OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF
A P R I L / M AY 2 0 2 0
COVID-19 AND THE PLUMBING INDUSTRY What you need to know (PAGE 16)
WARM HOUSE FOR WINTER Central heating innovation
DRIVE SAFE! Why your van is a workplace
CONSTRUCTION TRANSFORMATION Where it’s at
2020
POSTPONED DUE TO THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK, YOUNG PLUMBER OF THE YEAR 2020 HAS BEEN POSTPONED UNTIL NEXT YEAR. THANKS TO ALL THOSE WHO ENTERED AND OUR AMAZING SPONSORS FOR THEIR SUPPORT. STAY SAFE AND LET’S DO IT AGAIN IN 2021.
SUPPORTED BY: Bromic Ltd, Heron Plumbing Ltd, HiFlo Plumbing, Hutt Gas & Plumbing Systems Ltd, Milwaukee, RMC, Toto and Whitehead Plumbing & Gas Ltd
WE’LL BE BACK, BETTER THAN EVER NEXT YEAR FOR MORE DETAILS VISIT WWW.YPC.CO.NZ
Volume 72, Number 2 MAGAZINE TEAM CEO Greg Wallace EDITOR Beverly Sellers 03 543 2008 bsellers@masterplumbers.org.nz PRINT Blue Star 81 The Esplanade, Petone Wellington 6141 DESIGN ICG Designer – Julian Pettitt ICG Senior Account Director – LauraGrace McFarland www.icg.co.nz SUBSCRIPTIONS NZ Plumber is published six times a year by Master Plumbers, Gasfitters & Drainlayers NZ. Members and Certifying tradespeople receive all six editions. If you wish to opt out, please email bsellers@masterplumbers.org.nz To order an annual subscription, go to www.masterplumbers.org.nz MAILING LIST For enquiries, or to update your details: bsellers@masterplumbers.org.nz Non-Master Plumbers’ members with address detail changes should notify the PGD Board direct, giving their registration number here: registration@pgdb.co.nz TO ADVERTISE Contact Alton Anamani advertising@masterplumbers.org.nz
NZ Plumber is the official magazine of Master Plumbers, Gasfitters & Drainlayers NZ Inc. Contact details for the Master Plumbers board, staff, branches and 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letters and other material forwarded to the magazine will be assumed intended for publication unless clearly labelled ‘Not for Publication’.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.
Plumbers on the frontline I started writing this column on what was meant to be the final day of the 2020 NZ Plumbing Conference and national awards night. Since the decision was made to postpone the conference, New Zealand’s landscape has changed dramatically and at incredible speed— along with the rest of the world. No doubt, it will be different again by the time this edition goes to print (which had to wait until New Zealand came out of lockdown). Plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying are on the essential services list and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on this industry have been immense. Employers found themselves applying for wage subsidies to get their businesses through the lockdown and turning down all work unless it posed an immediate risk. Essential jobs brought their own challenges, with PPE shortages and judgements to be made
about what call outs were essential—not to mention pressures being put on some to turn up to non-essential jobs. Starting on page 16, we explore the broad-ranging effects of COVID-19 on the plumbing industry. We have advice for affected businesses and highlight some of the support available to help authorised plumbers, gasfitters and drainlayers continue their vital contribution to protecting the health of our nation. Take care and let’s continue to unite against this awful virus.
Beverly Sellers Editor, NZ Plumber, bsellers@masterplumbers.org.nz
Over to you Email us your letters and feedback to be in to win our $50 letter prize. bsellers@masterplumbers.org.nz
This publication uses vegetable based inks and environmentally responsible paper produced from Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) certified, Mixed Source pulp from Responsible Sources.
Paper produced using Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF) and manufactured under the strict ISO14001 Environmental Management System.
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16 THEME: 38 TECHNICAL CENTRAL HEATING
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Active surface heating & cooling
Austrian innovation comes to NZ
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CPD Roadshow postponed
What it means for next year’s relicensing
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Updates
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This edition’s industry news round-up
We
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Things to warm the cockles...
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ON THE TOOLS
FEATURES
WHAT’S UP
16
COVID-19 and the plumbing industry
Information, resources and a look at the impacts
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Construction transformation
What’s being promised for the government’s Construction Sector Transformation Plan
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Electrical work
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What an Associated Tradesperson licence permits you to do
Fighting the fatbergs
Developments in grease management systems
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Ducted gas central heating
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Gas-fired ducted central heating explained
The word on gas Important updates for gasfitters
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Project spotlight NZ’s first-ever rammed-earth commercial building
Products What’s new on the scene
MASTER PLUMBERS
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Member benefit
HR resources for your business
BUSINESS SMARTS
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Call yourself a good driver?
Why unsafe driving can be risky for business too
Bulletin Updates from Master Plumbers
This edition, we profile Dale Lovell
Partner profile
How Teletrac Navman can help you offer fast, responsive service
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Meet the Board
CAREER STARTERS
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AND FINALLY...
“Our lockdown experience”
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10 minutes with…
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Dodgy plumbing
One company’s take on the pandemic’s impacts on apprentices and employers
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ULTRA4 enthusiast Enrico Ziegler
Need we say more?
Securing a scholarship What’s available to career starters
OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF
Association profile
A community project for the Canterbury Master Plumbers… and fishing fun in the Bay of Plenty
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Masterlink messages
News from the Master Plumbersowned apprentice management company
A P R I L / M AY 2 0 2 0
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5 pillars of wellbeing
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What they are & why they matter
Toolbox tips
Short ’n’ snappy health & safety messages
COVID-19 AND THE PLUMBING INDUSTRY What you need to know (PAGE 16)
WARM HOUSE FOR WINTER Central heating innovation
DRIVE SAFE! Why your van is a workplace
CONSTRUCTION TRANSFORMATION Where it’s at
We’ve based our cover on the familiar stripes of the government’s Unite Against Covid-19 campaign: covid-19.govt.nz
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Report CEO
CEO’S REPORT
I also want to praise the responsible actions shown Wow—how quickly life can change, and particularly by our Business Partners during the lockdown—in for our industry. We seem to have worked in fast particular Plumbing World and Mico for putting public forward mode for the past few weeks as we came to health ahead of profit in closing their branch doors grips with what the Alert Level 4 lockdown meant for for the duration. It is disappointing that some other plumbers, gasfitters and drainlayers. plumbing merchants did not follow their lead and The Master Plumbers team worked tirelessly to were prepared to put the health of New Zealanders at make sure members were provided with accurate, risk by staying open. I hope the responsible suppliers timely information and resources during the will be rewarded with even course of the lockdown. The stronger loyalty and support as we biggest challenge at the start move through the alert levels. was obtaining essential service At Master Plumbers, our Strong leadership is crucial at status for plumbers, gasfitters focus during the lockdown this time and our membership and drainlayers, which gave and beyond has been to have shown this by ensuring they cause for some robust discussion ensure we are the trusted carried out only essential work for with MBIE, but resulted in a source of easily accessible customers during Alert Level 4. tight regime that was much information for our It is deeply concerning that some more significant than for other member businesses. tradespeople continued to go out associated trades. to non-essential jobs, blatantly We understand the huge breaking protocols while others financial impact this has had on have worked so hard to comply. our industry and for the whole In closing, I want to assure construction sector, but the everyone that a lot of work is being done behind health and wellbeing of all New Zealanders must the scenes with the Construction Industry Council, always be the priority. At Master Plumbers, our other industry associations and MBIE to ensure our focus during the lockdown and beyond has been to sector can recover and come back even stronger after ensure we are the trusted source of easily accessible COVID-19. The government will be offering further information for our member businesses. Turn to financial support for employers in recognition page 21 to see just some of the resources that we of the huge impact the lockdown has had on the have created in a short space of time to support construction sector. We know that it is also working members—and that we will continue to develop as on additional projects to fast track the recovery of the situation progresses. the sector—and at Master Plumbers we are doing our It is at times such as this when the true value of utmost to ensure a robust plumbing, gasfitting and Master Plumbers becomes very clear to see, in our drainlaying industry in the time to come. ability to provide a centralised point of information and resources for the plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying industry. Our HR, legal and technical Greg Wallace, CEO support have proved invaluable for members during Master Plumbers, Gasfitters & Drainlayers NZ this time and I want to thank all those members who have expressed their gratitude for the work done by our whole team to deliver these services.
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mico Makes it easy 75 YEARS IN BUSINESS
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Here’s some ways to use your points: TAP INTO ANYTHING Got something specific you want to redeem on like a boat or personal project? Chat to the Mico team and we’ll see if we can help you out.
LEISURE PRODUCTS ON THE TRADE EDGE REWARDS WEBSITE Spend your points on spoiling yourself (or someone else) with our collection of special gifts and products online.
NOT A TRADE EDGE REWARDS CUSTOMER? TALK TO THE MICO TEAM TODAY! For more information and terms and conditions apply, visit loyalty.mico.co.nz
0800 101 999 | www.mico.co.nz
What’s up
CPD ROADSHOW POSTPONED
WHEN YOU COME TO RELICENSE IN 2021, YOU WON’T HAVE TO PROVE CPD ATTENDANCE. The Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board (PGDB) has postponed its 44 nationwide CPD roadshow events until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. What this means is that when it comes time for you to relicense in April 2021 you will not have to prove CPD attendance. The roadshow events and subsequent online availability of CPD will resume in 2021. By now, you should have renewed your licence for the 1 April 2020-31 March 2021 period. Remember, this is now simpler and faster to do using the PGDB’s new licensing app. Download the PGDB’s licensing mobile app at www.pgdb.co.nz/trade/licensing/licensing-app/
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INDUSTRY UPDATES
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What's up INDUSTRY NEWS
UPDATES
SOME ACTIVITIES THAT TOOK PLACE BEFORE WE ALL MOVED TO OUR LOCKDOWN BUBBLES...
ALLPROOF FACTORY TOUR Allproof Industries hosted a factory tour and industry update in conjunction with Auckland Master Plumbers in late February. “The evening was an exciting opportunity to discuss how New Zealand-made construction products cater to the local market in terms of supply, quality and reliability,” says Allproof Marketing Manager Chris Paterson. “Master Plumbers CEO Greg Wallace focused on this subject during his speech, citing the benefits of purchasing locally designed and developed products that meet Building Code requirements and AS/NZ Standards.” Allproof have been supplying our market with NZ-made plumbing products for over 30 years,
MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE
The minimum wage has gone up again: 1 April 2020 saw an increase to $18.90 per hour, and the government’s plan is to get it to $20 by 1 April 2021. Those on starting-out and training wages (apprentices) also saw a boost in pay to $15.12 per hour (80% of the adult minimum wage). Make sure you are paying what you should be—there can be hefty fines if you’re not! Employers need to keep accurate and complete records. You leave yourself open to any kind of claim from employees if you don’t.
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and over this time have built a production facility spread over five buildings. “Our 100-strong team of tradesmen, machine operators, engineers and operations staff uphold the highest level of quality and integrity in our products,” says Chris. Allproof is a family-run business and Ian Jackson and son Adam thanked everyone for attending before opening up the evening’s catering, with food truck dishes complemented by cold lager and craft beer on tap. Talk to your local Allproof rep if you’d like an Allproof factory tour when business returns to normal.
WATER FILTER DEVELOPER FINED
Kiwipure Ltd has been fined $162,000 for making unsubstantiated claims about its magnetic water filtration system. The company said the benefits of its “world first” system were scientifically proven, when in fact it had relied only on anecdotal evidence and assumptions in claiming that a magnetic ‘virtual ionizer’ in its water filtration system softened water—and that soft water would prevent scale build-up in hot water systems and pipes. Commerce Commission chair Anna Rawlings said the case was an important precedent. “Businesses must be able to back up any advertising claims they make about goods and services at the time they are making them. Consumers are entitled to rely on trade claims when making purchasing decisions. If you can’t back it up—don’t say it.”
BUTE BBQS
Beyond Covid: ‘Shovel Ready’ It will be hard to know the full economic impact of COVID-19 for some time to come, but one thing is for sure: New Zealand needs to be ‘shovel ready’ to stimulate the economy as soon as things return to normal. The government has established an Infrastructure Industry Reference Group (IIRG) to advise on issues affecting the construction industry as a result of the pandemic and to prepare a list of infrastructure projects that could get going immediately or within six months. These new projects will be in addition to the government’s recently announced $12 billion infrastructure investment programme. “We are focused on the health and wellbeing of New Zealanders first and foremost, and we need to get out the other side of this pandemic,” said Economic Development Minister Phil Twyford in April. “However, the Government is also planning ahead for when that time comes.” Water, transport, clean energy and buildings are among the types of projects the Government will consider. “They would also have a public or regional benefit, create jobs and be able to get underway in short order,” he added. The group is seeking out projects with a value of over $10 million but will also consider smaller projects if they have a direct and immediate benefit on their regional economies and communities. Find out more at crowninfrastructure.govt.nz/iirg
Buteline had begun a BBQ Roadshow at various plumbing merchants around NZ before the COVID-19 lockdown meant it had to postpone. The Buteline trailer had made its way from the Far North and Auckland to the Rotorua and Taupo region for a catch up with members of the Volcanic Plateau Master Plumbers branch. Attendees enjoyed a chance to catch up with local Buteline representatives, get free checks and technical advice, check out new Buteline and Pexline products, win prizes and, of course, grab a bite to eat.
Enjoying a burger at the Buteline trailer, which was parked up at Plumbing World in Kumeu in February.
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Warming the cockles this edition are…
Plumbers from Able Contractors were among the trades supporting the House for Hospice project in Whanganui, which was initiated by Paul Tasker of Able Cottages, with net proceeds donated to Hospice Whanganui. The new-build relocatable twobedroom house was completed with high-spec finishes and sold at auction at Bayleys Whanganui in February for $127,500. Nice one!
Matt Hobbs Plumbing did their bit for the local community in March with a new Matt Hobbs Plumbing Duck Race fundraiser at the Taihape Gumboot Festival. “As well as getting the community together for some fun, we raised $2,680 for St John Ambulance and paid out $1,000 in prize money which went to a young family,” says Jo Hobbs. “I’d never have guessed duck racing could be so exciting!”
The Christchurch community joined with Master Plumbers’ Business Partner Hirepool and Sustainable Coastlines on 29 February to clean three of the area’s most prominent beaches. It was the second year for the Hirepool and Sustainable Coastlines collaborative Big Clean initiative (last year’s event was in Auckland), and the day saw 4,450 litres of rubbish picked from Sumner, Lyttelton and New Brighton beaches. Hirepool Marketing Manager Shaun Owen was grateful to the 257 volunteers that turned up to help. “Let’s hope other people can be just as vigilant and understand that we all have an important role to play in rehabilitating our shores and that more needs to be done to save our sealife,” he said. For more information, visit sustainablecoastlines.org.nz
The Far North District Council set up a leak repair programme for Kaikohe residents to help address water shortage issues. By 25 March, when the programme ended due to Level 4 COVID-19 restrictions, it had repaired 112 leaks under the offer, which covered costs of up to $300 per residence for a plumber to diagnose and fix the leaks.
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COVID-19 likely means increased use of wet wipes— and Nelson City Councillor Matt Lawrey is reminding the region’s residents not to flush them down the loo. Matt is an ardent campaigner on the topic and is the man behind the ‘Wipes Clog Pipes’ signage that Fresh Choice in Nelson is displaying by its wet wipe product shelves.
Dannevirke plumber Brent Howell recently saved a local restaurant from burning down, according to the NZ Herald. He told the newspaper that the basic firefighting skills he had learned as a plumber came in handy when he saw smoke pouring from the roof while driving through town one morning in February. His quick reaction in calling the fire service and borrowing a fire extinguisher from the neighbouring bank saved the building from being destroyed, reported the paper.
SUREFLOW DRAINS Roof and Podium Drainage Systems
Taranaki region’s Masters trades got behind a men’s mental health fundraiser in 2019 that raised close to $7,000 and this has now been donated to the Taranaki Retreat, a refuge with a particular focus on suicide prevention. Master Plumbers Taranaki president Sam Tyson was among the Masters group presidents to visit the refuge following the donation and says it was a great collaboration. “The Retreat does a lot of outreach work supporting people who often have no money for basic essentials, which it struggles to get funding for, and this money will go towards that—the result of the amazing support we got from sponsors and an attendance of 196.”
NSETAW INLESS
316 STEEL DOME GRATE
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OVERFLOW
FLAT
allproof.com
What's up INDUSTRY NEWS
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continued…
Teddies in windows and by letterboxes became a familiar sight during the lockdown, adding a bit of fun for Kiwi kids getting out in their neighbourhoods for some fresh air. PM Jacinda Ardern was among the hundreds of people to put a teddy in the window so children could enjoy going on a bear hunt. The teddy pictured here bears a striking resemblance to Master Plumbers Chairman Craig Foley. “I’m sick of being at the letterbox 24/7,” he said.
Dale Riches posted this photo on the Master Plumbers COVID-19 Facebook Forum on the first day of the lockdown, when he attended an essential HWC job for a blind client. “This PPE gear is not fun to work in but obviously necessary,” said Dale, who runs Canterbury-based Riches Brothers Plumbing. “Stay safe.”
Plumber James Cuddihy put 65mm pvc to good use during the COVID-19 lockdown, making this goal net for his kids to practise in the safety of their home. Works a treat he says. Pipe Masters owner Paul Knight decided to charge half price for all essential services carried out by his business during Alert Level 4. Customers could also choose to pay full price, with half the profits donated to the Tauranga Women’s Refuge, said Paul, who is based in Mount Maunganui.
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By the time this edition of NZ Plumber reaches our readers, this fast-moving situation will doubtless have changed again, so please ensure you visit covid.govt.nz and chasnz.org/covid19 for the very latest information.
COVID-19 AND THE
PLUMBING INDUSTRY Plumbers, gasfitters and drainlayers have been impacted in many ways by the COVID-19 pandemic. NZ Plumber takes a look at the ever-evolving situation and what support is available for the industry.
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n 27 April, New Zealand moved from the COVID-19 lockdown to Alert Level 3 and this was to be reviewed after a fortnight. For plumbers, gasfitters and drainlyers this meant the ability to return to work in clients’ homes and on worksites, but with restrictions in place in order to ‘operate safely’—keeping at least one metre between workers and two metres from others, recording who is working together, limiting interaction between groups of workers, keeping contact tracing records, disinfecting surfaces, and maintaining high hygiene standards. Staff who are sick or have COVID-19 virus symptoms should stay home and ring ahead to the GP or Healthline. ‘Vulnerable’ staff (elderly, with underlying health conditions or living with someone with underlying health conditions), should not return to work at this level.
