NZ Plumber April-May 2016

Reporting back from the 2016 NZ Plumbing Conference – See page 37

DODGY PRODUCT APRIL/MAY 2016

8-page MasterLink pull-out

Be in to win! tice et G an apprennths o m 2 r FREE fo

How big is the issue?

HOLIDAY PAY Get it right!

HAPPY CAMPERS Holiday park wastewater project

WE HAVE A WINNER! PLUMBING VS 2016 Master Plumber DRAINLAYING Where´s the divide? of the Year

PGDB/MICO CPD ROAD SHOW 2016 By attending a training session you will be meeting the CPD requirements towards renewing your practising licence on 1 April 2017.

WIN, EAT, LEARN, NETWORK • Attend the interactive training session

• Have a catch up with other industry members

• Your chance to ask the questions you need answering

• We’ll shout you breakfast for the morning sessions

• Get the latest product updates at the trade stands

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• BE IN TO WIN! Lucky door prizes & trade stand competitions on offer

TO REGISTER, VISIT WWW.SKILLS.ORG.NZ/PGDB

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EDITORIAL

Volume 68, Number 2 MAGAZINE TEAM CEO Greg Wallace EDITOR Beverly Sellers 03 543 2008 beverlysellers@xtra.co.nz DESIGN Sally Travis Design www.sallytravisdesign.co.nz PRINT Service Printers 258 Taranaki Street Wellington 6141 SUBSCRIPTIONS NZ Plumber is published six times a year by Master Plumbers, Gasfitters & Drainlayers NZ. MPGD members receive all six editions.

Non-members can subscribe online at www.masterplumbers.org.nz/subscription-form-2 MAILING LIST For enquiries, or to update your details: beverlysellers@xtra.co.nz Non-Master Plumbers’ members with contact detail changes should notify the PGD Board, giving their registration number licensing@pgdb.co.nz TO ADVERTISE Contact Catherine Schuster 027 839 8398 cschuster@masterplumbers.org.nz

NZ Plumber is the official magazine of Master Plumbers, Gasfitters & Drainlayers NZ Inc. Contact details for the MPGD Board, Society staff and Regional Associations are available at www.masterplumbers.org.nz ©NZ Plumber 2013. Registered as a Newspaper, GPO, Wellington, ISSN 0111-4379. NZ Plumber is subject to copyright in its entirety. The contents may not be reproduced in any form, either in whole or in part, without written permission of the publisher. All rights reserved in material accepted for publication, unless initially specified otherwise.

All letters and other material forwarded to the magazine will be assumed intended for publication unless clearly labelled ‘Not for Publication’. Views expressed in articles in NZ Plumber magazine are not necessarily those of Master Plumbers, Gasfitters & Drainlayers NZ Inc, or of the Editor. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information included in this publication, the publisher and the Editor take no responsibility for errors or omissions or for any consequences of reliance on this information. Publication of advertising material implies no endorsement of either a product or service.

Representing excellence

This issue we feature the best in the industry, with all the winners from the recent New Zealand Plumbing Awards.

ON MY WAY to the supermarket the other day, I walked past a parked bus with the eye-catching Master Plumbers Don’t Risk It advertising on the back, showing a rather sorry looking man sitting in his PJs on his bed, up to his knees in water. He really should have used a Master Plumber…

The advertising now displays the new Master Plumbers logo, with its Representing Excellence tagline. That couldn’t be more fitting for this edition, where we feature the many examples of excellence celebrated at the New Zealand Plumbing Awards in April. Turn to p42 to discover all the winners, including the 2016 New Zealand Master Plumber of the Year. We’ll be profiling some of these award winners in more depth in future editions.

Among the top awards is the James Douglas Medallion, yet how many people know about the man it’s named after? Find out about this ‘plumber extraordinary’ (and former Mayor of Dunedin) on p64.

Not so excellent are the substandard, counterfeit and non-compliant plumbing products coming from overseas into New Zealand, often via online trading platforms. Master Plumbers is making its concerns heard at government level, and would like to see tougher regulation around what can be sold in the marketplace. Read more about this hot topic on p12.

One solution is, of course, to use only reputable product purchased from recognised merchants and suppliers. A wide range of such products was on display at the Trade Show that ran alongside the recent New Zealand Plumbing Conference. Turn to p40 to see who was exhibiting—and on p74, we feature some of their newest innovations.

Beverly Sellers Editor, NZ Plumber, beverlysellers@xtra.co.nz

OVER TO YOU The best email, letter or tip published on this page wins a $30 Hunting & Fishing voucher! Do you have a picture, story or news to share? Or feedback on any of the articles you’ve read in NZ Plumber?

Email the Ed: beverlysellers@xtra.co.nz. Or give me a call on 03 543 2008.

Thank you to Barry Watkins for sending in this excellent photo of all three Master Plumbers Life Members together at the recent New Zealand Plumbing Conference in Rotorua. Barry is on the left with Bryan Heron, centre, and Graeme Mander.

Bryan is the latest to be awarded Master Plumbers Life Membership, which recognises a lifetime of commitment and dedication to Master Plumbers and the plumbing industry as a whole.

These three gentlemen are an inspiration to us all!

A Hunting & Fishing voucher on its way to you, Barry.

April/May 2016

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Inside this issue

APRIL/MAY 2016

WHAT’S ON 7 Our industry events calendar MASTER PLUMBERS NEWS 8

CEO Greg Wallace on this year’s conference; Best in Brand prize; new Gold Business Partner Aquatherm; 2016 Master Plumber of the Year; and new members.

IN FOCUS 12 The enemy within

Why we need tougher regulations on imported product

REAL LIVES 20 Racing on the river Plumber raises funds for Plunket

NUTS & BOLTS 23 Gutters & downpipes

BRANZ advice on sizing gutters and downpipes

26 Plumbing or drainlaying When does one end and the other begin?

29 Goodbye food waste

Technical guidance on InSinkErator installation

CONFERENCE 2016 37 What a blast!

Looking back over a great event

38 Business matters

The Master Plumbers AGM 40 At the trade show

Exhibitors aplenty 42 Simply the best

Winners of the 2016 NZ Plumbing Awards

INDUSTRY TALK

14 Take five

The new risk control hierarchy for health and safety

30 The Hydrocarbons: a day begins

A day in the lives of Propane and Butane

46 Trenchless technology

Pipelining for quake-damaged wastewater pipes in Christchurch

17 Mind your business!

Site Safe H&S guidance for all business sizes

32 Tech points

Steel mesh, LPG pigtails and changes at Standards NZ

46 Builderscrack on board

Online marketplace joins PGD Board campaign

WORLD VIEW

34 High risk gasfitting

Step-by-step guidance

46 Marlin weigh-in

Taranaki prize winner at Mico fishing contest

19 Water challenge

Oxfam making a splash for Melanesia

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April/May 2016

CONTENTS

ON THE COVER Reporting back from the 2016 NZ Plumbing Conference – See page 37

DODGY PRODUCT APRIL/MAY 2016

8-page MasterLink pull-out

Be in to win!

Get an apprentices FREE for 2 month

How big is the issue?

61

HOLIDAY PAY Get it right!

54

70 47 Sam’s spot

All you need to do is ask!

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT 54 Happy campers

HAPPY CAMPERS Holiday park wastewater project

42 Cover photograph: It can be hard to identify compliant pipe

SAFETY FIRST 67 Safety snippets

48 Watts Apex acquisition

Recent acquisition by Watts

49 Nuflow into Asia

Nuflow products for countries with drainage issues

AROUND ASSOCIATIONS

HEALTH MATTERS

56 Sewage sightseers

Wastewater plant tour for Wellington Master Plumbers

68 Buggered knees?

New technologies may help

50 Mico celebrates excellence

Winners at Mico’s recent awards 50 Environmental endorsement

Environmental certification for aquatherm plumbing product 51 People

PGD Board appointments 51 Recent convictions

More penalties for unauthorised work 52 Hot rod USA

Hot rod enthusiasts back USA Day 52 Outlook for plumbers

The 2016 Occupation Outlook shows high demand

SUPPLY LINES 53 Hire or buy?

Six key pointers from Hirepool

Wastewater treatment install at a Nelson holiday park

SMART BUSINESS 59 Workplace policies

More important than you may think!

60 Declare it all!

Or risk everything, warns the IR 60 Biz Brief

Changes to minimum wage and parental leave 61 Holiday pay—got it right?

Payroll risk, and where to get advice

TIMES PAST 62 Over and out

The final episode in Ernie MacManus’ wartime apprentice memoirs

64 Plumber extraordinary

The man behind the James Douglas Medallion

26

WE HAVE A WINNER! PLUMBING VS 2016 Master Plumber DRAINLAYING Where´s the divide? of the Year

Media campaign; H&S support for plumbers; regulations released

NEXT GENERATION 70 Building the community

Real-life building skills for Rotorua apprentices

72 Tomboy tradie

Female apprentice Nikita Ward is making her mark 73 Youth training focus

A new acquisition for The Skills Organisation

PRODUCTS & SERVICES 74 The latest new product launches AND FINALLY 77 Offcuts

Media snippets that caught our eye 78 Dodgy plumbing

No introduction needed…

April/May 2016

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Winter Warmup If Steve says Apex gear is mint.

IT’S MINT. Don’t miss out on getting yours!

P.S. It’s Swanndri gear this year Catlin Fleece Tse

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5. One Combi Pack Barcode = 3 Valves 6. Offer applies only while stocks last 7. Does not include trough valves and instruction sheets

NZ MADE

What’s on

Find out what’s coming up on the industry calendar.

EVENTS If you have an event you would like to promote in a future edition of NZ Plumber, please email the Ed: beverlysellers@xtra.co.nz

PGDB & Mico CPD Training Water New Zealand Dates: 7 June-16 September Annual Conference & Expo Venues: Nationwide 2016 Cost: $30 inc GST per person By attending one of these training sessions, you will be meeting your CPD requirements to renew your practising licence on 1 April 2017.

Morning sessions start at 7am with a BBQ and trade stands, with the CPD content being delivered from 8:30am-12:30pm.

Afternoon sessions start at 1pm, with afternoon tea and trade stands, with the CPD content being delivered from 2:30-6:30pm, followed by a happy hour.

Book and pay online by credit/debit card at www.skills.org.nz/ pgdb. Or call Skills on 0508 754 557 to make a bulk booking for your team.

Auckland Plumbers Meeting Date: 23 May Venue: Manurewa, Auckland Time: 6-8pm The Auckland Master Plumbers Association are holding their next Plumbers Meeting (a previous meeting is pictured here) at Marley, 32 Mahia Road, Manurewa. Everyone welcome!

Date: 19-21 October

Venue: Rotorua Water New Zealand’s 58th Annual Conference and Expo will be held at the Rotorua Energy Events Centre.

Demographically, New Zealand faces a number of challenges.

While some of our regions are facing significant growth, others have reducing populations, an increasing number of residents on fixed incomes, and ageing assets.

How can we get on a pathway to excellence? This year’s event will explore innovative ways to mitigate the range of challenges that the water sector faces.

Go to www.waternzconference.org.nz for more information.

Earlybird registration opens on 29 June.

Auckland Build 2016 Expo Date: 16-17 November Venue: Auckland Auckland Build is a new Construction Expo for New Zealand and provides an opportunity for your organisation to get involved in Auckland and New Zealand’s booming construction industry. The event allows you to uncover the latest developments, strategies and opportunities in construction, as well as the chance to access major contractors, developers and suppliers from across NZ and around the world.

Any enquiries, email secretary@aucklandmasterplumbers.org.nz Register for your free ticket at aucklandbuildexpo.com

Photograph from flickr.com by David Stanley/16443564997

World Plumbing Conference 2016 Date: 15-16 September

2016 CONZTRUCT Trade Show

Venue: Cape Town, South Africa

Dates: 3 May-17 November

Cape Town will play host to the 11th World Plumbing Council Conference this September. This two-day conference, exhibition, skills competition and community plumbing challenge will be held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC).

The theme of the Conference is ‘Regulations for sustainability in plumbing: a case for international standards.’

An industry trade show like no other, CONZTRUCT brings together a mix of all specialist trades, architects and designers in the three key areas of: • Plumbing, gas and drainage • Electrical, data, technology • Building, design, services.

Taking place around NZ from 4-7pm, it has a focus on residential, commercial and industrial construction, with suppliers’ stands and professional education activities. Master Plumbers will be among the exhibitors at this travelling trade show.

For programme details and to book, go to www.wpc2016.co.za

Full details at www.conztruct.co.nz

Venue: Major centres nationwide

April/May 2016

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MASTER PLUMBERS NEWS

An event to remember A big thank you to all who attended the New Zealand Plumbing Conference in Rotorua.

I’D ALSO LIKE to thank the Master Plumbers’ team for their organisation of the event, hugely supported by Jon and Jan Lewis. It takes over nine months to put an event of this kind together, and our goal is to extend the reach wider and see all members attending.

You’ll note that we are now picking our guest speakers to ensure that everyone has something to take back to their individual business, with a key message around leadership. Those who listened to Allie Mooney speak have learned about the four different personality types—playful, powerful, peaceful and precise—and how to get the best out of each by recognising their individual traits.

We were pleased with the AGM results. The rule changes, which were unanimously accepted, will give us momentum to create a more flexible model across our Associations, giving each more choice. We will be providing more information to Associations around the available options.

This was John Leen’s last conference as Chairman of Master Plumbers.

John has been Chair for the past six years and has made a wonderful contribution to Master Plumbers with his strong, direct style. He has been at the forefront of moving the industry in a new direction.

As you will be aware, we are all now operating within a new health and safety regime. Those members who attended our health and safety

those who listened to Allie Mooney speak have learned about the four different personality types 8

April/May 2016

the Building and Housing Minister for plumbing product certification.

We believe this is wrong as it puts the onus on plumbers without giving them a reasonable method to identify what is compliant and what isn’t. We strongly encourage you to send enquiries direct to the newly created MBIE email (products@mbie.govt.nz). Or you can send product to us and we will address it with MBIE officials.

Greg Wallace, CEO Master Plumbers, Gasfitters & Drainlayers NZ Above: Greg Wallace with speaker Allie Mooney and Volcanic Plateau Association President Jon Lewis.

training workshops, held in conjunction with WorkSafe NZ and ACC, will have a good understanding of the requirements under the new Act. We have also updated the Master Plumbers Health and Safety Manual, which will be available for purchase in print or as a mobile app.

Master Plumbers has received fairly high media attention around dodgy products in the plumbing industry. This isn’t a new issue, but was highlighted by a story that broke in Auckland regarding consent failures, which gained traction due to some examples presented to the media.

Members need to be very clear that the current legislation means that if you install a product that doesn’t comply with the Building Code, you can be liable for any damage it may cause. We believe there needs to be some sort of compliance process or certification for products being sold on the New Zealand market. The electrical and gas industries have this, yet there seems to be no desire from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) or

Read all about it...

What a success this year’s New Zealand Plumbing Conference was.

The Marley and Dux Fun Night was packed to capacity, as was the New Zealand Plumbing Awards Dinner, sponsored by Plumbing World. There were more Trade Show exhibitors than ever before, and plenty of visitors to enjoy all the action.

Turn to page 37 for the full event report.

NEW MEMBERS A warm welcome to new Master Plumbers’ members: •

• • •

Auckland Plumbers Group Ltd, T/A Arrow Plumbing and Gas in Auckland Aqua Pro Plumbing & Drainage Ltd, Christchurch Flow Pro Ltd in Auckland Natoli Plumbing and Drainage Ltd in Wellington

MASTER PLUMBERS NEWS

2016 Master Plumber of the Year We have a winner!

Congratulations to the winner of the supreme national Master Plumber of the Year Award 2016. Peter Jackson Plumbing in Paraparaumu took out the top prize, wowing the judges with the team’s high standards of service, community spirit and professional use of the Master Plumbers’ brand in all their marketing. “It is a massive privilege and also a responsibility for us

to represent Master Plumbers and the industry through this award,” says Peter Jackson, who runs the company with his wife Sonya. We’ll bring you more about this award-winning business in the next edition of NZ Plumber.

Read more about all our awards winners on p42.

Master Plumbers in the media

New rules

Master Plumbers has been getting its fair share of media coverage in recent times, with CEO Greg Wallace featuring on Radio New Zealand National, in The Press and The Dominion Post, among others. This has been a great opportunity for Greg to make known Master Plumbers’ viewpoint on the lack of regulation around plumbing product coming onto the New Zealand market—particularly the ‘grey market’ for imported overseas product bought online.

Proposed Master Plumbers, Gasfitters & Drainlayers NZ rule changes were passed unanimously at the annual general meeting in April. You can view them by logging in to the member area at www.masterplumbers.org.nz

Master Plumbers airs its views on ‘dodgy’ plumbing product.

The MPGD rules have been updated.

Turn to page 12 for our feature article on the topic.

Trade marking our brand

The Master Plumbers’ name is set to have the highest level of protection.

Site Safe member benefit Enjoy a 10% discount on your annual Site Safe membership!

Master Plumbers has become a Trade Association Member of Site Safe, which entitles you to a 10% discount on your annual Site Safe membership. To claim the discount, simply note that you are a Master Plumbers’ member when you complete the application form at www.sitesafe.org.nz. Already a member? You can claim the discount with your annual renewal.

Best in Brand 2016 We are proud to announce that the Master Plumber and Master Plumbers words are pending trade mark registration, giving us exclusive rights for use. You will soon see the ® symbol alongside the brand to show that it is a registered mark. This legal protection deters others from attempting to imitate our brand or benefit from its profile.

The first Best in Brand prize winner with our new branding!

We love this entry from…. you guessed it! Master Plumber of the Year 2016 winner Peter Jackson Plumbing. The team wins a $200 Prezzy Card voucher for great use of the new branding on their print material. They say they have also updated the logo on their winter promotions, health and safety, and uniforms, and are set to incorporate it into the signwriting on their vehicles. Great work!

Your turn!

For a chance to win the next prize voucher, just send in your photos to Vanessa Price by 16 May 2016: vprice@masterplumbers.org.nz

> April/May 2016

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MASTER PLUMBERS NEWS

H&S Manual update

The new Master Plumbers Health & Safety Manual is here.

There are two available options: • Printed manual: your policy and all forms as paper templates that you can photocopy as often as you need • Digital manual: quick, accessible anywhere, and mobile friendly.

Investment The digital manual is available by subscription at $120 for the first year and $25 for each following year. You get full access, back-up support and free updates.

The printed manual costs $150 upfront

(or $175 with one set of PDF forms). This includes the manual, forms and folder. Amendments or updates will be available on a costrecovery basis.

NB: All current members who purchased our previous printed manual between 1 January 2015 and 31 March 2016 will receive the updated manual content FREE! If you purchased before this, content-only updates cost $75.

Health & safety training In addition to the manuals, we also offer health and safety training. We spend two

hours at your workplace going through the purpose of the Act and how to use the manual and create an efficient management system to suit your business.

• Five or more employees: 2 hour training + print or digital manual = $750+GST • Sole traders or fewer than five employees: 2 hour training + print or digital manual = $450+GST Discounts for multiple companies or Associations can be negotiated.

All prices are GST exclusive. Email jgrayland@masterplumbers.org.nz

Pipes that last

Master Plumbers’ Gold Partner aquatherm is the world leader in PP-R pressure piping systems for potable, hydronic, and greywater applications.

As plumbers are well aware, pipes are an integral part of every building. They provide us with water to drink, to bathe in, and even to heat and cool our homes.

Quality of life deteriorates quickly when pipes fail, and they can be both difficult and costly to repair or replace.

That’s why aquatherm make pipes that don’t fail, and they do it with the lowest environmental impact possible.

All of aquatherm’s pipes are made from the superbly German-engineered PP-R, one of the longest lasting and most chemically inert piping materials in the world. Each part is designed from decades of expertise and manufactured to exacting international standards.

Their endless drive for improvement and innovation has made aquatherm the world leader in PP-R pressure piping systems for potable, hydronic, and greywater applications.

The advantages of aquatherm pipes and fusiolen® PP-R: • Absolutely corrosion resistant • Resistant against chemicals • High environmental compatibility • Less pipe roughness • Excellent welding properties • Noticeably less insulation • Lighter in weight.

Kiwi-owned aquatherm New Zealand is passionate about helping plumbers,

gasfitters and drainlayers and they understand the challenges you face on a daily basis. With their products come second-to-none technical support, as well as online, downloadable resources.

