance of regular servicing of gas appliances and highlighting that faulty, poorly maintained or misused gas heaters can cause a build-up of potentially lethal carbon monoxide gas. “This campaign features the ticking sound that many gas heaters make when they start up and asks the audience ‘Is your heater trying to tell you something?’” Building and Energy Executive Director Saj Abdoolakhan said.
“We hope this prompts people to think about when their gas heater was last serviced. We are advising that they should contact a licensed gas fitter if it has been more than two years since the last service – or arrange an annual service for appliances that are more than 10 years old – or if the heater is showing signs such as discolouration or difficulty relighting.” For more information on the campaign, search online for “safe and warm” or visit dmirs.wa.gov.au/safeandwarm.
Master Plumber | 11