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Businesses were allowed to return to their premises ahead of Alert Level 3 to ensure they were cleaned, stocked with cleaning and hygiene products and arranged appropriately. At Alert Level 2, businesses are still encouraged to use alternative ways of working, where possible, to reduce people movement and interaction. For example, a business could use staggered shifts to reduce the amount of interaction between workers on the premises.
COVID-19 construction protocols Shortly before the move to Alert Level 3, the Construction Sector Accord released COVID-19 protocols for vertical, horizontal and residential construction work, which were developed with direct input from Master Plumbers. These ‘living documents’ sit beneath a new COVID-19 construction operations industry standard and are available on the website of Construction
There is currently no vaccine against COVID-19 but, with winter approaching, it’s advisable to get a seasonal flu shot if you can to protect yourself from a potential double whammy of illness.
Feature COVID-19
Keeping it clean High levels of hygiene are extremely important in the continuing fight to eliminate the COVID-19 virus. GENERAL HYGIENE
• Stay at home if you’re unwell (ring ahead to your GP or the 0800 Healthline if needed) • Cough or sneeze into your elbow and put used tissues in the rubbish bin • Have sufficient stocks of hand sanitiser, tissues, soap and cleaning supplies in your business • Have a regular cleaning schedule in your business premises, with the focus on high-use areas, such as phones, computers, printers, bathrooms, kitchens and door handles.
New Zealand COVID-19 V&H Construction Protocols V2 These protocols and attachments are to be read in conjunction with the COVID-19 – Standard for New Zealand Construction Operations and reflect how the requirements in the standard may be achieved. Individual businesses and operations may need to adapt the protocols to their specific circumstances but the overall intent of the standard should still be applied in all cases. These protocols are expected to develop and evolve as requirements change from government and industry experience and are to be treated as working documents.
COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocols for New Zealand Residential Construction Sites PURPOSE PURPOSE
The COVID-19The Health and Safety forProtocols Residential Sites outlinesSites the outlines the COVID-19 HealthProtocols and Safety forConstruction Residential Construction minimum standards to be implemented at residentialat construction sites to manage risk minimum standards to be implemented residential construction sites toof manage risk of PURPOSE PURPOSE COVID-19 transmission on site. These apply at Alert Level and Level 2. These COVID-19 transmission on Protocols site. These Protocols apply at 3Alert 3 and 2. These The COVID-19 Health andStandard Protocols for Residential Construction Sites outlines the Protocols supplement the COVID-19 for Operating New Zealand Construction PURPOSE TheProtocols COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocols forStandard Residential Construction Sites outlines the Construction supplement theSafety COVID-19 for Operating New Zealand minimum standards to be implemented at residential construction sites to manage Sites developed bydeveloped CHASNZ. minimum standards to implemented at residential construction sites to manage risk ofrisk of Sites bybeCHASNZ. The COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocols for Residential outlines the COVID-19 transmission on site. These Protocols at Alert Level 3 2. andThese 2. These COVID-19 transmission on site. These Protocols applyapply atConstruction Alert LevelSites 3 and minimum standards to be implemented at residential construction sites to manage risk of
Protocols supplement the COVID-19 Standard for Operating Zealand Construction Protocols supplement the COVID-19 Standard for Operating New New Zealand Construction Purpose: The COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocols for OUR COMMITMENT AS AN INDUSTRY: COVID-19 transmission onResidential site. TheseAN Protocols apply at Alert Level 3 and 2. These developed by CHASNZ. OUR COMMITMENT AS INDUSTRY: Sites Sites developed by CHASNZ. Protocols supplement the COVID-19 Standard for Operating New Zealand Construction Construction Sites outlines the minimum standards to be • We are committed working alongside Government to prevent the •SitesWe aretocommitted toimplemented working alongside Government tospread preventofthe spread of developed by CHASNZ. OUR COMMITMENT AN INDUSTRY: COVID-19. OUR COMMITMENT AS AS AN INDUSTRY: COVID-19. at residential construction sites to manage risk of COVID-19 transmission • are Wecommitted are committed to working Government to prevent the spread • We to working alongside Government prevent the spread of of OUR COMMITMENT AS ANalongside INDUSTRY: • AsLevel an industry, we are united against COVID-19 andCOVID-19 will dotoour outmost to protect • 3As an industry, we are united against and will do our outmost to protect on site. These Protocols apply at Alert and 2. These Protocols COVID-19. COVID-19. our workers, theare wider community, and New Zealand. • We committed working alongside Government prevent the spread of our workers, thetowider community, and New to Zealand. supplement the COVID-19 Standard for Operating New Zealand As an industry, weunited are united against COVID-19 anddo will dooutmost our outmost to protect COVID-19. • As• an industry, we are against COVID-19 and will our to protect • We know•thatWe we’re in that thisthe together – this means thosetrusting we work withwe willwork with will our workers, wider and –trusting New know we’re incommunity, this together thisZealand. means those workers, the wider community, andCOVID-19 New Zealand. •ourAs an industry, united against and will do our outmost to protect Construction Sites developed by CHASNZ. keep us safe and we’llwe doare the same them. keepthat us safe and that we’ll for do the same for them.
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DEVELOPED DEVELOPED BY:BY: DEVELOPED DEVELOPED BY:
• •
Physical distancing is a minimum of 1m
•
No work inside of 1m physical distancing is to be carried out. Deliveries to site are required to maintain 2m physical distancing
Our commitment as an industry:
•
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The goals of this document are to:
•
• We are committed to working alongside Government to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
•
• As an industry, we are united against COVID-19 With Support from With Support from With Support from With Support from and will do our utmost to protect our workers, With Support from With support from: the wider community, and New Zealand.
•
• We know that we’re in this together – this means trusting that those we work with will keep us safe and that we’ll do the same for them.
•
• We recognise that we must work together to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of everyone in the supply chain.
Keep workers and the wider community healthy and safe by preventing the spread of COVID-19. Apply relevant guidance from the Ministry of Health and other Government agencies to the construction environment. Encourage a safe and respectful work environment and good communication between all stakeholders. Sit alongside your usual health and safety controls to ensure workers are safe on site.
• Good hand hygiene is essential to minimise transmission of infectious droplets • Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, making sure you dry them thoroughly • You can also use hand sanitiser if soap and water are not available and if your hands are not visibly dirty • If using hand sanitiser, cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry • Keep soap and a Thermos of warm water, or hand sanitiser, available in your work vehicles
TOOL CLEANING
• Keep work vehicles, workplaces and tools clean • Always decontaminate equipment after use • When choosing cleaning chemicals, look for cleaning agents with claims against viral pathogens • If not available, use soap and water and dry tools thoroughly • Avoid sharing tools to the greatest extent possible.
• •
We are committed to working alongside Government to prevent the spread of COVID-19. As an industry, we are united against COVID-19 and will do our utmost to protect our workers, the wider community and New Zealand. We know that we’re in this together – this means trusting those we work with will keep us safe and that we’ll do the same for them.
We recognise that we must work together to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of everyone in the supply chain. For information on what COVID-19 is, what the symptoms are, and how it spreads, visit www.covid19.govt.nz
Version 2 | 21 April 2020
HAND-WASHING
New Zealand’s COVID-19 alert levels New Zealand’s COVID-19 alert system specifies public health and social measures to be taken against COVID-19. The protocols in this document are designed for construction operating within COVID-19 alert level 3. As we move between alert levels the protocols will indicate what we need to do to operate and plan for the kinds of restrictions we may be required to put in place. This includes escalating restrictions on human contact, travel and business operations.
New guidance from Worksafe has required amendments to the Physical Distancing and Hygiene Protocol & Site Transportation Protocol.
keep us and safe and that we’ll dosame the for the them. We recognise that we must work together to–same ensure safety andwith wellbeing usknow safe that we’ll domust the for them. ••keep We recognise that work together tohealth, ensure the safety We that we’re inwe this together this means trusting those we health, work will and wellbeing of everyone• in the supply chain. keep us safe and that we’ll do the same for them. recognise that must work together to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing ofWe everyone in thewe supply chain.
DEVELOPED BY: DEVELOPED BY:
Version 2.0 21/04/2020 Amendments in Version 2.0:
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COVID-19 CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY PROTOCOLS A new industry COVID-19 construction operations standard was released on 16 April. Beneath it sit two protocols that give guidance to the residential and commercial construction sectors on how to comply with the standard. These are living documents, so bookmark the chasnz.org/covid19 web page to ensure you’re using the latest version. You should also have your own own plan to show how you are applying the protocols in your workplace and on worksites. This plan may be audited by WorkSafe.
PPE CLEANING
• Full PPE is still required for those dealing with wastewater, sewage, plumbing vents, rooftop HVAC and exhaust fans • Change out of PPE before leaving the site and store the soiled clothes in a plastic bag • Launder the soiled clothes separately • Clean other PPE following manufacturers’ instructions • When you finish work, wash immediately with soap and water.
RETURNING HOME FROM WORK
• Don’t touch anything on arrival • Remove your work shoes and don’t wear them inside • Have a shower and wash your work clothes.
INDUSTRY STANDARD
VERTICAL, HORIZONTAL & RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION PROTOCOLS Arrival on site Site entry Site operations Leaving site Emergency management
YOUR INDIVIDUAL BUSINESS PLAN: showing how you will apply the protocols in your workplace and on site • Find the industry standard and protocols, together with tools and resources, at www.chasnz.org/covid19 • Listen to Chris Alderson, CEO of Construction Health & Safety NZ, explain the standard and protocols in a webinar recording, also available on the CHASNZ website.
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“For as long as the pandemic is still active, it should be assumed by anyone working on a sanitary drainage system that the virus is present. All plumbers and drainlayers working on these systems are strongly recommended to wear personal protective equipment (PPE).”
Under COVID-19
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Maintain social distancing Maintain hand washing/hygiene Keep contact tracing records Stay home if unwell
T E M P L AT E
Find COVID-19 resources at www.masterplumbers.org.nz to keep the bubbles safe!
COVID-19 safety plan Use this form to document your thinking about how you and your workers will keep safe at work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Provide as much information in response to each question as possible. This information will help your workers and other people to know exactly what to do and what to expect. The COVID-19 pandemic is an evolving situation – review your plan regularly and make changes as required. There is guidance on what to think about when you’re planning a safe return to work here: worksafe.govt.nz You don’t need to send this plan to WorkSafe for review or comment.
Company details Business name:
Manager approval:
Worker representative consultation:
Name of manager:
Name of worker representative:
Division/group:
Contact tracing
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Health and Safety New Zealand (CHASNZ), the peak health and safety body for the sector— www.chansnz.org/covid19 The residential protocols note that each construction site operating at Alert Level 3 or 2 must have a COVID-19 Controls Plan in place to guide how the principal or main contractor and contractors will manage work on site and the controls they will use to minimise the risk of COVID-19 transmission. WorkSafe has developed a COVID-19 Safety Plan template for businesses to use (see resources). Plumbers, gasfitters and drainlayers can carry out work in people’s homes as long as they keep a 2m separation from occupants. Elderly occupants or people with underlying health conditions should be asked to stay in another part of the house if at all possible, well away from the tradespeople on the job and tradespeople should wear a face mask in such homes. Contactless invoicing and payment are still the ideal.
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MARTIN SAWYERS Chief Executive, Plumbers, Gasfitters & Drainlayers Board
Date completed: DD / MM / YEAR Date distributed: DD / MM / YEAR Revision date: DD / MM / YEAR
Refer to the WorkSafe guidance for constructing a COVID-19 safe work plan for full details. DESCRIBE WHAT YOU WILL DO
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With our ‘bubbles’ now extended beyond our immediate households, contact with other people is ‘restricted’ rather than ‘eliminated’ at Alert Level 3. As a result, contact tracing has become an essential part of the picture to be able to track people who may have been exposed to the virus. With tradespeople out on the road visiting work sites, homes, merchants and fuel stations in the course of the day, businesses must have a system in place for staff to keep a log of who they came into contact with, when and for how long. There also needs to be a system to record the identity of people coming into your business that notes what time they entered and what time they left. Master Plumbers is helping its members with contact tracing records by providing a form on the Master Plumbers Health & Safety App that can easily be used by team members out in the field (see Resources panel on p21).
This visual from Master Plumbers shows the importance of continued social distancing during COVID-19 Alert Level 3.
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GETTING READY TO RETURN TO WORK
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE
What will be done to manage risks from restarting business after lock-down?
Consider: Changed workforce, changed rosters, hygiene requirements (surfaces, separation, toilet), maintenance, ventilation systems.
How will you ensure all your workers know how to keep themselves safe from exposure to COVID-19?
Consider: Providing guidance, meetings to discuss distancing and hygiene, regular review.
Example: Restart the line - carry out restart procedure and sterilise all touch surfaces.
Engineering supervisor
Example: Ensure our procedures are up to date by a daily review of Ministry of Health guidance.
Administrator
worksafe.govt.nz 0800 030 040
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All operating businesses must have a COVID-19 Safety Plan and may wish to use the template on the WorkSafe website.
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COVID-19 LEVEL 3 SITE OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
STOP BEFORE YOU ENTER THIS SITE
Disposable respirator with valve (carbon filter optional) OR Twin filter half mask respirator with replaceable cartridges OR Maxi half mask with replaceable cartridges and prefilters
Safety goggles (clear lens) OR Assembled browguard with clear visor
Disposable coveralls COVID-19 LEVEL 3 SITE OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
Disposable non-slip over booties OR PVC gumboots
High risk latex gloves
This site signage example is available in the COVID-19 Residential Construction Protocol at www.chasnz.org/covid19
Use of PPE
Tradespeople dealing with wastewater and sewage should still wear full emergency PPE during Alert Level 3, as illustrated in this diagram from Master Plumbers.
Full PPE (see diagram) is still a necessity for those dealing with wastewater, sewage, plumbing vents, rooftop HVAC and exhaust fans, where the COVID-19 virus may be present, and a high level of protection is required. For other work, the necessary level of PPE should be determined by carrying out a Job Safety Analysis. With the jury still out on the efficacy of face masks, it is up to individual businesses whether or not they want their teams to wear them to jobs—although they should be worn as an extra precaution when working at homes with occupants aged 70+ or people with underlying health conditions. For face masks to have any effect at all, they must be worn on a clean-shaven face. PPE is always the last resort for eliminating or minimising health and safety risks. Good hygiene measures like hand washing with soap and water,
physical distancing, sneeze and cough etiquette, and wiping down surfaces is the best defence against COVID-19, according to the government’s COVID-19 website.
PPE availability One of the most significant challenges for plumbing, gas and drainage businesses carrying out essential work during the lockdown was the shortage of emergency PPE. With the government giving PPE priority to frontline health workers and food suppliers, many plumbing companies found themselves ill-equipped at the start of the lockdown and unwilling to carry out essential work that could risk their team’s health and safety. Master Plumbers jumped on the case for its members, working with its Business Partners to source the necessary PPE. By early April, Mico
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Lockdown challenges During the month-long COVID-19 Alert Level 4 lockdown, plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying businesses were on the government’s Essential Services list, meaning they could attend essential jobs that presented an immediate risk to health and safety. Work could be carried out for customers if it was to ensure the home: Had access to hot water (eg, replacing HWCs and related pipework) Could continue to dispose of wastewater and sewage (eg, unblocking pipes or replacing broken pipes) Could continue to receive water (eg, replacing a pipe supplying water) Could still receive gas services (eg, repairing a broken gas pipe). Work could also be carried out if it was for critical infrastructure or for other essential services, such as supermarkets, hospitals or food producers. The lockdown brought its own challenges, with some companies turning down non-essential work only to find another plumber picking it up—or, even worse, homeowners turning to DIY and unauthorised people to do the work.
Master Plumbers wanted to see a national register where tradespeople could record all work done during the lockdown as way of stamping out non-essential work. “We estimate up to 30 per cent of work being completed is non-essential,” CEO Greg Wallace told 1 News in early April. He noted that members were having to deal with urgent calls, including gas and water leaks, as a result of DIY jobs gone wrong. Anyone suspecting COVID-19 Level 4 essential services breaches was able to report them to the police via an online form. During the lockdown, Master Plumbers lobbied the government for: urgent provision of emergency PPE for plumbers, gasfitters and drainlayers carrying out essential jobs a national register for logging all work carried out by tradespeople during the lockdown the enforced closure of all plumbing merchants other than for trade-only supply of products for essential work trade-only supply of essential work plumbing products by ‘big box’ hardware stores.
had delivered more than 600 basic emergency PPE kits to member businesses, comprising disposable coveralls, high-risk latex gloves, over booties, clear lens safety goggles and respirator with valve. Premium kits were also available with a reusable full-face mask. Following discussions with the Ministry of Health, Master Plumbers managed to secure national reserve face mask supplies in time for Alert Level 3, with packs of 50 being made available for sale at ‘COVID support’ pricing through Mico and Plumbing World branches, along with the likes of sanitiser, viral disinfectant, wipes, coveralls and safety glasses.
Site Transportation Protocol - Alert Level 3 Workers travel to site Employers are required to have an understanding of how workers will travel to and from site.
Workers are to travel to the site one person per vehicle where possible.
Log is to be kept to record who has arrived on site, how they traveled and who they traveled with for contact tracing purposes.
Workers must travel home in the same vehicle as they arrived in.
Joe from On To It Plumbing, Gas and Drainage in full emergency PPE, attending a blocked toilet during the lockdown.
Handwashing protocols to be observed before entering site.
Any travel managed by the employer should ensure that adequate steps can be achieved for this transport – which includes:
Plumbing merchant access Allowing for spaces between passengers.
Hygienic washing of hands before and after the journey.
Follow Vehicle Cleaning Procedures as per the Cleaning guide.
Restricting equipment and baggage to trailers and or separate parts of the vehicle.
Required process for deliveries to site
Deliveries to site should be delivered by one person only where possible.
Handwashing protocols to be observed once arrived at site.
New Zealand COVID-19 Construction Protocols
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Sign-in register must be completed for persons delivering goods to site.