For more information, please contact Stephen Derig at aquatherm NZ Ltd on 09 570 7204; 021 533 340; stephen@ aquatherm.co.nz. www.aquatherm.co.nz

Gold partner

Rain didn’t stop play

A downpour didn’t deter the Southland Association from holding their latest Hydrology Study Retreat.

It was meant to be held on Stewart Island but the rain came down and put paid to the flight over. Instead, members of the Southland Master Plumbers Association, Business Partners and other guests (including Master Plumbers CEO Greg Wallace) undertook the renowned Hydrology Study Retreat in a variety of locations around Invercargill. This included

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April/May 2016

a robust game of wheelchair basketball at the ILT Stadium Southland and a tour of the Bill Richardson Transport World, which contains the largest collection of its type in the world. Among the trucks, wagons, cars and motoring memorabilia on display was the oldsmobile pictured on p77—just the thing for the NZ Plumber team!

Above: The men’s washbasins at Bill Richardson Transport World are popular with petrolheads

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The enemy within IN FOCUS

Master Plumbers CEO Greg Wallace appeared on TV3 in March, warning of the risks of using counterfeit and substandard plumbing product.

BE CAREFUL IF you buy cheap overseas plumbing product online or through pop up stores as it may not meet the New Zealand Building Code. That was the message from Master Plumbers CEO Greg Wallace when he was interviewed by TV3 in March. With currently no regulation in New Zealand to block substandard overseas product from being sold in the New Zealand market, many homes may contain dodgy plumbing product from the ‘grey market’ in non-regulated building products, he said.

Imitation tapware is an issue, but the pipework connected to those taps is an even bigger risk because it is hidden away behind the wall.

Be warned, too, that products marked with the New Zealand Standard may not be the real thing—making it hard even for the most experienced plumber to tell which products are genuine and which are forgeries.

Greg told TV3 Newshub’s Story that he wants to see tougher regulation on products that come into the country.

The stakes are high if the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) fails to act. “Master Plumbers are not against imported products; we are requesting that the Government provide a method of verification that the product meets the Building Code.”

Compliance regime needed Though it's hard to quantify how many homes may contain substandard plumbing product, any risk of another leaky homes issue should be taken seriously, says Greg.

He wants to see MBIE establish a compliance regime for product testing and certification. Australia already has such a regime in the WaterMark standard, which ensures that products sold in the market are reliable and of good quality. WaterMark approved product is available in New Zealand but is not mandatory, so the plumber might not always select it if not specified by the architect or consumer.

Some may say such compliance will add costs to an already pricey residential building market, Greg told The Dominion Post. “Yet that’s the nature of New Zealand as a small market. But, ultimately, it’s much cheaper to invest in a product that lasts 50 years than buy cheap non-regulated product that fails and leads to significant early replacement costs.”

Until some sort of building product quality certification is introduced, consumers should use a Master Plumber for their plumbing work because they can advise on the best products to use, he advises.

Left: Master Plumbers CEO Greg Wallace talking to Dan Parker on TV3 Newshub’s Story programme.

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April/May 2016

Sector-wide problem

Master Electricians have added their voice to the issue, with Chief Executive Neville Simpson saying that the use of non-compliant building products is a concern across all trades.

Master Electricians advises its members against installing any electrical product that does not have a provable Supplier Declaration of Conformity (SDoC) to show it meets New Zealand Standards.

It is noticing increasing amounts of non-compliant electrical items and lights been sold online or through ‘pop-up’ shops. “Reputable retailers are unlikely to sell them because they recognise the implications of doing so,” says Master Electricians Chief Excutive Neville Simpson. “Problems or faults with these products may not manifest until some time after installation—by which time the ‘pop up’ vendor has long gone.”

The Building Industry Federation (BIF) and Construction Industry Council have also weighed in on Radio New Zealand. “The federation has received many expressions of concern about the questionable quality of a range of new products and materials entering the country,” BIF chief executive Bruce Kohn told Morning Report in mid-March.

“That’s especially so in the areas of plumbing, electrical products, exterior claddings, roofing, glass and power tools.”

Fake certifications and appraisals were also a problem in the building industry, he said.

IN FOCUS

Gaining momentum

Media coverage of the issue has included wide-ranging discussion on Radio New Zealand and national newspaper articles.

“Let me be clear, it’s not that all plumbing products are ‘non-compliant’ or ‘substandard’—the problem is that there is no way to verify that all products comply with the Building Code and are of quality,” Greg Wallace told The Dominion Post. “New Zealand’s a bit like the Wild West when it comes to building products because we do not have a mandatory product quality certification standard.

“The plumber has no way of knowing if piping products are of sufficient quality without an external regulation certification of manufacturing quality.

They may be the right size, but if they are not compliant or don’t have certification, then there is no compliance standard to check their structural quality against.

The Building Code simply does not give an easy process to assess the structural quality of the product.

“This is a problem that we have urged action on for years and the Government can simply no longer ignore industry concerns.”

Interviewed on Radio New Zealand National’s Morning Report programme, Building and Housing Minister Nick Smith downplayed these concerns, saying there was no cause for alarm as the current Building Code system is sufficiently robust, given that it requires a licensed plumber to sign off on a product, and in turn a local authority inspector to sign off the plumber’s work.

Robust it is not, says Greg. “Master Plumbers accepts that some plumbing work may fail because of poor workmanship and, in that case, of course the plumber must take responsibility for putting it right—and Master Plumbers are covered by the Master Plumbers Guarantee. However, if the product met the specs, and was installed properly, then the obvious question is, was there something inherent in the structure of the product that caused its failure?”

He went on to say the Minister’s implication on the programme that Master Plumbers was out to ‘protect its patch’ was also incorrect. “Master Plumbers is not out to scaremonger. We are a membership organisation, independent of industry suppliers and retailers. Our members buy wherever they want.”

Meeting with MBIE Greg Wallace met with Building and Housing Minister Nick Smith at the end of late March, and says there seems to be no appetite from MBIE for any product certification scheme. During a trade session at the NZ Plumbing Conference in April, MBIE's Bruce Klein noted that he had been involved in several meetings regarding the application of WaterMark and that there was a lot of admin around this type of scheme, which could push cost onto the plumbing industry. Darren Waith, Chair of the National Plumbing and Pipelaying Standards Committee also met with MBIE in March to discuss its concerns with the Building Code. The Committee says it was invited to propose amendments to the Code by the end of March. "Our concern is that there are not enough Standards called up in the Building Code," Darren told NZ Plumber. "It's difficult for the plumber to know what products to install and what they comply with. What we're looking for is something similar to WaterMark that's clear and easy for the plumber, with products tested by an independent laboratory."

MBIE ‘investigating’

In mid-March, MBIE acknowledged that it has concerns about plumbing fittings supplied directly by small-scale importers without documentation to support code compliance, reported The Dominion Post.

It was investigating but didn’t yet know the scale of the activity or quality of products involved.

It has set up a dedicated email address to help gauge the scale of the problem. “I strongly encourage all Master Plumbers' members to contact them with any product concerns,” says Greg.

MBIE was also planning an educational campaign, growing its capability, and developing improved resources for market monitoring and surveillance, and product investigations, according to the news report. In the meantime, MBIE was urging consumers to buy from reputable sellers rather than “back-street markets” or online. ■

If you have any complaints about non-compliant building products, email products@mbie.govt.nz. Or post/courier to Determinations and Assurance, MBIE, 15 Stout Street, Wellington 6011. Please include: - the name of the product - where it was purchased or who it was supplied by, if known - any compliance information you have, eg test reports, technical information - the reasons why you believe it doesn't comply with the Building Code - any evidence of failure, eg photos, locations used - any other supporting information.

MBIE has also updated its product assurance toolkit to help explain to product manufacturers and suppliers their legal obligations. This is available online at www.building.govt. nz/product-assurance

Customer-supplied product Consumers should think twice about saving money with cheap, imported products, Christchurch plumber Peter Sutton told The Press in March. “I mean people are buying $300 showers and I get handed these $50 taps which just leak as soon as you install them. They give you things you have never seen in your whole life—it’s a free-for-all out there.”

Peter Diver Plumbing director Jane Diver added that they often refuse if customers want to use their own plumbing gear, or get something in writing to say the company can’t stand behind owner-supplied fittings.

Master Plumbers has developed a letter that members can give to customers who supply their own products for use in plumbing work. The letter clarifies the scope of services by a Master Plumber when installing customer provided products for the purposes of the warranties under the Building Act 2004, the guarantees under the Consumers Guarantees Act 1993 and the general law. The letter is available in the member area of the Master Plumbers website, along with guidelines for use.

April/May 2016

13

IN FOCUS

Take five

The health and safety regulations introduce a new risk control hierarchy, says Richard Tattersfield in his second article on the topic.

THE NEW HEALTH and Safety at Work (general risk and workplace management) Regulations 2016, released in February, are a game changer when it comes to how we deal with hazards and risks in the workplace.

No longer can we rely on minimisation through Personal Protective Equipment on its own as a means of compliance. The new hierarchy of control clearly identifies the steps that need to be taken before you can use PPE. You must always try to eliminate any hazard or risk as your first option, and this is no different from the old legislation.

There is no longer an Eliminate, Isolate, Minimise process to follow; the options are now Eliminate, or varying degrees of minimisation.

Taking appropriate action The new regulations have five degrees of minimisation, and you must try and take one or more of the first three actions that are the most appropriate and effective way of decreasing the risk.

1

Substituting (wholly or partly) the hazard that gives rise to the risk with something that gives rise to a lesser risk.

Example Replacing MSD primer and glue with a water-based option doesn’t just minimise the risk, it eliminates it

2

Isolating the hazard that gives rise to the risk to prevent any person coming into contact with it. Isolation places the hazardous process ‘geographically’ away from workers.

Examples Creating a barrier around equipment or a workstation Erecting scaffolding Installing a concertina-style gate at the workshop entrance to prevent public access

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April/May 2016

3

Implementing engineering controls.

Examples Shifting an air compressor to an outside shed with noise-reducing lining rather than leaving it in the workshop Using mechanical lifting devices Using local exhaust ventilation that captures and carries away any airborne contaminants Guarding is probably the most used form of an engineering control you will come across in the workplace, but it is also one of the most commonly misused, given that guards can so easily be removed

4

Administrative controls (training and procedures). If none of the first three controls can be implemented, or can’t be implemented straightaway, administrative controls should be considered. This could be safe systems of work (permit to work), Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), emergency procedures, and one of the most important controls: training.

Examples Rotating workers in and out of a work zone where repetitive tasks are undertaken to reduce the risk of carpal tunnel or similar pain and discomfort injuries (PDI) Developing a Standard Operating Procedure for working in confined spaces (under the floor or in the ceiling cavity) is great, but has there been any training provided for getting someone out if a situation does develop? Are there always two people on site when someone is working in a confined space—one person under the floor or in the ceiling cavity and the other to pass tools and material if required, and to act as an emergency first responder if a situation develops? Are the right types of tools on hand to be able to extract them quickly (eg, skilsaw or chainsaw)?

five degrees of minimisation

5

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

The use of PPE is the least effective way of controlling risks. For whatever reason, we all make mistakes at some point, so relying on a worker to wear the correct PPE every time is setting them up to fail from the start.

PPE is also normally the most expensive long term means of minimisation as it always has ongoing costs associated with it.

While there are some jobs, such as removing asbestos, where wearing adequate personal protective equipment is absolutely essential, there are many jobs where employers hand out PPE when, in fact, they should be using a more effective risk control method.

PPE should be used only while other, more effective controls are being developed or installed, or if there are no other more effective ways to control the hazard.

This is because the risk has not been eliminated or reduced—you are normally just swapping one risk for another. If the equipment is inadequate or fails, the worker is not protected. No PPE is foolproof and, in some cases, can actually create hazards.

Examples Fitting a respirator with the wrong filter for the situation (I speak from personal experience having got carbon monoxide poisoning from cutting a drainage channel to a sump in a garage) Using respirators for long periods of time can put a strain on the heart and lungs

IN FOCUS

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Wearing uncomfortable PPE can place an additional physical burden on a worker Removing air contaminants from one area by venting them to another area where other workers could potentially be exposed

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Using a harness as fall protection is less effective than using an isolation control.

If someone falls off a roof while wearing a harness, it still exposes them to a risk of potentially losing limbs if they are not rescued within 3-5 minutes.

PCBU responsibilities Risk control measures must eliminate or reduce the risk of a hazard occurring to be effective.

The PCBU who implements any control measure must ensure that the measure is effective and lowers the risk rating for the hazard identified.

They must ensure that the control measure is: • fit for purpose • suitable for the nature and duration of the work • installed, set up and used correctly.

The PCBU must also review and, if necessary, revise the existing control measures already implemented so as to maintain a work environment that is without risks to health and safety.

This is essential if there has been an adverse result from health exposure monitoring, such as a worker who has developed hearing loss even though they have been issued and are wearing hearing protection. ■ About the author: Richard Tattersfield is Senior Health & Safety Consultant at Progressive Consulting in Invercargill. If you have any queries, contact Richard on 03 218 1854; Richard. tattersfield@wearehr.co.nz www.wearehr.co.nz

Branches Nationwide. Freephone 0800 800 686. plumbingworld.co.nz All Black Captain Kieran Read and Plumbing World Ambassador

April/May 2016

15

Platinum Partners Master Plumbers, Gasfitters & Drainlayers NZ thanks the following Platinum Partners for their support:

Gold Partners Master Plumbers, Gasfitters & Drainlayers NZ thanks the following Gold Partners for their support:

Silver Partners Master Plumbers, Gasfitters & Drainlayers NZ thanks the following Silver Partners for their support:

16

April/May 2016

IN FOCUS

Mind your business!

Whatever size your business, this Site Safe guidance will help ensure you’re covered under the new health and safety legislation.

THE GOOD NEWS is that if you were doing the right thing under the previous law then it’s unlikely that you need to make major changes now that new Health and Safety Act has come into effect.

On the other hand, if you’ve been neglecting health and safety entirely, then the new Act presents a very good opportunity to review your health and safety practices, your culture and how you manage risk.

Firstly, let’s take a look at some of the key changes under the new Act. 1. PCBU - (person conducting a business or undertaking) is a key new term. The PCBU has the ‘primary duty of care’ to ensure the safety of workers and anyone affected by its work.

2. Worker participation - a stronger emphasis on worker participation and engagement to ensure that workers are engaged with health and safety.

3. Risk management - shifts the focus from monitoring and recording incidents to proactively identifying and managing risks.

4. Safety is everyone’s responsibility - no one can ‘opt out’ and safety becomes everyone’s responsibility. All parties from executives to workers have health and safety responsibilities.

5. Due diligence for directors - the Act places more legal responsibility on directors and executives of an organisation to manage risks and keep people safe.

6. Stronger fines and penalties for non-compliance - the Act significantly increases the category of offences, with a threetiered hierarchy being introduced along with a range of other offending provisions.

Along with the key term of ‘PCBU’ the Act also clearly sets out the different roles and responsibilities. The four key roles are: PCBU (eg, the business entity), Officers (eg, a chief executive or director), Workers (eg, employees) and Visitors (eg, customers).

Site Safe has produced a free guide with more information on the four roles and the different responsibilities under the new Act which is available at sitesafe.org.nz. Under the new Act, everyone from directors to workers will have some form of responsibility for health and safety and we recommend that you gain an understanding of what these responsibilities are.

SMEs If you were already compliant under the previous law then the new Act will require a review of your current health and safety systems. You may need to change some of the terminology you use and make changes to the way some safety activities are conducted, including how risk is managed.

If you don’t have a current health and safety system, now is the right time to take steps to ensure that your people can go home safe at the end of every workday. As a minimum we recommend that you have the following systems in place for your business:

Above: Free guide from Site Safe.

1. Plans and procedures 2. Worker engagement 3. Risk management 4. Training and induction 5. Accidents and emergencies

Larger corporates For companies that have directors and boards, there is a bit more involved. Apart from the above, there is also the new requirement of ‘due diligence’ for officers in regard to health and safety. Most organisations of this size will have their own internal health and safety person who will be capable of developing the appropriate systems to meet this new requirement.

If your organisation is of this size and you don’t have a health and safety person, then you can look at getting in a safety consultant to get you started. The Business Leaders’ Health and Safety Forum has also produced an excellent free guide for those at director or chief executive level called Due Diligence and Beyond. This is available free from zeroharm.org.nz ■ For more information on your responsibilities and what you should do under the new HSW Act, visit Site Safe’s website and download their free practical guide for small business owners; sitesafe.org.nz

Master Plumbers & SiteSafe Master Plumbers’ members receive a 10% discount on annual Site Safe membership. The Master Plumbers Health and Safety Manual also contains practical templates and resources to help you build and maintain a health and safety system in your business. See pp 9 & 10 for more details.

April/May 2016

17

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Water challenge

WORLD VIEW

The 2016 Oxfam Water Challenge made a splash to provide clean water in Melanesia.

OVER 50 PEOPLE from the water industry gathered in February at Saint Kentigern Boys’ School in Remuera to compete in the Oxfam Water Challenge 2016. With supporters cheering them on and a keen bunch of the school’s students there to help, 13 teams faced off against each other with the collective goal of raising $50,000 to fund a water, sanitation and hygiene education (WASH) project in Papua New Guinea.

Teamwork fun

Above: Milk bottle run!

difficult circumstances and obstacles. But all of the Oxfam Water Challenge teams successfully completed the task.

Hampers for prizewinners

The three prizewinning teams on the day were from Downer New Zealand, Morphum Environmental and MWH Global. They each took home great prize hampers donated by generous sponsors including the University of Auckland, Sileni Estate wines, Trade Aid and many more. In addition, the team that ends up with the top fundraising total will get the chance to visit Oxfam projects in Vanuatu later in the year.

By working together, New Zealand companies can make a real difference to the lives of communities that are forced to drink dirty water every day. Throughout much of Melanesia, ill-health from poor quality water and sanitation is one of the most serious threats to human life.

Globally, despite improvements in

treatment, waterborne diseases such as cholera, malaria, trachoma and worm infestations kill more than one million children each year. Most of these cases can be prevented or treated. Shockingly, in Papua New Guinea just 33 per cent of rural people have access to safe water.

Given that nearly 90 per cent of the nation’s people live rurally, the number of people impacted is huge. ■ If you’re keen to be involved in Oxfam Water Challenge 2017 please email oxfam@oxfam.org.nz or call 0800 600 700.

Sobering reminder During the weekend of the 2016 event, there was a sobering reminder of the importance of Oxfam’s work when Cyclone Winston tore through Fiji and Tonga. With decades of experience in water supply, sanitation and hygiene, Oxfam immediately responded. But the cyclone was the strongest in recorded history to make landfall in Fiji—and the needs are still great.

You can help communities that have lost everything by contributing to Oxfam’s Cyclone Winston appeal at oxfam.org. nz or on 0800 600 700. Your donations mean that Oxfam will be able to reach more people, helping them get through the first critical weeks, as well as building back stronger in the long term.

Above: Two of the teams building their structures.

April/May 2016

19

All photography by Hakan Nedjat Photography

Their task? To deliver 100 litres of water as quickly as possible from a paddling pool to a reservoir at the end of a 27-metre long lane, using only milk bottles and a structure the team designed and built out of wood, plastic sheeting, pipe and twine. Clearly, teamwork, engineering, building skills and speed were all crucial. Along with being a fun day that used the competitors’ relevant expertise, it was a great opportunity to showcase the teams’ skills and physical endurance, while networking with potential business contacts at the post-challenge barbeque.

Points were awarded for speed, teamwork, quality of design and build of their structure, and plenty more… even outfits! A lot of fun was had while everyone worked toward the ultimate goal of raising crucial funds to help people in Melanesia with clean water and basic sanitation. With the teams’ fantastic fundraising efforts before and since, the fundraising target is within reach.

All of the teams who participated on the day experienced a simulation of the kind of challenges faced by Oxfam staff working in developing countries across the Pacific and around the world. There are often

REAL LIVES

Racing on the river

Plumber Daniel Goldsworthy, AKA Plumber Dan, has put the fun into fundraising by reviving the Wanganui River raft race. Matthew Lowe reports.

Above: Daniel’s homemade raft complete with BBQ.

I like trying to get the community involved

Above: Daniel’s eight-seater hovercraft.

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April/May 2016

Above: This 5m-high inflatable duck caught people’s attention ahead of the race.

All photographs by Daniel Goldsworthy and Tania Warbrick (raft race photos).

