NZ Plumber December 2016-January 2017 by NZ Plumber

MERRY CHRISTMASâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON!

DECEMBER 2016/JANUARY 2017

BOOK NOW FOR NELSON NZ Plumbing Conference 2017 coming soon

GIVE US FUNDS!

Support needed for on-job apprentice trainers

FUTURE TALENT Taking our industry into tomorrow

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EDITORIAL

Volume 68, Number 6 MAGAZINE TEAM CEO Greg Wallace EDITOR Beverly Sellers 03 543 2008 beverlysellers@xtra.co.nz DESIGN Sally Travis Design www.sallytravisdesign.co.nz PRINT Service Printers 258 Taranaki Street Wellington 6141 SUBSCRIPTIONS NZ Plumber is published six times a year by Master Plumbers, Gasfitters & Drainlayers NZ. MPGD members receive all six editions. Non-members can subscribe online at www.masterplumbers.org.nz MAILING LIST For enquiries, or to update your details: beverlysellers@xtra.co.nz Non-Master Plumbers’ members with address detail changes should notify the PGD Board direct, giving their registration number licensing@pgdb.co.nz TO ADVERTISE Contact Catherine Schuster 027 839 8398 cschuster@masterplumbers.org.nz

NZ Plumber is the official magazine of Master Plumbers, Gasfitters & Drainlayers NZ Inc. Contact details for the MPGD Board, Society staff and Regional Associations are available at www.masterplumbers.org.nz ©NZ Plumber 2013. Registered as a Newspaper, GPO, Wellington, ISSN 0111-4379. NZ Plumber is subject to copyright in its entirety. The contents may not be reproduced in any form, either in whole or in part, without written permission of the publisher. All rights reserved in material accepted for publication, unless initially specified otherwise. All letters and other material forwarded to the magazine will be assumed intended for publication unless clearly labelled ‘Not for Publication’. Views expressed in articles in NZ Plumber magazine are not necessarily those of Master Plumbers, Gasfitters & Drainlayers NZ Inc, or of the Editor. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information included in this publication, the publisher and the Editor take no responsibility for errors or omissions or for any consequences of reliance on this information. Publication of advertising material implies no endorsement of either a product or service.

Where did that one go? Are you wondering where this year went? HERE AT NZ PLUMBER, 2016 seemed to fly by in a flash and here we are already with the final edition for the year. Over the course of the year, NZ Plumber has reported on a number of changes for the industry, including the introduction of a new CPD training format, a new brand for Master Plumbers and, of course, the new workplace health and safety legislation. There has been a call for tougher regulations around imported plumbing product and, most importantly, for more apprentices to help address the current skills shortage, due to major construction activity demand. Turn to p38 for the Master Plumbers’ viewpoint on what’s needed from the government to provide support for employers who take on apprentices in their businesses. Much has been happening in the apprentice space during the year, and MasterLink provides a round-up of its activities on p68. Attracting high-calibre apprentices is a particular challenge, which is why the World Skills NZ competition is so worthwhile in promoting the trades. Turn to p70 for an article from the organisers on the recent Nationals. The 14 November earthquakes that affected much of New Zealand–Hurunui, Marlborough and Wellington in particular—have also had their impact on the construction industry this year (see p17). For plumbers on the ground, the damage caused to residential and commercial properties will be adding to the pre-Christmas workload. At a government level, MBIE says it is to conduct a technical investigation into those buildings in Wellington that didn’t fare so well, with the aim of potentially learning some more lessons about the seismic performance of buildings. There has been plenty to celebrate in 2016, too, and we continue the theme this issue with the winners from the recent Waikato Master Plumbers Awards (p41), a great time at the Auckland Master Plumbers Melbourne Cup Day (p28) and 130th birthday celebrations for Methven (p34). In this edition, we also provide some information about the retention payment changes that are coming next year (p14). One particular highlight for me this issue was talking to four Life Members of the Hutt Valley Wairarapa Master Plumbers Association about their businesses, their hobbies, the changes they’ve seen and the many lifelong friendships they have made in the industry. Read what Jim Malcolm, Murray Brockelsby, David Livingstone and John Seamer have to say on p23. We’d like to thank everyone who has contributed to the magazine during the year—our advertisers, writers, columnists and readers. It's been a great year for NZ Plumber, with a Silver Tabbie award nicely tucked under our belt. Have a wonderful, safe Christmas and we’ll be back in February with the first edition of 2017!