2m physical distancing rules to be applied at all times. Site Transportation Protocol | Page 1 of 1
This safe travel infographic is available in the COVID-19 Vertical and Horizontal Construction Protocols at www.chasnz.org/covid19
Plumbing merchants have reopened their doors for trade customers, putting in place safe practices for staff and trade customers and, where possible, ensuring contactless pick-up or delivery. Limited numbers of trade customers are allowed on the premises at any time and registers are in place for tradespeople to sign in and out. At Alert Levels 2 and 1, most retailers and suppliers can operate as usual as long as they have health and safety measures in place. Physical distancing measures still apply.
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11 TOP MASTER PLUMBERS MEMBER RESOURCES
Master Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers NZ has been working hard to provide updates and resources for its members during the Alert Level 4 lockdown and beyond. RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS INCLUDE: 1 Member COVID-19 Facebook Group Forum: Members, their staff, apprentices and business and industry partners can ask to join at facebook.com/groups/ MasterPlumbersNZ 2 Video Updates: Regular video updates from CEO Greg Wallace on the Facebook Forum 3 Webinars: Business, wellbeing, HR and economic webinars for members 4 Job Checklist and Contact Tracing: Record of work completed and people encountered during the day. Available as forms on the Master Plumbers Health & Safety App (available to order online for $120 per year in the member log-in at www.masterplumbers.org.nz) or as a Word doc
5 PPE Supplies: Master Plumbers has worked with the Ministry of Health to ensure national reserve supplies of face masks, distributed through Plumbing World and Mico branches. These should be worn when working at homes with elderly occupants or people with underlying health conditions 6 PPE Diagram: Showing what PPE should be worn at Alert Level 3 by tradespeople dealing with wastewater, sewage, plumbing vents, rooftop HVAC and exhaust fans 7 Video Conferencing: A how-to guide for members wanting to assess a customer’s job via video conferencing rather than face-to-face 8 Enewsletters & Website: Regular member updates on this fast-evolving situation 9 HR Resources: Guidance on business restructuring and an employee variation
template for member use when making any changes to the terms and conditions of staff employment as a result of the COVID-19 situation 10 Business Advisor: Partnering with Skills to offer members a free 1-hour session with a trade-experienced Business Advisor 11 Wellbeing Support: The Master Plumbers Wellbeing on Tap programme (www.wellbeingontap.org.nz) has resources to help you stay physically, mentally and emotionally healthy. Canterbury-based social worker Kereama Carmody also provides one-on-one support to members and their teams at a discounted rate (021 222 1160). Find details of all resources in the member log-in at www.masterplumbers.org.nz (under COVID-19).
Carrying out inspections
Looking to the future
MBIE states that, at Alert Level 3, councils should continue to perform their functions, with employees working from home. “Where work cannot be carried out from home, council workers may work onsite, provided appropriate health and safety and physical distancing measures are in place.” Building and construction site inspections can take place, with appropriate safety measures in place, and avoiding close interaction where possible. Councils are being encouraged to make use of technology for remote inspections if possible. “At their discretion, councils may consider accepting other forms of evidence to be satisfied on reasonable grounds that the work has been carried out in accordance with the building consent,” says MBIE. “For example, a homeowner or builder may provide photographs of completed work.” Any forms of evidence to be supplied must be by prior agreement with council staff, however. At Alert Levels 2 and 1, most councils can continue as usual as long as they have health and safety measures in place. Physical distancing measures still apply.
Businesses of all kinds have had to deal with the huge financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, with employers applying for the government wage subsidy to keep their teams going during the lockdown and many reaching agreements with their employees to adjust employment contracts. For the construction industry, the particular challenge will be ensuring companies can stay fully staffed to hit the ground running when business returns to normal. Master Plumbers CEO Greg Wallace is a representative on the New Zealand Construction Industry Council (NZCIC), which worked hard behind the scenes during the lockdown to help prepare the construction industry for the partial return to work. “The NZCIC, the Construction Sector Accord and others are working with the government to provide the necessary support to affect a speedy recovery,” said Chairman Graham Burke in early April. “This includes financial and regulatory support for the sector as well as painting a picture of what the new ‘business as usual’ will look like.”
“There are some critical factors you need to abide by under Alert Level 3—social distancing, contact tracing and good hygiene.” GREG WALLACE CEO, Master Plumbers
Turn the page for an COVID-19 employment FAQ.
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COVID-19 Frequently asked questions
Legal expert Olivia Lund of Duncan Cotterill responds to frequently asked questions on the government wage subsidy, essential worker leave support payment and employment obligations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
AVAILABLE RESOURCES A quick guide to information, advice and support available during the COVID-19 pandemic. 1. GENERAL
www.covid.govt.nz – go-to website for up-to-date, accurate information and advice on COVID-19 in New Zealand
2. BUSINESS
www.business.govt.nz/covid-19 – updates on employment issues https://worksafe.govt.nz/managinghealth-and-safety/novel-coronaviruscovid-19/your-covid-19-safety-plan – All operating businesses must have a COVID-19 Controls Plan, which may be audited by WorkSafe. You may wish to use this WorkSafe template.
3. CONSTRUCTION SECTOR
www.building.govt.nz/covid-19 – guidance for the building and construction sector www.nzcic.co.nz/resources/ stay-up-to-date-with-covid-19 – regular updates on COVID-19 for the construction industry www.constructionaccord.nz/news/ news-stories – Construction Sector Accord updates, including a response plan for the sector during and after the pandemic www.chasnz.org/covid19 – COVID-19 construction protocols for vertical, horizontal and residential construction
4. PLUMBERS, GASFITTERS & DRAINLAYERS
www.pgdb.co.nz/trade/covid-19essential-information – information and advice from the regulatory board
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Can an employer change an employee’s hours of work or pay without their consent? Any changes to an employee’s terms and conditions of employment should be with the employee’s consent. Otherwise there is a risk of a personal grievance claim or unpaid wages claim. Variations should be agreed to in writing where possible. Employees who are working under the various alert levels should be paid for all hours worked in accordance with the terms and conditions of their employment agreement unless agreed otherwise. What can I do if there is not enough work for staff? If there is not enough work due to the restrictions in operating in the various alert levels, employers may propose to employees that they reduce their pay, reduce the days/number of hours of work, take annual leave or consider resizing and shaping their workforce. Any changes should be agreed to by staff. What does best endeavours mean when undertaking to pay staff 80% of their ordinary pay for the wage subsidy? Employers must agree to use their best endeavours to pay employees a minimum of 80% of their ordinary pay for the period of the subsidy, currently 12 weeks. ‘Best endeavours’ is not defined and there is no clear guidance from the Government as to what is required. Employers should review their financial position and take advice as to the likely impact COVID-19 may have on their business, what cost savings need to be made, and whether it is financially viable to continue to pay staff 80% of their normal pay. If a business is not trading, is not receiving income, and it is not possible to pay employees 80% of their normal pay, then employers should be passing on the entire amount of the wage subsidy to their employees, unless the employee earns less than the subsidy amount.
What is ordinary pay? Ordinary pay is the wages or salary as specified in the employee’s employment agreement. It does not include overtime or other allowances. For example, if the agreement includes an hourly rate of $30 per hour and 40 hours per week then the ordinary weekly pay is $1,200 per week gross. 80% of $1,200 is $960 gross per week. This would require a payment of $374.20 from the employer together with the wage subsidy of $585.80. If an employee’s ordinary pay cannot be determined from the employment agreement because a range of hours are included, then an average of the employee’s earnings over the last 52 weeks should be used. How does an employer show 30% downturn in revenue or forecasted revenue for the wage subsidy? To apply for the subsidy an employer or business must show a minimum 30% decline in actual or predicted revenue over the period of a month, when compared with the same month last year. The decline must be related to COVID-19 and must occur between January 2020 and June 2020. If the employer has been in operation for less than one year, they are able to use a previous month to demonstrate the loss (ie, compare February 2020 to March 2020). Revenue is the total amount of money a business has earned or expects to earn from its normal business activities before expenses are deducted. It is important to note that this is income received (or expected to be received) and should not be confused with invoices rendered or sales. Do casual workers get the wage subsidy? Yes, this is for any casual employees that are employed at the time the wage subsidy is applied for, and who would have been expected to work during the period the wage subsidy is received. To assess the subsidy rate, the employer should average the casual’s weekly
Feature COVID-19
hours over the previous 52 weeks. If they have worked for less than a year, take the average of the hours worked during their total period of employment. If this average amounts to 20 hours or more, an application can be made for the full-time rate. If it is less than 20 hours, then the application should be for the part time rate. If the subsidy is higher than what is usually paid to the employee, the difference should be used for the wages of other affected staff. Do employers need to tell staff they are applying for the wage subsidy? Yes, employers must notify staff they are applying for the subsidy and obtain their consent. To apply for the wage subsidy, personal information about employees including their name, date of birth, IRD number and work hours, need to be provided to the Ministry of Social Development (MSD). Can employees use their annual leave or sick leave to top up the wage subsidy? Yes, employees who are receiving the wage subsidy, or 80% of their normal pay, can elect to use annual leave to ‘top up’ their pay. This arrangement should be recorded in writing between the parties. Employers may also agree to cash up to five days of annual leave per year at the employee’s request. Can employees be directed to take annual leave during the lockdown? Yes, employers can direct employees to take annual leave. This should only be after they have attempted to reach an agreement with the employee as to when leave is to be taken and after giving 14 days’ notice. Genuine attempts to reach agreement require consulting with employees and considering their feedback and individual circumstances before a decision is made. The wage subsidy can be used towards the costs of paying the annual leave. Can employees be made redundant by employers who receive the wage subsidy? The Government made a significant change to the wage subsidy on 27 March 2020, which requires all employers to retain staff for the 12 weeks they receive the wage subsidy. If employees are made redundant during the period the employer receives the wage subsidy, employers may need to pay back the subsidy to MSD or the remaining portion that has not been paid to the employee. Employers should seek guidance from MSD. Employers who applied for the wage subsidy prior to 3pm 27 March 2020 are
not required to retain staff. They are bound by the declaration they signed at the time which required ‘best efforts’ to retain staff. There is nothing to prevent an employer commencing a restructure process during the period it receives the wage subsidy, so long as redundancies do not take effect until after the 12-week period of the wage subsidy. Notice can be given during the 12 week period. Is the wage subsidy taxed? Yes. The payment to employees is treated as income and is taxable in the regular way with the usual PAYE, KiwiSaver and child support deductions made. The wage subsidy and leave payment is treated as non-taxable income and is nondeductible to the employer. Do employees accrue annual leave during the lockdown, what about the statutory holidays? Over the lockdown period there is no change to the payment of wages on statutory holidays and employees continue to accrue annual leave. If employees worked on Good Friday or Easter Monday, then the usual public holiday rules apply. Easter Sunday is not a public holiday, so employees would not be entitled to pay-and-a-half and a day in lieu. What can employers do if workers refuse to work without a valid reason? The employer should consult with the employee about why the employee does not wish to work, i.e. do they have a genuine health and safety concern or do they have an underlying health condition that makes them or a member of their household more vulnerable. In ordinary circumstances refusal to carry out work without a valid reason is a disciplinary matter. If the employee does not have a genuine reason for refusing to work, then they do not need to be paid. The employer can seek the employee’s agreement to take annual leave and/or unpaid leave for the period of the lockdown. If the employer has applied for the wage subsidy they can set the wage subsidy aside until a satisfactory resolution is reached with the employee. In the circumstances, the employer would be justified in withholding the wage subsidy and not paying it to the employee if the employee refused to work without a valid reason. The wages subsidy would need to be paid back in that situation. Alternatively, the employer could agree with the employee that they are not required to report to work
and will receive the wage subsidy for the period of the lockdown. Any agreement should be recorded in writing. What is the Essential Worker Leave Support payment? This is a new payment available from 6 April 2020 for essential workers who are not able to work. It is for a period of four weeks paid at the same rate as the wage subsidy and can be applied for multiple times. It covers essential workers who are at a higher risk if they get COVID-19 (over 70-year olds, pregnant women, and those with underlying medical conditions), someone who must self-isolate as required by the MOH, is sick with COVID-19 or has a household member who is a higher risk if they get COVID-19. The employer must consult with employees about how they can best support the employees by using sick leave or discretionary paid leave and must be able to show a 30% decline in actual or predicted revenue or show they are not able to financially support the employee and will be negatively impacted by paying sick leave and the costs of replacement staff. Employers must still use their best endeavours to pay at least 80% of the employee’s ordinary pay. Employers cannot get the wage subsidy and leave support payment at the same time. We expect the subsidy will be available for all workers, not just essential workers, when we move to the lower alert levels. This is an evolving situation which is changing daily as further information and guidance is provided.
Olivia Lund Partner, Wellington d +64 4 471 9433 m +64 27 836 0538 olivia.lund@duncancotterill.com
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Feature COVID-19
This article is reproduced from The Lancet online and was first published on 23 March.
B
y its very design, the wastewater plumbing system is a harbinger of pathogenic microorganisms with, under some circumstances, the potential to enable airborne transmission of viruses such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In 2003, WHO published a final report into a superspreading event of SARS within a housing block in Hong Kong.1 The 50-storey building had 342 confirmed cases of SARS and 42 deaths. The report identified defects in the wastewater plumbing system as a transmission mode within the building, which facilitated the transport of “virus laden droplets� through empty U-bends in bathrooms. This airborne transmission route was aided by bathroom extract ventilation, which drew contaminated air into the room. Since then, our research group has been investigating mechanisms of cross transmission, improvements in system design, and innovations in system monitoring, including confirmation of the wastewater plumbing system as a reservoir for pathogens.2,3 In 2017, we published results from an experiment on a full-scale two-storey wastewater plumbing test-rig in which we used a model organism (Pseudomonas putida) to represent pathogens flushed into the system.4 Viable organisms were shown to be transmitted between rooms on different floors of a building, carried within the system airflow. Droplet fallout resulted in contamination of surfaces within the
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system and rooms. We also suggested causes of the wastewater plumbing system defects and presented a basic qualitative risk assessment for disease spread in buildings. One important factor identified was the interconnectedness of all parts of the building by the wastewater plumbing system and, therefore, the potential for contaminated air to travel throughout the building unhindered. We also identified the
short-duration burst of contaminated air from the wastewater plumbing system that caused the cross-contamination.5 The implications of our work are far-reaching given the rate of spread of COVID-19. The interconnectedness of the wastewater plumbing network, the sensitivity of the system to factors such as overuse, underuse, high temperatures, and high concentrations of infected people
raise concerns over the practice of self isolation and the use of hospital wards as quarantine areas. High concentrations of infected people contribute to a higher viral load in the system, thus leading to a higher risk of disease spread. Self-isolation can lead to a greater number of infected people in a building and potential system overuse. The use of hospital wards as quarantine areas is also a concern because of the interconnectedness of the whole system. We recommend the following steps be taken to ensure that transmission through the wastewater plumbing system is minimised: 1 do not ignore unexplained foul smells in bathrooms, kitchens, or wash areas; 2 make sure that all water appliances in bathrooms and kitchens are fitted with a functioning U-bend; 3 to prevent the loss of the water trap seal within a U-bend, open a tap on all water appliances for at least 5 s twice a day (morning and evening) paying special attention to floor drains in bathrooms and wet rooms; 4 if the wastewater pipework from an appliance appears to be disconnected or open, seal it immediately (ie, use an elastic rubber glove to cover the end; a plastic bag and some tape will suffice, ensuring the bag has no holes); 5 if there appears to be any crack or leak in pipework, seal with tape or glue; and 6 continuously monitor whole system performance (for large or tall buildings).
EARN POINTS, REDEEM FOR GREAT REWARDS
The potential for a substantial viral load within the wastewater plumbing system (and therefore the main sewer system), in combination with the potential for airborne transmission due to aerosolisation of the virus, calls for wastewater plumbing systems to be considered as a potential transmission pathway for COVID-19. The interconnectedness of the wastewater plumbing network can facilitate exposure to SARS-CoV-2 within, or even between, buildings. This is of particular concern in high-risk transmission settings such as hospitals and health-care buildings. Following the recommendations set out above will help to minimise the risk of transmission. MG reports grants from Dyteqta, during the conduct of some of the studies included in this Correspondence; MG has a patent for a faulty trap identification system issued. All other authors declare no competing interests. 1 WHO. Consensus document on the epidemiology of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). 2003. World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/ handle/10665/70863 (accessed March 17, 2020). 2 Gormley M, Swaffield JA, Sleigh PA, Noakes CJ. An assessment of, and response to, potential cross-contamination routes to defective appliance water trap seals in building drainage systems. Build Serv Eng Res Technol 2011; 1: 1–15. 3 Gormley M, Templeton K, Kelly DA, Hardie A. Environmental conditions and the prevalence of norovirus in hospital building drainage system wastewater and airflows. Build Serv Eng Res Technol 2013; 35: 244–53. 4 Gormley M, Aspray TJ, Kelly DA, Rodriguez-Gil C. Pathogen cross-transmission via building sanitary plumbing systems in a full scale pilot test-rig. PLoS One 2017; 12: e0171556. 5 Gormley M, Aspray TJ, Kelly DA. Mechanisms of bio-aerosol transmission in sanitary plumbing systems. 14th International Conference on Indoor Air Quality and Climate. International Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate; Ghent; July 7–12, 2016.
www.thelancet.com/lancetgh Published online March 23, 2020 https:// doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(20)30112-1 Copyright © 2020 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license.*Michael Gormley, Thomas J Aspray, David A Kelly m.gormley@hw.ac.uk Institute for Sustainable Building Design, Heriot- Watt University, Edinburgh, UK (MG, DAK); and Solidsense, Glasgow, UK (TJA)
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CONSTRUCTION TRANSFORMATION: WHAT’S THE PROMISE? With the release of the government’s Construction Sector Transformation Plan at the start of the year, NZ Plumber delves into the detail to find out what’s being promised and how it was shaping up before the COVID-19 pandemic forced other priorities for the sector. AUTHOR: SARAH JOHNSON
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he Construction Sector Transformation Plan was launched on 26 January 2020, with six workstreams designed to transform building and construction into a high-performing sector. The plan is the first of the government’s Industry Transformation Plans, aimed at boosting productivity in key areas and preparing sector workforces for the future. It comes out of the Construction Sector Accord and is a joint government and industry initiative. Launching the plan, Minister for Building and Construction Jenny Salesa described it as a blueprint for sorting out the construction sector’s long-term challenges around risk, overly complex contracts, skills development and other issues. “The action plan ensures industry has the right skills, the right people, and the right internal coordination to lift its productivity and take advantage of the quarter of a trillion dollars of public and private construction work expected over the next five years,” she said. Since the COVID-19 lockdown that started on 25 March, the priority for the Accord Steering Group has been to work closely with the government and relevant agencies to advise on the support and information the construction sector needs. However, the action plan remains in place for when business returns to normal.