IF DANIEL GOLDSWORTHY has his way, a flotilla of plastic ducks will soon be floating down the Wanganui River rather than just the one giant inflatable duck he had out on the water this year.

The 39-year-old is fast becoming as well known for his antics away from work as he is for his day job as owner of the Plumber Dan business in Wanganui.

He resurrected the Wanganui River raft race in March, which raised $1,800 for Plunket, and plans to make it an annual event.

As part of the publicity build-up he launched a 5m-high duck—a duck being his company’s logo—that took three hours to inflate and drew plenty of attention through social media.

Daniel says he is contemplating what his next fun venture will be, with a race featuring about 500 rubber ducks taking to the river in winter high on the list.

“The Plumber Dan Raft Race has been fantastic. I like trying to get the community involved in things and making it a nice place to live and fun for the kids,” he says. “There are other things I’d like to get going here, like having my eight-seater hovercraft out doing river trips by next summer and the duck race in the winter—so I’ve got my thinking cap on.”

Daniel said there were “heaps of people on the sidelines” when about 30 rafts took to the river in March but he hopes to double that number next time.

“This will become an annual event again. It used to run about 15 years ago but people started throwing rocks off bridges and the red tape got a bit thick so they cancelled it.

Above: Teams battling it out, with the overall winning Farmers Rescue Helicopter team, in the background.

“I thought it would be a good thing for the community so I worked through the paperwork to make it happen.”

When not performing plumbing in the Wanganui area, he also keeps busy in his 200sq m “toy shed”, which has fostered some unusual creations for the city’s Christmas parades and a raft with a built-in BBQ. “I like things that are different. Some Christmas parades are boring as they just have cars with tinsel. Last year I had a cart that a five-year-old was driving and it was towing little ducklings behind, and before that we had a motorised bath tub.

The hardest part is coming up with the ideas and each year I struggle.”

Born and bred in Wanganui, Daniel has spent three years in London, two years in Melbourne, five months sailing the Red Sea and has a daughter who lives in South Africa.

“But I keep coming back to Wanganui. There’s plenty of work here—the water’s rubbish as it’s hard so we have plenty to do— and it is a nice place,” he says. “Having lived in big cities where it is always busy, it is nice to be here where everything is just five minutes away and more convenient.”

He is a familiar sight around the city with his firm’s distinctive yellow signs on vans complementing the duck logo.

“Some of our work vehicles are also Minis, which always draw a lot of attention. Yellow is a bright, happy colour. My brother made up the plumbing logo for my company and he thought the duck should be incorporated into that. It’s all part of different ways of marketing and having fun while doing so.” ■

Above: Daniel’s entry in last year’s Christmas Parade.

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PGDB/MICO CPD ROAD SHOW 2016 DATES & LOCATIONS SESSION DATE

LOCATION & TIME

Tuesday 7 June

Invercargill afternoon session

Wednesday 8 June

Queenstown afternoon session

Thursday 9 June

Queenstown morning session

Friday 10 June

Dunedin morning session

Monday 13 June

Christchurch morning session & afternoon session

Tuesday 14 June

Greymouth afternoon session

Wednesday 15 June

Nelson afternoon session

Thursday 16 June

Blenheim afternoon session

Tuesday 21 June

Palmerston North morning session

Wednesday 22 June

Wanganui morning session & afternoon session

Thursday 23 June

New Plymouth afternoon session

Monday 4 July

Auckland West morning session & afternoon session

Tuesday 5 July

Auckland North Shore morning session

Wednesday 6 July

Waikato (Waihi) morning session

Thursday 28 July

Hamilton morning session & afternoon session

Tuesday 9 August

Kerikeri afternoon session

Wednesday 10 August

Whangarei afternoon session

Thursday 11 August

Warkworth afternoon session

Tuesday 16 August

Taupo afternoon session

Wednesday 17 August

Hastings afternoon session

Thursday 18 August

Hastings morning session

Friday 19 August

Gisborne morning session

Tuesday 23 August

Tauranga afternoon session

Wednesday 24 August

Tauranga morning session & afternoon session

Thursday 25 August

Rotorua afternoon session

Tuesday 30 August

Auckland South afternoon session

Wednesday 31 August

Auckland South morning session & afternoon session

Thursday 1 September

Auckland South morning session & afternoon session

Tuesday 6 September

Wellington (Petone) afternoon session

Wednesday 7 September

Wellington (Petone) morning session & afternoon session

Thursday 8 September

Wellington (Masterton) afternoon session

Monday 12 September

Christchurch afternoon session

Tuesday 13 September

Christchurch morning session & afternoon session

Wednesday 14 September

Oamaru afternoon session

Thursday 15 September

Timaru afternoon session

Friday 16 September

Ashburton afternoon session

Location addresses to be confirmed. Watch this space!

SESSIONS MORNING SESSION 7:00am – 8:30am (Breakfast + browse trade stands) 8:30am – 12:30pm (CPD session)

AFTERNOON SESSION 1:00pm – 2:30pm (Afternoon tea + browse trade stands) 2:30pm – 6:30pm (CPD session) 6:30pm – 8:00pm (Happy Hour)

SAVE THE DATE FOR YOUR LOCAL CPD SESSION. REGISTER AT WWW.SKILLS.ORG.NZ/PGDB 0800 101 999 | www.mico.co.nz

NUTS & BOLTS

Gutters & downpipes

BRANZ Technical Advisor Tom Edhouse works through an example to show how to size gutters and downpipes using NZBC clause E1 Surface water.

NEW ZEALAND BUILDING Code clause E1 uses plan areas of the roof to find the appropriate downpipe and gutter sizes.

Individual roof plan areas contribute to the total roof plan area.

Work out the roof plan areas

When working out gutter sizes, clause E1 requires gutters to be divided into sections. A section is the length of gutter between a downpipe and the adjacent high point on one side of that gutter.

We will use Figure 1 as an example.

Total roof plan area = 88 + 10 = 98 m² Roof plan area for A = 2 × 2.5 = 5 4 × 8.5 = 34 1.5 × 0.75 = 1.125 Total A = 5 + 34 – 1.125 = 37.875 m² Roof plan area for B = 7 × 4 = 28 4×2=8 Total B = 28 + 8 = 36 m²

Above: Figure 1: An example of a roof with a total plan area of 98 m².

>

April/May 2016

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NUTS & BOLTS

Roof plan area for C = 7.5 × 2.5 = 18.75 2.5 × 1.25 = 3.125 3.0 × 0.75 = 2.25 Total C = 18.75 + 3.125 + 2.25 = 24.125 m²

Sizing downpipes

Downpipes are sized for the areas that discharge into them. Usually, the size for the largest collection area on the roof is used to size downpipes throughout.

Using clause E1 Table 5 (see Figure 2) at a roof pitch of 45° for this example:

Above: Figure 2: New Zealand Building Code clause E1 Table 5.

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63 mm diameter downpipes serve roof plans up to 35 m² • 74 mm diameter downpipes serve roof plans up to 50 m² Areas A and B require 74 mm diameter downpipes and Area C requires a 63 mm diameter downpipe (see Figure 2).

Therefore, 74 mm downpipes are adequate for A, B and C.

Sizing gutters

In this example, the rainfall intensity is 100 mm per hour.

The cross-sectional area of each section of gutter is determined from clause E1 Figure 15 for external gutters or Figure 16 for internal gutters.

Gutters will be the same size for all the roof so use the largest plan area to work out the appropriate size gutter. The largest plan area is area A at 38 m².

This is an external gutter, so using clause E1 Figure 15, plot 38–40 m² plan area on the vertical axis. Then read off the gutter size for the roof pitch of 45° (see Figure 3).

In this case, the cross-sectional area of a

Above: Figure 3: New Zealand Building Code clause E1 Figure 15.

section of gutter is approximately 7,000– 8,000 mm², so a 125 × 70 mm gutter (8,750 mm²) will meet the requirements of E1. ■ © BRANZ. Reproduced with permission from Build 152, February/March 2016. For more see www.buildmagazine.nz

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April/May 2016

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NUTS & BOLTS

Plumbing or drainlaying?

Rules around where sanitary plumbing ends and drainlaying begins are not always being followed, as Matthew Lowe reports.

WHEN DEMAND FOR plumbing in New Zealand rapidly grew about 100 years ago—and with it a need for drainage systems—a ‘grey area’ emerged that still blights developments today.

Plumbing and drainlaying have been treated as distinct activities at building sites since the early 20th century, but now there are calls for that distinction to disappear.

The Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board (PGD Board) control the rules around where sanitary plumbing ends and drainlaying begins. However, its recommended demarcation points for the two trades are not always strictly followed.

Under-slab issue Garry Cruickshank, Auckland Council’s Technical Training Specialist – Building Control, says the main issue surrounds drains laid under slabs.

“If we use the PGD Board guide, the drainlayer can lay the drain in the ground but not install a riser to come up through slab. In practice, this riser is needed to water test the drain and the document intimates only a plumber can install this riser section,” he says.

“We have looked at the issues it can cause onsite and made the decision that our inspectors will accept the drainlayer installing a drain under a slab and the riser section through the slab.

Anything above this point would be plumbing work.

“We also believe that this can be installed by a plumber (up to the building line). This decision will allow both to carry out this work. The bottom line we are looking at is the work itself complying with the Building Code and that we have a record of who carried out the work.”

Ribraft queries The PGD Board says it has also received a number of queries in recent times about the demarcation point when ribraft or pod style floor systems are being used. Its view is that the building footprint is the demarcation line for this type of system. "The building footprint is taken as a line matching the external cladding of the building passing continuously down through the ground," it notes in its February InfoBrief newsletter.

Left: Dale Lovell of Heron Plumbing wants to see a single tradesperson able to perform all pipework on a building project.

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April/May 2016

Above: Guidance graphic supplied by the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board of demarcation points for suspended and slab floor designs.

Above: Guidance graphic supplied by PGD Board of demarcation points for ribraft or pod style flooring systems.

The diagram on this page is not to scale, but gives guidance relating to the footprint of the building. “Where AS/NZS 3500.2 is selected as the means of compliance, all pipework and fittings must be installed according to the version current at the time of installation, including minimum/maximum heights for risers,” it notes.

Advocating for simplification While inspectors in Auckland may exercise “pragmatic, riskbased judgement” on the rules, Master Plumbers believes it's the rules themselves that need changing.

Former Master Plumbers' Chair John Leen is a Certifying Plumber and Drainlayer who runs Wellington-based firm John Leen Plumbing. John believes simplification is needed. “As soon as you enter the building envelope, it should be plumbing. That's the easiest way,” he says. So, even if a fitting doesn't penetrate the slab, it would still be plumbing work in his view.

“Part of the issue is that the PGD Board's guidance diagram adds to the confusion,” he says. “Clearly, if it is a slab

construction (rib raft or whatever), drainage work is outside the building envelope/footprint and sanitary plumbing inside.

“I suspect the Auckland City Council interpretation is wrong if any of these works have been carried out under a slab. There may be a shortage of tradesmen, but this doesn't qualify local authorities to make their own decisions on who can do what.

“Generally speaking, drainlayers have never been keen to get involved in the accuracies of pipework locations under a slab. It is also very clear in the regulations what size pipe can be used: 65mm pipe is not popular with drainlayers and neither are floor waste gullies or getting the pan pipe in the right room!”

Time for change?

Another plumbing company boss is keen to see the matter addressed by revamping apprenticeships.

Dale Lovell, owner of Auckland firm Heron Plumbing, says a single tradesman should be allowed to perform all the pipework on a building project. He suggests New Zealand follow Australia’s example where apprentices become qualified to perform plumbing, drainlaying and gasfitting in one go—rather than having separate schemes for each role.

“The demarcation rules started years ago when workers had either a plumbing ticket or a drainage ticket. It was a time when plumbers could only put in cast iron pipework and then it moved to copper, lead and PVC, while drainlayers only used ceramic material.

“But today we all use the same pipe materials, so personally I’d like to see the two roles combined.”

Dale says the industry should consider streamlining the system to make building projects run more smoothly. “We had a project in Karaka where we had to get a drainlayer in just to run 10m of pipe to a manhole. It doesn’t make sense,” he says.

“There are a lot of grey areas around the demarcation points and it’s something we should be looking at.”

100 YEARS WORTH OF PEACE OF MIND! WATER HEATING

Breaches penalised For now, the rules of the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Act 2006, which came into force in April 2010, remain and any breaches can have serious consequences.

In a statement, the PGD Board says if a complaint about any breach is determined not to be vexatious or frivolous, an investigator is appointed by the registrar and, following an investigation, the complaint could be dismissed or heard by the Board at a disciplinary hearing.

“As it is with any situation where work has been carried out by an unauthorised tradesperson, the tradesperson may face a disciplinary hearing or District Court prosecution and/or face a disputes tribunal if taken by the property owner.

“If the work has not been passed by a territorial authority, the property owner may need to have the work inspected by a suitably qualified person to ensure it is compliant with the NZ Building Code.”

Guidance on the regulations can be found at the PGD Board website, pgdb.co.nz, but Dale Lovell says he and many other plumbers he has spoken to hope change is on the way.

“We should be able to have people who are qualified to do plumbing, drainlaying and gasfitting at the same time,” he says.

“I hope in 10 years it will change. We already use Australian standards for under slab work so following Australia on its apprenticeships seems the next logical step.” ■

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NUTS & BOLTS

Goodbye food waste Technical guidance on installing an InSinkErator food waste disposer in an existing kitchen.

1. Disconnect trap and horizontal extension pipe from vertical extension pipe.

2. Remove strainer assembly (you may need to clean horizontal drain pipe that runs to main waste pipe to eliminate any possible blockage).

3. Using supplied wrenchette, disengage top mounting ring from main disposer unit.

4. Separate the parts of the mounting assembly, then loosen screws until level with mounting ring. The assembly will come apart easily by prying off the snap ring.

5. After scraping sink drainhole clean of any putty or corking, apply rubber washer to sink flange and press it firmly in place to make a secure, watertight seal.

6. To attach upper mounting assembly, slip rubber washer up and over sink flange sleeve.

7. While holding back up ring with one hand, place mounting ring with its three screws on sink sleeve.

8. Slide snap ring onto sleeve until it pops into place. Finally tighten three mounting screws so assembly is seated evenly and tightly against sink.

if the supplied drain pipe and spring clamp are not used, the warranty will be void

9. To install the air switch push button bellows, carefully drill a 33mm hole in the worktop at most convenient point of use.

10. Push one end of the PVC tubing onto the spout of push button bellows and feed other end of tube through hole in worktop and through nut and washer underneath.

11. Fit the push button bellows in hole then screw up nut and washer underneath worktop until hand tight.

12. To connect button to waste disposer, take other end of air tube and push it over spout of air switch located on underside of disposer.

13. Now connect disposer to mounting assembly. Lift disposer into position with the three mounting tabs lined up with sink mounting assembly screws. Turn it right until tabs are engaged.

14. All Evolution models in the InSinkErator range have an antivibration tail pipe mount, which means you’ll need to use the supplied drain pipe and spring clamp.

15. Connect elbow pipe to disposer discharge coupler. Secure with spring type hose clamp. If supplied drain pipe and spring clamp are not used, the warranty will be void.

16. Rotate disposer until aligned with drain trap. Then tighten slip nut on trap and the connection is made.

Then lock disposer in place.

Replacing an old disposer Replacing an existing disposer is identical, except for these additional first steps.

1. Unplug old disposer from electrical supply, then use a pipe wrench or pair of channel locks to disconnect drain line and disposer discharge tube.

2. The old disposer will probably have the same mounting as the new one. If this is the case, disconnect disposer using wrenchette tool supplied. If old disposer has a different mounting, use pliers or adjustable wrench to remove the mounting ring nuts and detach air switch.

3. From here the installation procedure is exactly as above.

Above: Installing an InSinkErator Evolution 200.

You will need…

A screwdriver, pipe wrench, hammer, hacksaw and pliers.

17. If there’s already an earth grounded electrical socket under the sink, simply plug waste disposer in and switch on. If not, a power supply socket should be installed by a qualified electrician.

18. Insert quiet collar sink baffle into the sink opening. Finally check for leaks.

Place supplied stopper in sink and fill it with water. Remove stopper and check all plumbing connections for leaks. ■ It’s vital that you read and understand the safety and installation instructions in the InSinkErator disposer ICU manual.

April/May 2016

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NUTS & BOLTS

The Hydrocarbons: a day begins…

In the second episode of Nick Foster’s tale of the Hydrocarbons, we find out what it’s like to spend a day in the lives of Propane and Butane.

A TYPICAL DAY dawns at Man’s house.

It is still dark on a chilly spring morning when Man first hears his alarm go off.

Propane and Butane are just chilling out in their cylinder and Regulator is sound asleep. When Man gets up, the first order of the day is a long hot shower, then he’ll go downstairs to light the hob for a cuppa, on the way pausing to turn on the heater for some warmth to fight off the night time chills.

Shower time

Being as patient as a time bomb, Man doesn’t like to wait for anything, so as soon as he flicks the shower faucet, Water Heater—who has been hanging out all night round the back by the laundry window—gets a rude shock as water starts to flow. Immediately leaping to action, he sets a spark and encourages Valve to signal Regulator that there is work to be done.

Regulator wakes up and calls the brothers to task, asking them to head off down the gas pipe to do Water Heater’s bidding.

Now Water Heater is a demanding beast and today calls on everything the brothers have got to give. He can’t afford the time for them to warm up and doesn’t care one jot whether they are cold and lethargic— he just wants 100% so he can please Man upstairs in the shower. Regulator is an early riser, so gets a handle on things quickly and dictates the pressure the boys need to apply to accomplish the task.

Being a lighter sleeper, Propane is off the mark straight away and establishes himself at the burners. Meanwhile Butane, who is a deeper sleeper, is having a harder time of it. Slower to react, he stumbles about (like anyone before that first cup 30

April/May 2016

“aaarrrggghhh OMG! Must have run out of gas” of Java) and notices the chill of the day racing in through the door that Propane has left open. He decides that Propane has what it takes to do the job (supported in this by the lack of any noise from Regulator) and lets his lazy nature take over—going back to bed, all the while promising himself that later on he will step up and do more than his share as payback for Propane.

Going it alone

Water Heater is now all business focused on the task of ensuring Man has enough hot water for a blissful shower, and guaranteeing that the mirror will be too fogged up for him to see to shave.

Propane is busy at the burners and is pouring out of the cylinder at the rate demanded by Regulator.

By now Butane is embarrassed by his lack of performance and tries to get going but finds he is now so cold he can’t move his joints to get out of bed. Thinking he has maybe come down with a cold, he decides to stay put, as Propane seems to have things under control.

NUTS & BOLTS

However, unbeknown to anyone, Propane’s reserves are running low. It has been really cold all this month and Butane has been playing this trick almost every morning, leaving it up to Propane to satisfy the work that Water Heater has demanded. No fault of his but Propane’s energy is starting to falter (I mean who can do the work of two indefinitely?

Sometime something has to give, right?)

The first indication that something is in fact going wrong is when Regulator notices that it is harder to keep the pressure on the workload. He makes a little more noise, opening up to try to encourage the LPG boys to maintain their workload. Unfortunately for Regulator, despite being really good at his job, he can’t tell the boys Propane and Butane apart. To him they look the same and he just doesn’t notice that it has been Propane alone going to work every morning.

As Propane’s reserves begin to dwindle, unsupported by Butane, who is now too cold to get out of bed, Regulator finds that no amount of shouting seems to be working. Water Heater meantime is trying valiantly to balance his own work programme and responds to the failing burner performance by cutting back on the water flow.

“AAARRRGGGHHH! OMG!” Man was almost finished so turns off the shower anyway. “Must have run out of gas,” he thinks, making a mental note to check on the LPG boys later. After dressing he wanders downstairs and idly turns on the heater having forgotten his earlier thought, and proceeds to the kitchen where he lights the hob to boil the kettle.

On with the heater and hob

In the intervening time, after the Water Heater debacle, Regulator has returned to his seat and is thinking about what went wrong. He did everything he could and feels the criticism laid on him by Water Heater is unjustified. Propane is recovering from his efforts in his cylinder and is moaning that Butane seems to be getting fatter by the day—certainly seems to be more of him than before.

Gas Heater has signalled to Regulator that he needs some work doing, but not much. He is only about 10% the size of Water Heater, so when Regulator puts the call out, Propane eagerly sets off again.

This time Butane is a little more energised and, because it is only a small job anyway, decides to make a scene and show up with his brother to share the load.