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

OVER TO YOU The best email, letter, tip or photo published on this page wins a $30 prize voucher of your choice! Do you have a picture, story or news to share? Or feedback on any of the articles you’ve read in NZ Plumber? Email the Ed: beverlysellers@xtra.co.nz. Or give me a call on 03 543 2008. OOPS – LET’S GET THE FIGURES STRAIGHT On page 44 of the October-November edition, we listed the number of new registrations during the 2015/16 year. The number of gasfitters should have been 124, not 1,214! We apologise for the misprint. NOT SO DODGY? Love the dodgy plumbing section, but your picture [on p73 of the June-July 2016 edition] of

December 2016/January 2017

> 3

EDITORIAL

the tempering valve screwed in to the top of the cylinder actually complies—there is nothing wrong with it. The manufacturer actually recommends it*. Other types of tempering valves do require 1m of copper. The pipework on the other hand is shocking! Paul Turner, Managing Director, Euro Plumbing * RMC Heatguard Installation Instructions state: • It is recommended the valve be installed as close as possible to the hot water system, however it may be fitted anywhere on the hot water supply pipe if necessary. • If the valve is fitted at the point-of-use there must be a minimum one (1) metre pipe run between the valve and the outlet fixture. Thanks for your feedback Paul—this edition’s prize voucher on its way to you now. We contacted the manufacturer, for comment and their response is below: Manufacturer’s response… The plumber who emailed you is correct in stating there is a Verification Method allowing for installs based on manufacturers’ recommendations. We have found the tempering valves perform better at the tank, as the wax thermostat inside has the heat against it permanently, allowing for a faster mix and a more consistent temperature delivery. The spec sheet details all of the above and refers to the correct sections within the Code. I think a great point of discussion for plumbers is this: “If you’re using a tempering valve directly at the tank, should you still need to use 1m of copper after the tempering valve?” There’s still a grey area around this, as one could assume—given the water is tempered—you shouldn’t require the 1m of copper, but there doesn’t appear to be anything confirming this, so I think it’d be a good discussion to raise. And MBIE response… We also asked MBIE for comment and their response is below: The RMC brochure shows two tempering valve installation options. Option 1 would be considered an Alternative Solution and the manufacturer would be required to ensure the provisions of the Building Code clause G12 Water Supplies are met. Tempering valves can be installed at the end of a 1m length of copper pipe, or could be closer as an alternative, providing the manufacturer of the valve advises the tempering valve is durable enough to handle any additional high water temperature from any uncontrolled heat sources connected to a hot water storage heater (for example, solar and wetback systems). Where a hot water storage heater is designed to have an open vent, a tempering valve cannot be screwed to the vent outlet. It is noted that option 2 on the RMC brochure indicates a valve system suitable for providing higher temperature hot water from an uncontrolled heat source to a dwelling kitchen and laundry (ie, sanitary fixtures not intended for personal hygiene), which shows the tempering valve is not screwed to the hot water storage heater outlet. 4

December 2016/January 2017

GREYPOWER PLUMBERS Brian Williams of Blenheim contacted us at NZ Plumber to say he’d like to see a way for retired Certifying tradespeople to use their years of skills and experience on occasional jobs. Brian says he keeps up to speed with upskilling but doesn’t want to pay $441 for the annual practising licence as he no longer runs a business. It’s his view that retired qualified tradespeople could still be useful to the industry, particularly in these times of skills shortages. IN HIS ELEMENT We love these photos sent in to us of MasterLink South Island Manager Roger Herd, taken during a well-deserved break from the day job. Roger says he enjoys scooping the whitebait and his wife Lynn enjoys eating them the way he cooks them (in case you're wondering, 250g of whitebait, 2 eggs separated, white and yolks beaten, seasoned and cooked with a knob of butter, not oil!). When it comes to crayfish, he says he likes to keep things simple—boiled and served with vinegar, salt and pepper between fresh bread. Delicious!

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Inside this issue

DECEMBER 2016/JANUARY 2017

WHAT’S ON 9

Book now for the industry event of 2017

MASTER PLUMBERS NEWS 10 CEO Greg Wallace on the shortfall of plumbers; meet our new Operations Manager; Pit Stop member discounts; Best in Brand winner; and new contractor agreement template

IN FOCUS 14 Retention payment update

What’s changing in 2017

When disaster strikes Being prepared is the best approach

REAL LIVES 23 As time goes by

We talk to four life members from the Hutt Valley Wairarapa Master Plumbers Association

67 Putting service first Winning work practices at this Hamilton firm 6

December 2016/January 2017

NUTS & BOLTS 19 Drainlaying demarcation

Water tanks, pumps and septic tanks— plumbing or drainlaying?

20 Tech points Drains from HWC relief valves, solid fuel fire installations and more… 21 Gas ring New website for gas industry

SUSTAINABLE FUTURES

30 Pool fencing changes New legislation affects spa pools 30 Site safe passport courses Three new health and safety renewal options 31 Conceptual thinking New Caroma Concept Centre 32 Not happy! Consumer complaint trends

26 Climate change housing costs What’s the financial impact of futureproofing?

32 Utilities disputes replaces EGCC Name change to reflect rapidly changing utilities marketplace

INDUSTRY TALK 28 Picking the winner!