Six workstreams
“We fully support the thinking behind the accord and the plan, but we will need to see some small wins on the board.” GREG WALLACE CEO, Master Plumbers
development workstream and sees the plan as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the construction sector. “The accord came out of particular failures and stresses in the construction industry. People have realised that the race to the bottom— where the lowest priced tender gets the job—is undermining not only the quality and service life of buildings, but the sustainability of the sector. Our members were screaming out for something to be done.” Graham doesn’t think the plan is the whole answer, but is a great start, and having the government’s backing, as both the industry regulator and its biggest customer, makes it an exciting opportunity. He says individual construction businesses must play their part as well. “One of the accord principles is being bold. What this means for our members is not cutting your margins too fine, knowing the risks you face and that the main contractors you work for have a good track record and can pay. Above all, it’s about doing a good job—putting value over cost is what we are pushing for,” he says.
“We will urgently need action” Master Plumbers Chief Executive Greg Wallace agrees that the plan is promising but says that, once business returns to normal, what will urgently be needed is action.
Actions in the plan focus on six key workstreams: 1 Leadership – build effective cross-government and industry leadership, share success stories and lessons learned, and provide a coordinated voice on reforms 2 Business performance – lift performance by providing a clearer pipeline of pending work, and sharing good business and risk management practice 3 People development – build capability by addressing skills gaps, shaping reforms in vocational education, and creating a long-term workforce plan 4 Health, safety and wellbeing – reduce the number of workplace accidents, create a more supportive work environment, and improve the sector’s health and safety culture 5 Regulatory environment – improve the building consenting system, and provide leadership to shape and drive legislative reform 6 Procurement and risk – build procurement skills, promote clearer contracts and provide a better deal for subcontractors.
“A great start” Graham Burke, President of the Specialist Trade Contractors Federation and Chair of the Construction Industry Council, was heavily involved in developing both the accord and the plan. He is now joint-lead in the people
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Building and Construction Minister Jenny Salesa describes the 48-page Construction Sector Transformation Plan as a blueprint for sorting out the construction sector’s long-term challenges.
Feature CONSTRUCTION ACCORD
TRANSFORMATION ACTION TIMELINE Prior to the COVID-19 lockdown situation, the Construction Sector Transformation Plan set out three time horizons for implementation of the plan—to June 2020, June 2021 and June 2022. Workstream
Programme
June 2020
1. LEADERSHIP
Accord leadership group
Accord leadership group set up & driving transformation
Beacon projects
Beacon project good practice shared with sector
Sector culture change
Sector change management plan in place & supporting transformation
Major reform engagement model 2. BUSINESS PERFORMANCE
3. PEOPLE DEVELOPMENT
Monitoring & feedback process for pipeline implemented
Promote better business practice
Good business practice information released & promoted
Education programme on commercial risks
Commercial risk management training piloted & rolling out
Build workforce capability
Supply & demand pipeline published. Private sector projects included in pipeline (if feasible)
Pilots for new skills building initiatives completed & rolling out RoVE engagement underway
Long-term workforce plan
Boost Construction Skills Action Plan
Long-term workforce plan in place Industry support for Construction Skills Action Plan underway
Diversity in construction
4. HEALTH, SAFETY & WELLBEING
5. REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT
6. PROCUREMENT & RISK
Diversity campaigns underway, including promoting women and youth into construction
Health & safety programmes
Client health & safety leadership training developed & rolling out
Mental health initiatives
Mental health strategy in place. Mates in Construction pilot completed & expanding
‘Safety in design’ principles shared & promoted
Standard prequalification system
Standardised prequalification framework live
New building consenting model
New model for building consenting developed for consultation
Support building legislative reform
Ongoing industry input & support for building legislative reform in place
Agree & adopt good procurement practices
Leadership programme for construction procurers launched & rolling out
Construction Procurement Guidelines refined & promoted
Fair & transparent contracts
Standard risk allocation framework for contracts developed & shared
Standard contract principles promoted
Subcontractor assurance— contracts, payments & risk
Subcontractor assurance initiatives in place
Procurement advisory panel
June 2022
Engagement model on reform agreed & underway
Enhanced construction pipeline
Shape the Reform of Vocational Education
June 2021
Procurement advisory panel in place
Acknowledgement: This timeline is taken from pages 42 and 43 of the Construction Sector Transformation Plan, available at constructionaccord.nz/transformation-plan/about
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Feature CONSTRUCTION ACCORD
This diagram from the transformation plan document shows the hierarchy and aims of the plan.
THE ACCORD AIMS TO › Increase productivity › Raise capability › Improve resilience › Restore confidence, pride and reputation
PRIORITY WORKSTREAMS ARE › Leadership
› Regulatory Environment
› Health, Safety and Wellbeing
› People Development
› Business Performance
› Procurement and Risk
ACTIONS ARE FOCUSED ON › Leadership group to oversee the plan
› Fairer and more transparent contracts
› Industry leadership voice on reforms
› Sharing good practice
› Building skills and diversity
› Improving consenting processes
› Health, safety and wellbeing programmes
› A comprehensive and certain pipeline
“We fully support the thinking behind the accord and the plan, but we will need to see some small wins on the board. Our members have to feel confident that action is happening, and that there is a tangible pathway for how the accord and plan will deliver benefits for the industry,” says Greg. Greg identifies a handful of improvements—such as lifetime procurement for government contracts, compulsory apprenticeships within companies working on government jobs, and reforms to the Construction Contracts Act 2002—that could be achieved relatively quickly and would deliver real benefits for members. But he considers that action to date has been slow. “We still have a situation where subcontractors are working on government-funded jobs and being left in the lurch, through failure of the main contractor. This shouldn’t be happening on government contracts, and is
something we will be looking to the plan to address, and quickly,” he says.
Programme delivery
“People have realised that the race to the bottom— where the lowest priced tender gets the job—is undermining not only the quality and service life of buildings, but the sustainability of the sector.” GRAHAM BURKE President, Specialist Trade Contractors Federation
Work is underway in all of the plan’s workstreams, with programmes due to be delivered over three timeframes. In the people development workstream, Graham is busy with the Reform of Vocational Education (RoVE) programme, including gathering expressions of interest to set up a Centre of Vocational Excellence for the construction and infrastructure industries. The centre will focus on making step-change improvements to construction-related vocational education to help fix the industry’s long-standing skills challenges.
Find more information about the Construction Sector Transformation Plan at constructionaccord.nz
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On the tools
ELECTRICAL WORK:
HOW MUCH CAN YOU DO? Armed with an Associated Tradesperson practising licence, plumbers and gasfitters are permitted to carry out certain electrical work. NZ Plumber looks at what electrical work is included and how to get ATP registered and licensed.
33 ELECTRICAL WORK 36 GREASE MANAGEMENT
38 TECHNICAL THEME: CENTRAL HEATING INNOVATION
42 GASFITTER UPDATES
44 PROJECT
SPOTLIGHT
48 PRODUCTS nzplumber
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On the tools ELECTRICAL WORK
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icensed plumbers and gasfitters who have Associated Tradesperson (ATP) registration from the Electrical Workers Registration Board (ERWB) are allowed to service* and maintain 250v electrical equipment relating to water heating, waste disposal units and water pressure devices. The electrical work they are permitted to do is associated with their licence from the Plumbers, Gasfitters & Drainlayers Board. So, for example, a licensed gasfitter with ATP registration can carry out electrical work on gas water heaters—but a licensed plumber with ATP registration cannot. See the panel on the right for a full guide to the limits of prescribed electrical work for plumbers, gasfitters and plumber/gasfitters. “From my experience, there is some confusion among electricians about the fact that plumbers and gasfitters are permitted to do certain electrical work,” says Paul Manson, Senior Electrical Facilitator of Professional Programmes at Wintec in Hamilton, who offer ATP training. “If you have ATP registration, I recommend you always carry your EWRB registration card with you, so you can show it to anyone who queries your competence to do the work.”
ATP registration process Certain criteria must be met for a registered plumber, gasfitter or plumber/gasfitter to get ATP registered: 1 Pass an EWRB approved Associated Tradesperson course and written exam that is relevant to your PGDB licence; 2 Pass an EWRB approved Associated Tradesperson practical assessment that is relevant to your PGDB licence; and 3 Complete approved safety training within the prescribed timeframe. After successful completion of the theory and practical tests, you can apply to the EWRB for a practising licence.
Who offers ATP training?
Wintec offers three options at its Hamilton campus: 5-day block course 5 Fridays full-day course 12-week night class (one night per week) Customised course at a business
Find out more at wintec.ac.nz/professional-programmes (see under Professional Programmes>Compliance & Refresher Courses) Shift E-tec in Auckland offers: 3-day block course with a 6-week course preparation expectation Block courses are held around NZ during the year.
Find out more at etec.ac.nz/courses/etec-electrical for information and venues.
*What counts as servicing? For the purposes
of the EWRB’s registration classes, ‘servicing’ means: • Any prescribed electrical work that involves the dismantling, repair, adjustment, reassembly and replacement of electrical fittings, other than the installation of permanently wired conductors, of works or electrical installations intended for the generation, conversion, transformation, conveyance, or control of electrical supplies.
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Limits of work
See below for a guide to the electrical work that plumbers and gasfitters can undertake with an Associated Tradesperson Licence. Associated tradesperson (plumber) (a) The maintenance and replacement of fittings that have an electrical rating of not more than 250 volts and 16 amperes which are one of the following: (i) storage water heater elements; (ii) storage water heater thermostats. (b) The disconnection and connection of fittings from or to a power supply, other than by means of a plug or pin inserted into a socket, or an appliance coupler inserted into an appliance inlet; where those fittings have an electrical rating of not more than 250 volts and 16 amperes and are one of the following: (i) waste disposal units; (ii) electronic water control units; (iii) water pressure devices; (iv) storage water heaters. (c) The testing of work described in paragraphs (a) and (b) above. (d) The certification of work described in paragraphs (a) and (b) above. (e) The supervision of any work described in paragraphs (a) to (d) above. Associated tradesperson (gasfitter) (f) The maintenance and replacement of fittings that have an electrical rating of not more than 250 volts and 16 amperes which form part of gas fired equipment. (g) The disconnection and connection of fittings from or to a power supply, other than by means of a plug or pin inserted into a socket, or an appliance coupler inserted into an appliance inlet; where those fittings have an electrical rating of not more than 250 volts and 16 amperes and form part of gas fired equipment. (h) The testing of work described in paragraphs (f) and (g) above. (i) The certification of work described in paragraphs (f) to (g) above. (j) The supervision of any work described in paragraphs (f) to (i) above. Associated tradesperson (plumber/gasfitter) (a) All of the work described in paragraphs (a) to (j) above. Information taken from the EWRB teaching guidelines.
®
BRASS SHANK INLET VALVES
PLASTIC SHANK INLET VALVES
GREASE INTERCEPTION
Grease management systems have developed significantly over the last decade to deal with food, oil and grease from a growing food industry, as Dux explains.
B
usiness is not ‘as usual’ for plumbing and food service professionals when it comes to combatting the large amounts of fat, oil and grease generated by a growing food industry. Guarding against sewer blockages, expensive clean outs and damage to sewer lines is an increasing focus of local councils. To meet growing demand, grease management systems have been developing
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significantly over the last decade, with more advanced features to increase their level of performance. The wide choice can make life difficult for professionals evaluating, selecting and installing. Choosing the wrong system can have a negative impact, but times are changing and grease management is advancing; from simple capture and contain systems, to systems that capture, separate and even convert.
How we talk about grease management systems is changing. The term ‘grease trap’, which is still widely in use, is making way for more specific terms. ‘Trap’ suggests the presence of a water seal, whilst ‘grease interceptor’ more appropriately describes the modern unit. Generically the application of a grease interceptor, regardless of type, is defined as follows: “A plumbing appurtenance or appliance that is installed in a sanitary drainage system to intercept non-petroleum fats, oil, and grease (FOG) from a wastewater discharge.” Specific characteristics define the three types of interceptor: 1. Hydromechanical Grease Interceptor (HGI) These units are sized by flow rate (litres per minute) and qualified separation/ retention efficiency. They control the flow to entrain air into the effluent, with baffles and/or barriers promoting hydromechanical separation. Most HGIs can be installed inside or outside the facility they serve and either above or below the grade. 2. Gravity Grease Interceptor (GGI) Characterised by volume, generally GGIs have a minimum 30-minute retention time, more than two compartments, over 100 litres total volume as per the NZBC, and gravity separation. They are generally installed outside the building below the grade. 3. Grease Removal Device (GRD) GRDs come in a variety of forms with various methods for removing fats, oil and grease either through heat, enzymes or bacteria/ enzyme combination.
On the tools GREASE MANAGEMENT
Think downstream—act upstream
ENGINEERED FOR EASY
Endura Grease Traps Dux Industries distribute the Endura range, which has been ‘engineered for easy’ with: lightweight self-supporting bodies (empty they weigh only 106-128kg) load rated trafficable or pedestrian lids optional risers for deeper installations. Extensive development has resulted in an internationally recognised range of hydromechanical grease interceptors that are easy to install, less susceptible to corrosion, designed for optimal maintenance and hold up to 75% grease within total volume. www.dux.co.nz/productcategory/greasemanagement/grease-traps/
Increasing population is a given and will generate more demand on food outlets, increasing the load on our wastewater systems. Another source will be domestic wastewater and, in a growing number of developed countries, residential grease interceptors are mandatory. Grease management systems are expected to continue to evolve to meet these changes, even in New Zealand. “We had ongoing issues across the Matakana Village site with fats, oils and grease solidifying downstream before the main sump area, which meant significant monthly maintenance costs to pump out,” says Laser Plumbing Warkworth Operations Manager Tony Franich. “As there are multiple food outlets and restaurants, we needed a superior solution to deal with their fats, oils and grease, given these are busy food service areas. We decided on a combination of the Dux Stainless Steel Grease Converters and Endura® XL Grease Trap from Dux Industries for our Matakana Farmers Market site. “The Stainless Steel Grease Convertors were conveniently installed under the bench areas of both Matakana Kitchen and Honest Chocolat, and a floor installation in The Matakana Deli, importantly using the Dux Actamatic Liquid to prevent the previous solidification issue. The lightweight Endura® XL 75 Grease Trap was installed for Matakana Bacon Company within their existing carparking area, as it is a trafficable grease trap. Being only 106kg it was easy to get onsite, and installation was a piece of cake.”
“When deciding on the type of grease management system, important considerations are: the availability of a suitable installation location appropriate sizing to ensure performance ease and cost of installation simple maintenance long term efficiency and durability. This safeguards the private and public sewer networks, prevents costly blockages and reduces council and owner costs.” GORDON GEORGE Trade Waste Manager, Hutt City Council
Dux Grease Converters Dux Grease Converters capture and permanently transform fat, oil and grease (FOGs) from the wastewater of commercial kitchens, cafés, bakeries and restaurants to water-soluble, environmentally acceptable (effluent) levels. The system includes converter, pump and bacterial liquid. Dux Grease Convertors come in a range of sizes to suit the patronage capacity of restaurants big and small. www.dux.co.nz/product-category/grease-management/grease-converter-systems/ For more information contact dux@dux.co.nz
Get insured today and save. Exclusive corporate rates for Master Plumbers members. The best quality life, medical, income protection, mortgage cover and more. enquiry@spratt.co.nz
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ACTIVE SURFACE heating & cooling
An innovative Austrian surface heating and cooling system has been introduced to New Zealand, as Kiwi plumbers discovered during a recent nationwide trade show.
N
ew Zealand homes are typically heated in one or two rooms only—or not at all. Space heating and cooling is often an afterthought, with forced air heat pumps installed on the wall or floor once construction is complete. That, coupled with a recent trend to build large houses with floor-to-ceiling glass windows and doors, means that even top-end homes can be cold in winter and too hot in summer.
How it works Earlier this year, Alexander Watzek of Austrian company Variotherm travelled around the country with their New Zealand partner, Central Heating New Zealand, talking to
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plumbers and other construction industry professionals about the company’s modular surface heating and cooling product for new builds and refurbishments, which he believes is the future in comfort and sustainability in both commercial and residential situations, particularly as cooling becomes more prevalent in people’s homes. He refers to this approach as ‘active surfaces’. In essence, 18mm thick modular gypsum fibre panels with preinstalled pipe coils are installed on the wall or ceilings. The pipes in the panels are connected to the central manifold. The panels can be installed with the plastered interior finishing or, more typically for New Zealand, as a drywall system.
For commercial situations, ceiling grid modules are available with the option of perforated acoustic panels, enabling the panel to fulfil four functions: ceiling panel, heating, cooling, and acoustic diffuser. With this water-based wall or ceiling heating and cooling, the entire surface heats up or cools down quickly and evenly to provide the most comfortable ambient temperature possible without needing high flow temperatures for heating or very cold temperatures for cooling. This translates to very high efficiency and comfort. “We have reached a point with the changing climate where we need to accept that heating and cooling running temperatures must
A rendering of Variotherm active surface heating and cooling in a domestic setting.
On the tools CENTRAL HEATING
Variotherm ceiling grid modules are available with the option of perforated acoustic panels for commercial heating, cooling and acoustic diffusion.
be reduced to save energy—and this will probably become law in Europe,” says Alexander. “We need to open our eyes and minds to this new normality.” Variotherm is a low-temperature system due to the fact that the pipes are laid over a large area. For the heating aspect, the water generally needs to be heated to
between 26°C and 38°C compared with a conventional radiator flow temperature of up to 60°C. Being radiant heat, the room air temperature can also be reduced by up to 2°C compared with convection heating while still feeling totally comfortable. For cooling, the room will feel comfortable at around 26°C as
TECHNICAL THEME
opposed to around 23°C for an air conditioner, saving the homeowner up to 30 percent on energy costs. Biomass, electric air-to-water and ground source heat pump systems are popular heat sources for Variotherm products in Austria, says Alexander, but diesel, gas and solid fuel boilers are equally viable alternatives.