Then Hob One calls in with a small job. Regulator decides this is easy and just directs Propane and Butane to put a little effort towards meeting Hob One’s demands as well as Gas Heater’s. Man notices the Hob actually lit, and the heater is warming the room, then remembers the thought he forgot. Indulging his ignorance of Propane and Butane’s earlier performance issues, Man dispatches a sharp message to his gasfitter, advising that his hot water system has broken down, then heads off to work.

The sun is up and the birds are chirping when Mrs Man opens her eyes and rolls out of bed. Today is an important one with a critical meeting of the coffee group at 10:30. Then she has to make sure to get her hair washed and dried before heading to the salon to get it cut and styled at 1:00.

Yes she knows they will wash it there first,

then Hob One calls in with a small job

but you just CAN’T go in with dirty hair!

Heading downstairs after dressing, she is pleased to see that Mr Man has left the heater on. It is just SO warm and toasty inside at this time of year when the last vestiges of frost can be seen under the hedge, and the sun shines from a cloudless sky. She turns on the hob for a cuppa and sets about readying the place settings and getting out the muffins and cupcakes for morning tea. They should be here in about an hour…. ■ Find out what happens next issue.

Regulator gets stroppy then regrets it, and Doctor Gasfitter is called.

April/May 2016

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NUTS & BOLTS

Tech points STANDARDS NZ NOW PART OF MBIE

On 1 March, Standards New Zealand became part of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), as a result of the Standards and Accreditation Act 2015 coming fully into force.

The Standards NZ team will be part of the Consumer Protection and Standards branch within MBIE, located on level 2 of the main MBIE offices at 15 Stout Street, Wellington.

So, what’s changing?

For most customers, little will change in practical terms. The Standards NZ team will continue to help develop, maintain and provide access to Standards. The website address will change to www.standards.govt.nz instead of www.standards.co.nz. The Freephone number remains the same at 0800 782 632 and you can continue to email enquiries@standards.co.nz Most services, resources and products will still be available to you.

The process for viewing and buying Standards will stay the same, and the Online Library and Asset Plus services will remain.

However, moving within a government department means services can only be provided on a cost-recovery basis. The membership subscription service for Master Plumbers’ members will therefore no longer be available.

Existing memberships will be honoured and discounts provided until each membership subscription expires over the coming months.

Credit terms will still be available to qualifying customers. If you have credit facilities with them, or pay by direct credit, after 1 March you will need to use a new account number (details on the Standards website).

GAS APPLIANCE STANDARDS Standards New Zealand and Standards Australia have published four joint gas appliance Standards: • AS/NZS 5263.1.1:2016 Gas appliances Part 1.1: Domestic gas cooking appliances • AS/NZS 5263.1.2:2016 Gas appliances Part 1.2: Gas fired water heaters for hot water supply and/or central heating • AS/NZS 5263.1.3:2016 Gas appliances Part 1.3: Gas space heating appliances • AS/NZS 5263.1.7:2016 Gas appliances Part 1.7: Domestic outdoor gas barbecues.

These Standards contain the specific requirements necessary to ensure gas appliances, within scope of each Standard, are safe and compliant when used with gases available in New Zealand.

Users of these Standards responsible for specifying appliances supplied in the NZ and Australian markets should note AS/NZS 5263.1.1 now includes a requirement for flame safeguards (‘flame failure’) on all burners—including gas hobs. This requirement comes into place from 1 July 2017 to provide sufficient time for manufacturers and suppliers to implement the necessary changes.

Energy Safety anticipates when Schedule 2A of the Gas (Safety and Measurement) Regulations is amended, to recognise certification to these Standards, there will be a transition period during which certification to the earlier Standard will be recognised.

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April/May 2016

Technical news this edition includes changes to the Standards NZ regime and LPG pigtail advice.

HOSES USED AS PIGTAILS The LPG Association reminds all gasfitters that hoses used as pigtails for LPG cylinders must comply with the requirements of table J4 in appendix J of AS/NZS 5601.1 2013, which requires compliance with AS/NZS 1869 Hose and hose assemblies for liquefied petroleum gases (LP Gas), natural gas and town gas.

AS/NZS 1869 was updated in 2012 and it is recommended that LPG pigtails are compliant with the 2012 edition of the Standard.

Pigtails for cylinder connections should be: • Compliant to AS/NZS1869 (compliance to the latest version of AS/NZS1869:2012 is apparent by marking on each pigtail either on the outer sleeve or on a tag or sticker) • Length as short as practicable up to a maximum of 1M • Installed with upward inclination to regulator inlet, without loops or bellies • Flexible rubber pigtails should be changed at a maximum interval of six years from date of manufacture.

REINFORCING STEEL MESH Seismic mesh sold in New Zealand must comply with AS/NZS 4671:2001. Two companies, Brilliance Steel and Euro Corporation, may have breached the Fair Trading Act in relation to mesh that may not have conformed with this Standard. Further investigation is underway. Until compliance with the Standard is confirmed, MBIE advises that the mesh should not be used where Grade 500E mesh is required in the consent. At this stage, MBIE believes the non-conforming product has mostly been used in floor slabs, driveways and paths of stand-alone houses, and doesn’t consider this poses a safety risk to homeowners.

If the product has been used in commercial and multi-storey residential buildings, checks will need to be carried out on a caseby-case basis. Both companies have agreed to stop selling some steel mesh products while the investigation is underway.

The Commerce Commission says it has welcomed the decision by a third company, Steel & Tube, not to sell SE seismic steel mesh until the product has been through a dual testing process and the company has test results demonstrating its compliance with the Standard.

As part of its investigation, the Commission is testing samples of mesh from various companies. Results received by the Commission in early April showed a sample of product tested from Steel & Tube did not meet the requirements of the Standard.

In response to a request from the Commission for further information, Steel & Tube advised that it would be implementing a dual testing process on all of its SE seismic mesh.

The Commission's tests alone do not establish non-compliance.

There are a number of ways to meet the Standard and information has been requested from Steel & Tube to substantiate their claims that the product does comply.

The Commission also tested a sample of steel mesh from Fletcher Building and the tests raised no concerns.

GIVE YOUR PLUMBING BUSINESS THE COMPETITIVE EDGE Become a Master Plumber Get training, business resources and savings for your plumbing, gasfitting or drainlaying company. We have supported and protected the industry for 100 years, advocating for excellence and helping you provide customers with quality assurance.

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NUTS & BOLTS

High risk gasfitting Low-risk, high-risk, general gasfitting… what does it all mean?

Work it out with this step-by-step guide to applying Regulation 5A. STEP ONE Work out if the gasfitting work is low-risk gasfitting. To do this, compare the work you are doing to the following list: 1. If you are replacing an appliance with an equivalent appliance (unless in a caravan or boat), do you have to change ANYTHING except the appliance?

‘Anything’ includes: • Adding something—a new plug, fitting or flue component— that wasn’t there before (this becomes a pipework alteration or addition) • Repositioning pipework • Repositioning flue system components • Change in the installation pressure • Change in the gas type • Significant change in energy consumption • Change in the ventilation • Change to the operation of the installation.

NO = LOW 2. Are you fixing things without replacing them (unless the work is following a notifiable accident)?

YES = LOW 3. Are you replacing instrumentation or related controls without touching the gas pipes?

YES = LOW 4. Are you changing settings that the consumer or gas refueller shouldn’t?

YES = LOW 5. Is the work temporary gasfitting for experimental, testing, demonstration, teaching or research purposes, and in one of the following locations: • Gas engineering workshop • Manufacturing facility • Gas test facility • Laboratory • Hospital • Research project • Teaching institution.

YES = LOW 6. Are you testing according to NZ Standards 5255 or 5256?

YES = LOW

If it fits in low-risk, STOP HERE. The work is low-risk gasfitting.

If it doesn’t fit, move to Step 2.

STEP TWO Work out if the work is high-risk gasfitting. To do this, compare the work you are doing to the following lists: Are you in a building?

YES = GO TO A NO = GO TO B A. WORK IN A BUILDING (IE, AS/NZS 5601.1 APPLIES) 1. Did you add or change something on an existing installation?

YES = HIGH 2. Did you comply with AS/NZS 5601.1 sections 3-6?

NO = HIGH 3. Does the installation involve gas pressure raising equipment?

YES = HIGH 4. Is it repair work following a notifiable accident?

YES = HIGH 5. Does the building contain more than 3 storeys?

YES = HIGH 6. Does the building contain 3 or more separate dwellings?

YES = HIGH 7. Is the supply pressure greater than 200kPa? YES = HIGH

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April/May 2016

8. Is the work within 20 metres of a hazardous area (as determined in accordance with AS/NZS 60079.10.1 or AS/NZS 60079.10.2, as appropriate)?

YES = HIGH 9. Is the work in a building where the air pressure within the building is intended to be controlled by a mechanical ventilation system?

YES = HIGH

Everything You Need to Install Central Heating the Right Way

10. Is the work in a place where the air for combustion may be varied by mechanical means?

YES = HIGH 11. Is the work in a domestic premises and is the gas pressure greater then 7kPa for natural gas and 14kPa for LPG? YES = HIGH B. WORK IN/ON SOMETHING OTHER THAN A BUILDING (IE, AS/NZS 5601.2 APPLIES) 1. Is the work in a specified caravan or boat (ie, any vehicle or pleasure vessel that contains sleeping quarters, or is intended to be used for sleeping in)?

YES = HIGH

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2. Did you comply with AS/NZS 5601.2 sections 3-9?

NO = HIGH 3. Does the installation involve gas pressure raising equipment?

YES = HIGH 4. Is it repair work following a notifiable accident?

YES = HIGH 5. Is the supply pressure greater than 3kPa? YES = HIGH

TRAINING Practical and theory courses taught by the industry leaders, covering hands-on installation, boilers, system design and more.

6. Is the work within 20 metres of a hazardous area (as determined in accordance with AS/NZS 60079.10.1 or AS/NZS 60079.10.2, as appropriate)?

YES = HIGH 7. Is the work in a place where the air for combustion may be varied by mechanical means?

YES = HIGH Does it fit as high risk? Certify as high-risk and put the details from the Certificate of Compliance on the EGHR database at www.energysafety.govt.nz

STEP THREE

SUPPORT Your sales rep and our team of engineers will assist you with any system designs and product guidance you require.

If it doesn’t fit into either the low-risk or high-risk categories, then the work is general gasfitting. ■This information is based on TradeNote 4, available at www.tradepoint.org.nz

P: 0800 357 1233 E: info@centralheating.co.nz w: www.centralheating.co.nz

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SecuraGold® is a proven system in New Zealand for over 25 years SecuraGold® provides a 25 year system warranty All SecuraGold fittings are full DR Brass to maintain integrity ®

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Crimp rings feature an eye-spy hole to make it easy to check that the pipe is inserted correctly before crimping Fittings have an end cap to protect the fitting from foreign objects When converting to the SecuraGold® system Dux are able to exchange the alternative fittings for Secura fittings to eliminate wastage of fittings previously purchased Dux provide free tool service checks

Master Plumbers Gasfitters & Drainlayers Conference 6-8 April 2016

What a blast!

This year’s New Zealand Plumbing Conference in ‘sulphur city’ Rotorua was a huge success—combining entertainment, education and an impressive trade expo.

ANYONE IN ROTORUA at the beginning of April may have suspected a major plumbing crisis, given the number of plumbing vans gathered in the city centre. They needn’t have worried. Local plumbers and those from further afield were here for the 2016 New Zealand Plumbing Conference, held at the Novotel Rotorua Lakeside.

The event got underway in brilliant sunshine on Wednesday 6 April. Attendees stayed at the conference venue itself or the adjoining Ibis hotel, with total numbers up 35% on the previous year.

Water New Zealand held its Backflow Group Meeting at the venue on the Wednesday, while the PGD Board also undertook its first ever new-format CPD training session in conjunction with the event.

At 4.30pm, the hotel bar filled up as everyone came together for the Kick Start Happy Hour, sponsored by Allproof. Guests then headed for the historic Blue Baths, the spectacular backdrop for the Mico Welcome Night Dinner.

The next day began with the Master Plumbers AGM (see overleaf), while partners made their way to Celia Laity’s beautiful Taupo lakeside home for a cooking class and sumptuous lunch.

In the afternoon, Ngahihi o te ra Bidois engaged the audience with his life experiences aligning his Maori identity with his professional career. Ngahi was followed by Cecilia Robinson,

Top: ‘Into the Woods’ for the Marley and Dux Fun Night.

Above: At the Mico Welcome Dinner.

Top: The ‘Peaceful’ group enjoying Allie Mooney’s talk.

Above: Participants at the PGD Board’s first new-format CPD session.

co-founder of the hugely successful My Food Bag enterprise. She shared her business growth journey and tips for success. After the speakers, participants made their way to one of three concurrent trade sessions for plumbers, gasfitters and drainlayers.

The ‘Into the Woods’ theme for the Marley and Dux Fun Night Dinner saw an amazing array of costumes, from fairies, friars and storybook characters to bears, wolves and hunters—even the odd tree. Under the twinkling fairy lights of the woodland marquee venue, guests were treated to dinner, dancing and an uproarious hypnotist show, thanks to two willing victims Braden Hammond and Trudi Trenwith.

Friday morning speakers included Lance Riesterer of The Skills Organisation and motivational speaker Allie Mooney.

Allie received a standing ovation for her laughter-filled ‘people tool’ presentation, aimed at helping us better understand the different people we come into contact with in our personal and business lives. She was followed by Ben Ross of Putti on using technology in business and Liz Wotherspoon of business growth consultancy The Icehouse.

A local sights tour or raceline karting were the fun options for the Mobil Leisure Afternoon, or members could opt instead for an extra value Build Your Business workshop from The Icehouse.

The New Zealand Plumbing Awards, sponsored by Plumbing World (see p42), rounded off the event in true celebratory style. > April/May 2016

37

Master Plumbers Gasfitters & Drainlayers Conference 6-8 April 2016

In great shape

Reports at the Master Plumbers AGM show the Society to be making huge strides, with many new initiatives in place.

ALL 17 ASSOCIATIONS with the exception of Gisborne were represented at the Master Plumbers’ Annual General Meeting.

National President Martin de Gouw was the first to provide his report, noting that the Society had moved forward a great deal over the past year under the leadership of CEO Greg Wallace and the invaluable support of Business Partners. “We are very proud of that as a Board,” said Martin.

In his final term as Chairman, John Leen presented the report of the Directors. “It has been an absolute pleasure to be involved with Greg and his small team of dedicated staff that add to the success of this organisation,” said John. “During the year, a huge amount of initiatives have been introduced with the support of our Associations, and it is a great pleasure to see Master Plumbers in such a healthy position. I have enjoyed my time with the Board and thank all Board members for their support during my six years as Chair.”

Growth for MasterLink Presenting the MasterLink report, Mark Whitehead noted the success of the Kickstart Employer Grant, which had helped boost the number of MasterLink apprentices during 2015. Two new regional coordinators had been added to the network to service the needs of hosts and apprentices, and BNZ had also come on board as MasterLink Principal Sponsor, offering interest free loans for apprentice sign-ups. Complying with the new health and safety legislation was a major challenge ahead for hosts and apprentices, and everyone needed to play their part, said Mark.

NZ Plumber goes digital NZ Plumber magazine had also enjoyed significant growth during the year, noted John Leen. With substantial advertising support from Business Partners, it now offers even more pages of relevant content for the industry.

The magazine is now also available in digital format—both online and as an app—letting readers view it anywhere, any time and build a library of back issues. “We will continue with the support of industry to provide a quality publication that the industry is proud of,” said John.

Supporting Master Plumbers’ members CEO Greg Wallace outlined the various platforms for growth undertaken by the organisation during the year. These have included a comprehensive and ongoing marketing strategy, the launch of two mobile-friendly websites for consumers and the trade, an increase to the workmanship protection offered under 38

April/May 2016

Above: Martin de Gouw thanked John Leen (right) on behalf of the Board for his long service as Chairman.

the Master Plumbers Guarantee, lower membership fees, and new business resources for members. The new Master Plumbers’ brand was also to be trademarked, giving it the highest level of protection into the future, he said.

Rule changes agreed During the meeting, the Society’s proposed rule changes were unanimously accepted. These include a modernisation and simplification of the rules, to make them easy to understand and follow. The new rules will also give Associations the option to become a branch if they so desire. “With changes coming for the Incorporated Societies Act, this will give some of our smaller Associations the ability to comply into the future,” said Greg.

Thanking the hosts Greg closed the AGM by thanking the Volcanic Plateau Association for hosting the 2016 NZ Plumbing Conference. He also acknowledged the Taranaki Association, who had kindly agreed to relinquish their allotted year to allow the newly formed Association to host the event. Greg gave particular thanks to Volcanic Plateau Association President Jon Lewis and his wife Jan for all their efforts as part of this year’s Conference Committee.

The destination for the 2017 will be announced in the near future.

Master Plumbers Gasfitters & Drainlayers Conference 6-8 April 2016

2016-17 MPGD Board The 2016-17 Master Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers NZ Inc Board comprises: • Craig Foley (Chairman) • Martin de Gouw (President) • Grayson Allen • John DeBernardo • Rod Miller • Dave Strong • Bruce Trenwith • Mark Whitehead A new parallel board structure was carried at the AGM, which means there will no longer be a separate MasterLink and NZ Plumbers’ Journal Board.

Above: The 2016-17 MPGD Board. Back row, from left: Dave Strong, John DeBernardo, Bruce Trenwith, Grayson Allen, Mark Whitehead.

Front row, from left: Craig Foley, Martin de Gouw, Rod Miller.

Kava Cup win The Bushy Park Sanctuary is a 100-hectare, pest and predatorfree native bird sanctuary in the Wanganui region. Visitors can follow walking tracks throughout the forest, with its mahoe, pukatea, rata and rimu trees.

As well as the sanctuary, the property features a 22-room Edwardian-era homestead, which is a Category One Heritage Building. In 1995, the Royal NZ Forest & Bird Protection Society transferred ownership of the homestead, stables and surrounding 27 acres to the independent Bushy Park Trust, who also manage the forest area.

Above: Braden and Michelle receiving the Kava Cup.

Above: Working on the ablution block.

At the 2016 NZ Plumbing Awards, the Wanganui Master Plumbers Association received the Kava Cup for volunteering their members’ time and skills to remodel the ablution block for the Bushy Park Trust. Association delegates Braden Hammond and Michelle Pickard were there to collect the Kava Cup, which is presented to a Regional Association that has helped with a community project.

Supporters and sponsors Master Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers NZ is extremely grateful to the Business Partners and exhibitors who supported the 2016 NZ Plumbing Conference. First and foremost, we thank Plumbing World, the Principal Conference and Awards Sponsor.

Our thanks also go to Mico for hosting the superb Mico Welcome Night Dinner and to Dux and Marley for the hugely entertaining Fun Night Dinner.

We’d also like to the thank the following sponsors and supporters: • •

Allproof Industries—MPGD Kickstart Happy Hour aquatherm, MM Kembla and Rehau—keynote speakers Cecilia Robinson, Ngahihi o te ra Bidois and Allie Mooney

• • • • • • •

Caroma—coffee cart Greens Tapware—trade sessions Hirepool—trade show outdoor fencing MasterLink—conference lunches Mobil—Leisure Afternoon activities Spark Business—Conference app The Skills Organisation—attendee backpacks

The NZ Plumbing Conference is only possible through the support of our Business Partners, sponsors and trade show exhibitors.

April/May 2016

39

Master Plumbers Gasfitters & Drainlayers Conference 6-8 April 2016

Expo excellence This year’s Trade Show was buzzing, inside and out!

THIS YEAR’S EXPO was significantly larger than the previous year, with more than 40 sponsor and exhibitor stands. It also extended outdoors with an enticing display of boys’ toys, including boats and bikes, diggers and quad bikes.

Products, services and technologies on display ranged from bathroom and kitchenware to pipe systems, valves, backflow calibration products, gas control equipment, central heating systems, tools, heat pump water heaters, gas fires, cylinders, spouting, fleet management solutions, fuelcards and trade insurance.

With all morning and afternoon teas and lunches held in the exhibitor space, there was plenty of time throughout the conference for visitors to browse the Trade Show, listen to exhibitor presentations, enter for prizes and chat with the suppliers and manufacturers.