33 Water and the economy NZ can learn from international water management developments

Auckland Master Plumbers’ Melbourne Cup Day a galloping success

29 Sam’s spot Three ways to exit your business

34 Happy birthday Methven New premises mark Methven’s 130th year

29 Licence changes Photo licensing and licence class changes

38 Give us funds to train Opinion piece from Master Plumbers CEO Greg Wallace

CONTENTS

ON THE COVER MERRY CHRISTMAS—HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON!

DECEMBER 2016/JANUARY 2017

BOOK NOW FOR NELSON

NZ Plumbing Conference 2017 coming soon

GIVE US FUNDS!

Support needed for on-job apprentice trainers

68 39 Construction highs and lows The construction sector’s contribution to the NZ economy—and the issues it faces 40 Females at the fore Awarding women working in construction 40 Top performers PGD Board’s 2016 award winners

AROUND ASSOCIATIONS 41 Wowing ‘em in Waikato

Winners from the recent Waikato Master Plumbers Association Awards

SAFETY FIRST 44 Feeling fatigued?

Site Safe advice for staying alert

46 Health & safety made easy Finalist award for the Master Plumbers health & safety app

WORLD VIEW 48 Ready for adventure?

Volunteer Service Abroad wants to hear from you!

HEALTH MATTERS 50 Working with asbestos

A new code of practice

FUTURE TALENT Taking our industry into tomorrow

A WINNING TEAM BIG PICTURE THINKING Top Waikato plumbing Structures for business firm growth

67 Cover photograph: Nelson's popular Tahuna Beach

SUPPLY LINES

TECH SAVVY

SMART BUSINESS 54 Big picture thinking

66 Dealing with Facebook feedback Handling negative comments on your company’s Facebook page

53 Work-life balance Grow a business and have a life with simPRO Software’s cloud-based job management system

Structures to support business growth

56 Relax and recharge BNZ on tax, personal finances, and taking time to relax and recharge

65 Big change for Google AdWords If your business advertises on Google, make sure you’re on the ball

NEXT GENERATION 68 MasterLink Christmas wrap A round-up of the year just gone

57 When Inland Revenue calls How to prepare for a tax audit

70 Competition standard The World Skills NZ organisers look back on a successful nationals event

59 Measuring performance The importance of yearly staff performance reviews

73 More plumbers needed Become part of the solution with WorkChoice!

60 Recruiting from overseas Answers to some common questions

PRODUCTS & SERVICES

TIMES PAST 62 In on the act

AND FINALLY

How Master Plumbers was instrumental in bringing about the original PGD Act

INNOVATION 64 Water smarts

74 New products in the marketplace

77 Christmas crackers Jokes, fun stuff and media oddities 78 Dodgy plumbing House(s) of horrors

An innovative smart water management system December 2016/January 2017

Here’s to Smoko! The British take tea, Americans have a coffee break, but for we kiwis, it will always be smoko. When the time comes, we down tools, grab our favourite mug and gather at the Boil & Brew to dunk our biscuits and talk about our weekends, the rugby and what’s on the telly. last for many years of Smokos and great Yarns.

Available in 5L, 10L, 15L and 25L with a delivery from 35–200 cups an hour Tap can remain in place when removing the cover New shape with easy clean cover Easy access point for the reset thermostat 0800 RINNAI | rinnai.co.nz | facebook.com/rinnainz

What’s on The NZ Plumbing Conference is the industry event to kickstart 2017.

EVENTS

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

Date: 10-12 April 2017 Venue: Rutherford Hotel, Nelson An absolute treat of an event is lined up for you in Nelson. Falling just before Easter, the 2017 NZ Plumbing Conference is set to be a stunner. The venue is the Rutherford Hotel, just a few minutes’ walk from Nelson’s main shopping district and a good base to explore the sandy beaches and national parks that make this region such a popular holiday destination. The 2017 event will run from Monday to Wednesday and kicks off with Mico Welcome Night dinner and drinks at Nelson’s waterfront Boathouse in picturesque Nelson Haven. Tuesday evening’s Dux and Marley Fun Night will be held at Founders Heritage Park, known for its character buildings set in quaint streets, and for the award winning Founders Brewery. During the day, there will be a wealth of business and motivational speakers to provide insights and advice to take back with you. Plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying workshops will also be available plus practical business growth topics for the sector. The event will culminate in the New Zealand Plumbing Awards—this industry’s opportunity to recognise the very best apprentices, employees, businesses, products, projects and longstanding service. Awards applications are open until 3 February 2017, so get your entries in now! All forms at www.masterplumbers.org.nz Full conference information and booking available at www.nzplumbingconference.org.nz. Book and pay by 16 December to be in to win an Air NZ Mystery Break for Two!