COST VS COMFORT 30 28
Just about still cosy
26 Room surfaces temperature °C
Any kind of hydronic central heating—underfloor, radiator or wall panels—comes at a higher cost than, say, a single wallhung air heat pump but, says Central Heating New Zealand director Lyall Smith, it’s all a matter of what priority you put on comfort. “It’s a feeling the rest of the world are familiar with that Kiwis are beginning to understand,” he says. “The average house build cost per square metre is $2,000. If someone building a new 250sqm house reduced their floorplan by just 8sqm, they could have hydronic central heating installed for the same cost and experience comfort like they have never had before, and at a reasonable running cost.” Central Heating New Zealand has seen 20 percent annual growth in the hydronic central heating market during its 18 years in business, but there’s still some way to go in educating end users, as well as architects, builders, consulting engineers, merchants and the plumbers installing these products, he says. “The New Zealand plumbing qualification has only a small hydronic central heating component, which means plumbers have to upskill themselves if they want to get involved in this growing market.” Central Heating New Zealand has a training academy at its Christchurch office, running courses covering heat loss calculation, system design and individual product application.
24 22 Cosy
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Zone of Comfort diagram showing that not just the air, but also the surfaces in the room need to be warm to provide good comfort.
18 16 14 12 10
Inhospitable
12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 Room air temperature °C
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Rinnai offers a design service, with installers receiving a plan of this kind with the duct kit.
DUCTED CENTRAL HEATING Quiet, quick to heat up and unobtrusive, gas-fired ducted central heating provides homeowners with a comfortable ambient temperature throughout the home, says Rinnai’s Brian Rowan.
T
o understand how space heating works, you need to understand basic physics, says Brian Rowan. Most of us know that warm air rises—and that’s because the heavier cold air pushes it up. If you want to be warm in a room, you’ve got to get the warm air down and keep it there.
Air flow Forced air systems that blow heated air down (think high wall heat pumps), suck the warm air from the top of the appliance and blow it down to the floor. The issue with this is that moving air has the chill factor—it takes heat away from your body and cools it down— which means the appliance has to work harder and run longer to reach a comfortable temperature in the room than other heating methods. “Even at 45°C, fast moving air can feel cool,” says Brian. In addition to this, the temperature of the air leaving the heat pump depends on the outside air temperature and moisture.
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A tidily installed duct system in a roof. Ducting needs to be stretched out to its full length prior to installation to ensure it is fully open and crumple-free. Tight bends should be avoided during installation to maximise air flow.
On the tools CENTRAL HEATING
TECHNICAL THEME
Return Air Position
The air intake must be at floor level to maximise the effectiveness of the system.
“This is not the case with gas-fired ducted central heating, where you have control of fuel source and air flow to generate heat,” he says. “If a room is sitting at 10-20°C, it doesn’t take much air flow to change its temperature quickly to a comfortable 20°C by setting the heat source at 65°C.”
Installer advice
• Rinnai offers a design service for its Rinnai gas ducted central heating system, which includes aspects such as sizing the heater and recommending where to put the air intake. • Installers need to provide a property plan to scale, with practical details such as floor material, height of stud and access to roof space or subfloor. • The Rinnai Tradesmart website has installation and service manuals along with training videos. • Rinnai also has a technical helpline and offers installer training on how to run ducting for maximum performance.
Air collection The other key difference from forced air systems is the air collection method. With ducted central heating, the use of flexible ducts means the system can be designed to collect air from the lowest, and therefore the coldest, point in the house—in a two-storey home, this is generally the ground-floor hallway. “The system essentially sucks the cold air out of a home, rather than blowing warm air around the home,” explains Brian. To do this, interconnecting spaces are needed, such as a subfloor or roof. Ducting is generally too large to go between floors. “In a 300sq m house, there is 750-1100 cubic metres of air to heat, so the ducts need to be quite large to do this quietly. You start with a big duct of around 300-450dia at the heater, and a large grille in the hallway, then install smaller ducting down to 150dia around the building.” The final outlet will be in a room furthest away from the air intake as possible, so the warm air can be drawn back to the intake and recirculated.
Central heating vs spot heating Brian likens gas-fired ducted central heating to continuous flow gas water
heating in that the heat is almost instant—the householder doesn’t need to heat the home for long periods while they are not in it. The system is programmable and can be designed to split into zones if needed—for example, if a retired couple only uses one end of the house when the grandchildren come to stay. “A lot of Kiwi homes use spot heating with, say, a wood fire in the living room and a heat pump in the dining room or bedroom,” says Brian. “This is actually wasteful of energy because our bodies feel even a 1°C-2°C temperature difference, so going from a room that’s 20°C to one that’s 18°C will be noticeably colder—and going from one that’s 24°C to 10°C will feel like Siberia. As a result, we tend to run the appliance for longer to achieve a higher temperature to warm ourselves up. By contrast, whole house heating set at 20°C will feel warm.”
About the author: A plumber and gasfitter by training, Brian Rowan has worked in the central heating industry for over 50 years, working on his first hydronic central heating system in the UK in 1966. For almost 25 years, he has been involved with Brivis gas-fired ducted central heating, which is now owned by Rinnai.
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tification ID1829
The word on gas Some important updates for the gasfitting community. LPG CYLINDERS & ETPs A new guide has been released to clarify the issue of installation of fibre External Termination Points (ETPs) within the hazardous area zone of LPG cylinders. The guide has been developed using explosive atmospheres Standard AS/NZS 60079, with input from an electrical engineering consultant and sector-wide consultation. The NZ Telecommunications Forum (TCF)’s wiring installation guidelines, the Local Fibre Companies (LFCs) and Chorus installation procedures all advise against the installation of fibre ETPs within the hazardous zone of LPG cylinders. LPG delivery drivers have identified multiple existing locations where fibre ETPs are installed within the LPG cylinder hazardous area. This has resulted in LPG suppliers suspending delivery, and ensuing discussions between the customer, the gasfitter and the companies that operate the fibre system.
Neither Chorus nor any of the other fibre installers believe the fibre ETPs are themselves a potential source of ignition. However, their advice not to install fibre ETPs within any hazardous areas also takes account of any future repair work that may be needed. Part 28 of AS/NZS 60079 covers protection of equipment and transmission systems using optical radiation. Table 2 of the Standard specifies that optical radiation sources with radiated power of less than or equal to 15 megawatts are safe to be used in all atmospheres. The LFCs and Chorus have confirmed they operate the ultra-fast broadband (UFB) network in New Zealand at less than 0.2mW, which is well below the energy levels required to create an ignition hazard. It has therefore been determined that a fibre ETP is not, in itself, classed as a potential source of ignition.
WHAT THIS MEANS For gasfitters: The advice remains not to locate cylinders so that an existing fibre ETP comes within the LPG cylinder hazardous area. This is on the basis of good practice. For LPG suppliers: As fibre ETPs are not sources of ignition, LPG suppliers can continue to deliver to existing locations where a fibre ETP is present within the LPG cylinder hazardous area. For fibre installers: The current requirement not to install fibre ETPs within the LPG cylinder hazardous area remains. Potentially, future work may include tools that have the potential to act as a source of ignition, which will create a situation that the fibre installer will have to mitigate as part of their onsite risk assessment.
Gasfitters are advised not to locate LPG cylinders where fibre external termination points (ETPs) would come within the cylinder’s hazardous zone. This cylinder regulator exclusion zone diagram was provided by Chorus. Page 3 of 4
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On the tools GAS FOCUS
LPG CODE OF PRACTICE UPDATES Updates have been made to two important LPG Association Codes of Practice: 1 LPGA Code of Practice (COP) No 2: Installation and maintenance of twin 45kg LPG cylinder systems 2 LPGA Code of Practice (COP) No 5: Installation and maintenance of LPG multi-cylinder systems. The updates reflect changes to the regulatory regime and reinstate the relevant clause and drawings from industry Standards, providing a user-friendly one-stop-shop for COP users, including gasfitters, architects and designers. LPGA COP No 2 assists with the selection of suitable equipment and fittings, as well as recommendations on equipment maintenance. It should be read in conjunction with AS/NZS 5601.1 and is intended for use by gasfitters as a best practice guide for the installation and maintenance of domestic and commercial LPG cylinders up to 100kg capacity. LPGA COP No 5 aids with correct cylinder location, the removal of condensate at the regulator, the selection of suitable equipment and fittings and recommendation on equipment maintenance. It should be read in conjunction with the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work (Hazardous Substances) Regulations, pressure equipment legislation and AS/NZS 1596.
Find both Codes of Practice at www.gasnz.org.nz/lpga in the LPG Safety dropdown. Find the updated LPGA Codes of Practice at gasnz.org.nz
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11/03/20 nzplumber
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AUTHOR: SAM DAY
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orthland is home to some of New Zealand’s best travel destinations. Whether you’re diving off the Poor Knights Islands or driving down 90 Mile Beach, the region has something for everyone. One of its more obscure attractions, though, is a public toilet squeezed into a tiny section on Kawakawa’s main street. The Hundertwasser bathrooms may be small, but they pack plenty of punch; the public loo attracts 250,000 tourists each year and has become an integral component of Kawakawa’s local economy. The attraction has also stimulated the development of Te Hononga Kawakawa Hundertwasser Park: a community-led project that centres around the creation of a cultural hub. Te Hononga’s new centre will contain a memorial to Hundertwasser himself, a public
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gallery and viewing platform, a council service centre, and a community workshop. Kawakawa’s public library, once a dilapidated Eighties-style construction wedged beside the famous toilets, will now be housed in the park centre and a new ātea (town square) will take the place of the old library, serving as a meeting place and joining together of cultures for the community. The Park is also expected to take some of the strain off Kawakawa’s main street and off Hundertwasser’s famous bathrooms themselves. It will contain showers and toilets for freedom campers to use, as well as coach and car parking. The cultural hub is representative of the joining together of Māori and Pakeha, of tourists and locals, of man and the environment, as well as of Kawakawa’s community and Hundertwasser himself. This joining together is embodied in the
This photograph, taken early in the development of the hub, shows the framework for the insulated rammed earth wall. The wall in the foreground was built using soils and sands gathered within a 160km range of Kawakawa.
IMAGES COURTESY OF KAWAKAKA HUNDERTWASSER PARK CHARITABLE TRUST/SUE SHEPHARD.
Known around the world for its quirky, colourful Hundertwasser public loos, Kawakawa is acknowledging this renowned artist and his connection to nature with the development of the new Te Hononga Kawakawa Hundertwasser Park—the first New Zealand commercial building to use rammed earth construction techniques. NZ Plumber takes a look at progress.
On the tools PROJECT SPOTLIGHT
The cultural hub is representative of the joining together of Māori and Pakeha, of tourists and locals, of man and the environment, as well as of Kawakawa’s community and Hundertwasser himself. enduring symbol of two hearts meeting: a design kaupapa developed by four Ngati Hine artists and Pip Bolton, an architectural designer from Avail Pacific. Although the hub was originally intended to open to the public in February 2020 (exactly 20 years after the original toilets were completed), the opening was slated for April before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted normal business, whilst the surrounding ātea is scheduled to be completed by November. A variety of challenges have been overcome in developing Te Hononga. Hundertwasser’s toilets are built on an old river bed, and the project’s construction brief requested that natural materials be used to ensure the hub respected Hundertwasser’s and local Māori values. The issue of building on soft ground was solved by establishing two concrete rib-rafts for the building to ‘float’ on. The SIREWALL (structurally insulated rammed earth wall)
Hundertwasser history The Hundertwasser bathrooms were the brainchild of Friedensreich Hundertwasser, one of the 20th century’s most distinctive artists. Born Friedrich Stowasser in Austria in 1928, he visited New Zealand in the 1970s and went on to make it his second home. The bathrooms were his last work and were opened in 1999, just a few months before he died in February 2000. They appear as a microcosm of his larger European works: the public loos are peppered with psychedelic designs using multi-coloured tile collages and fanciful shapes. A living tree sprouts through the centre of the toilets, meeting a roof covered in native grasses.
Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser’s kaleidoscopic designs cover the worldfamous Hundertwasser bathrooms, which opened on Kawakawa’s main street in 1999. Photograph courtesy of Jackie Jackson, Traquo Magazine.
This bird’s eye view of the Te Hononga Kawakawa Hundertwasser Park shows the heart-shaped design of the cultural hub and space for the new Kawakawa ātea, or town square.
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On the tools PROJECT SPOTLIGHT
technique has been used to create the hub’s walls and fits well with Hundertwasser’s central ethos that “you are a guest of nature—behave”. Local clay was used to provide walls that are both culturally and environmentally friendly and that also offered the required structural strength of 25MPa. This makes Te Hononga the first commercial building in NZ to use the SIREWALL technique, and the first commercial building to use rammed earth techniques in general. Twin rammed earth walls, each 180mm thick with 50mm thick insulation between them, help maintain temperature control in the centre’s gallery and library.
Local trainee involvement Twenty local trainees, most of whom were previously unemployed, have assisted with the project as part of a 40-week training programme offered by the Regent Training Centre to give them the skills, confidence and qualifications necessary to turn them into true change-makers for the region. Michiko Cooper, a 19 year old originally from Christchurch, is the first female apprentice hired by the project’s lead contractor Harnett Builders, and she has been actively involved in all steps of the building process.
Throughout 2020, the landscape surrounding the park centre will be developed. Paving, planting, painting, laying down mosaics, and land shaping began taking place over summer. Community meetings have allowed locals to sign up to help with the landscape development, ensuring that Te Hononga remains a community-led project that brings people together from all cultures.
“Detailed invoices used to take me three or four hours, now it’s three or four clicks”. Luke Trigar Plumbing
Twenty local trainees, most of whom were previously unemployed, have assisted with the project as part of a 40-week training programme.
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PRODUCTS
DISCOVER WHAT’S NEW TO THE MARKET AND CHECK OUT OUR FEATURED MASTER PLUMBERS RECOMMENDS PRODUCT.
New from BathCo Designer look vanity for less With an abundance of personalisation and choice, the Soft Solid Surface is the perfect vanity for creating a designer look in any bathroom. Boasting a white Kordura top, a selection of counter-top basins, plus all the standard features of Bath Co vanities, the Soft Solid Surface is bound to make a statement. Made-to-order in NZ Available in white paint (gloss) or melamine Soft-close drawers with handle-less design Deeper bottom drawers for more convenient storage Pair with a selection of counter-top basins.
Pneumatic concealed cistern range
Actuator plate with raised pneumatic buttons Mounting frame 2PCS fixing rods Available in White (Glass) or Brushed Stainless Steel finishes Perfect for use with BathCo’s Onda Extended Accessible toilets.
The pneumatic concealed cistern range provides a solution for all installation requirements and includes pneumatic flush options, in-wall and under-bench cistern mounting options.
See the full product range at bathco.co.nz
Teletrac Navman Launches Asset Tracker Teletrac Navman is launching its newest asset tracking products, the ATS1 (pictured) and ATS2, in the NZ market for use in multiple sectors including construction. The Asset Tracking Sensors (ATS1 and ATS2) are battery-powered asset trackers that use 4G communication technology, so businesses can easily track, view and manage non-mobile assets. They are designed for use on both powered and unpowered equipment that is common on construction sites and other work sites, such as pumps, generators, trailers, fans, lighting towers and cleaning equipment. 048
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Other features of the Asset Tracking Sensors include: Long-lasting and rugged: The self-install kit comes with 3+ years of battery life IP67 Certified: Confirms that the device is dust tight and protected against immersion in water Easy to self-install: Straightforward installation process helps managers get up and running without delay Theft prevention features: Automated unauthorised movement alerts and the ability to switch from ‘locate’ to ‘track’ mode over the air helps managers
increase their asset recovery rate, saving money and time. www.teletracnavman.co.nz
On the tools PRODUCTS
Dux launches Connecto Trade®
New generation touchless technology In a space devoted to personal hygiene it makes perfect sense to limit the transfer of germs from hands to surfaces and back again. Kohler’s introduction of a Touchless Flush toilet suite, the first of its kind on the NZ market, takes bathroom hygiene to the next level. The sleek, softly contoured ModernLife back to wall Touchless Flush toilet suite is the next generation in hands-free technology. A sensor, positioned beneath the cistern lid, is activated simply by passing a hand over the top of it. Kohler’s HygieneMax™ rimless pan technology contributes yet another level of hygiene to the ModernLife design—delivering a robust, double wash-down with optimal coverage of the interior bowl. The toilet suite also offers a choice of two comfortable, quietclose seat designs: the low profile Slim and the sophisticated Elite model. Elite features battery-operated deodoriser, with a choice of fragrance packs, plus an LED night light. While Touchless technology is the hero of this suite, there is also a side push button for manual flush. With a four star WELS rating (4.5/3.5L dual flush), Kohler’s ModernLife back to wall Touchless toilet suite is well within new build codes, while its suitability for both P-trap and S-trap connection makes it ideal for retrofits. Go to www.kohler.co.nz for details and showroom locations.
