26 minute read
Snapshot around the nation
Snapshot from around the nation
Tasmanian news
Anthony Balik, President, Master Plumbers Association of Tasmania
On behalf of everybody at the Master Plumbers Association of Tasmania, I’m pleased that we will contribute to the latest news, events and information from our booming industry to each issue of Australian Plumbing Magazine.
The construction industry, and by extension the plumbing industry, is thriving in Tasmania with a number of major projects underway in Hobart and surrounding areas. Everybody is busy and there is no shortage of work – things don’t look like slowing down any time soon which is fantastic.
However, as is the case elsewhere, we continue to deal with a shortage of essential building supplies. Our advice is to procure your supplies early wherever possible and to encourage your clients to sign contracts to avoid delays which can slow your work down. One area of focus for the Association this year is to continue to refine our range of member benefits, which already includes a partnership with Toyota to offer discounted vehicles. These offerings for our members give them the best value for money for their memberships. We also want to ensure all our members are aware of the CPD – continuing professional development – that they and the wider industry have access to.
This includes an online toolbox of wide-ranging courses, many of which are free to members. We appreciate receiving feedback from our members around the toolbox, and their own training interests and needs.
As we get closer to tax time, we also encourage members to familiarise themselves with the rules around instant asset write-offs to ensure they can take advantage of what they are eligible for before June 30th.
Finally, we look forward to sharing further details about the new Trades and Water Centre of Excellence, with construction now underway.
Once it opens, the facility will incorporate the latest contemporary design and equipment and give us greater ability to train apprentices.
Anthony Balik President, Master Plumbers Association of Tasmania
Master Plumbers and Mechanical Services Association of Australia T (03) 9329 9622 Master Plumbers Association of Tasmania T (03) 6272 2199 Master Plumbers Association of Queensland T (07) 3273 0800 Master Plumbers & Gasfitters Association of Western Australia T (08) 9471 6661
Master Plumbers Association ACT Inc T (02) 6112 8630 Master Plumbers Association of South Australia T (08) 8292 4000
Master Plumbers & Mechanical Contractors Association of New South Wales T (02) 8789 7000
Tasmanian Member benefits and more
Master Plumbers Tasmania has been busy over the past months rolling out new member benefits including discounted access to AS/NZ 3500 and an online bot for members to create their own legally drafted terms and conditions as provided by Snedden Hall & Gallop. Both new offerings have been fabulously received and provided invaluable support to members. In addition to the above, Master Plumbers Tasmania has just rolled out four new CPD courses on AS/NZ 3500. The courses were written by industry for industry and are subsidised by Keystone Tasmania. The set of courses is worth eight CPD points and is available on the CPD Toolbox platform via E-Learn at https://tas.cpdtoolbox.com.au Centre of Excellence for Water, Energy and Trades It’s been five years in the making and we are thrilled that our new industry Centre of Excellence for Water, Energy and Trades is on the way! Tenders for the building of the new CoE have closed and we will see the build commence early next year. The new CoE is a huge win for industry and will mean that we have the facilities and infrastructure to be the leading plumbing training facility in the southern hemisphere. Special thanks to all involved and our members who sit on our Education Sub Committee that has driven the project.
Legislative Review Our Expert Technical Sub Committee has worked tirelessly on a range of legislative reviews with a focus on protecting the integrity of our industry and ensuring consumer protections are in place. Submissions include:
• Occupational Licensing (Plumbing Work) Regulations 2021 • Review of the Director’s
Determination – Maintenance of Essential Building Services • Review of the Director’s
Determination – Categories of Plumbing Work • Director’s Determination –
Accreditation of On-site Domestic
Wastewater Treatment Units • Review of the Administrator’s
Occupational Licensing (Supervision of Prescribed Work)
Code of Practice • Occupational Licensing (Gas-fitting Work) Regulations 2021.
Leading wholesaler celebrates This year, Crisp Ikin Agencies celebrates its 40th anniversary. Founded by Tony and Julie Ikin in 1982, the business has grown to now be recognised as Tasmania’s leading wholesaler specialising in the supply of products to the plumbing, building and electrical industries.