A-Z of exhibitors Master Plumbers would like to thank all the exhibitors at the 2016 Trade Show: • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

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Allproof Industries Apex Valves Aqualine aquatherm NZ BeforeUdig Buteline NZ Cable Price Camco Caroma Central Heating New Zealand CPS NZ Dux Industries Englefield Greens Tapware

April/May 2016

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Hirepool Hydroflow Distributors Kohler NZ Konnect LEAP Australasia Marley MasterLink Methven Mico Plumbing and Bathrooms Mike Henry Insurance Brokers MM Kembla NZ Mobil Oil NZ Parex Industries Patterson O’Connor Motorcycles

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

Peter Cocks Plumbing World Rehau Reliance Worldwide Corporation Rheem NZ Rinnai NZ SafetyMate Spratt Financial Services Group System Control Engineering NZ Teletrac Navman Telfer Marine Toyota The Skills Organisation Ullrich Aluminium

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Master Plumbers Gasfitters & Drainlayers Conference 6-8 April 2016

New Zealand Plumbing Awards 2016 THE NEW ZEALAND

This industry’s top products and people were recognised at the New Zealand Plumbing Awards.

MASTER PLUMBER OF THE YEAR 2016 And the winner is: Peter Jackson Plumbing, Paraparaumu

Entries for this business excellence award are judged in the five areas of customer service, marketing, image, business performance and personnel. Peter Jackson Plumbing, run by Sonya and Peter Jackson, has a focus on helping and building the community through excellent service, professionalism and its support of Youth Quest, a local youth support initiative. In a year of strong competition for this category, Peter Jackson Plumbing stood out across all key criteria, said the judges. Read more about this award-winning business in the next edition of NZ Plumber.

Right: Sonya and Peter Jackson of Peter Jackson Plumbing.

MASTER PLUMBER, GASFITTER OR DRAINLAYER OF THE YEAR 2016

And the winner is: Grant Jefferson Grant joined Hutt Gas and Plumbing as an apprentice in 2000, and has since risen through the ranks to become a Licensed Plumber, Certifying Gasfitter, lead foreman and now contracts manager. He has strong working relationships with his co-workers and other trades. Grant is hugely respected by his staff, customers and others in the industry.

Above: Grant Jefferson.

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April/May 2016

OUTSTANDING SERVICES TO THE INDUSTRY 2016 And the winner is: John Leen John epitomises the criteria for this award. He has always promoted the Master Plumbers’ brand and philosophy. John is a straight shooter and not afraid to voice his opinion when discussing critical issues that have occured during his tenure on the Master Plumbers’ Board. John is a member and Past President of the Wellington Master Plumbers’ Association, a Director Above: John and Mary-Ellen Leen. of Master Plumbers, NZ Plumbers’Journal and MasterLink, and Chair of the Master Plumbers’ Board for six years, stepping down this year. John has always been supported by his wife Mary-Ellen in his work for Master Plumbers.

Master Plumbers Gasfitters & Drainlayers Conference 6-8 April 2016

INDUSTRY SUPPORTER OF THE YEAR 2016 And the winner is: Adam Jackson of Allproof Industries Adam Jackson has led the way in the development of passive fire protection. Using independent test laboratories, he has been meticulous in going through the company’s product development stages to ensure that all products meet the Above: Adam Jackson of required Building Code and regulation Allproof Industries with Plumbing World’s Sarah levels. Adam has gained a wealth Vining. of knowledge on the topic and is passionate about sharing this with the trade to help save lives in the event of a fire.

PRODUCT OF THE YEAR 2016 And the winner is: Dux Industries Flexi Trap™ An increased focus on innovation, and engagement with Master Plumbers’ members has ensured that Dux’s three years of research and development of the FlexiTrap™ has distinguished it from others. Plumber focus groups, group company reviews and international Above: Jeff La Haye and Susie Paterson of Dux research identified the potential for Industries celebrating innovations within the category. As the win. a result, Dux has made significant improvements to the Dux trap range. The result is an enhanced product for New Zealand plumbers and a market first innovation.

GRAEME VICTOR SMITH CONTRIBUTION TO THE INDUSTRY AWARD 2016 And the winner is: Phillip Mitchell Phillip Mitchell’s service and achievements span an incredible 59 years.

On completing his apprenticeship and having registered as a qualified tradesman, he was asked to assist final year apprentices to prepare for their final Above: Phillip Mitchell (centre) with exams—a task he accepted Master Plumbers President Martin de Gouw (left) and Graeme Smith. outside his working hours.

That was the start of his teaching involvement and a very important stage in the growth of Christchurch, with class sizes at the Plumbing School increasing to 30 people a year. When the school closed in 1996, Phil continued to make himself available to any boys that needed additional tuition for exam preparation, often without remuneration.

In his acceptance speech, Phillip thanked all who support the plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying industries, including the trainers, apprentices, merchants, manufacturers and inspectors.

“And most importantly our wives/partners, who support and now understand more about our industry than our second year apprentice.” He also noted that the award acknowledges the importance of off-site training by industry apprentices. “In closing, I know I have had some personal tutoring successes—the national President of Master Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers NZ Inc, Martin de Gouw, was a pupil of mine. Thank you everybody."

PLUMBING WORLD SCHOLARSHIPS 2016 And the winners are: • •

Nathan Brown of host company Hamilton Plumbing Harry Gedye-High of host company Hi-Spec Plumbing and Gas in Auckland • Ryan McQuade of host company EG Glennie & Co in Wellington • Cameron Smith of host company Mark Keenan Plumbing in Hokitika • Patrick Smith of CF Reese in Hamilton Plumbing World Scholarships were awarded to five MasterLink apprentices for making excellent progress in their training. Each receives a certificate and a $1,000 voucher from Plumbing World.

Above: All five Plumbing World Scholarship winners were there to collect their awards from Plumbing World's Steve Langdon.

TRAINING LEADER OF THE YEAR 2016 And the winner is: Mike Gooch of EG Glennie & Co This award recognises industry leadership in apprentice training. Mike Gooch gives his apprentices every opportunity to learn and succeed, noted Above: Winner Mike Gooch (left) of EG Glennie with business partner Gordon the judges. He maintains Diggle (centre) and apprentice Ryan a positive and friendly McQuade, one of the five Plumbing attitude at all times towards World Scholarship winners. apprentices and staff.

When training, Mike always provides reasons and examples.

He is involved in Train the Trainer stakeholder groups and is a qualification developer with The Skills Organisation. His leadership, knowledge and skills are of a high standard and he is always ready to share this to the benefit of the industry, the apprentice and the customer. This award is sponsored by The Skills Organisation.

April/May 2016

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Master Plumbers Gasfitters & Drainlayers Conference 6-8 April 2016

And the James Douglas Medallion winner is: Ashley Walker

Above: From left, Plumbing World General Manager Rob Kidd, new Master Plumbers’ Chair Craig Foley and Lance Riesterer of The Skills Organisation with James Douglas Medallion finalists Ashley Walker, Kyle McKenzie and Ashley Bland.

JAMES DOUGLAS MEDALLION 2016 The finalists are: • • •

Plumbing: Kyle McKenzie, Rutledge Plumbing in Invercargill Gasfitting: Ashley Walker, Hamilton Plumbing Drainlaying: Ashley Bland, Barrett Contractors in Christchurch

The James Douglas Medallion is presented to the previous year’s outstanding apprentice who has completed their National Certificates and passed their registration exams. Each of the three Above: James Douglas Medallion finalists receives $500 from winner Ashley Walker with (from left) The Skills Organisation, with host employer Colin Fagg of Hamilton Plumbing, MasterLink Central North the overall winner awarded Island Manager Dave McGall and the James Douglas Ashley’s partner.

Medallion, a further $500 and a Career Development Scholarship to the value of $2,500 from Skills.

“Our winner’s best quality is his determination to succeed in any challenge that has been delegated to him or that he has chosen to take on,” noted the judges. “He has demonstrated his skills on large and small projects, where he has proved himself through completion of the tasks and leadership of other apprentices.”

MASTER PLUMBERS’ LIFE MEMBERSHIP During the New Zealand Plumbing Awards ceremony, Bryan Heron was awarded Life Membership of Master Plumbers. Bryan is the founder and Governing Director of plumbing firm BH Heron, and a great believer in training youth for the future, be it in plumbing, sports, education or life in general. Since his retirement in 2011, he and wife Pat have continued their extensive support of the West Auckland community via ‘The Flying Herons’ charity.

A Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM), Bryan remains very modest about his community work. Fortunately for West Auckland he has trouble saying no to requests for assistance, whether it be financial or his time and effort. He is an extraordinary and inspirational person with phenomenal energy, even at the age of 82.

Above: Bryan Heron.

Scenes from the Awards The 2016 New Zealand Plumbing Awards Dinner was held in the Batten Rooms at the Novotel Rotorua Lakeside conference venue. Sponsored

by Plumbing World, and MC’d by Greg Ward, the event provided a glittering finale to the New Zealand Plumbing Conference.

Left to right: On the dance floor. The Monroes rocked the party. The dinner venue glowing in the candlelight.

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EXCLUSIVE

NZ PLUMBER NOW AVAILABLE DIGITALLY TO MASTER PLUMBER MEMBERS! Book your place now at the 2016 New Zealand Plumbing Conference! – See page 7

CONTENTS

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2015

21

ON THE COVER Book your place now at the 2016 New Zealand Plumbing Conference! – See page 7 OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2015

Art and Craft

17

Sheetmetal mastery at the Len Lye Centre

12

Art and Craft

24

28

Inside this issue

Sheetmetal mastery at the Len Lye Centre

37

Mud, glorious mud Tradies join the Tough Guy & Gal Challenge

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2015 37

WHAT’S ON

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT

7

17

Registrations are open for the NZ Plumbing Conference 2016

MASTER PLUMBERS NEWS 8

CEO Greg Wallace talks marketing and membership; Master Plumbers gets the big tick from ACC; National President on tour; awards entries; new members; and two Gold Partner updates

12

Commercial leases One of your most important business contracts…

REAL LIVES 14

Out West Why West Coast plumbing takes planning

28 To the rescue This plumber’s a fire truck driving dynamo!

4

Mirror, mirror Sheetmetal mastery at the new Len Lye Centre

INDUSTRY TALK 30 Bathed in glory Bathroom Excellence winner 31

Occupational regulation review MBIE plans to simplify

Preventing Legionnaire’s Keeping water systems safe

31

Innovation for Green Star Rating tool gets an update

Best practice: rainwater Top tips from Marley

31

24 Backflow know-how Questions installers should ask themselves

Involving the industry PGD Board establishes a liaison group and proposes a new CPD model

32

Sam’s Spot A plumber’s tools are sacred, says Sam!

NUTS & BOLTS 21

22

IN FOCUS

Commercial leasing

43

60

25

27

The gas ring This issue’s updates for gasfitters Tech points Some online projects afoot for the industry

32

People NZPM Board; vale Nigel Mason

34 Recent convictions Licence checks are proving effective 35

Raising the roof Winners at the RANZ Roofing Awards

Fees in focus New regular column for PGD Board CEO Martin Sawyers

SMART BUSINESS 39 Eyes on insurance Covering your tools… and keeping your insurance current 43 Growing your business Business development advice from The Icehouse 44 Biz brief Employment law changes and more…

46 Understanding GST The IR has the low-down 47 Recruit to suit Kicking off our new HR series with recruitment

TIMES PAST 48 Wartime apprentice A gust of wind leads to hair-raising results for Ernie MacManus

Commercial leasing

OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF

What you need to know

BACKFLOW KNOW-HOW Installer basics

OUTWARD BOUND Tomorrow’s leaders

NEXT GENERATION 66 Why hire an apprentice?

MasterLink videos have the answers!

AROUND ASSOCIATIONS 53

Active in Auckland Q&A session with Auckland Master Plumbers President Regan Frost

WORLD VIEW 54 Water for future Plumber Trevor Gatland volunteers in Timor Leste 62 On the world stage Kiwi plumber at the World Skills Internationals

HEALTH MATTERS 58 Asbestos alert Ignore the risks of asbestos on worksites at your peril!

TECH SAVVY 60 Accounting add-ons You need them but be selective

58

ASBESTOS ALERT Worksite risks

70 Cover photograph by Patrick Reynolds: Len Lye Centre facade

SAFETY FIRST 50 H&S reform: one step closer The Health & Safety Reform Bill has passed

69 Got a Trade The first-ever Got a Trade Week 70 To the limit Ten apprentices test their mettle with Outward Bound 72

MasterLink winners Success down South

72

Following the code An apprenticeship code of practice

73

Making 2015 a success Skills looks at credit completion

PRODUCTS & SERVICES 75

What’s new to the marketplace

AND FINALLY 76 Offcuts This issue’s media snippets 78 Dodgy plumbing Will they ever learn?

October/November 2015

5

October/November 2015

Get ready for the 2016 NZ Plumbing Conference in Rotorua – See page 7

OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015

What you need to know

Learning the trade

Touring two training centres

BACKFLOW KNOW-HOW Installer basics

OUTWARD BOUND Tomorrow’s leaders

ASBESTOS ALERT Worksite risks

Perfect or defect?

OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF

12-month defect repair guidance

CELEBRATING INNOVATION How new products evolve

HR ADVICE LINE New service for Master Plumbers

PLUMBERS WITHOUT BORDERS Lending a hand where it’s needed

Available via www.pocketmags.com

Can be read on your iPad, iPhone, Android device, Mac, PC or Amazon Kindle Fire

www.masterplumbers.org.nz

INDUSTRY TALK

Trenchless technology

Wastewater pipes in Christchurch with minor earthquake damage are being repaired using pipelining technology.

SCIRT says it is on track to complete the repair of Christchurch’s earthquake-damaged pipes, roads, bridges and retaining walls by this December.

More than three quarters of the damaged pipes in its programme are being repaired by digging down and replacing all or parts of the pipe. However, of the total planned 676km of wastewater pipe repairs, 160km will be repaired with pipelining technology. Known as ‘trenchless technology’, this involves inserting a new pipe into a damaged pipe without having to dig trenches, sheet pile for stability and reseal the roads.

While pipelining has been used overseas for several decades, it is still relatively new to New Zealand. SCIRT estimates it will save as much as $100 million by using this technology. It uses CCTV to inspect each pipe that is lined for quality assurance.

“The lining is really only used where the existing pipe is still in good enough condition to put a liner into it,” says SCIRT Executive General Manager Ian Campbell. These tend to be pipes that are cracked or have minor defects.

Two different trenchless methods are being used in Christchurch to suit different ground conditions. For the ‘curedin-place’ method, a soft felt pipe impregnated with resin is pulled into the damaged host pipe and the resin cured hard by inserting steam or hot water. The ‘spiral wound’ method is also being used in areas with a high water table.

Builderscrack on board

A new partnership to help protect property owners.

Online marketplace builderscrack.co.nz is showing its support for authorised tradespeople by checking credentials of those offering services to consumers through the website.

If the Builderscrack team come across illegal operators, they are notifying the investigations team at the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board (PGDB).

If you use the site to connect with homeowners, landlords or commercial property owners needing plumbing, gasfitting or drainlaying work, be sure to provide your current licence number.

Builderscrack now also produce consumer guidelines alongside plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying work advertised on their site.

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April/May 2016

Above: The 12.3km Fendalton-Strowan pipeline project is the largest for small diameter pipes in NZ.

“Most infrastructure pipework is expected to last between 50 to 100 years and liners are no different,” says Ian Campbell.

Did you know?

Repair and replacement work completed by SCIRT by 10 March: Wastewater

Stormwater

Freshwater

533km pipe (78%)

56km pipe (72%)

91km pipe (95%)

63 pump stations (82%)

5 pump stations (63%)

21 pumps stations & reservoirs (72%)

Marlin weigh-in

Master Plumbers gets behind fishing competition.

A New Plymouth lady angler was stoked to receive a $500 prize, courtesy of Master Plumbers’ sponsorship, at the recent Taranaki Fishing Competition, organised by Mico Plumbing & Bathrooms in New Plymouth. The winning marlin weighed in at 103.2kg.

Left: One happy prizewinner! Right: The mighty marlin.

Sam’s spot

All you need to do is ask, says Sam Tyson.

I guess you could say I’ve added a “touchy feeliness” to the business since taking over the reins five years ago. In the past the guys had been led by men, who each day would tell them what to do. I came in completely green, not knowing, so had to ask for help and direction. I guess it’s much easier for a woman to ‘ask’ than it is for a man as we don’t have to maintain or promote our manhood.

I also introduced a weekly gathering of all the team on a Monday where we start off our meeting with a good thing that happened over the weekend. It’s a great way to get to know people and encourage our community. Everyone has a say and it enables them to be more open and comfortable to chip in on other things we discuss as the ice has already been broken.

Outside the meeting, I encourage the guys to come and see me if there is something going on and always make myself available for a chat. However, I have noticed that men tend to internalise stuff, and by the time I get to hear about it, or they are asking for help, it can be at crisis point.

This led me to sign up for an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP). It’s a professional and confidential service paid for by the employer to assist employees in overcoming personal issues ultimately affecting them at work. I introduced the programme at our meeting, and they didn’t say much at the time—probably internalising. Afterwards, however, a number of them dropped by my office saying what a great thing it was and they’d never been offered that kind of support before.

Next meeting, I’m thinking of introducing ‘how to hug a plumber’ week!

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INDUSTRY TALK

Watts Apex acquisition

NZ Plumber asks Apex Valves Managing Director Bevan Gracie about the company’s recent acquisition by Watts.

Apex Valves Ltd announced in December a controlling interest acquisition by a new shareholder. The new shareholder, Watts Water Technologies Inc from the USA, brings a wealth of knowledge to Apex and strengthens the company immensely, says Bevan Gracie, who remains as Apex Valves Managing Director.

“There are many exciting things to be gained by joining these two companies.

Watts Water Technologies is a world leader in the manufacture of innovative products to control the efficiency, safety and quality of water within residential, commercial and institutional applications. Its expertise in a wide variety of water technologies enables Apex Valves to be a comprehensive supplier to the water industry.”

So, will Apex Valves still be made in New Zealand?

“Yes. We will grow our manufacturing capability, our R&D will get stronger and

Above: The Apex Valves factory in Auckland.

we will explore new opportunities with new products. Our team will have access to new manufacturing technology and access to global markets.”

Will the Apex brand turn into Watts?

“No. Apex will remain Apex, but we will reference the fact we are proudly a Watts Water Technologies company on our brochures, website and packaging.”

Will there be any new products from Apex now Watts is involved?

“Yes. We have only been working with Watts for a short time and we are exploring what Apex products can be sold around the world through our greater Watts family—and also what products we can sell here from the extensive Watts range.

“We appreciate all of your support and we are still proud to design and manufacture a range of quality plumbing and agricultural valves for the New Zealand market.”

LOOK WHO HAS NOW

MARLEY STORMCLOUD – NOW AVAILABLE IN GREY FRIARS AND IRONSAND ®

New Zealand’s favourite quarter-round spouting profile joins the Marley Stratus Design Series . The Marley Stormcloud residential spouting system is designed to complement the RP80 80mm round downpipe system and is now available in Grey Friars and Ironsand, New Zealand’s favourite roofing colours. ®

®

®

INDUSTRY TALK

Nuflow into Asia

Nuflow’s pipe repair technologies are being used to good effect in countries with pipe and drainage issues.

Australian-based pipe repair company Nuflow Technologies is set to ensure a safe, viable supply of water for communities in Hong Kong, India, Thailand and Singapore, where serious issues with existing pipes and drainage have been identified.

Looking to international expansion in 2016, the company has now established operations in these markets. In Hong Kong, for example, it is conducting trials using its patented pipe-lining systems to prevent lead from entering copper pipes, after last year’s revelation that dangerous levels of lead had tainted drinking water at housing estates in Kowloon City.

“We have adapted our product and developed a process to eliminate lead deposits that were found to have contaminated the copper piping in a high percentage of the units in the city, and after successful trials last year we are currently in the process of obtaining approval to carry out this major project

GREY FRIARS

IRONSAND

in the next six months,” says company Director Ed Ahern.

Nuflow Technologies has already made inroads in India, where it has worked with local contractors over four years to correct pipe corrosion that was discolouring local water supply, rendering it unfit for drinking. Broken underground pipes have been fixed without digging, which is particularly important when working with historic buildings found in many Asian centres.

Nuflow Technologies is also working with Thai authorities to line water mains and fix leakages in Bangkok’s central supply system, while in Singapore, trials will be conducted in 2016 to address corrosion in drainage work in high-rise buildings.