Dux has launched a new offer in surface water drainage that’s developed in conjunction with the NZ trade. The Connecto Trade® range is designed in NZ to address the needs and frustrations of the NZ installer, and is the perfect solution for domestic surface water drainage requirements. This inter-locking modular surface water drainage system is made from UV stabilised recycled materials and includes channels, grates, corners, pits and accessories that are suited to NZ conditions. The channels are available in 1m or 3m lengths with a range of grate styles and have a 5 tonne vehicle load rating. The channels can also be cut and connected at 100mm intervals. Accessories include the patented support bracket to strengthen the joins between channels, adaptors to enable components and offcuts to fit together without the need for silicone, solvent weldable 100mm end and bottom outlets, which make assembly to NZ pipes faster and easier. Visit www.connectotrade.com for more information
New CWEV replacement cartridge Introducing the new Apex EVC 700 Cold Water Expansion Valve Replacement Cartridge. Designed for use with the Apex Cold Water Expansion Valve (EVT700) manufactured after 2011 Easy to install—no need for special tools Serviceable without removing the Cold Water Expansion Valve body from pipework Pressure setting comes locked at 700kPa. apexvalves.co.nz nzplumber
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On the tools PRODUCTS
MASTER PLUMBERS RECOMMENDS
Tate Digital Deck Mounted Mixer
This edition, we feature new products for: BUTELINE & PEXLINE Tate Digital Wall Mounted Mixer
Felton Tate Digital Mixers Felton is expanding its offering of digital products to include a shower mixer, sink mixer and basin/bath mixer in the new Felton Tate range. The digital mixers prevent spikes in water temperatures when other taps or toilets in the house are used, making it safer especially for children and the elderly. Memory functions allow the users to select their preferred settings at a touch of the button. The mixer unit can be installed in the ceiling or inside the vanity—minimising the risk
Tate Digital Smartflow Shower Mixer
of leaks behind the wall and allowing easy access to the components for diagnostics and servicing. The Tate range of digital mixers features Swiss technology with German components, and is fully backed by Felton after-sales support, with a five year warranty for replacement parts. Available soon through plumbing merchants in 5 different PVD colour finishes. www.felton.co.nz
The Buteline & Pexline plumbing systems have the Master Plumbers Recommends tick of approval for their performance, durability, suitability for NZ conditions and manufacturer’s guarantee. Key features include: Designed in NZ for NZ conditions—all Buteline pipe and polymer fittings are NZ-made Quick and easy installation—cut, insert, clamp, complete One-piece fittings design—no separate components to fall off or get lost! Slimline fittings design—forming a permanent pipe joint SureFit tail on Buteline polymer fittings—ensuring a secure fit 25-year guarantee—when installed by a licensed plumber.
New Buteline & Pexline product releases New to the Buteline Plumbing System is a chromed brass male/female swivel elbow. Aesthetically designed for any fit-off where you can see the Buteline’s new ½” BSP connection between a fitting and the male x ½” BSP female chromed swivel elbow. flexi hose (eg, under a vanity), the new elbow’s compact design saves you altering back walls of drawers to accommodate protruding fittings. New to the Pexline Plumbing System is colour-coded Pexline pipe for easy visual identification: Blue for cold water line and Red for hot water line. The 16mm and 20mm pipe is available in 5m lengths and in 50m coils to mitigate wastage. Available through your local plumbing merchant. www.buteline.com and www.pexline.com New Pexline colour-coded Red and Blue pipe for hot and cold water.
LED light indicates temperature changes
Introducing Fergus Forms At any stage of a job, whether residential or commercial, there can be a set of instructions, policy documentation or compliance standards that need to be met before you can move to the next task. Fergus’s new Forms Add-On functionality means you or your team can build and complete necessary documentation within Fergus, store it against the job and if necessary, send it to your customer. Use the Forms Builder to create templates or one-off custom forms with editable drop-and-drag functionality; use System Tags to save you time on data entry. Get started with Forms on a 30-Day Free Trial of Fergus at www.fergus.com 050
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About Master Plumbers Recommends Master Plumbers Recommends shows consumers the products they can trust: for performance, quality and a manufacturer’s guarantee. View all recommended products at www.tickofapproval.co.nz
*Grant Vortex Pro Utility Range
Our Partners
Master Plumbers, Gasfitters & Drainlayers NZ thanks the following Partners for their support: PLATINUM PARTNERS
GOLD PARTNERS
SILVER PARTNERS
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MEMBER BENEFIT HR HELP Master Plumbers has developed an employee variation letter template to assist members during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The employee variation letter template is just one of many HR resources available in the member area of the Master Plumbers website. The letter can be used to ensure your employees understand any changes to their terms and conditions of employment during the COVID-19 situation. Master Plumbers works with legal specialists Duncan Cotterill to develop
practical HR resources of this kind. Others include template employment agreements for executive staff, employees, apprentices, casual workers, contractors and subcontractors. There is also a wealth of HR guidance to help steer you through proper process from employee recruitment to performance reviews and beyond.
Log-in at www.masterplumbers.org.nz to access all HR resources. Or call Lisa Duston on 021 245 1704 to access the HR Helpline.
Master Plumbers
MEMBER BENEFITS
54 BULLETIN 60 BOARD PROFILE: DALE LOVELL
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BUSINESS PARTNER PROFILE: TELETRAC NAVMAN
62 ASSOCIATION PROFILE: CANTERBURY COMMUNITY PROJECT
64 MASTERLINK
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BULLETIN
Membership milestones In 2020, we mark 30 Membership Milestones for businesses that have belonged to Master Plumbers for 10 years or more. We acknowledge them here for their long-term support:
90 YEARS
■■ Brockelsby Plumbing & Gasfitting Ltd
■■ Tilley Plumbing & Drainlaying Ltd ■■ Don Fraser Plumbing ■■ Paul Nydam Plumbing & Gas Ltd ■■ Dann Brothers Plumbers
70 YEARS
30 YEARS
■■ FB Hall & Co Ltd
80 YEARS
■■ McIvor Plumbers Ltd Dunedin
60 YEARS
■■ Stanton Plumbing Service Ltd ■■ SW Bartholomew Ltd
40 YEARS
■■ B&B Plumbing & Drainage ■■ George Plumbing & Drainage Ltd
ALL THE NEWS FROM MASTER PLUMBERS— INCLUDING RECOGNITION FOR SOME OF OUR LONGEST-STANDING MEMBERS AND AN UPDATE ON THE 2020 NZ PLUMBING AWARDS. 054
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FB Hall marks an amazing 90-year Membership Milestone in 2020. Pictured here are the company's Joe Calkin (centre) and Mike Wilson (right) collecting the Training Leader of the Year Award at the 2016 Waikato Master Plumbers Awards.
■■ Murray Gane Plumbing Ltd ■■ Bellman Plumbing Ltd ■■ Ross Alcock Plumbing ■■ Pool Gas & Plumbing Ltd
20 YEARS
■■ Hiflo Plumbing Ltd ■■ Galbraith Plumbing & Drainage Ltd ■■ Peter Jackson Plumbing Ltd
■■ Star Plumbing & Gas Ltd ■■ Michael Wimsett Ltd ■■ Simply Plumb Ltd
10 YEARS
■■ Ross O’Connell Plumbing Ltd ■■ Drain Doctor NZ Ltd ■■ Euro Holding Ltd ■■ IT Plumbing and Heating Ltd ■■ New Vision Enterprises Ltd ■■ Waipa Plumbing and Gas Ltd ■■ Go With the Flow Ltd ■■ Gas Safely Ltd ■■ O’Donoghue Plumbing
2020 NEW ZEALAND PLUMBING AWARDS UPDATE The 2020 New Zealand Plumbing Awards were due to be celebrated on 3 April in Blenheim as part of the 2020 NZ Plumbing Conference—but, unfortunately, the event had to be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We received a high number of top-quality entries for the awards and we want to give the winners the recognition they deserve. We will be doing this through a 'virtual awards ceremony', with MC Paul Ego announcing the award winners in video format. Members will be kept up-to-date with how and where to view the awards ceremony. We will also feature all winners in the next edition of NZ Plumber.
Paul Ego.
Master Plumbers
Meet the team... Get to know the Master Plumbers and Masterlink team with our quick Q&As.
UPDATES
past five years and I live in Wellington my partner Dan. We spend a lot of our weekends in Martinborough with his family. I have an honours degree in English Language and Literature. My passions are books and film—I’m a bit of film buff. 5. What’s your favourite book or movie currently? My favourite movie of all time is undoubtably One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. 6. What’s your favourite piece of music right now? At the moment, it would be Wishing by A Flock of Seagulls, or Dancing in the Dark by Bruce Springsteen. The Beach Boys are my favourite band, so they are a constant on my playlist. 7. Where’s your favourite holiday spot? The Greek Islands! And Ubud, Bali. 8. What’s your favourite food? I could talk for days about food. My favourite would be authentic Spanish tapas, but I haven’t yet found any in New Zealand. Being English, naturally I can’t live without proper Sunday roasts with Yorkshire puddings. I also have lifelong addictions to pizza and lemon loaf. 9. Can you name a person who particularly inspires you? Jameela Jamil. She is a remarkable spokesperson for feminism.
NAME: Sarah Rowe ROLE: Executive Assistant to CEO 1. What does your day-to-day role entail? Organising all things Greg! Travel, meetings, documents, workload etc. I also assist with the governance side of Master Plumbers, including preparing Board reports and organising Board meetings. 2. Where are you based for work? In the Wellington office. Specifically, the desk in front of Greg’s office so there is always lots going on. 3. What’s your work background? Prior to my EA role I was the administrator for Masterlink. Before that I worked as a Community Associate in a serviced office and co-working centre. Prior to office life, I was a waitress and a (terrible) bar tender. 4. Can you tell us a little bit about you? Contrary to popular belief, I am not Irish! Me and my funny accent are from rural Northumberland in the North East of England—I’m a proud Geordie! I have lived in NZ for the
10. What do you enjoy doing in your spare time and why? I adore going to cinema! The Embassy in Wellington is my favourite—it’s really beautiful. I’m one of the few people that can’t miss the trailers. I get really excited about the new releases coming out. Typical of a Wellingtonian, I enjoy eating out and drinking coffee. I’m always keen to try new places, so you can often find me in a café or restaurant. If I am not doing one of the above, I will probably be lost in a good book, socialising with friends, or on a Netflix marathon.
WELCOMING CAT MARSHALL
We also welcome Cat Marshall to the Administrator role for Master Plumbers. Cat comes to us with extensive admin experience and looks after internal staff needs at the national Master Plumbers office in Wellington.
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Waterware specialises in the plumbing, central heating and cooling, and bathroomware sectors. Below: The Waterware Protank hot water cylinder series comes with pre-built valve assembly kits.
NEW GOLD PARTNER
Waterware becomes a Gold Business Partner This April, Waterware became a Gold Business Partner of Master Plumbers. Waterware has been a market-leading specialist in the plumbing, central heating and bathroomware sectors for the past 30 years. As a privately owned and operated business, core values such as team, integrity, and sense of family are well ingrained into the company’s DNA. In joining the Master Plumbers family, company owner and director Darren Yearsley says, “For a long time Waterware has been part of the New Zealand plumbing community and we are very much looking forward to becoming a member of Master Plumbers and deepening our relationship with the trade as a Business Partner of Master Plumbers." Waterware prides itself on its positive preand post-sales service experience, its ongoing drive for product innovation, and its technical design expertise. An example of this pioneering spirit is seen clearly with the Waterware
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Protank series of hot water cylinders that are accompanied by pre-built valve assembly kits. Both of these are company innovations that have resulted in improved installation times and ease of handling through their lightweight stainless-steel construction. Partnering with internationally recognised brands, Waterware offers both component equipment and full-service solutions including: ■■
■■
Central Heating & Cooling: Gas, LPG, and diesel boilers, heat pumps, radiators, radiant active ceiling and underfloor heating Plumbing: Temperature & pressure valves, water meters, tanks & cylinders, pumps, pipe systems and lubricants
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Bathroomware: Tapware, baths, toilets, vanities, mirrors, heated towel rails and lighting.
“We work hard to source the highest quality products to meet New Zealand market needs and trends, ensuring they meet national regulatory requirements,” says Darren. “Our products are supported by our extensive range of spare parts, in-house installer training and warranty assurance programmes.” The business is located in East Tamaki, Auckland and provides a nationwide service from Northland through to Invercargill. Waterware is committed to delivering positive service outcomes for its customers across both product and solution offerings.
Master Plumbers
Left: SaniAccess2 macerates toilet waste and pumps it up to 5m vertically and 100m horizontally. Below: Saniflo SaniSpeed is a greywater pump with four inlet connections.
UPDATES
OUTWARD BOUND APPRENTICE WINNER!
Congratulations to Master Plumbers Apprentice Member Quintin Trott, winner of the 2020 Master Plumbers Outward Bound Scholarship.
NEW SILVER PARTNER
SANIFLO BECOMES SILVER BUSINESS PARTNER Saniflo is a French manufacturer of greywater and macerator pumps and their products have Australian WaterMark approval. When refurbishing an existing building, conventional plumbing is not always an option or can be too expensive. In a recent case, a building owner wanted to convert a commercial space into an early learning centre with all the amenities. The only way to access the main sewer line was to cut through the post-tension concrete slabs, so the owner looked for an alternative solution. He discovered the SaniAccess2 macerator pump and the Sanispeed greywater pump. SaniAccess2 macerates the waste from the toilet and pumps it through a 20mm discharge pipe up to 5m vertically and 100m horizontally. Saniflo SaniSpeed is a greywater pump that has four inlet connections which can pump up to 7m vertically and up to 70m horizontally and were installed under the sinks.
For more information, visit pro.saniflo.co.nz
Quintin wins a fully-funded, 16-day Outward Bound course, worth $3,500. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the course has had to be postponed, but when Quintin gets to go it will be with the full support of his Hamilton-based host business Plumbing & Gas Works Ltd and Masterlink, his employer. “I can’t think of a more deserving recipient and believe Quintin will gain a lot from it,” says Masterlink Regional Manager Russell Walsh. The Outward Bound Scholarship is just one of the exclusive benefits available to Master Plumbers Apprentice Members. Sign up to Master Plumbers Apprentice Membership at www.masterplumbers.org.nz/ membership/become-a-member Plumbing & Gas Works General Manager Mike Foote (left) and Masterlink Regional Manager Russell Walsh (right) with winning apprentice Quintin Trott.
A Group SFA Company
COVID-19: MEMBER SUPPORT
Business as usual was disrupted worldwide by the COVID-19 pandemic, with New Zealand going into lockdown at midnight on 25 March. Master Plumbers kicked straight into action, developing resources and creating a Facebook forum for members to share their experiences and ask questions. Turn to p21 to see how Master Plumbers has been helping members during this unprecedented situation. nzplumber
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Master Plumbers
UPDATES
BUSINESS PARTNER FORUM More than 50 Master Plumbers Business Partner representatives attended our Business Partner Forum in Auckland on 11 March— World Plumbing Day. The aim of the afternoon event was to bring our partners up to date on current activities at Master Plumbers, including advocacy work, marketing initiatives, training, member resources, NZ Plumber and the new Wellbeing on Tap health and wellbeing programme for the plumbing industry. With spot prizes and drinks and nibbles, it was a sociable opportunity to catch up with the manufacturers, suppliers and service providers that give such valuable support to our members.
NEW MEMBERS
A warm welcome to new Master Plumbers member businesses: ■■ Digga Drain, Auckland
■■
Gilboa Plumbing and Gasfitting, Auckland
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Grace Plumbing, Auckland
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KPA Plumbing, Auckland
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Pipe Fix Plumbing, Auckland
■■
North End Plumbing, Waikato
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Flow Plumbing, Volcanic Plateau
■■
Pepe Enterprises, BOP/ Coromandel
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Mark Dean Plumbing, Manawatu
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Highflow Plumbing, Canterbury
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RB Plumbing and Drainlaying, Canterbury
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Dewar Plumbing, Otago
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Kennelly Plumbing, Otago
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Peninsula Plumbers 2004, Otago
■■
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Gore Southern Plumbing and Heating, Southland. nzplumber
BEST IN BRAND This edition’s prize goes to…
Jed Thompson of Thompson Plumbing & Gas in Whanganui! "Our vehicles display the Master Plumbers brand in a simple yet effective manner, easily visible to other road users and showing our affiliation to this trusted brand," he said on entering our Best in Brand competition. We couldn’t agree more, Jed! This edition’s $200 prize voucher is on its way to you now. Free decals like the ones Jed has used are available to order through the Master Plumbers member log-in.
ARE YOU OUR NEXT WINNER? Send your entries by 25 May 2020 to Cat Marshall: cmarshall@masterplumbers.org.nz for a chance to be in to win a $200 Prezzy Card voucher!
WANT TO JOIN?
Master Plumbers is here to support all businesses in the plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying industry. Members are Quality Assured and Steve Rushworth backed by the Master Plumbers North Island Guarantee. We offer a wide 027 839 8398 range of business resources, srushworth@masterplumbers.org.nz HR & technical support, plus training and member discounts—and we advocate for our members as a collective industry voice. Get in touch to discuss our twoyear membership deal! Or contact 0800 502 102 membership@ masterplumbers.org.nz
Sam Timlin South Island 021 433 615 stimlin@masterplumbers.org.nz
Master Plumbers
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LOOK OUT FOR THE TICK OF APPROVAL
We put each and every Master Plumbers Recommends plumbing product to the test, assessing all aspects, such as ensuring replacement parts are readily accessible, they’re easy to install and they look great. Of course it goes without saying that they also come with a solid manufacturer’s guarantee. Once it ticks all those boxes, it gets our tick of approval.
To find out more call 0800 502 102 or visit tickofapproval.co.nz
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Visited the Rheem website?
BOARD PROFILES This edition, we profile Master Plumbers Board member Dale Lovell
Dale Lovell
View our Buyers Guide, Technical information, Product selector and many more features - you’ll find what you’re looking for.
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Plumber or gasfitter? Visit MyRheemPro The Toolbox for Tradies and Specifiers •
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Spare parts & installation guides Service manuals
•
Trade promotions
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Tech support
… and much more
rheem.co.nz/trade
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One of the things Dale Lovell believes he brings to the Master Plumbers Board is an understanding of what the younger generation want, through having apprentices in his Auckland-based business, Heron Plumbing. “We need to foster the younger generation to learn better standards and about the camaraderie of being with like-minded people,” he says. There are currently 10 apprentices at Heron Plumbing, along with 15 tradespeople and four office staff. The company’s ethos is to treat others how you would like to be treated. “Everyone that works at Heron Plumbing is thought of as a family member. Our staff are our greatest asset and we believe in helping them with their personal growth.” Dale was inspired to become a plumber by Bryan Heron, the founder of the business, which has been a Master Plumbers member since 1961. “I started doing weekend work on Bryan’s lifestyle block when I was 13— mowing lawns, fixing fences, looking after the animals,” he recalls. “A year later, I began labouring and helping the senior plumbers at Heron Plumbing. I enjoyed it and, at 16, asked Bryan if he would take me on as apprentice, which he said he would after I had finished sixth form. I started the day school finished.” Dale believes apprentice training is one of the main challenges for the industry— in terms of how the new structure will look and in convincing teachers and
Dale Lovell with Heron Plumbing's 58-year Membership Milestone certificate at the 2019 annual conference.
parents that an apprenticeship is a viable alternative to uni. He also wants to see more plumbers starting staff into apprenticeships and understanding how useful they are. In his own career, he is particularly grateful to plumbers Pat Corcoran and John Parker, who gave him the basic understanding of contract and maintenance work when he started out— and to his parents for helping him realise his dream of a plumbing career. “Without the support and positivity of my wife Andrea and children Hunter, Mackenzie and Carter, I wouldn’t have the time or the inspiration to do it,” he adds. In his spare time, Dale enjoys travelling to different destinations, watching his kids enjoy their sports and achieve in their studies, and catching up with people he’s met through the plumbing industry who have become mates.