For Crisp Ikin Agencies’ Sales and Marketing Manager Colin Etter (pictured left), that means the opportunity to work with not only Tasmania’s construction businesses and tradespeople but also some of the world’s most iconic brands such as Rinnai, Radiant, Kohler, Gainsborough, Abey and DeLusso. “My role is predominately front of house, and it’s great to be able to have relationships with so many suppliers and construction businesses across the island. As an agent, you’ve got to juggle a lot… because one minute you might be talking about hot water systems and the next minute you might be talking about something totally different. There’s always something new to discuss and new products to be across,” he says. As well as representing more than 20 Australian and international brands, Crisp Ikin Agencies (CIA) also has its own CIA Bathrooms brand, which incorporate an impressive and extensive range of shower
Snapshot from around the nation
Tasmanian news continued Victorian news
Tony Ikin, co-founder of Crisp Ikin Agencies with Julie Ikin
enclosures and free-standing bathtubs as well as toilet suites, vanity units, designer mirrors (including LED mirrors) and mirrored cabinets and bathroom furniture.
The business also has a showroom – which is open by appointment – in the Hobart suburb of Derwent Park to showcase the latest and greatest products from the brands it represents. “It is important to us that the showroom is kept up to date, so that builders and designers can come in to browse and select exactly what they need. Our mantra is ‘if you hold stock, you’ll sell it’ so we don’t spare any expense in terms of investing in stock,” says Colin. Colin’s own journey in the industry has taken him around the country, with the former plumber having started his career in Queensland and then working in Darwin for two decades, where he met CIA Director and co-founder Tony Ikin. His career then took him to Western Australia before he settled in Tasmania and reconnected with Tony. Master Plumbers Association of Tasmania’s President Anthony Balik describes the state’s construction industry as booming, with a number of major projects underway across the island, particularly in Hobart. The flow-on effect of that is great news for a business like CIA, however like the rest of the industry, there is uncertainty about COVID-related supply delays. “We initially went into lockdown with the rest of the country but then when we opened back up, Tasmania sort of found itself in a bubble when states like Victoria and New South Wales continued to be locked down. During this time, we saw a significant increase in demand for products. Many people looked to leave the mainland and move to Tasmania meaning the housing market was through the roof, and the commercial market was very buoyant,” says Colin. “Towards the end of 2021 the supply issues started to bite. Now, like everybody else, we are unsure what this year will look like given we are all impacted by supply shortages and freight delays. For example, the wait time on windows is currently out to three to six months. It is challenging but we are all in the same boat.”
Colin’s advice to builders, tradespeople and home renovators alike is simple – plan ahead as much as you can. For more information, visit www.crispikin.net.au.
Changes will save lives
Master Plumbers welcomes the long-awaited release by Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio, of the Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS), which will determine the best approach for setting minimum standards for gas appliance servicing from 1 June 2022. Mandated minimum servicing requirements for gas appliances has been a critical gap in Victoria’s regulatory coverage and Master Plumbers has been at the forefront of advocacy for it to be addressed. The RIS follows a 2018 coronial inquest into the death of Ms Sonia Sofianopoulos and recognises that in Victoria, there is currently no mandated minimum standard for the servicing of gas appliances to reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Master Plumbers’ CEO Peter Daly said: “It’s disappointing that it has taken so long to get to this stage, but we strongly support the Government’s move to require a baseline for all gas appliance servicing.”
50 years in plumbing
Master Plumbers would like to congratulate Geoff Tressider (pictured above) who celebrates 50 years in plumbing and is part of the amazing team at Worboys – an 80-year member of Master Plumbers. Geoff was born on International Plumbers Day, so he was destined to end up in the Plumbing World. He fondly remembers spending time with his father (also a plumber) working at the Block Arcade where his mother also worked hard as a dressmaker. Seeing the hard work of both his parents, Geoff learnt very early on that nothing comes free and if you want something you have to work hard for it! Read more about Geoff at www.worboys.com.au/geoffs-story
Free jabs at PICAC
Last month, Master Plumbers and PICAC hosted a free mobile booster clinic on site, to make it easy for members and staff to stay safe. The mobile clinics are being delivered by Incolink as part of a joint effort with employers, unions, governments and Australian Prostate Centre (APC) to help fight the COVID spread. The building industry was among the first to offer Covid vaccinations to workers on site last year.