With 32 franchisees in Australia and six in New Zealand, Nuflow Technologies offers pipe repair and relining to repair leaking sewerage, stormwater, commercial or residential pipes without

Above: Ed Ahern, Director of Nuflow Technologies.

excavating any surfaces. Its in-house developed products, which include Blueline and Redline technologies, are manufactured in Australia at the company’s Gold Coast plant.

INDUSTRY TALK

Mico celebrates excellence

Announcing the winners at Mico’s recent awards celebration.

At its annual conference and awards celebration in early March, Mico again celebrated the achievements of individuals, branches and suppliers who attained a stand-out level of excellence in 2015.

The two branch winners were: • Mico Levin for Branch Excellence – high standards of presentation and customer service along with producing excellent results • Mico Warkworth for Branch of the Year – all round excellence in teamwork, profitability and operational performance.

Dwayne Cox, Branch Manager for Mico Henderson and Kumeu, won the Outstanding Individual Achievement award for coaching his team to evolve his branch into one of Mico’s top performers whilst opening a greenfield Mico branch.

Account Manager of the Year went to Dean Lusis, based in Auckland, who has achieved outstanding growth—despite some market challenges—through his strong rapport with customers and staff, along with a well-structured approach.

The Dave Gillard Award was won by Chris Leonard, Business Improvement Manager, who celebrated 25 years with Mico in February. “Chris is tirelessly passionate about his job and the Mico business,” said Janene Scott, Operations Trainer and last year’s recipient of the award. “This passion and knowledge has helped all of us at some stage and he is highly regarded within Mico and the wider industry.”

“Mico has delivered a very strong performance in the last year, with significant Above: Dave Gillard Award winner Chris improvements across all Leonard (centre) with Janene Scott (last year’s winner) and Bryn Harrison. aspects of the business,

Above: Mico Account Manager of the Year finalists, from left: Dean Lusis (winner), Blair Ferguson, Matt Scrimgeour and Dion Watchorn, with Mico National Sales Manager Paul Carrington.

Above: Mico Branch of the Year finalists, from left: Graeme Coleman (Whitianga), Andrew Campbell (Alexandra), Steve Henneker (Warkworth)— winner—and Nick Vigor-Brown (Tauranga) with General Manager Bryn Harrison.

making it difficult to choose a winner in each category,” said Mico General Manager Bryn Harrison. “These winners are the ‘cream’ of a very strong nationwide team which has shown absolute commitment to Mico and to our customers. I am very proud of what they have achieved.”

Two Mico suppliers were also recognised at the awards for demonstrating partnership and delivering the best customer experience for Mico. They were Clearlite Athena (Bathrooms category)—winning this award for the second year running— and Aqualine (Plumbing category).

Environmental endorsement aquatherm New Zealand’s PP-R piping system has received the highest plumbing product environmental certification. aquatherm New Zealand Ltd’s polypropylene (PP-R) piping systems now carry a product-specified type III Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). This EPD is the highest environmental certification plumbing products can receive and is what architects and specifiers will be looking for when specifying for ‘green’ projects, says the company.

Independently verified by NSF Sustainability, aquatherm’s product-specified type III EPD was developed in compliance with international environmental management guidelines (ISO 14025). It benchmarks the environmental impacts of aquatherm green pipe, aquatherm blue pipe, aquatherm lilac pipe, aquatherm red pipe, and the aquatherm black system for potable water, mechanical heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), hydronic, reclaimed water, fire sprinkler, and industrial piping applications.

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Above: aquatherm green pipe.

Right: NSF Sustainability verification.

People

New appointments at the PGD Board.

•

•

•

Elected again to the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board (PGD Board) in 2016 Board are Peter Jackson (Chair), Graham Hardie (Deputy Chair) and Craig O’Connell (Chair of Audit and Risk Committee).

The PGD Board has also appointed Dean Wakelin, who is ex-police with nine years’ investigative service, to join Investigations Manager Jayson Thomas on its investigation team. If you have any concerns about unauthorised work in any region, give Dean a call on 0800 743 262 or use the Board’s Above: Dean Wakelin. new R.A.C app, available for download at www.pgdb.co.nz The PGD Board is currently recruiting for a help desk position.

This new help desk resource is expected to be available by the end of July via the Board’s 0800 number. The hotline will point tradespeople in the right direction for technical queries, supervision guidance, industry standards, health and safety, understanding of legislation and industry compliance.

“If you’re unsure, essentially this will be a go-to support hotline on a varied spectrum of topics,” they say. “This resource will ensure you have all the information you need to get it right.”

Recent convictions Penalties for unauthorised work.

Atish Kumar of Good News Plumbing has been sentenced to a $2,000 fine after carrying out restricted plumbing work without PGD Board authorisation at a residential care facility in Auckland.

The work involved toilet, shower and basin fixtures in four bathrooms at the rest home. The wastewater pipework was installed incorrectly, posing a blockage risk and creating a breeding ground for bacteria and disease. The ventilation pipe had become blocked with foul water solids, stopping gases or smells from escaping.

Murray Robinson was charged in Rotorua March with doing, or assisting in doing, sanitary plumbing when not authorised.

He submitted a guilty plea and was sentenced to $600 in reparation, $130 court costs and a $113 solicitor’s fee.

Auckland man Shamsher Ali, of Shams Construction Works Ltd, has been fined $9,000 and ordered to pay $15,000 in reparation for carrying out sanitary plumbing at a home when not registered or licensed. The size of the fine reflects both the scale of the offending and the significant damage caused, say the PGD Board.

INDUSTRY TALK

Hot rod USA

The recent USA Day in Dunedin was a great event, say hot rod enthusiasts Barry and Liz Carmichael.

The entire Carmichael family has been heavily involved in the hot rodding scene for many years. Barry and Liz, who run Barry Dell Plumbing 2001 Ltd, are big supporters of the annual USA Day, which has been held by local Dunedin club Stateside Streeters Inc for the past 24 years.

When Stateside Streeters were looking for a new sponsor about five years ago, after their major sponsor sold up, the Carmichaels stepped up. “Because of our hot rodding interest, we know many of the organisers and entrants and saw this as an opportunity to advertise our company and assist in promoting the USA Day and hot rodding in general,” they say.

As always, this year’s weekend was a great success, and they look forward to the next one.

Above: An impressive line-up.

Above: USA Day drew the crowds.

Outlook for plumbers

Plumbers are in high demand, as MBIE’s 2016 Occupation Outlook shows.

The total number of plumber registrations has grown steadily during the last few years, and now stands at around 13,600. This is according to the latest Occupation Outlook information from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).

It goes on to say that plumbers are on the Canterbury Skill Shortage List, meaning that New Zealand is actively looking for people from overseas to fill these jobs. Anyone looking to become a plumber in Canterbury is more likely to get a position and a full list is available on the Immigration NZ website: skillshortages.immigration.govt.nz The employment forecast appears to be for solid growth over the 2014-19 period, largely fuelled by the Canterbury rebuild and Auckland construction. In other regions, employment growth is likely to remain stable, according to the report.

Beyond 2019, growth is forecast to weaken but, as the report notes, there will always be a demand for plumbers.

The number of online job vacancies for plumbers increased by 14 percent from September 2014 to September 2015. This compares with an overall increase of 1.9 percent for all vacancies over the same period.

Above: The number of plumber registrations is growing.

Above: Solid growth is estimated over the next few years.

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April/May 2016

Above: The job prospect dial is set to high.

Occupation Outlook contains education, employment and income information on 60 key occupations in New Zealand to help those considering study and career options. Find it at www.mbie.govt.nz under Information and Services.

SUPPLY LINES

Hire or buy?

Before buying your new piece of gear, consider these six key pointers from Hirepool.

TO KEEP HIRE costs down, you will inevitably need to consider whether the gear is worth the purchase. Often this is a difficult decision—when should you buy and when should you hire?

1

Tied up capital – Have a good think about how much you are going to use this piece of gear. How many jobs have you actually needed it for? How long between jobs? How many hours a day? Look back at your hiring patterns. If you’ve had the same types of product on hire again and again, maybe you should be thinking about buying.

2

Maintenance costs – If you own the gear, you need to factor in both the depreciation (easy to forget when it is new and shiny) and the ongoing maintenance. When times get tight, a lot of people will skip a service to save a few bucks… but this can be a slippery slope. Make sure you have included all the maintenance costs in your calculations before you buy. This includes consumables and sourcing spare parts.

3

Flexibility – When you buy a piece of gear, you are stuck with it. Consider the implications this may have on productivity. For example: you buy a 2-tonne excavator and you then win a job where you need to move a whole bunch of dirt. You could save a couple of days’ labour using a larger machine and hiring gives you flexibility to get what you need, when you need it. On the other hand, if you do a lot of one type of work, then buying could make sense.

4

Breakdowns and downtime – Factor in the cost of that inevitable day when your machine either breaks down (Murphy’s Law says it will be just outside the warranty period) or your new apprentice drives into the corner of a building. Not only will you have to keep paying wages and find something else for the boys to do, you will also need to get the machine to and from the workshop.

Plus pay for the mechanic’s labour, wait for the parts to be shipped in (can take weeks—trust us!) and then explain the delays to your client. On the other hand, if a hired machine breaks down, the hire company can usually swap it out the same day.

Better quality gear, and compliance – Hire companies, by necessity, have to hire robust and top quality gear. We have higher standards of compliance because we need to make a buck (breakdowns are no fun for us either). This means that you get better quality gear than you might otherwise buy. Remember what they say: “There is nothing so expensive as a cheap price.” And regarding compliance—your hire company makes sure that all the electrical and safety certificates are up to date. Also, that trailers are serviced, registered and warranted. Otherwise it is all on you.

5

if a hired machine breaks down, the hire company can usually swap it out the same day

6

Storage. At the end of the day and in between jobs, you need to find a secure place to keep your gear (you will likely need to have a place to service it as well)—especially at Christmas time when your gear is back and the boys knock off for the year. If you hire the gear, that becomes the hire company’s problem.

At Hirepool we have a team of field sales representatives who can visit you onsite and help you through this decision making process, including the use of calculators to help you analyse purchase versus hire. Give us a call on 0800 15 15 15. ■

Platinum partner

April/May 2016

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PROJECT SPOTLIGHT

Happy campers

A new wastewater treatment installation at the Greenwood Park Holiday Camp in Richmond, Nelson, is the largest of its kind to date.

THE OWNERS OF the Greenwood Park Holiday Camp were looking for a wastewater system capable of treating high flows.

With 28 tent sites, 10 units, plus four cabins and 22 caravan sites, the system needed to cope with an average of 19,000 litres per day.

An AES system was chosen for the job, designed by Ron O’Hara of Tasman Consulting Engineers and installed in three weeks by four tradesmen from Master Plumbers’ member company Tuffnell Plumbing and Drainage. “To do the job, we had a 12 ton digger and more six-wheeler truck and trailers than I could count, carting more than 400 tons of sand to site,” says company owner Kevin Tuffnell.

GOING WITH THE FLOW AES produces advanced secondary effluent without any intervention or maintenance beyond that required for a standard septic tank system. As it uses no power, the treatment process can be designed to fit into small areas, even beneath driveways where space is limited, as is the case at Greenwood Park.

“The existing wastewater treatment and disposal system had historic problems in coping with the flow of wastewater from the septic tanks installed at the time the camp was constructed,” says Ron O’Hara. “The worst case outcome of the problems resulted in partially treated wastewater ponding on the surface of the Bottomless Intermittent Sand Filter in 2007 and 2008.”

Repairs at the time included reconstructing and reinstating the sand filter, but it seemed likely that the volume and quality of wastewater passing through the original system was the cause of its early failure, as further problems with overloading occurred intermittently even after his repair.

An additional 23,000L septic tank now supplements the existing four 4,400L tanks, providing a total septic storage of 37,600L. “We used an agreed dosing rate of 40L per lineal metre,” says Sian Clement of Environment Technology, which holds the New Zealand and Pacific rights to the AES system.

“The flow is to be fed into nine subsections of AES beds, each having three rows of six pipes (54m of pipe per bed). The total length of pipes is 486m, exceeding the design requirement of 477m, and each bed has a base area of 93m2.”

Above: The number of AES pipes used.

Above: Diggers and trucks on the job.

Photograph by Ron O’Hara.

ABSORBING THE SHOCKS

Above: Matt Smith fits the pipe. The bed was covered with fabric and additional gravels to ensure it could be driven over.

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With stringent requirements around health and environmental issues, a system that could keep performing with no maintenance was particularly attractive to Greenwood Park’s owners. The real strength of the system, however, lay in its ability to ‘absorb the shocks’ of day-to-day living—in particular, the highs and lows of the holidaymaking year.

The self-colonising bacteria involved in the treatment process thrive on regularity, yet can adapt to the feast or famine of shock loading and intermittent use by reducing and recolonising on demand within passively aerated system pipes without outside intervention. The pipe system also has a large buffer capacity should actual use exceed the estimated peak flows.

The pipes are installed in a bed of locally-sourced sand after a standard, locally-produced septic tank to produce effluent treated to 10 times the standard required by Australian/NZ Standards for secondary effluent. The effluent is then passively dispersed

JOIN NEW Photograph by Ron O’Hara.

ZEALAND'S

ONLY NETWORK

OF ACCREDITED PIPE RELINERS

Above: Pipes being covered in AES system sand.

into the soil or can be collected from a lined bed and used for irrigation by way of dripper lines, if preferred.

A recent installation at Onuku Marae on Banks Peninsula provides an example of how this system can handle intermittent usage. A recent upgrade to the marae included converting its wastewater system to AES in preparation for Waitangi Day celebrations, which it hosts every three years.

Lindsay Blakie of E2 Environmental designed the system to treat 2,500 litres per day, with periods of low or no use, and the capacity to receive 55,000 litres per day during the Waitangi celebrations. The AES bed is in Category 5 clay soil preceded by septic tanks and detention tanks, with a combined capacity of 78,000 litres. The detention tanks empty on a flow-controlled dosing system in the days following each event.

NO MAINTENANCE REQUIRED Environment Technology discovered AES when looking for an alternative to the high-tech, package-plant, secondary treatment systems then available, which incorporate pumps and compressors—and often microprocessors and alarms, which inevitably went off.

“In the drainage business we also operate, we were not interested in wastewater servicing contracts, and even less interested in being rung in the middle of the night when a client’s alarm went off from a high-tech system we had installed. This motivated us to find a simple, low-cost solution,” says director Dick Lamb. The company has since grown exponentially, with designers and installers around New Zealand completing the online training course.

Other than the usual periodic emptying of the septic tank, no homeowner interaction is required for the system, which is particularly appealing when the installation is part of a rental or tenancy situation, where the occupier has little investment in maintenance.

Last December, the Southern Field Days’ office at Waimumu became the latest recipient of a system through the combined efforts of Laser Plumbing Gore, Harvey Tanks and ET. The Waimumu system caters for event staff during the threeday show and the preparation days throughout the year. Designed and installed by Laser Plumbing Gore’s Nathan Hoyle, it is equivalent in size to a system suitable for a three to four bedroom dwelling. In the Waimumu soils, the AES bed covers only 25m2. ■ The online AES certification course is available at http://secure. environmenttechnology.co.nz

RECEIVE ONGOING ANNUAL

TRAINING & TECHNICAL SUPPORT!

AROUND ASSOCIATIONS

Sewage sightseers A tour of Moa Point Wastewater Treatment Plant was a recent highlight for the Wellington Master Plumbers Association, as Mike Gooch explains.

IT WAS DECIDED that our February monthly meeting should be an outing of some sort. Having already explored, and marvelled at, the workings of Wellington’s water supply at Temarua Lakes last year, we thought it would be fitting to take in the last stages of water’s journey through our region and see for ourselves how things are done at the southern end of Wellington Airport.

Stu Pearce from Veolia was our host for the evening. He gave us a short Powerpoint display, covering some amazing facts and figures, and a brief overview of the plant’s main functions.

• •

•

• •

•

•

Maximum flow with full treatment is 3,000 litres per second Discharge is via a 1.8km long, 1,200mm diameter outfall pipe into Cook Strait Discharged water is 22m below the surface and meets swimming beach standards Moa Point has an average daily flow of 60,000 cubic metres Initially filtered solids are trucked in skips to a local landfill and buried Sludge is pumped through a 180mm pipe line 8.8 kms away to a dewatering plant at the landfill The air used during the treatment process is fully contained in pipes before being deodourised several times

Above: In the primary treatment room.

•

It is then discharged through a stack where it is dispersed by Wellington’s gentle breeze...

One of the things that struck me was how compact the site is. It is set on a very small footprint, tucked away out of view from passers by.

There are 15 staff on site in total, and they are proud of their achievements in dealing with the Capital’s effluent in such an efficient manner, and to such a high standard.

They have a large generator on hand for any power outages. Under generator power, they can treat up to 2,000 litres per second.

The discharge stack is monitored closely and must maintain ‘no discernible odour’ at all times. I must admit, unless you are right in amongst the treatment rooms, there is little or no smell at the plant.

Probably one of the smellier areas, the primary treatment room gives you a good sense of scale. At peak flow, there

Above: Stu Pearce explains one of the plant’s many processes.

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is certainly a lot of crap moving through here!!

I can’t speak for everyone, but I personally enjoyed the trip, and have a slightly different view to what I imagined a sewage treatment plant might look like.

Thanks very much to Stu Pearce and the other staff at Veolia for taking the time to show us around, and if anyone is interested, they do have the occasional open day.

After what was a very interesting tour, we adjourned to the nearby Spruce Goose café and bar, on the opposite side of the runway, and did our best to shelter from Wellington’s relentless winds.

Like I said, it was a typical Wellington evening on the South coast! ■

Above: The discharge stack.

The more stars the more water efficient

WATER RATING A joint government and industry program Licence No 0060

4.5

litres per full flush

3

litres per half flush

3.3 litres per average flush When tested in accordance with Standard AS/NZS 6400

For more information and to compare products, refer to:

www.waterrating.gov.au

TopTop View View 50 50 115115 400400 155155

Top View 50 115 400 155 Side View 660

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1

Made of here.

It’s comforting to know that for nearly 50 years Foreno has been designing and making tapware products for New Zealander’s and New Zealand conditions. A Kiwi grown business that has built an enviable reputation through great designs and clever engineering.

Quality is assured with the acknowledgement that over 90% of Foreno products are WaterMark and CodeMark Certified, quality standards often recognised as the very best by the NZ Plumbing Industry.

Experience & Inspiration by Kiwi’s for Kiwi’s.

To see a full range of Foreno tapware visit www.foreno.co.nz or your nearest plumbingware stockist nationwide.

Workplace policies

SMART BUSINESS

Now’s the time to review and revise your company policies around health and safety, as HR specialist Lisa Duston explains.

IN THIS ISSUE I want to spotlight health and safety, starting with a topic that employers are dealing with more often these days… drugs and alcohol in the workplace. A number of employers are revising their current polices to ensure a healthy and safe working environment.

The importance of policies of this nature has also been recognised by the Courts.

Drugs & alcohol

An employer has a duty under health and safety legislation to take all practicable steps to provide a safe workplace. Along with this, an employer is required to identify and manage significant hazards in the workplace, which includes drugs and alcohol.

There are various types of drug testing that employers can seek to have in their workplace including: • random drug testing of employees in a safety-sensitive position • reasonable cause testing • testing following an accident or incident • pre-employment or preengagement testing, which can include before an internal transfer to a safety-sensitive position.

Key considerations for an employer are: • whether there is a contractual right for the employer to drug test its employees; and/or • whether there are any policies in place that allow for this.

So, as an employer, before you seek to undertake drug or alcohol testing it is advisable that you have a robust drug and alcohol policy in place—preferably linked to an employment agreement—to enable the enforcement of a proper drug testing management.

•

Health & safety

•

Another essential policy needed in a workplace is health and safety; this is a statutory obligation under health and safety legislation. A business should be committed to providing and maintaining a safe and healthy working environment for its employees, customers and contractors in their places of work.

Employers leading the way in H&S follow simple guidelines to ensure a safe and healthy work environment. Here are a few examples: • Encourage reporting and recording of all incidents and injuries

•

•

•

Investigate all reported incidents and injuries Identify all existing and new hazards and take all practicable steps to eliminate, isolate or minimise Ensure that all people are made aware of the hazards in their work area and are adequately trained to enable them to perform their duties in a safe manner Outline the roles and responsibilities of employees with regard to health and safety Meet obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 and Regulations, Codes of Practice and any relevant Standards or guidelines. ■

About the author: HR Consultant Lisa Duston is here to support your business, ensuring you and your team have the tools to get it right. Lisa can assist with your recruitment needs, from placing ads through to supplying you with a shortlist of potential well-screened applicants ready for interviewing. Master Plumbers’ members can access HR support from Lisa Duston at specially reduced rates. Call Lisa on 03 388 4066 or 021 245 1704 during normal business hours. Or email lisa.duston@masterlink.co.nz

April/May 2016

59

SMART BUSINESS

From the IR: declare it all!