Master Plumbers
Track Your Fleet: Captivate Your Customers
PLATINUM PARTNER PROFILE
Teletrac Navman software can be accessed at work, home or on your mobile.
In the service industry, a responsive, fast and fair service means everything, as Teletrac Navman explains.
customers have sprung a leak, a speedy response time can make all the difference to winning the job and securing new business through referrals.
Service industry businesses are built on their relationships with customers and rely largely on word of mouth to retain old and obtain new customers, based on a reputation for reliability. An American Express survey found 33% of people say they’ll consider switching companies after a single instance of poor service. On the flipside, increasing customer retention rates by just 5% increases profits anywhere from 25% to a staggering 95%, according to management consulting firm Bain and Company. In a competitive market, more and more businesses are discovering the customer benefits of Teletrac Navman’s GPS fleet management solutions, which combine real-time information and a powerful software platform to monitor and manage a fleet. Here’s how your business can use tracking technology to impress and grow your customer-base.
Flexible staffing For large scale jobs, a tracking system can help managers monitor and plan staff schedules. Nind Electrical Services, a Teletrac Navman customer with 80 vehicles on the road, makes great use of the mobile app. Their foremen use it to monitor staff and plan for the next day. If work is progressing slower than expected, the foreman can see who is nearby and pull more people on to a job if needed.
First responders Using powerful tracking software, businesses can pinpoint each and every vehicle on a map, see which vehicle is closest to the job, and give customers an accurate ETA. A number of Teletrac Navman customers use the system to develop a time guarantee for their clients, strategically placing and monitoring service vehicles around a city to ensure they can make these urgent call outs. When
Morrinsville Plumbing & Gas installed Teletrac Navman in 2010 in its 14 vans and two trucks. One of the most significant benefits has been the ability to resolve travel and on-site time queries from residential customers, which has saved the company around $1,600 per month in lost revenue from discounted hours.
Speedy supplies A clever way to speed up the job is to create a geofence, marking out key suppliers including an information tag with relevant details. When staff are in unfamiliar territory, they can quickly check for the closest supplier to the job and the fastest route to get there. Detailed bills Many service businesses will be familiar with dealing with customers querying their invoice – in particular the time spent on the job and the charge out miles for rural customers. In these situations, it’s often the plumber’s word versus the customer’s, and it can seem easier simply to discount the disputed amount to retain a Fully Integrated good relationship. However, by installing a Teletrac Navman GPS fleet tracking system, integrates with SmartTrade job management software, businesses have accurate giving you better visibility data to prove to customers into job progress. exactly how long the Combining the two will plumber was on site, and reduce paperwork and the miles required. Using streamline processes software integrations, this for quoting, scheduling, data can be automatically timesheets and pulled across into the invoicing—saving your invoicing software to business time and money. speed up the paperwork.
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Doing in the Members from the Canterbury Master Plumbers Association recently put their hands up for a community project to help upgrade a local rest home.
Canterbury Master Plumbers Association members involved in the community Kowhai Rest Home Project line up for a group shot.
Knowing that many Cantabrians were still struggling with post-earthquake repairs, Canterbury Master Plumbers Association secretary Lisa Duston, her fellow Christchurch work colleague Sam Timlin and Paul Olsen of Whitehead Plumbing & Gas decided to do something to help. “Sam and I were keen to get our local members involved in a community project,” says Lisa, who is also HR Manager for the national Master Plumbers organisation. “He got in touch with Aspire Canterbury—a not-for-profit that offers free support, advice and resources for people with any impairment or long-term ill health—and they suggested Kowhai Rest Home could use a hand.”
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They were right. Kowhai does an incredible job of providing respite and carer support for 28 elderly and disabled residents, but now they could use some help themselves. The earthquake had left the original rest home unliveable, so the owners had moved into a new property, only to discover that there was damage there too.
Bathrooms needing repair With money having to be spent on crucial structural maintenance, the much-needed bathroom renovations had fallen to the bottom of the priority list. As Lisa explains, “The bathrooms were pretty rundown. The eight toilet suites
Master Plumbers
needed replacing, along with three showers and each area needed to be wheelchair accessible and more user friendly.” She put the word out to Master Plumbers Canterbury members and was delighted when 13 businesses, including some newly signed-up members, were keen to get involved. The plans were finalised just before Christmas and work began after the holidays. “Our national Business Partners David from Adler Plumbing completing generously donated the installation of one of the eight rest materials, with Dux home toilets donated by Plumbing World. supplying the piping, and Mico providing shower mixers, hand basins, taps and grab rails,” says Lisa. “Plumbing World donated the eight toilets and ISOValve provided the valves that enabled the guys to work on a toilet without having to turn the water off, as it was important the job could be completed with minimal disruption for the residents.”
Working as a team Paul and Sam led the six-week Kowhai Rest Home Project. “Paul organised the plumbers on site and made sure all the products were ordered from the stores,” explains Lisa. “Sam ensured the team had everything they needed to do the job, as well as coordinating the plumbers and the rest home. They made a great team.” The project was Thank You! completed at the end of Master Plumbers February and the Kowhai Canterbury Association staff and residents are would like to thank thrilled to have brand-new the following member bathroom facilities for companies for their the residents. They aren’t part in the Kowhai Rest the only ones to come up Home Project. smiling. The Canterbury ■■ Whitehead Plumbing Master Plumbers members & Gas were chuffed to do their bit ■■ Foleys for the community too. ■■ Layne Watson Plumbing “We’re proud of what we ■■ Grant Ripley Plumbing achieved, and this will be the ■■ On To It Plumbing, Gas & Drainage first of many projects,” says ■■ Clyne & Bennie Lisa. “It was also great to see Plumbing the new members working ■■ Murray Bond at with the longer-standing Graham Bond Ltd members, so they can see the ■■ Adler Plumbing benefits of belonging to their ■■ Diver Plumbing & local association or branch Heating as well as being national ■■ Inline Plumbing member.”
AUTHOR: JE T’AIME HAYR
ASSOCIATION PROFILE
FISHING BUDDIES (AND RIVALS)
A 7.2lb snapper earned Bay of Plenty plumber Adam Hall a first-place prize at the recent Bay of Plenty vs Waikato Master Plumbers fishing competition… but was it enough to win his team the overall trophy? It was a 4am start for the 40 Master Plumbers and Business Partners across the Waikato and Bay of Plenty who were heading to the Coromandel Mussel Farms for the Waikato vs BOP/Coromandel fishing competition in late February. There were prizes for the heaviest three snappers, and kingfish, kahawai and trevally catches, along with a Hirepool rod and reel draw—but the most coveted was the Waikato vs BOP Cup (along with bragging rights for the year), which was given out for the heaviest combined weight of the three biggest snappers caught by each boat. Despite two of the BOP team, Adam Hall and Joe Mann, catching the two heaviest snappers overall, the Waikato team managed to steal the overall trophy with a combined weight of 19.1lbs compared to 18.34lbs for BOP. Prize giving was held at the Star and Garter Hotel and while all the anglers rehydrated, the fish was expertly filleted and packed for everyone to take home—leaving some aside to be cooked up as part of their lunch. Thanks go to Master Plumbers Business Partners who sponsored this great event: Hirepool for the minivans and rod and reel prize, Mico for the BOP boat, Rinnai for the Waikato boat, Dux for laying on the food and Plumbing World for beverages on the boats. A big shout out to Warren Thompson (one of the competition originals!) of the Waikato Master Plumbers for leading the charge in reigniting this event alongside BOP Master Plumbers President Andy Delaney, Wade Horton from Master Plumb and Steve Rushworth from Master Plumbers.
■■ Versatile Plumbing ■■ The Pipe & Drain Ltd ■■ CB Plumbing
Adam Hall with his prize snapper and at the Star and Garter with his award.
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Master Plumbers
MASTERLINK
NEWS FROM THE MASTER PLUMBERS-OWNED MASTERLINK APPRENTICE MANAGEMENT COMPANY.
That was a close call… Masterlink apprentice Craig Evans is the first to receive a $100 Mico tool voucher in our new campaign to encourage near miss reporting. As we reported last edition, it’s really important for apprentices to use the Masterlink app to report a near miss, so the situation can be put right and a future accident averted. Craig was finishing up at a job and started loading his tools and ladder into the van. He went off to complete the rest of the job, then jumped back in his van and drove off with the rear door still up. He realised a couple hundred metres down the road, pulled over and shut the door, checking to make sure nothing had fallen out. Next time he won’t rush it, says Craig! The first five reports submitted in February also each received $40-worth of Mobil fuel vouchers.
WELCOMING OUR NEW ADMINISTRATOR
With Brianna Henderson leaving us in March after nearly two years with Masterlink, we welcome new Administrator Ange Orr. Ange comes to us with extensive experience in admin support and is here to give assistance and service to Masterlink hosts and apprentices. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Ange with any queries you may have. ■■ angela.orr@masterlink.co.nz ■■ 04 801 2011
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GET IN TOUCH
Need an apprentice in your business? Masterlink Regional Managers are here to help.
Tania Forsyth Auckland & Northland 027 558 5441
Colin Kilpatrick Auckland 021 773 296
Russell Walsh Central North Island 027 600 9929
Bob McCoy Lower North Island 027 479 0075
Sam Timlin Upper South Island 021 433 615
Brendan Parker Lower South Island 021 644 560
SURVIVING TRICKY TIMES
As NZ Plumber went to print, New Zealand had just moved to COVID-19 Alert Level 3 and Masterlink apprentices were finally able to return to work. Throughout the lockdown, Masterlink kept hosts and apprentices up to date on progress and encouraged apprentices to use the time to get ahead on their studies, so they wouldn't be delayed any further when their block courses resumed. Masterlink did not charge hosts during the lockdown and paid apprentices 80% of their ordinary wages. Please be assured that we will continue to keep our hosts and apprentices informed on progress throughout the COVID-19 alert levels. We are here to support you, so please get in touch with your Regional Manager with any queries or concerns during this time. Our industry needs to keep training apprentices to meet the skills shortage and we are committed to maintaining our apprentice numbers.
ALL THE BEST, KATE!
Operations Manager Kate Jenkins left Masterlink in April to take up a new role at the Ministry of Education—but not before staying on an extra fortnight to help deal with the unexpected workload caused by the COVID-19 lockdown. "We are incredibly grateful for all of Kate’s hard work over the years and wish her the best of luck in her new role,” says CEO Greg Wallace. We are in the process of making a new appointment and will keep you informed. In the meantime, Business Services Manager Rebecca Byrne will be assisting in the role.
#3
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Greens Tapware - designed and engineered in NZ since 1935 – fostering the plumbing industry today for a bright future tomorrow.
View all reasons at plumbingworld.co.nz/30reasons
www.greenstapware.com
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Masterlink ““Masterlink has hasgone gonereally really well well for for us” us” Start tart earning! arning! Start tart living! living! “Masterlink “Masterlink ensures ensures a good a good match match for my for my business. business. I lookI look for for apprentices apprentices withwith a good a good attitude. attitude. As long As long as as they’re they’re willing willing to learn, to learn, I I can teach can teach themthem the skills.” the skills.” – Bruce – Bruce Trenwith Trenwith BT Plumbing, BT Plumbing, Auckland Auckland
“I like “Ithe likefact the fact thatthat therethere is someone is someone else supporting else supporting the the apprentice apprentice in the in the background, background, someone someone you can youfall canback fall back on if on if therethere are any areissues.” any issues.” – Richard – Richard Graves Graves Inside Inside Systems, Systems, Invercargill Invercargill
usinesses nesses in Oamaru in Oamaru areare oking ng forfor plumbing plumbing andand gasfitting gasfitting pprentices entices right right now. now.
Masterlink a Masterlink apprentice, apprentice, we we paypay youyou while while uain train for for a great aMore great career. career. Get Get qualified and and More of the ofsupport the support you qualified need you need and less and risk: less risk: tt set up for up life! for life! • Recruitment • Recruitment & Testing & Testing
• Mentoring • Mentoring and appraisals and appraisals have ou have good good hands-on, hands-on, practical practical skills skills • Apprentice • Apprentice PAYEPAYE and HR and HR njoy d enjoy realreal job •job variety, variety, send send your your CV CV andand Block • Block Course Course arrangements arrangements ver letter letter to roger.herd@masterlink.co.nz to• roger.herd@masterlink.co.nz Health • Health & safety & safety management management
• Starter • Starter toolkit toolkit and PPE and PPE rLink.co.nz sterLink.co.nz
“Using “Using Masterlink Masterlink has has gonegone well well for us. forThey us. They offeroffer goodgood support support and and communication. communication. It takes It takes the stress the stress off you off because you because theythey do the dovetting the vetting and and pre-employment pre-employment testing.” testing.” – Aaron – Aaron Jamieson Jamieson BOP BOP Plumbing Plumbing & Gas, & Gas, Rotorua Rotorua
Too easy! Too easy! Contact Contact our team our team today today 08000800 502 102 502 102 admin@masterlink.co.nz admin@masterlink.co.nz www.masterlink.co.nz www.masterlink.co.nz
Business smarts CALL YOURSELF A GOOD DRIVER?
The Health & Safety at Work Act defines any vehicle used for business purposes as a ‘workplace’—which means unsafe driving can be risky for everyone involved. Over the page, NZ Plumber talks with Chris L’Ecluse of Teletrac Navman about driver safety and discovers how individual driver performance data can assist employers and their teams.
68 DRIVER SAFETY 70 PILLARS OF WELLBEING
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n his 20 years in the Western Australia Police force, among them as a crash investigator, Chris L’Ecluse saw first-hand the avoidable family tragedies that could result from unsafe driving. He went on to become a Master Driver Trainer and today works as a Solutions Specialist for Teletrac Navman, helping businesses develop policies, procedures and a workplace culture for safe driving.
Employers want their workers go home safe at the end of each day, and also have a legal requirement to identify and mitigate driver safety risks.
Train your drivers: mitigate your risk Naturally, employers want to ensure their workers go home safe at the end of each day, but they also have a legal requirement to identify and mitigate safety risks.
5 GOOD REASONS… There are many good reasons to ensure you and your team drive well—beyond wanting to go home safely to your families each night. They include: 1. You could go to court if there’s a 2.
3. 4. 5.
major incident and someone gets hurt or killed You could be fined if the collision was deemed to be preventable (as all collisions are) and due to not providing sufficient training If a field staff member loses their licence, it puts them out of action Vehicle damage can be costly and disruptive Your fleet insurance is likely to go up.
“If a driver has a collision while at work, and it results in serious injury or death, the matter will be investigated by WorkSafe and the police, and investigations will go up the chain of command,” says Chris. “Two questions will be asked of the employer in the dock—can you demonstrate what you have done proactively to: ■■ identify the risk of driving? ■■ mitigate the identified risk? “By providing everyone in your business with driver training, you can show you have been proactive in mitigating the risks.”
Meaning of workplace A vehicle, vessel, aircraft, shop, or other mobile structure Health & Safety at Work Act, Section 20 (2) (a)
WHAT’S THE SCORE? Businesses using the Teletrac Navman fleet management system can monitor driver performance across all their vehicles. This allows employers to see if their field staff are speeding, or braking, accelerating and cornering too harshly—factors that impact fuel usage and maintenance costs, as well as safety. Rather than using this punitively, businesses can encourage better driver behaviour by allowing their teams to access Driver Scorecards that show how they’re tracking in terms of driving performance and how they could do better. You could even consider incentivising staff with a regular competition for the best performing driver in the fleet.
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Business smarts HEALTH & SAFETY
Driver risk profiles
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You Know
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A workplace culture of safe driving is particularly pertinent to plumbing businesses, where field staff are constantly on the move each day. “Plumbers are employed because they have an accredited qualification to practise their trade, and they undergo continuing professional development to help them carry out their work safely—and yet they are most likely to be harmed while driving to and from the job.”
■■ Two thirds of
workplace fatalities happen in or around vehicles ■■ Any vehicle used for work purposes constitutes a workplace. This includes personal vehicles used for work purposes, vehicles used by someone with a company fuelcard, and vehicles used by contractors. ■■ Each work-related vehicle injury incident costs a company $15,300, according to a 2015 Ministry of Transport estimate.
Most people believe they’re brilliant drivers, says Chris— but they have absolutely no data to back that up. “The beauty of Teletrac Navman telematics is that it gives employers a clear indication of how to prioritise the risk profile for individual drivers in the work environment. Without data, employers can only respond reactively—for example, after someone calls to complain about a team member’s driving, after that team member has received a police warning, or after an actual collision.” Having established individual driver risk profiles, employers are able to change the team’s overall driving culture by arranging targeted training to help address individual driver shortfalls.
Safety training: in the car or online? Teletrac Navman offers online driver safety modules that cover a range of topics, from driving in adverse conditions to driver fatigue, speeding, correct steering, vehicle checks, and how to react in an impending collision situation.
MOBILE PHONE USE It's illegal to use a mobile phone while driving. You must be parked up and completely stationary in order to do so. Using a phone hands-free or via Bluetooth is legal as long as the user does not physically manipulate or hold the device while driving, and the device is contained in a commercial cradle. However, the law requires that a driver must commit 100% attention to the task of driving and not be distracted by anything not critical to performing this function—which includes talking on the phone. If the driver were involved in a collision and the police investigated, they would know from the call charge records that the driver was being distracted at the time of the incident, which would be considered as having contributed to the collision.