$3,000
Rheem plumbing-grant applications are open
The Rheem Apprentice Plumber Grants are back for its tenth year, with $30,000 worth of grants up for grabs. Applications close at 11:59pm on Friday 8 April. There are ten grants available to apprentice plumbers and gas fitters across the country, each worth $3,000.
Plumbers are among Australia’s most active workers, sometimes on their feet for hours on end, others may be sitting still for hours on end quoting up jobs and getting on top of administration. On top of this comes the stress of meeting deadlines, keeping clients happy, managing staff and generally keeping ahead of the game. In a recent episode of Master Plumbers Radio, Dr Izzy Smith talks about the importance of looking after yourself. Izzy is an Australianbased endocrinology doctor and a passionate advocate for mental health. She is an ambassador and keynote speaker for the Movember and PukaUp organisations, and the co-host of the mental health podcast, Behind the Uniform. On the podcast, she shares her insights and tips on how plumbers can maintain their health and wellbeing to keep up with the demands of the job.
It’s ok to be blokey, but visit the doctor
Stereotypes about men and their physical health have been around for eons. The ‘she’ll be right’ attitude has claimed too many men, including Izzy’s father. “My dad died from cancer, and he had a lot of early warning signs,” she says. “But he literally made my mom promise that she wouldn’t tell the rest of the family, even though he was losing weight (and) he had lumps and bumps that weren’t normal.
“I think often we distinguish mental health versus physical health, but the cultures in mental health of men not wanting to show weakness, not wanting to ask for help, that extends as far as thinking that a physical health problem could be perceived as weakness.”
It’s a culture among men that doctors and mental health advocates are urgently trying to change. Seeing a doctor when something doesn’t seem right should be encouraged and most importantly, could save lives. “There’s nothing wrong with being blokey, but you can still eat your veggies and go to the doctor once every one to two years,” Izzy says. “And if you see something that doesn’t seem right, act on it. That doesn’t mean you’re any less blokey, you’re just looking out for yourself and being there for your family and long-term wellbeing.”
It’s not hard to be healthy
Being healthy isn’t that complicated. Small changes aren’t daunting, don’t take much time and will bring healthy results in the long run. “You don’t need to go vegan or keto or go to the gym twice a day,” Izzy explained. “That’s not sustainable, and often I see, especially with men, I think they’re kind of all or nothing when it comes to health. But really, it’s about small changes in the long-run.” Even though plumbers are commonly doing exercise on the job, they still need to factor in some purposeful activity that gets the heart rate going. Building just 30 minutes of exercise into the day, could make all the difference to developing a range of chronic conditions such as obesity, high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes. “So, when we talk about physical activity, it’s something that’s causing a bit of stress to the body,” Izzy explains. “We get fitter and stronger, and healthy from exercise; from giving our body a little bit of stress and then the adaptions and recovery from that stressor is how we get fitter.
How to look after you
Keeping on top of what your mind and body needs is not a set and forget exercise as Kate Jones reports.
“If you’re only ever stressing your body in your movement in your day-to-day job, you’re not actually improving your fitness.”
How to get moving
It’s important to choose an exercise you enjoy so it doesn’t become a chore. Izzy advises thinking back to childhood activities, whether it’s skateboarding or cycling, and starting there. Whatever the activity, don’t make it about weight loss. The goal, particularly for those plumbers stuck behind a desk, is to just get moving. “Being sedentary and sitting in an office is increasing the risk of heart disease, obesity, so even if you’re mixing it up, going for a walk in the day, that’s going to be beneficial,” Izzy says. “If you’re sedentary all day, you’re not getting those beneficial hormones, also the mental health benefits of moving, all the endorphins of exercise as well. “It doesn’t need to be much to break it up. Even if you do 15 minutes of moderate high intensity exercise every other day, you’re going to significantly decrease your risk of heart disease.”