Declare it all or risk everything, warns the IR. How much for cash?

You’ve just finished a job for a customer.

As you reach for your invoice book they ask, “How much if I pay cash?”

What do you do? If the job doesn’t go through the books you save tax, and the customer gets a cheaper price. Sounds like a win-win?

Don’t be tempted. The law is black and white. As Inland Revenue’s current campaign emphasises—the rules are clear, tax evasion is a crime and you need to declare all your income, every last dollar.

You need to record every job and pay tax on it, even if it’s only a small job, you’re working outside your normal business hours, or the customer is a friend or family member.

Unfair competition Right now, Inland Revenue (IR) is looking

at tradies in Auckland and Queenstown, particularly in residential development sites, and checking subcontractors are paying the right amount of tax.

The ‘declare it all or risk everything’ radio, and mobile adverts are a prompt for everyone.

There’s a common misconception IR only target ‘small fry’ evaders—this is not the case. IR have identified tradespeople as being a high risk sector and are finding people who receive cash for a job and put it straight into their pocket.

If investigators find a case of deliberate tax evasion, the penalties can be severe.

A shortfall penalty of 150% of the unpaid tax may apply. Sometimes offenders can end up in jail.

The concern is that when individuals or businesses don’t pay their fair share of tax, they’re basically cheating those who

Biz Brief Employee vs contractor tool Do you know the difference between an employee and a contractor? Getting it right when you hire can save you money and avoid potential issues. The Labour Inspectorate has launched an Employee vs Contractor Tool to help you apply key tests to tell the difference. It’s available as a PDF download at www.employment.govt. nz under Starting and Hiring.

Employment law changes in force New employment standards legislation came into force on 1 April 2016, bringing changes to parental leave, more fairness in employment and stronger enforcement of minimum employment rights. MBIE has released an Employment Toolkit to help you come up to speed with the changes in the law. Find it at employment.govt.nz/er/ services/law/employmentchangestoolkit

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April/May 2016

are doing the right thing, and expecting others to pay their way. Tax evasion is causing unfair competition, and honest businesses are losing out.

Come clean Inland Revenue’s constantly improving its information-gathering systems and making it harder to get away with cheating on your taxes.

Come clean by making a ‘voluntary disclosure’ to Inland Revenue before they get in touch with you. You may be entitled to a reduction in shortfall penalties of 100% (75% if it’s tax evasion) and you won’t be prosecuted in court.

Check out Inland Revenue’s guide called Putting your tax returns right at www.ird.govt.nz and complete the voluntary disclosure application form. ■

Business news in brief.

Minimum wage has gone up The adult minimum wage went up by 50c to $15.25 an hour on 1 April. The startingout and training hourly minimum wages rates also increased from $11.80 to $12.20 per hour, remaining at 80 percent of the adult minimum wage.

Paid parental leave extended Changes have also been made to paid parental leave as of 1 April. From this date, staff who’ve worked for you for six months or more will be entitled to 18 weeks of government-paid parental leave—up from 16 weeks. Other changes in the pipeline include: • Workers taking parental leave more flexibly, in agreement with their employer • Extending entitlements to a wider range of primary carers (eg, grandparents) • Providing parental leave payments of up to 13 weeks for parents of preterm babies

• Job protected leave of up to 26 weeks for workers who’ve been with their employer for more than six, but fewer than 12 months • Extending parental leave payments to casual and seasonal workers, people with more than one employer and workers who’ve recently changed jobs.

Consumer rights: new animated series To raise awareness of borrowers’ rights under recent credit law changes, the Commerce Commission has launched an animated series called It’s All Good.

Featuring NZ’s sharpest legal advisor Aunty and her nephew Herman Faleafa, the animations communicate serious messages in an entertaining format. View all five episodes at tv.comcom.govt.nz

SMART BUSINESS

Holiday pay: got it right?

Your business could be in danger of making a payroll blunder…

THE GOVERNMENT HAS recently announced a payroll error that has left thousands of MBIE state sector workers underpaid. The same issue affected the NZ Police and cost them $30 million to fix.

The root of this problem is likely to be widespread across many private businesses. Your business could be in danger of making the same mistake.

The amounts in each case are likely to be small, but over a long period of time and for a large number of employees they can add up to thousands of dollars in back pay owing.

Leave entitlements

The issues generally relate to entitlements under the Holidays Act 2003, and how a range of allowances and entitlements have been interpreted and implemented.

The specific areas that are likely to require remediation are related to the payment of statutory holidays, and the rate of payment for annual, sick and bereavement leave.

The problem arises due to the method of calculating the payment owing to the employee. There are different methods of calculating what the employee should be paid for a specific day of leave. Ordinary weekly pay, average weekly earnings, relevant daily pay and average daily pay are all different methods of calculation used for different types of leave. If the wrong method of calculation is used it can result in an underpayment to employees.

If your employees receive bonuses, commission, work regular overtime, or their hours vary day to day or week to week, they could be affected.

Common error

The most common error is where waged employees, who work variable hours or regular overtime, are incorrectly paid a standard daily rate for statutory holidays, sick or bereavement leave based on their ordinary working hours, usually eight hours per day.

we recommend you audit your payroll system The Holidays Act is complex legislation with strict rules and calculations for different types of leave. We recommend you audit your payroll system and obtain legal advice to ensure you are paying holiday pay correctly.

Master Plumbers and Masterlink are currently auditing their own payroll system and practices to ensure compliance with the Holidays Act. Master Plumbers is committed to supporting its members with this issue. ■

Getting help If you would like to discuss any of these matters in more detail, and what they mean for your business, please contact Duncan Cotterill, who have expertise and knowledge of how the Holidays Act applies to the plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying industry.

You can contact either: • Olivia Grant, 04 471 9433, olivia.grant@duncancotterill.com • Sarah Townsend, 03 372 6509, sarah.townsend@duncancotterill. com

CLASSIFIED ADS

The cost to advertise is $40+GST for MPGD members; $75+GST for non-members.

Just send your text (up to 100 words) to advertising@masterplumbers.org.nz

Plumbing and Gasfitting Business for Sale Profits here! Well established business showing Owners Cash Surplus in excess of $150,000 pa. Auckland wide customer base and showing strong year on year profitable growth.

Excellent systems and processes in place for ease of operation. Unique opportunity for add on to an existing business or for owner with good sales/marketing skills. Current owner wanting a change of lifestyle and is willing to assist in a reasonable transition period to an incoming owner. Plenty of on going work. Be quick for this, only $284,000 total price. Please contact Graham from Link Business Brokers—grahamh@linkbusiness.co.nz or 027 493 6411.

April/May 2016

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TIMES PAST

Over and out

In the final episode of his wartime apprenticeship memoir, Ernie MacManus recalls laying bets with the Aussies, sitting his exams and starting his own business.

WE SPENT A week in the service tunnel under the new Gore hospital block, fitting the up-stands and brackets for the heating, steam and hot and cold services.

By Friday, the heating flow and return pipes were lying in position, ready to be welded.

All afternoon, we marked out the position of holes to be cut in the concrete floors and walls, which Percy estimated would keep me occupied for a fortnight, as he would not be back before then.

When I was on the government house contract, there was a bundle of reinforcing that was so hard it could not be bent or cut, so I cut it for the builders with the gas plant, provided that I could have the offcuts.

With these, I spent one day making a set of all sorts of diamond-pointed gads and chisels for concrete cutting for myself and the other apprentices. I had helped Tom at the hospital job in Dunedin sharpen and temper tools to get the correct hardness, so I did the same and they turned out perfectly.

the loser buys a dozen beers

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April/May 2016

Within three days, all the holes were cut through, so rather than hang about I carried on and welded up the mains on the heating flow and return, marking out and welding in the sockets for the branches as I went along.

Percy eventually returned and was not impressed, as he thought my measurements were all wrong. He grabbed his tape and the plan, and we re-measured the position of all the branches. Without saying a word, he walked off, returning half and hour later to say, “I have just rung head office and told them about the progress you have made.” He then added, “Congratulations, you are the youngest apprentice to be made a foreman especially on jobs such as this and the high school contract.”

From then on, he left me to it, after adding that I was to get a large pay rise.

By the next week, I was in charge of three plumbers, an apprentice and a labourer.

Jack the lad

The firm had advertised for plumbers in Australia and had paid their way to New Zealand, provided they stayed a year. It did not take long to find out one them, Jack, had no experience. His only qualification was having worked for the Sydney Water Board, but with two of them together, things worked out.

Jack was a good-looking chap, who continually got me in trouble with the matron because of his devil-maycare attitude with the nurses while working on the existing nurses’ home.

One episode occurred with the changeover to low-level flushing valves to replace the high-level toilet cisterns.

I went away for a long weekend and left them to disconnect the old system and fit the new chrome-plated flush pipes. They did the changeover all right, but left the water connected to the old cisterns, with the result that the nurses flushed the toilet as usual but got a cold shower as well as flooding the floor. The matron was not amused.

Shortly after, Jack showed me a telegram to say his mother was dying. He said he needed the fare back home, so the firm paid his passage. It was not until he was well away that I found out his mum had died some years before and he had got a friend to send the telegram.

Bets on bends

One difference I had was with the plumber Jeff, who insisted the copper bends be made using sand as was the Aussie practice, as opposed to the NZ system using bending springs. Knowing how Aussies liked a bet, I challenged him.

“I will do two bends to your one, and the loser buys a dozen beers. In addition, in future we will use the system of whoever does the neatest job.”

He readily accepted and, to be fair, I gave Jack time to make wooden plugs to seal the ends of the copper tube to hold the sand, and also time to sift sand through a sieve to get the correct texture.

The 40mm copper bends had to be of the highest standard with no wrinkles or distortions, as they were to be sent away to be chromium plated, with final use as exposed flush pipes on the toilets.

We both started with Jeff plugging one end, then carefully filling and packing his tube with sand and plugging the other end. Then he annealed the portion to be bent to 90°, secured one end then gently eased the tube round, all the time dressing

TIMES PAST

the tube with a lead dresser and applying continuous heat.

I annealed my two tubes, cooled them with water and—fitting the bending springs inside—bent them around my knee one at a time, repeating the process three more times before having two almost perfect short radius bends, with just the minimum of dressing with a round dresser.

I was finished about the time that Jack was removing the plugs to empty the sand out of his bend. It was a very neat bend but of a long radius, which was unacceptable for flush pipes. Jeff declared me the winner and we all shared the beer on the weekend. I got Jack to show me the Aussie method and did a few bends that way to get practice for when I sat the practical plumbing exam in the next few weeks.

Top marks

When the time came to present myself at the technical college in Dunedin to take the practical test, who should be at the door but the headmaster who had expelled me from the classes. “I saw your name,” he said, “So I am here to tell you that you are still barred from this school.”

The supervisor overheard him and told him he could not stop me taking the test, and I added that I would succeed without his help, as I had previously told him.

Percy had given me a tip that the inspector would ask the class who wanted to do sheet lead work (the easiest). “You will find the whole class invariably puts their hand up and then he askes who wishes to do the wiping (the hardest). You take the wiping and you will have three first year boys as assistants to give you a hand before the others are sorted out.”

That was exactly what happened, and by the time he had the rest of the class organised my lead pipework and wiping was well underway. The rest of the test was a breeze with the sheet lead work and copper tube bending going like clockwork, and I was finished by lunchtime. I returned after lunch to wait for my friend Archie and arrange for everyone to meet later for a drink.

While waiting outside, the college headmaster accosted me with the sarcastic

you are still barred from this school remark: “I told you that you would never do any good. I see you did not even finish the exam.” Just then the supervisor popped out for a quick smoke and overheard him.

He said, “How wrong you are. He has not only finished but I am willing to bet he will have the highest marks in the country”.

And so it proved to be the case.

Out of around 130 who sat in New Zealand, only 20 or so passed. It was to be some time before I could sit the theory, as you had to be in the sixth year of your apprenticeship. I tried to pull some strings to sit sooner, as this would mean automatically being out of my apprenticeship, but I found out later that my old nemesis, the headmaster, had got his own back and vetoed me.

Sitting the theory exam

By this time, I was travelling from Gore to Invercargill one full day a fortnight just to attend the technical college plumbing theory class. It was an eye opener, as they were so far behind the quality of the teaching in Dunedin that it was almost a waste of time putting in an appearance. I could not help feeling sorry for the local lads, who I believed only had a remote chance of passing their theory.

At last I received permission to take the final theory exam in Invercargill.

There were 11 hopefuls in the class, mostly returned servicemen who were a lot older than me. The questions were straightforward, with no trick questions, but I could see the rest of the class were having trouble.

When the supervisor slipped out of the room for a minute, this was confirmed.

The men discussed one of the questions about which way the drain should be laid around a house and they all agreed.

I suggested to them it was the wrong answer, as their way was more costly and required extra back vents to be fitted. The men took umbrage that a fellow still in his teens should tell them they were wrong and one told me loudly I did not know what I was talking about.

The supervisor was away some time, which gave them time to decide how to answer the rest of the question. I knew they were wrong and could have helped, but after my knock back, I kept quiet and left them to it. Needless to say, I was the only one out of the 11 to record a pass and only 11 percent of those who sat nationally passed.

Into business

With the pass result, my apprenticeship was at an end, but I continued working on the Gore hospital and high school contracts until they were nearing completion. I was proud of the fact that, when the systems were tested, there were only three minor leaks in all the thousands of welded and brazed joints, owing to having personally inspected them all.

By this time, I had married a local girl and, instead of moving back to Dunedin to take charge of a larger contract I had been offered, I commenced my own business in Gore, eventually retiring after 58 years in the trade. ■

Changing times The modern plumber has to deal with ever-increasing new materials and skills.

Plastics, PVC and silicons have replaced the heavy labour associated with galvanised pipes and cast iron and lead soil pipes, and the art of wiping joints and soldering. Protective gear and safety regulations now protect the workers against most hazards to their health. The early apprenticeships for plumbing and gasfitting were for six years, and these have now been considerably reduced.

April/May 2016

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TIMES PAST

Plumber extraordinary SINCE 1948, THE James Douglas Medallion has been presented annually to the top-achieving apprentice in the previous year’s trade exams.

James Sandilands Douglas was a founding member of the Otago Master Plumbers Association, and went on to become its President for an incredible 24 years. Records show he was also National President on three separate occasions.

“The more one reads about the person the more one ponders in awe,” say Eric Shaw and John Simpson in their 1997 book, commemorating 100 years of the Otago Association. “How any man could give so much in such an unselfish way to any industry is beyond comprehension.

It was not done for ego, not for personal gain and certainly not for money. His unstinting dedication to the plumbing

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April/May 2016

industry must have cost him an incalculable price, in both time and lost personal and business opportunities.”

Born in Dunedin in 1872, James Douglas became an apprentice plumber at 16, staying with his employer John Corbett for his full six-year apprenticeship. “It is believed that he was seen by his employer as someone with significant talents, as he was the boss’s boys on any job he went out on,” say the authors.

No sooner had he completed his apprenticeship than his boss retired, offering to sell the business to Douglas and foreman James Wilson.

At just 22, James Douglas became an employer and part owner of an established business. Six years later, the partnership ended when Douglas took over another Dunedin business, renaming it JS Douglas & Co.

MASTER PLUMBERS CONNECTION

p.a.

YO U KNOW T HA T ’S T HE A T, LA DI ES CO RI GH T?

The man for whom the James Douglas Medallion is named was a force to be reckoned with.

The young Douglas attended the very first meeting to consider forming a Master Plumbers Association in Dunedin. In 1903, within six years of its establishment, he was appointed Secretary, and two years later President. The remainder of his working life was “utterly committed” to the Otago Association and Master Plumbers.

In 1910, after a few years of Association inactivity, Douglas was once more elected President, commencing “what is probably the longest term ever served as [an] Association President in the history of all New Zealand Master Plumbers’ Associations”.

The same year, he extended his business to include sanitary drainage, heating and ventilating engineering, and became involved in the emerging electrical industry, importing electrical products. Almost certainly, Douglas was also in the forefront of the industry stalwarts applying pressure on the Governments of the day, “which after many years of stalling, finally legislated for the registration of plumbers”.

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each meeting entailed a tramcar, train and steamer journey to Wellington In 1912, he instituted a National Conference comprising the main centre Associations and the following year became a member of the Examiners Board for licensing Dunedin drainlayers—probably an offshoot of the Dunedin Drainage Board, of which he had been a member since 1903.

Then, in 1914, he began what was to become a 32-year term as a Master Plumbers’ representative member of the NZ Plumbers’ Registration Board. His dedication is all the more remarkable when you consider that each meeting entailed a tramcar, train and steamer journey to and from Wellington.

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MAYOR OF DUNEDIN

Information taken from The Master Plumbers of Otago: Commemorating the first 100 years by Eric Shaw and John Simpson.

No daughter of mine…

When NZ Plumber spoke to the book’s co-author Eric Shaw, he relayed a wonderful anecdote that gives a good feel for the times James Douglas lived in. When his daughter Joyce left high school, she was invited to a function that required a smart dress. The new fashion was to show a bit of ankle, a daring move away from floor-length dresses. Joyce proudly rushed to show her father the new dress when her mother had finished making it. “No daughter of mine is going out showing her ankles,” he said, making Joyce run out of the room in tears. Her mother had a quiet word with him later, however, and Joyce got to attend the function in her revealing new dress!

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As if this weren’t enough, James Douglas also found time to serve as Chairman of the Drainage Board and Mayor of Dunedin!

Yet, for 29 years he was present at every Otago Master Plumbers Association AGM bar one. “At the completion of his marathon term as Association President, he was honoured by his peers with elevation to Life Membership. No one person is ever likely to be a more deserving holder of this highly esteemed Association distinction,” note the authors. He also became a Life Member of the national body in 1953.

“In studying the exploits of James Douglas, one can only admire the dedication of the man,” conclude Eric Shaw and John Simpson. “How many members of the plumbing craft of today, or indeed those who have been recipients of the James Douglas Medallion, fully realise the honour and the significance that his national award should convey?” ■

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Safety snippets Home time

WorkSafe has launched a Home Time media campaign to get the message out to the New Zealand public about the need to lift our workplace health and safety performance.

A TV advertisement aired from February until the end of April, with several leading business health and Above: WorkSafe’s safety advocates talking about the need for change. The key message is consumer campaign. that good workplace health and safety performance means Kiwis get home each day, healthy and safe.

The ad, which also has an online and social media presence, features Z Energy CEO Mike Bennetts, Griffin’s New Zealand CEO Alison Barrass, farmer and world champion shearer Sir David Fagan and Downer New Zealand CEO Cos Bruyn. Images of workers in construction, manufacturing, agriculture and service industries feature strongly as they return home from work and connect with their families.

Watch videos from these health and safety advocates, and view the Home Time ad, at http://www.business.govt.nz/worksafe/news/ campaigns/hometime-campaign

Regulations at a glance

Most of the first phase regulations to support the new Act are now in force. They include: • Health and Safety at Work (General Risk and Workplace Management) Regulations 2016 - outline additional duties on PCBUs related to managing risks and monitoring in the workplace.

• Health and Safety at Work (Worker Engagement, Participation and Representation) Regulations 2016 - prescribe matters relating to work groups, H&S representatives, and H&S committees to support more effective worker participation. The regulations also specify the sectors that are high risk for the purposes of worker participation requirements.

•

•

SAFETY FIRST

Health and safety updates in brief.

Health and Safety at Work (Asbestos) Regulations 2016 - impose additional duties on PCBUs in relation to work involving asbestos Health and Safety at Work (Rates of Funding Levy) Regulations 2016 - prescribe the levy required to be paid by employers and self-employed persons. No changes to levy rates have been made.

View all Regulations at www.legislation.govt.nz

Support for plumbers

Businesses that belong to Master Plumbers have a range of resources to help them comply with the new health and safety legislation. These include: • All member applicants undergo a Quality Assurance review of their business, which includes a review of their health and safety systems. Support is available to reach the membership benchmark, if needed.

• The Master Plumbers Health & Safety Manual provides guidance, information and practical templates to help develop and maintain a robust health and safety system in a plumbing, gasfitting or drainlaying business.