There are many other online driver safety training course options available to businesses, but Chris says he endorses the Teletrac Navman Driving Academy because it meets compliance requirements and is easy to navigate for those who aren’t particularly computer literate. Teamed with the telematics, it can also be targeted to specific areas where an individual needs improvement, rather than all staff having the same, blanket training. The Teletrac Navman offering takes a ‘problem, proof, solution’ approach—with slides to show what the problem is, stats and graphs to demonstrate proof of the problem, and videos set in real-life New Zealand situations of how the problem can be avoided. Participants complete a quiz at the end of each module, with an 80% pass threshold to receive a certificate of completion. Having taught defensive driver training for 10 years, Chris believes online training is preferable to sitting beside the driver in an actual vehicle as the barriers to learning can go up when a person feels their competence is being assessed. “The person also shows you their A game rather than their typical driving behaviour,” he says. As well as being more cost effective than one-on-one sessions, online training can be spread out over time so as not to disrupt day-to-day business.
Teletrac Navman Solutions Specialist Chris L’Ecluse has a background in crash investigation, driver training and land transport safety consulting.
#9
Do it all online. With the PWGO app on your phone, you can order it anywhere.
View all reasons at plumbingworld.co.nz/30reasons
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pillars of wellbeing With the launch of the new Wellbeing on Tap wellbeing programme for the plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying industry, mental fitness coach Sue Kohn-Taylor outlines the five pillars for positive wellbeing. Nourish, Sleep, Active, Mind, Connect—why are these five words so important to you? Because these areas of your life are the key to building positive wellbeing. You may know that approximately one in five people will suffer from a mental illness in their life. However, if we build our life skills and build better mental fitness, it will help how we think, feel and act as we deal with life’s ups and downs. The new Master Plumbers’ Wellbeing on Tap programme focuses on five pillars of wellbeing, outlined below, and here’s why they’re so important to you.
Nourish: Food has an amazing impact on our minds and our body. With more research showing us that food can affect our mental health, it makes sense to ensure we feed our brain in the best way possible. Simple changes can have a huge impact.
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Sleep: A good night’s sleep is an essential ingredient to a healthy lifestyle, and a healthy mind. Make sleep a priority and learn the skills and tools on how to let your brain and body rest. Combine this with a balanced diet and regular exercise, and you will improve your physical and mental wellbeing, and set yourself up for a healthy and happy life. Active: There are huge benefits in actively moving your body for emotional and mental health.
Business smarts HEALTH & SAFETY
buffer against mental ill health for people of all ages. It’s also important to connect with the things you love doing—hobbies, passions, animals, nature. Connect with the things that fill you up as often as possible! In my business I have worked with 1000s of people globally and what I have learnt about the core wellbeing pillars in Wellbeing on Tap is that, if you focus on making these an important part of your daily life in a positive way, you will feel a difference. My advice to you is, get in the driver’s seat, take responsibility for your wellbeing every day and know that you can be happier and more fulfilled.
Physical activity can help greatly with maintaining positive mental wellbeing. The endorphins that the brain releases during exercise help to improve mood, energy levels and even sleep. Together, these positive effects help to improve self-confidence and resilience. Even a small boost of exercise makes a difference.
Mind: We talk a lot about physical fitness but what about mental fitness! Learning how to support a healthy mind is the driver of your life. When you have a strong, healthy mind, you have more ability to ride the ups and downs. You think better, react better and can make goals and plans for a happier and more fulfilling life.
Connect: There is strong evidence that shows that feeling close to, and valued by, other people is a fundamental human need and one that helps us function well in the world. We all need family and friendships where we know we are valued and cared for and can reach out and share when times are good and tough. Social relationships are critical for positive wellbeing and for acting as a
Take responsibility for your wellbeing every day and know that you can be happier and more fulfilled.
Feeling under Pressure? Don’t let your jobs get backed up. Take on an apprentice and secure the future of your business. Call Skills on 0508 SKILLS (754 557) to find out more.
About the author: Sue Kohn-Taylor is the passionate founder of The Mental Fitness Company, a regular on TV, column writer and speaker. She dedicates her time to teaching people how to build their mental fitness and resilience to enable them to lead a rewarding career and fulfilling personal life. TheMentalFitnessCompany.com.
TOOLBOX TIPS Short ’n’ snappy health and safety messages to cover off at your toolbox meetings.
SILICA DUST: 8 THINGS TO KNOW
THE INESCAPABLE TOPIC
Washing and drying your hands kills the virus Wash often. Use soap. 20 seconds. Then dry. This kills the virus by bursting its protective bubble.
Find out more at Covid19.govt.nz
It's impossible to avoid the subject of COVID-19 when discussing health and safety with the team. By the time NZ Plumber went to print, we were out of the Alert Level 4 lockdown, but good hygiene practices still apply: ■■ wash your hands often for 20 seconds, using soap—and dry thoroughly ■■ don't touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands aren't clean ■■ cough and sneeze into your elbow ■■ be vigilant about cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces and objects ■■ keep a 2m distance from others (1m minimum on work sites) ■■ stay home if you're unwell and call your GP or Healthline on 0800 358 5453 if you have COVID-19 symptoms ■■ be kind to yourself and others and look after your mental health. For full info, go to www.covid19.govt.nz
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Silicosis is a permanent lung disease caused by breathing in tiny particles of silica dust from engineered/artificial stone kitchen benches. Silica dust is created when materials are cut, ground, drilled, sanded or polished. Silicosis is preventable. WorkSafe has a guideline with 8 key things to know about how to control silica dust, and it’s available in several languages. Find it at worksafe.govt.nz/topicand-industry/dust/8-key-thingsfor-workers-to-know-controllingsilica-dust-in-the-workplace/
BATHROOM • HEATING & COOLING • PLUMBING • COMMERCIAL
Since 1961, Caleffi have been a leading Italian manufacturer of components for plumbing, heating, cooling, and renewable energy for residential and industrial systems.
MOBILE PLANT EXCLUSION ZONES
If there’s mobile plant on a site, there should be an enforced exclusion zone. An export logging firm that failed to ensure this was recently fined $330,750 after one of its workers was crushed to death between a shipping container and the grapple of an excavator. WorkSafe’s investigation found no workers in this case should have been within 7m of the excavator while it was in use. “A lack of safe work systems has cost a worker his life and a family their father, partner and son,” said WorkSafe Chief Inspector Steve Kelly.
All Caleffi products are designed and manufactured to exacting standards and undergo rigorous testing, so the customer can be assured they are using the highest quality products. Caleffi’s expertise lies with the control of temperature, pressure and flow of water-based fluids. Their products range from control valves, balancing devices and flow switches to zone relays and heat meters. Waterware works closely with Caleffi in designing components that fit the New Zealand market and has enjoyed a long successful partnership with Caleffi for over 30 years and is the exclusive supplier of Caleffi products across New Zealand. Next time you are looking for an extensive range of quality brass products, such as tempering valves, PRV’s, balancing devices, and zone control, contact 0800 WATERWARE for Caleffi components - a brand that you can trust to get the job done.
GET ACCESS TO THE WATERWARE KNOWLEDGE BASE
SITE SAFE PASSPORT PLUS UPDATED
Site Safe’s three Passport Plus safety courses have been refreshed with the latest technical information for the construction sector. The three courses are a step up from foundation-level Passport courses and comprise Height, Tools & Plant, and Workers’ Health. Each is four hours long. Find more information at www.sitesafe.org.nz/guides-resources/practical-safety-advice/
The Knowledge base is a place to go to see all of the tips and tricks accumulated over the last 30 years of experience selling Caleffi valves. Model selection, sizing and troubleshooting advice specific to the Caleffi family to quickly and efficiently bring you up to speed with the extensive range. All you need to do is to set up a trade login with Waterware and you will gain full access to our online Knowledge Base.
Proud partners with
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Career starters
Flints Plumbing & Drainage owner Andy Langford with his lockdown beard.
“OUR LOCKDOWN EXPERIENCE”
There are currently five Masterlink apprentices at Flints Plumbing & Drainage in Queenstown—and two had only very recently joined when the COVID-19 pandemic reached New Zealand. NZ Plumber talked to the company about their lockdown experience.
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lumbing businesses in Queenstown were enjoying the Monday Otago Anniversary public holiday when news of the COVID-19 Alert Level 4 lockdown began circulating. Andy Langford of RHE Mechancial and Flints Plumbing & Drainage remembers the flurry of activity that followed, with all 16 of the plumbing division staff called in on the Tuesday and told to tidy up work sites, make them safe and then pack up their tools and lock up the yard. Admin were equally busy tying up loose ends and sending out accounts for payment before the office closed.
“Up until then, we had been taking steps to follow the Level 3 protocols—on-site safety, good hygiene, not coming in if unwell and having staggered breaks for staff, so we didn’t have too many people congregating at once,” he recalls. In the first weeks of lockdown, the company only had a handful of urgent callouts, and Andy says most customers seemed to have a good understanding of what constituted essential work. Final year Masterlink apprentice Alan Wharton was the first in the team to attend these essential callouts before Andy took over as the gatekeeper. “We were lucky to have sufficient PPE supplies
Career starters COVID-19 IMPACT
as we already had good filter masks and we raced around on the Tuesday getting hold of the other gear we needed,” he says. The jobs they have been called to were short and sweet—fixing hot water cylinder valve leaks, for example—so homeowners were able to make themselves scarce. “However, most of the work we do is commercial—hotels, backpackers, apartments, supermarkets and hardware stores—which could be a different story if essential work were needed,” says Andy.
Getting through the lockdown Of the five Masterlink apprentices at Flints, Jordan Montgomery was the newest, having started only two weeks before the lockdown. Apart from Alan Wharton’s one week on call, all five stayed in their homes during Alert Level 4—some of them able to keep each other company in a flat share arrangement. Alan, who is married, said he and his wife were in the midst of getting work done on their property pre-lockdown, so it was covered in building wrap and surrounded by scaffolding. “We managed to get some exercise by using the scaffolding as pull-up bars,” he says with a laugh.
According to Alan, the Masterlink apprentice management company provided excellent support throughout. “They were able to secure the 80% wage subsidy for all their apprentices in those first four weeks and Masterlink RM Brendan Parker was also in regular contact by email and phone.” The Flints management team kept in contact with all their staff by text and let them know they were always at the end of the phone if anyone needed to talk—and team members enjoyed video catch-ups on Skype and Houseparty. Andy says the key was to stay positive and deal with what was happening in the here and now rather than worrying about what had gone before or might come up in the future. “We should be straight back to our existing projects with lockdown over— though a lot of them are tied to tourism and no one knows how long that will take to recover.”
Spare time for study Alan Wharton says it’s been a mad three years in Queenstown, with a huge amount of commercial development, including hotels and supermarkets, and he was pretty
Alan Wharton, who manages maintenance work for Flints Plumbing & Drainage, was the first member of the team to be on essential work callouts during the lockdown.
confident of a heavy workload on the other side of the lockdown. In the meantime, he was using the enforced stay at home to study for his upcoming plumbing and gasfitting registration exams and to work through his study guides in preparation for two backto-back block courses he was due to attend before they were postponed—with one final course currently scheduled for October. “My aim is to be qualified and registered by the end of the year,” he says.
Career starters SCHOLARSHIPS
Securing a scholarship Earning a scholarship is an awesome acknowledgement of your vocational skills – and opportunities are available at every stage of the learning pathway.
APPRENTICES: PLUMBING WORLD SCHOLARSHIPS
with a Plumbing World Scholarship—a $1,000 credit at their local Plumbing World. Winners also receive two complimentary tickets to the NZ Plumbing Awards Dinner, with the overall winner also getting full NZ Plumbing Conference registration, flights and accommodation. Scholarship nominations can be made by Masterlink Regional Managers and host employers. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 New Zealand Plumbing Awards Dinner could not go ahead. However, the three Masterlink apprentices to win Plumbing World Scholarships will be announced soon via a 'virtual' video awards ceremony, MC'd by Paul Ego. We'll also feature the winners in the next edition of NZ Plumber. Nominations for the 2021 Plumbing World Scholarships will open in late 2020.
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS: VOCATIONAL EXCELLENCE SCHOLARSHIPS
APPRENTICE CANDIDATES: GREENS TAPWARE SCHOLARSHIPS
In 2019, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern launched $2,000 scholarships for top vocational students at all New Zealand high schools. Each year, every state and state-integrated secondary school can nominate a candidate in Year 12 or 13 to be presented with a Prime Minister’s Vocational Excellence Award. Students are nominated by their schools for showing promise in a vocational career pathway, such as construction and infrastructure, a service industry, or manufacturing and technology. The award was launched to raise the status of vocational study, to encourage students to plan their subject choices to lead to careers that suit their skills, and to help address skills shortages. 2020 nominations open around early August. Find out more at pmvea.education.govt.nz/ 076
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PHOTO BY ALEXANDROS MICHAILIDIS / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
Each year, Plumbing World recognises top-performing plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying apprentices employed by Masterlink
Master Plumbers and Greens Tapware are working together to provide $2,000 scholarships for candidates looking to enter a plumbing, drainlaying or gasfitting apprenticeship under the employ of Masterlink or a Master Plumbers member business. A donation from every sale in the Greens Vantage Range goes towards funding the scholarships, which will be awarded to successful applicants. Greens Vantage is part of the Master Plumbers Recommends range and can be viewed at www.masterplumbers.org.nz/vantage Scholarships will be awarded periodically throughout each year. Entries are open now. Find the application form at www.masterplumbers.org.nz/about/apprenticeships/ scholarships-greens/
#20
Rewards a plenty. Earn Max Points on everything you buy and turn them into the Rewards you really want.
View all reasons at plumbingworld.co.nz/30reasons
Due to manufacturing and supply changes, the Stylus Dorado and Alto Toilet Suites are being made obsolete, and are available only while stocks last. We would like to offer you a substitute product…
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Post a photo or video with the hashtag #proudtobeaplumber for your chance to win! “l’M PROUD TO BE A PLUMBER, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY THERE’S SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES!” - PAUL OLSEN #proudtobeaplumber
WIN… Master Plumbers Branded Fridges
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Terms and conditions apply. Visit masterplumbers.org.nz/proud
And finally...
10 minutes with… Enrico Ziegler Plumbing apprentice Enrico Ziegler has been volunteering in the ULTRA4 Competition for the past two years. We chat to him about his involvement with this exciting new sport for New Zealand. AUTHOR JE T’AIME HAYR Tell us a bit about yourself. I’m a 23-year-old first-year Masterlink apprentice at David Lu Plumbing in Auckland and I work mostly on new builds, drainage, and pre-slabs. What do you like about plumbing? You can make good money and it’s enjoyable. Plus, it’s not particularly hard on your body, so you can do it for a few years without injury. We do a lot of drainage work and I appreciate
that I get outdoors a bit; I’d hate to be stuck inside at a desk. So, what is ULTRA4? ULTRA4 is 4-wheel drive racing at high speed and rock crawling— which is contradictory, because rock crawling can make the car very unstable at high speed. Also, the competition is unlimited in terms of vehicle modifications. Of course, there are strict safety guidelines,
79 10 MINUTES WITH... 82 DODGY PLUMBING nzplumber
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And finally... ENRICO ZIEGLER
ULTRA4 races take place over the whole weekend, with competitors high-speed racing and rock crawling.
but participants can have a lot of fun changing the vehicle. Last year’s winning vehicle is valued at $360,000, so we are talking about unique super machines. What are the challenges of this type of racing? The challenge involves the 4400 series (big trucks) and the ATV (all-terrain vehicles), which are less expensive, although the winning trucks have usually had a massive amount of money spent on them. The races take place over the whole weekend and the races are an hour to two hours each. A lot can go wrong in that time. Last year, people shredded their tyres on the rocks, the hub fell off an ATV, one fella blew his diff and of course it messes with the vehicle’s suspension. The participants tend to have a DIY sort of attitude. Last year one of the fellas had a workshop on wheels with a welder, power supply to run angle grinders and all sorts. What is your involvement? I was following King of the Hammers
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Masterlink apprentice Enrico Ziegler.
online and saw that ULTRA4 was coming to New Zealand and they needed volunteers, so I applied, and it went from there. Last year I was pit marshalling and organising the races, but this year I am helping to organise the event, get the track ready and ensure the day runs smoothly. Where is the NZ event happening? The organisers have had to make a change of date and venue for this year's event, which was yet to be announced when NZ Plumber went to print. They will bring in obstacles like rocks and trees to spice it up. There will also be a spectator area so people can come along and watch. Any hairy moments? We are very strict on safety. Before each race, everyone gets their cars checked for a proper roll cage and fire extinguishers. Recovery vehicles are dotted all around the track and there’s also a firefighter and first aid respondent. Even though the vehicles can get a bit broken, the people in the cars leave in the same condition that they came in.
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And finally... DODGY PLUMBING
Hidden danger “Went out to inspect a kitchen sink blockage and spotted this installation on my way out,” says Luke Clark. “Reported it to Energy Safety."
Sent in a photo and haven’t seen it yet? Please bear with us as we work our way through all the entries!
Way things were
Bad temper Thanks to Matt McCrory of McCrory Plumbing Kairoura for sending this one in. “For the true eco-cowboy plumber, no wastage of cold water with this cold water expansion valve feeding the tempering valve!”
Some of the latest dodgy plumbing photos to be sent in—and we expect plenty more after hearing reports of shonky DIY work during the lockdown...
This old gas water heater is no longer connected but Martin de Gouw of Clyne & Bennie Plumbing sent in the photo for interest’s sake. “Would be totally illegal under today’s standards for use in a bathroom. We have come a long way,” he says.
Flexi time “You can plumb anything with a flexi,” says Andy from Delaney Plumbing, who sent in this photo of what his company found when they removed the wall linings after being called out to a leaking shower.
Oil be right! “Pretty ingenious,” says Robin Houghton of this safe tray diversion tactic he came across.
Send your dodgy photos to the Ed: bsellers@masterplumbers.org.nz. The bigger the file, the larger we can show it on the page. 082
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Boss Gully Trap
The shortest boss around › uPVC – seamless integration into Marley OPTIM DWV System ®
› Just 199mm high – 20% shorter than standard uPVC option › Get the right fit and fall within shorter joist heights › AS/NZS 1260 compliant New Zealand patent application no. 753983, New Zealand design application no. 426078 WaterMark Certification WMK20224
INNOVATIVE
230mm 230mm
230mm 230mm
TRADITIONAL
BAD FIT
EASY FIT & FALL
LESS WORKAROUNDS | LESS TIME | LESS STRESS