Time to change up the diet
You’ve heard it before, but if you’re not getting enough fruit and vegetables into you, it’s time to rethink your diet. Like exercise, Izzy recommends starting with small changes that are easy to achieve. “There’s amazing public health studies that showed if people ate one or two more serves of vegetables per day, the rates of heart attacks and strokes at a population level would decrease significantly,” she said. “I don’t want people to feel like being healthier is taking away from their life, so I always focus on adding more... adding more veggies, adding more water, adding more sleep. Because I feel like as humans, we don’t like restriction and we don’t like being told what to do. “So, focus on adding the good stuff and trying to replace the junk food snacks with something healthy.” Making small changes to your lifestyle can have incredible results to the way you feel, both physically and mentally. As they say, the little things add up. Dr Izzy Smith
Listen to the full interview by scanning the QR code below with your phone camera. If you would like to hear from other experts in future episodes of Master Plumbers Radio, email podcast@plumber.com.au
So don’t think you need to overhaul your life to become healthier and in Izzy’s words, “Never be too scared to start with the smallest change”.
Join the movement
A growing number of leading plumbers are taking on female apprentices, Kathryn Kernohan finds out why.
Jorden Horwood hasn’t encountered many female plumbers across his 16-year plumbing career – and it’s fair to say he’s far from alone. Although plumbing remains one of the most sought after and reliable industries in Australia, as of last year, only 101 of the more than 30,000 registered plumbers in Victoria were women. That’s less than one per cent of the overall workforce.
So, when Master Plumbers approached Jorden, who runs Horwood Plumbing, and asked if he was interested in taking on a female apprentice he didn’t hesitate to say yes. As he reasons, getting a head start in the plumbing industry can be overwhelming for anybody, let alone women who for so long have been dramatically under-represented. “Plumbing is such a male-dominated industry and it can be intimidating even for a young male to enter the industry, so I can’t imagine how difficult it must be for some young women,” he says. “I’ve been a member of Master Plumbers for as long as I’ve run my own business and used their services a number of times for training opportunities and to access apprentices, so when the opportunity came up to give a female apprentice a go, I thought it would be great to try something different and hopefully give somebody a good start to their career.”
Creating a better gender balance across the plumbing industry is the key goal behind the new Women in Plumbing program, a Master Plumbers and Plumbing Apprenticeships Victoria initiative backed by the Victorian Government’s Apprenticeships Victoria program, which was launched late last year. The two-year, $1.2 million initiative aims to improve participation rates for women in the plumbing industry by creating a connected community of aspiring female students, apprentices and plumbers. It spans everything from education and information made available to promotion of plumbing career pathways to young women, through to paid Certificate II pre-apprenticeship opportunities and direct entry into apprenticeships through Plumbing Apprenticeships Victoria (PAV), Master Plumbers’ Group Training Organisation. Women in Plumbing has dedicated field officers and an increasingly busy calendar of networking and social opportunities for women in the industry, but host employers like Jorden play a critical role in providing leadership and mentoring. Jorden was the first Master Plumbers member to take on a female apprentice as part of the program and says his experience couldn’t have been better.
His 20-year-old apprentice was straight out of school and had previously worked in her parents’ hospitality business before deciding to pursue a trade. “The thing I liked about her straight away was her attention to detail. With some young guys, you struggle to hold their interest and attention when you’re trying to teach them. But with Chelsea, she took everything in, and at the end of every day we’d talk about what she’d learned and how we could apply that knowledge in the future. “She was also really punctual and I definitely can’t say that for all of the young guys that I’ve worked with!” Chelsea worked a day a week with Jorden for close to three months and eventually secured an
apprenticeship at a commercial company. “I think Chelsea’s personality and skill set is really well suited to a commercial team, I was really pleased for her that she was able to secure that opportunity and that I was able to play a part in giving her an introduction to the plumbing industry.” For Chris Malcolmson, owner and director of Reliable Plumbing, having female plumbers as part of the team is nothing new. Several years ago, he made a deliberate decision to increase the number of women in his business and these days 75 per cent of his apprentices and trainees are female.
“It wasn’t a token thing, they had to be there of their own right. We have had some successes and some failures overall, like you’d expect, but it’s really just tapping into a talent pool that some others don’t,” he says. “I’ve always been a staunch advocate of welcoming more female plumbers to the industry, they bring a different dynamic. For us it is just the norm now, it’s what we do. Overall, it says a lot about your business being inclusive, progressive and clients love it too”. Chris has hired female apprentices both through PAV and on his own. He says that early on, the business made the decision that it would have the same expectations for female plumbers as it would for anyone else. “We made a point that we wouldn’t be compensating for anything, and for women, they’d be expected to do what any other plumber would be doing. We had the same expectations as we would for men. Our female workers are accepted as part of the team, no differently to anyone else, and they’ve got huge respect across the company. Another important thing I’ve noticed is that they stand out in terms of organisational skills and communications – basically I don’t think our male brains allow us to multi-task the way women can!” The female apprentices Chris has employed range from school leavers to mature-agers transitioning from other careers.