Training and implementation support is also available.

The package is available to members at specially reduced rates. See p10 for more details.

• Discount on Site Safe membership (see p9).

Find out more at www.masterplumbers.org.nz

Notifiable events online tool

There’s a new online tool to guide you on what is a notifiable event to WorkSafe under the new Act. Find it at www.business. govt.nz/worksafe/notifications-forms/notifiable-events

Have a question?

There is heaps of information about the new health and safety legislation on the WorkSafe website. You can also visit the site to subscribe for email updates. Guidance for download includes the Health and Safety Guide: Good Governance for Directors.

Go to www.business.govt.nz/worksafe/hswa ■

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HEALTH MATTERS

Buggered knees?

Are the physical demands of your trade starting to catch up with you? Dr Frances Pitsilis discusses a new medical technology with the potential to extend your working life.

SORE KNEES, SHOULDERS and elbows are a common problem for tradespeople such as plumbers. They can cause you to worry about your ability to keep working, and how you can get over the chronic joint or tissue pain.

Medical technology that uses your own blood and a simple injection can potentially allow you to be free of pain and disability. Platelet rich plasma treatment (PRP) has been researched for over 30 years, but it is really only in the last few years that the research has been able to identify what its success could mean for people with knee arthritis and other joint and muscular problems.

The current solution for severe knee arthritis is to have a knee joint replacement. This usually gives pain relief but can put a limit on your working life. The same goes for tennis elbow and chronic shoulder wear. All of these can be amenable to improvement and even maintenance by using the platelets from your own blood.

PRP started its life in orthopaedic surgery, then cosmetic surgery, and is now emerging as a valid treatment that gives an 80 percent success rate for mild to moderate knee arthritis.

It’s a walk-in, walk-out procedure and most are back on the job the next day. The usual recommendation is to have three treatments one to four weeks apart, then one per year or sooner for maintenance.

Platelets are the small cells in the blood that clog up the hole when you cut yourself. They also release growth factors and reduce inflammation. Platelet rich plasma also stimulates the local stem cells to heal the tissue and make more cells that you need in the area.

PRP can also be used for: • Tennis elbow, wrist and shoulder tendonitis • Musculoskeletal injuries • Non-healing wounds • Shoulder joint inflammation and pain • Achilles tendonitis or partial tears • Wound healing.

PRP can be combined with other innovative treatments to give better results for trickier conditions. For example, Botulinum Toxin (botox) can also be used for some muscular problems of the arm as can low-level laser therapy.

it is really only in the last few years that the research has been able to identify what its success could mean 68

April/May 2016

Botox isn’t just for wrinkles—it’s been used in huge doses in children with spastic muscles. It’s also useful for tension headache, migraine and other medical uses.

NASA researched light therapy for wound healing and now we know that certain wavelengths of light can not only heal, but reduce pain and inflammation in many musculoskeletal situations.

PRP is mainly offered by cosmetic clinics, but there are a few doctors who offer joint and musculoskeletal injections.

The other therapies are still emerging and are less available everywhere. However, keep an eye out as these therapies alone, or in combination, are an affordable way to keep injury controlled, and productivity up, for the future. ■ About the author: Dr Frances Pitsilis is a GP on the North Shore, who consults about chronic illness, work-related illness and cosmetic medicine. She has appeared on TV in the Is Modern Medicine Killing You? Series for TV One and has written for numerous publications. www.drfrances.co.nz

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NEXT GENERATION

Building the community

Rotorua apprentices are getting real-life house building skills that will hold them in great stead for the future.

WORK HAS JUST begun on constructing a three-bedroom home at the Waiariki Institute of Technology.

Carpentry students at the Mokoia Campus in Rotorua will spend a year helping build the house under supervision, with four groups of 18 students working on rotation to get the job done.

When the building work is complete, the interior design students will step in, bringing their creative flair to the colour schemes, furnishings and fittings throughout. They also have the chance to win a prize for the best kitchen design.

JOINT PROJECT The house is the fourth of its kind to be built each year in a joint venture between Waiariki, the local business community and the Rotary Rotorua Sunrise Charitable Trust.

The Charity House Project, as its known, will see five transportable houses built in total—each one sold at auction

it sets the students up for success

Above: Progress being made on the house.

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April/May 2016

Above: A group of carpentry students working on the 2015 charity house.

with the proceeds going to Rotary for distribution in the community. Previous projects have benefited the likes of the Rotorua Men’s Shed, the Linton Park Community Centre and Big Brothers Big Sisters Rotorua.

“Each year, the organisations that receive the funding are invited to a party to celebrate,” says Sue Gunn, Past

President of Rotary Rotorua Sunrise.

“The latest house, which sold last November, has just been relocated to a small farm on the outskirts of Rotorua and raised $30,000 for community projects.”

PLUMBING PARTNERSHIP When the project began in 2012, plumber Jon Lewis was among those who turned up to the Rotorua Chamber of Commerce launch function. Through his Lewis Plumbing Company, Jon was keen to get involved with the plumbing installation work on each house.

Through his supplier networks, Jon has also been able to source reputable product each year for the hot water systems, bathrooms and kitchens. “Really good supporters have included Dux Industries for water pipe, Rheem NZ for the hot water cylinders, Marley for spouting, Kohler/Englefield for bath vanities and tapware, Hydroflow and Apex Valves,” he says.

“Jon has been fantastic in negotiating with all the plumbing suppliers,” says Sue. “We have around 25 amazing partnerships with the business

NEXT GENERATION

each one sold at auction community, from plumbing and electrical firms through to media and real estate support. When a house is complete, Professionals McDowell Real Estate promotes it through open homes and then sells it at auction.”

Above: Moving day this February.

REAL-LIFE LEARNING For the students, most of whom are under 20, being involved with real learning of this kind is an awesome experience, she says. “The project has been well received by the local community, secondary schools and maraes. It sets the students up for success as our future leaders and entrepreneurs.”

Local tradespeople are invited to a builder’s breakfast as each new house build launches, the latest being held in March. “They come along to find apprentices, so they watch the students like hawks,” says Sue. “Rotary Rotorua Sunrise is committed to helping with vocational skills and development to meet the community’s needs. In turn, the Charity House Project gives students the opportunity for handson learning, with the proceeds going to the community.

“There’s a real sense of social responsibility in this initiative and we’re very proud of that.” ■

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Above: A morning tea for the Charity House staff. Sue Gunn is third from left.

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NEXT GENERATION

Tomboy tradie Female apprentice Nikita Ward is making her mark at Hutt Gas & Plumbing.

NIKITA WARD SAYS she has always felt awkward around the kind of girls who talk about clothes and make-up. This 21-year-old wears dresses occasionally “to freak people out” but she’s a selfconfessed tomboy at heart.

So, when Nikita left college, she had no problem donning boots and work gear to become a plumbing apprentice. In fact, it suited her way better than her previous work experience on an after-school and holiday programme for kids. That was enough to convince her she didn’t want to work with children.

“My partner, who’s a builder, suggested I try a trade instead. I’d done metalwork at college and liked the hands-on stuff, so I thought I’d give it a try.”

Five months into her plumbing and gasfitting apprenticeship, Nikita feels sure she’s made the right choice. “I love being outdoors and meeting new people every day. It’s also interesting to see the guys looking at a problem and working out what might be wrong. I can’t wait to be able to do that.”

Nikita’s employer is Colleen Upton of Hutt Gas & Plumbing—another female in a male-dominated industry. Colleen entered via the administrative route but is a firm believer that women have equal capacity for the physical work. “With the health and safety laws, no one is lifting over 20kg,” she says.

Colleen has previously employed a female plumber and says that, from her experience, women are also good

Above: Nikita in her element.

communicators and have an eye for detail, particularly in domestic situations.

“Some people even request a female plumber in their home as they feel safer.

I’m afraid Target has done tradespeople no favours in that regard,” she says.

Colleen would ultimately like to have a male team and separate female team on the road to meet consumer demand.

The reaction from customers is generally positive, although some assume Nikita is just there helping out her father (actually Mark her supervisor). Reality is, there are no other plumbers in her family.

She did get the occasional “stupid comment” from the blokes on her WelTec pre-trade course, says Nikita, but she gave as good as she got. Her fellow teammates, however, weren’t the least bit fazed when she started work—all they wanted to know was that she could do the job.

“She topped her pre-trade, winning the

Lower Hutt Plumbing World Cup, and it looks to me like she has natural ability,” says Colleen. “The fact that she drove from Otaki to Wellington each day for her classes shows real commitment.”

With the forecast shortfall in plumbers, increasing the number of females in the industry is an obvious solution, in Colleen’s opinion. “Yet they’re often not considered for apprenticeships because of their gender. Male counterparts often say to me, ‘My wife wouldn’t let me get away with having a young female in the workplace.’ I just ask them if they’ve looked in the mirror lately…”

Nikita agrees that it would be good to see more women in the field. As for herself, she’s very happy with her new career. The hardest challenge so far?

“People’s pets,” she says. “I like animals and if I see one I have to remind myself to focus on my work and not get distracted!” ■

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April/May 2016

NEXT GENERATION

Youth training focus A new acquisition by The Skills Organisation focuses on improving youth training programmes in New Zealand.

THE SKILLS ORGANISATION has acquired one of New Zealand’s leading employment brands, The Workchoice Trust.

This new acquisition brings together two major youth employment advocates. The goal for Workchoice is to maximise the value of young trainees to their employers. This will be done by increasing the quality and quantity of youth training programmes in New Zealand.

Workchoice is one of New Zealand’s leading youth employment brands. Over the past two decades, Workchoice has introduced hundreds of thousands of students to New Zealand employers, making extensive progress in bridging the gap between the classroom and the workplace.

The collaboration between Workchoice and The Skills Organisation has now created a vast network of employers and students, and even more opportunities to help students and employers alike to find the perfect training programme.

One of the most successful transition to work programmes is Gateway, where a pool of new trainees are directly introduced to employers.

Because The Skills Organisation knows that employers and trainees alike need support to navigate the difficulties

of their new relationship, both are assisted with pastoral care and mentoring services to maximise the value of their apprenticeships as part of the programme.

HOW THE INDUSTRY BENEFITS The Skills Organisation wants to hear from employers who are keen to get involved. Whether you are available to answer questions on their Earn & Learn panel, can commit to taking on a Gateway student or are keen to get involved in one of their Skills Taster courses.

With your help, they can increase the talent pool of plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying apprentices entering the industry. ■ If you would like any information about the above events, visit www.workchoice.co.nz. Or, if you would like to be a part of any of our programmes, please email workchoice@skills.org.nz or phone Shaun Gear on 09 583 1706.

Get qualified Get registered Get ahead

The Skills Organisation 0508 SKILLS (0508 754 557) www.skills.org.nz

PRODUCTS & SERVICES

New Boil & Brew Introducing the new and improved Rinnai Boil & Brew Before giving the Boil & Brew a well-deserved makeover, Rinnai went out and spoke to a bunch of customers to glean their thoughts. Turns out, the unit is loved by most for its simplistic and hasslefree operation. The simple internal workings make it reliable and super easy to service. So what’s changed?

• New shape—clean lines with easy clean cover • Easy access point for the reset thermostat • No more having to drain the unit or remove the tap to take the case off.

The New Rinnai Boil & Brew ™ comes in 5, 10, 15 and 25 litre models, delivering 30 to 200 cups an hour.

For more information, call 0800 RINNAI or email info@rinnai.co.nz

Veil unveiled Kohler’s new Veil smart toilet takes hygiene and comfort to a new level.

The Veil is a self-cleaning wall-hung toilet with advanced bidet features controlled by a one-touch remote control.

The French curve heated seat, with its gently dished shape, minimises pressure points for extra comfort, while its antibacterial material enhances hygiene levels.

The ultra-responsive remote control offers a suite of customised features including: • Choice of soft, pulsating or spiral wash with instant airinfused warm water • Choice of water temperature • Warm air dryer with adjustable temperature control • Seat temperature adjustment.

The stainless steel spray wand automatically cleans itself with sterilised water after each use—and sanitises itself with UV light every 24 hours.

The powerful, twin-jet flushing system, together with rimless bowl, ensures a cleaner flush and all-round higher standard of hygiene within the toilet.

Features also include an automatic, sensor-activated seat cover and blue LED nightlight on the toilet faceplate. The Veil has half and full flush options, with a 4-star WELS rating and 3.3L average flush.

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April/May 2016

New Regency Extra Wide Gas Fireplace The new Regency Greenfire GF1500L provides an immense linear view of a stunning natural flame and log combination.

With the outstanding success of the Regency Greenfire® GF900L Gas Fireplace, it was only a matter of time before Regency introduced a wider version to keep up with decor trends and consumer demands both here in New Zealand and overseas. This family of products provides the perfect combination of flame picture and heat.

The GF1500L is perfect for contemporary spaces and open concept living areas; an impressive 10.5kW heat is distributed with maximum efficiency. The option of an add-on heat distribution kit is an added bonus, enabling distribution of heat to other rooms also.

From its Canadian origins, Regency fires have been sold in NZ for over 20 years, offering reliability, comfort, efficiency and style, all backed by distributor Aber’s service and technical expertise.

Visit www.regency-fires.co.nz or call Aber Customer Service 0800 161 161.

New and improved!

New, improved and expanding product ranges from Allproof Industries.

Allproof Industries have added to their Polymer Concrete (PC) range with the Pit 45, complete with riser that perfectly matches the requirement for a class one catchment sump.

Their new and improved Boss Gully (pictured) with removable gully trap provides the perfect solution for tight spaces, utilising a removable trap for easy cleaning and maintenance.

The Allproof thermal range is ever expanding, with new sizes and variants of materials being added. They have some amazing offers on this product so please contact your Allproof rep for more information.

PRODUCTS & SERVICES

Cleanflush for Caroma Introducing Caroma Cleanflush for the ultimate toilet whole-bowl clean.

For 75 years, Caroma has pioneered industry-leading innovation—first with Dualflush and then Smartflush technologies.

Today, Cleanflush elevates expectations once again, representing the next generation in toilet innovation.

Under the leadership of Caroma Research and Development Manager Dr Steve Cummings, the team has dedicated two years of R&D to deliver the ultimate combination of flow, force and precision alignment.

Cleanflush’s patent pending, breakthrough flush solution includes: • Innovative Flow Splitter for maximum wash coverage • Sculpted Flow contour for superior washdown • Flow balancer that controls and directs the flush • Flush flow matched in performance to our optimum sump design.

The result is the ultimate flush and washdown performance, creating a more hygienic, whole-bowl clean.

Caroma Cleanflush is the new standard in toilet technology and design, and it’s available across their most popular collections: CaromaCare 800, Urbane and Liano.

Buteline engineering new solutions A new combo pack from Buteline makes installation of wing back elbows even easier!

Bute-1 Adjustable Male Elbows are now conveniently packed as a combo with BK2 Telescopic Nog Brackets.

As many plumbers have found when using the Bute-1, there are substantial time and monetary savings over traditional methods of installing wing back elbows—AND there’s no need to measure, mark or cut timber.

Simply slide the galvanised steel BK2 bracket to the desired length to fit between studs and screw in.

Attach the Adjustable Male Elbow to the bracket with the supplied screws, tighten the supplied test cap and pull the elbow forward, job done. It’s so much quicker!

These new packs include all the necessary components for installation and are available in 2 sizes: • Bute-1 Adjustable Male Wall Elbows (1/2”BSP x 15mm x 70mm) • Bute-1EX Extended Adjustable Male Wall Elbows (1/2”BSP x 15mm x 100mm).

For more information call 0800 BUTELINE or visit www.buteline.co.nz

Save on your mortgage Get great advice on mortgage repayment and health insurance with Spratt Financial.

In our experience of dealing with people and the part of their financial affairs for which we provide advice and service, there are three areas where mistakes can happen and savings be made. These are the way: 1. mortgages are structured and regularly managed and reviewed 2. people insure their mortgages and any other debts 3. people access the health system for advice and treatment.

Spratt Financial have specialists in each of these fields, who work together to maintain an overlap of best advice and best structure.

Current low mortgage interest rates are a classic example of where tremendous savings and much earlier repayments of your mortgage can be achieved relatively simply. The way your mortgage repayment insurance and health insurance is structured can also reveal opportunities for better cover and savings.

At Spratt Financial, we can point out these opportunities for you and help you take advantage of them.

Contact Allan Mearns on 09 306 7264; 021 422 821; or email allan.mearns@sprattfinancial.co.nz

Joining the dark side Marley Stormcloud is now available in Grey Friars and Ironsand.

New Zealand’s favourite quarter round spouting profile joins the Marley Stratus Design Series®.

The Marley Stormcloud® residential spouting system is now available in Grey Friars and Ironsand gloss colour finishes—New Zealand’s favourite roofing colours.

Designed to complement the RP80® 80mm round downpipe system, Marley Stormcloud® has internal brackets presenting sharp, clean lines that frame a home.

Find out more at www.marley.co.nz April/May 2016

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Why demand Spartan Brass?

AND FINALLY

Offcuts

Dogs, mice, cars and rockets caught our eye this issue.

Dog’s the boss

A tiny puppy dumped in a cardboard box is now an important part of the Malcolm’s Plumbing and Drainage team, reports the North Canterbury News. Saved from the pound by Malcolm Halls after being left on the counter at the Waimakariri District Council’s Oxford service centre, bitzer Lucky is now three years old and wears his high-viz jacket to fetch and carry tools and equipment for Malcolm Halls and business partner Craig Manson. He’s particularly helpful under floors and can even climb up and down a ladder slowly, Malcolm told the paper. On the occasional day that he’s not allowed to go out in the van, Lucky sulks in the same spot until his owner returns.

One giant leap

Still on the subject of dogs, plumber Morgan Thomas told the Christchurch Star how his four-year-old staffie jumped 3.8m from the second storey of his house after being spooked by the Valentine’s Day quake. He and his partner returned home after the 5.7 magnitude shake to find Rosie gone. All windows and doors were closed and locked except for the one they always leave open for good airflow for the dog. A city council Facebook post reunited them with Rosie, who had just one small graze on her face.

Mouse house

The quake-damaged wastewater pipes of Christchurch have become a favourite hang out for mice, it seems. SCIRT’s Fulton Hogan delivery team spotted this one while doing a routine camera investigation of a pipe in a Lyttelton street. “We tried to send a cat down the pipe but it was too smelly,” Project Manager Christo Heyns (the pipe, not the cat). By January 2016, more than 1,000km of wastewater pipes had been videoed since SCIRT launched in 2011. CCTV cameras mounted on wheeled buggies assess any damage up to 200m into a pipe opening. Once this particular pipe was repaired, the mouse would have had to find a new home.

Duckie down the loo

Disposable wipes have been making a splash in the media but an Aussie plumber says there’s another reason for common call outs— the humble rubber duckie. Alan ‘Jacko’ Miller told ABC News Southern Queensland that in his 33 years of plumbing, this was one of the most common items to clog pipes. Kids seemed fascintated by putting things down the loo to see if they disappeared, he said.

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Rocket base

Plumbers are among those whose services have been engaged to help construct NZ’s first commercial rocket launch site. United States-based company Rocket Lab is behind the project, with the launch pad on the Mahia Peninsula due for completion any time now. According to Hawkes Bay Weekend, Wairoa District Council was also pursuing a bid for the district to be a manufacturing facility base for the Rocket Lab, which would raise Wairoa’s profile and create more jobs to the area. A Rocket Lab spokesperson told the paper they were still determining the best site for manufacturing and maintaining their vehicles in NZ.

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April/May 2016

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AND FINALLY

DODGY Plumbing Keep them coming! Send your Dodgy Plumbing examples to the Ed: beverlysellers@xtra.co.nz

No introduction needed for these shockers...

Down the pan

“I suppose its what you do when you dont have a turn trunk pan,” says Kerry Robertson of Apex Plumbers in Kaitaia, who took this photo.

Classy job Compliant???

This campervan was pulled over by NSW police.

Just shows that Kiwis aren’t the only ones who can get it so wrong, says John DeBernardo, who sent in this photo. “You might have noticed the Northern Territory number plate—them folks do things a bit different up there!” says John.

You beauty

Two photos sent in by Paddy McGuire. “Couple of beauties we came across,” he says.

Please send the biggest size photos you have.

The bigger the file, the bigger we can show it on the page!

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April/May 2016

“Nice bit of 100mm sewer on the Kapiti Coast,” says Joe at Easyflow Plumbing of this hidden horror.

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