“In general, we find that mature agers excel quickly, whether they’re male or female, compared to some who’ve just left school and may have different motivation levels. One of our female apprentices, now in her fourth year, was a qualified baker before joining us. She is an absolute superstar and has the ability to run a company one day.” Both Jorden and Chris say that the plumbing industry is far more welcoming to women than it once was – but that industry leaders can play a pivotal role in making things even better for future generations. “The industry is definitely more accepting now than it was when I started 16 years ago, and when you used to hear a lot of inappropriate jokes and comments. You hear that less and less now and thankfully when you do, it is dealt with quick smart,” says Jorden. “Nobody, including females, should have to put up with bad behavior on sites or in workplaces. A program like this is not only good for helping women get a foot in the door but also good for everyone else in the industry too.” Chris has enjoyed a 25-year career in the industry and recalls that he never encountered aspiring female plumbers in trade school. “It definitely would have been harder for women to enter the plumbing industry back then, there would have been a lot of rubbish stereotypes and attitudes that fortunately are much better now. The best thing we as employers can do to make things even better is to give women a chance to get their foot in the door and see all the great things they have to offer,” he says. In fact, there’s been such a cultural shift that Chris’ two young daughters have grown up knowing that there are viable and welcoming careers in trades that are available to them.
“They’ve grown up helping me on the tools, getting involved when we renovated our house and knowing that one day if something breaks, they know how to use power tools to fix it. There are no expectations on them to pursue a trade, but they know those options are open to them.” As for why other employers should become host employers to support the next generation of female plumbers, Chris says the answer is simple. “Why wouldn’t you? We know that at the moment there’s a skills shortage in the industry and female plumbers open up a whole new stream of talent you may not have considered. At the end of the day, if you’ve got reservations about it, you’re closing yourself off to a huge range of workers who have plenty to offer your business and your clients.” If you are interested in pursuing a career in plumbing or if you are an employer looking for a female apprentice, contact Anne Boyle on 0487433828 or womeninplumbing@plumber.com.au
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OUR FINALISTS FOR 2021
MECHANICAL SERVICES AWARD Sponsored by Hutchinson Builders Bailey Medwell, JE Mechanical & Plumbing Services Pty Ltd Shashi Deka, PAV Duy (Don) Do, PAV FRANK MASKELL GENERAL PLUMBING AWARD Sponsored by Reece Khayne Horman, Cooke & Dowsett Matthew Perriman, PAV Liam Callaghan, Greenstar Plumbing
NA SMITH GAS AWARD Sponsored by ESV William Moxey, ODM Plumbing
NFIA APPRENTICE AWARDS 2020 Stuart George, Entire Luke Gregory, Commercial Fire Group Mitchell McGrath, Specialised Fire
NFIA APPRENTICE AWARDS 2021 Reece Hegarty, Jetfire Tom Duncan, Fireline Amy Kosterman, Geelong Fire Services EXCELLENCE IN FIRE PROTECTION AWARD Sponsored by FIT Steve Horner John Potalej, Network Fire Boyd Morris, Entire Fire EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION & TRAINING AWARD Sponsored by InSinkerator Warren Marnell, Fire Industry Training Norm Anderson, Energy Smart Water Ian Pewtress, Total Gas Care Services EXCELLENCE IN OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY AWARD Sponsored by Incolink Jackie Sim-Coutts, Entire Mechanical Chris Bell, CDC Plumbing
EXCELLENCE IN SUSTAINABILITY AWARD Sponsored by IAPMO Michael Tomlinson, Tomlinson Plumbing
WOMEN IN PLUMBING ROSE CURTIS AWARD Sponsored by Apprenticeships Victoria Jasmine Garner, Cooke & Dowsett Tahley Houghton, PAV Amy Kosterman, Geelong Fire Services
INDIGENOUS PROFESSIONAL AWARD Sponsored by RAW Kaelun Brown, Pathway Plumbing Service
AHSCA TOM CLEMENTS CONSULTANT OF THE YEAR AWARD Sponsored by Conex | Bänninger Bruce Clements, Bruce Clements Fire & Hydraulics Mark Pearson, LCI Consultants Andrew Potts, JRS Engineering AHSCA COMMERCIAL PLUMBING AFFILIATE OF THE YEAR AWARD Sponsored by Enware Geschke Plumbing Chadoak Plumbing Wilson Plumbing & Drainage AHSCA SALES REPRESENTATIVE OF THE YEAR AWARD Sponsored by AHSCA Shane Ross, Rehau Greg Brittain, Zip Industries Jon Palfrey, Thermal Energy Solutions
PFIA PROJECT OF THE YEAR AWARD Sponsored by CBUS Cooke & Dowsett for the Sunshine Hospital Emergency Department (SHED) Keralton Plumbing for the Victorian Pride Centre
BOOK YOUR TABLE TODAY AT PLUMBINGFIREAWARDS.COM.AUFIND OUT THE WINNERS AT PLUMBINGFIREAWARDS.COM.AU
The advice I’ve received about training has been really helpful, I’d definitely encourage other members to access these services
Safety first
It has been two years since COVID hit Australia, bringing with it ever-changing restrictions and overall uncertainty. But there was a silver lining to the pandemic for Josh Day, founder of Melbourne’s J Day Plumbing.
COVID-19 was not all bad at J Day Plumbing. It was a chance to take stock of the businesses’ safety procedures and ensure that it provided the best possible workplace for employees. “We’ve tried to take the positives out of COVID,” Josh Day says “It’s really important that our boys work in a safe workplace, and that they get to work safely in the morning and get home safely at the end of every day. With the type of plumbing work that we do, we can be visiting eight to 10 different properties per person, per day. So, we reached out to Master Plumbers to help us to look at the overall health and safety of the business and help us out with guidance and support,” he says. Master Plumbers’ National OHS and Risk Manager Zane Martin has provided Josh and his business with a range of health and safety supports including assistance with SWMS (Safe Work Method Statements), to outline the risks, hazards and OHS requirements to be addressed before safely carrying out high-risk plumbing jobs, as well as establishing a tailored WHS management system. “Josh was really proactive with safety in his business, which is fantastic. We provide plumbers with all of the latest safety information they need, including in the changing COVID environment, and there are a range of other supports we can provide including with compliance and documentation,” he says. Josh also received support to establish a check-in system and a ‘COVID diary’ for staff to record where they had been, and is proud that these processes have played a role in none of his staff catching COVID at work so far, despite the
high number of properties they visit. Master Plumbers has also provided Josh with guidance about training and skill development opportunities, and he is in the process of arranging working with pipes training for his staff.
“The advice I’ve received about training has been really helpful, I’d definitely encourage other Master Plumbers members to access some of these services,” he says. It has been about seven years since Josh founded his business, based in the inner-city suburb of Northcote. Josh was drawn to plumbing in the first place because of the variety it can provide, with no two working days ever the same. “I had tried a few different things, like excavation and landscaping, but I found that I didn’t enjoy them that much. I was about 20 years old when I started in plumbing, and loved learning off some old-school plumbers. Early on I specialized in heating and cooling before moving into other areas like drains and roofing,” he says. He has gradually built his business up to now feature seven full-time plumbers, who are trained across a number of areas to build their skill sets and give them variety at work. “I’m still on the tools myself, I’d say that probably 70 per cent of my work is on the tools and 30 per cent is in the office. There’s a lot of back of house work that goes into running a business, but I still enjoy being on the tools and working with clients as much as I can.” J Day Plumbing specialises in commercial and domestic maintenance work – including working with pipes, showers, roofs and hot water systems - with a range of regular clients including real estate agents and body corporates. Relationships are critical to this type of work, says Josh. “We also do a lot of work connecting tradespeople like builders, painters and electricians with clients for projects like bathroom and kitchen renovations. We also do that with other local plumbing companies, people help us out and we help them out. “It’s a pretty small industry overall so we need to support people in whatever way we can.”