Photograph: Nelson-Tasman Tourism.

Clockwise from top: Make a holiday of it and enjoy the Abel Tasman region. Founders Heritage Park is the venue for the Dux and Marley Fun Night. The luxury Rutherford Hotel conference venue. Vineyards abound in the region. The beautiful Nelson harbour.

December 2016/January 2017

MASTER PLUMBERS NEWS

Season’s greetings Enjoy the holidays and see you next year at Conference!

I’D LIKE TO wish all members, Business Partners and industry supporters a Merry Christmas. It’s been a very busy year for the industry and at this time of year it’s important that both staff and employers get time to enjoy camping, fishing and other New Zealand activities. Master Plumbers has achieved a lot of goals during the year. We’ve been proactive regarding the pretrade qualifications and enjoyed good engagement with Ministry officials, MBIE and the PGD Board. We’ve been able to grow the membership and apprentice numbers and, of course, deliver a fantastic magazine! Next year, we will continue to offer innovative, quality training and member services. This will start with the 2017

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

Dr Plumber Ltd in Hamilton Manaena Lee Ltd T/A Laser Plumbing Napier Static Electrical and Plumbing Services Ltd in New Plymouth Steve’s Plumbing Ltd in Martinborough Waterworx Plumbing and Gas Ltd in Dunedin.

Want to join?

Discover the business benefits of becoming a member of Master Plumbers! Contact Catherine Schuster on 027 839 8398 or email cschuster@masterplumbers.org.nz SPECIAL TWO-YEAR MEMBERSHIP DEAL AVAILABLE!

December 2016/January 2017

NZ Plumbing Conference in Nelson. We really encourage as many members as possible to attend. We have structured the event so that attendees get some valuable learning and initiatives to take back to their businesses. Nelson is a great place to have a conference and we’re sure that the event will deliver something that Master Plumbers can be very proud of. We have recently had some media attention around the shortfall of plumbers across New Zealand. We have put out a survey to members to get a better understanding of individual requirements for qualified staff and apprentices in each region—and we will send the collated information through to Ministry officials. We are also taking initiatives to entice ex-pat Kiwis with current plumbing qualifications back to New Zealand from Australia. We believe the industry is close to crisis around the numbers of plumbers required for the current construction pipeline

forecast. All of these initiatives are just a band-aid—the only real solution to the burgeoning issue of the lack of qualified tradespeople is to train more apprentices and bring these trainees through the industry. Until we get the same numbers as the electrical industry has, we are going to have an ongoing shortage of qualified plumbers in New Zealand. Figures still show that only 36 percent of the industry trains an apprentice, yet more than 65 percent are looking for additional staff. Stay safe in your holiday endeavours and I look forward to seeing you all at the NZ Plumbing Conference.

Greg Wallace, CEO Master Plumbers, Gasfitters & Drainlayers NZ

Meet Margaret Dawson

Introducing our new Operations Manager. We’re very pleased to welcome new Operations Manager Margaret Dawson, who started in her new role in October. Margaret comes to us from IPENZ, where she was Professional Development Manager for six years, looking after their CPD programme for engineers, their professional development partner relationships and the International Engineering Alliance Secretariat. An accountant by training, Margaret has spent the past 25 years in a range of education and training roles, including 15 years at Whitireia, Weltec and UCOL.

When not working, Margaret spends a lot of her spare time playing musical instruments. She teaches piano to a few students and is also a member of a brass band and plays the cornet. “I am really enjoying working in another membership organisation and hope I can bring some skills and ideas from the other two membership bodies I have worked in,” she says. Margaret is currently working on the 2017 training timetable of face-to-face and online courses, which will cover a broad range of topics to meet your business and technical needs.

Training survey prize winner

To ensure that we deliver the training you want, we sent out a survey to all members in October. We had excellent feedback and we sincerely thank everyone who responded with suggestions and ideas for topics. Congratulations to Shane Woodcock for winning the survey prize draw of a $100 Rebel Sports voucher! We look forward to rolling out the training timetable in 2017. More about that next issue.

MASTER PLUMBERS NEWS

Keeping you on the road

NEW! Enjoy some great member discounts with Pit Stop. Pit Stop have become a preferred supplier to Master Plumbers members for all your automotive service requirements. Pit Stop offers an extensive range of vehicle related services, including: • Scheduled vehicle servicing (petrol and diesel vehicles) • Warrant of Fitness checks • Brake, clutch, suspension and exhaust repairs • Specific engine related repairs—eg, cambelt replacements • Tyre replacement and maintenance. All repairs are backed by extensive

guarantees that surpass automotive industry standards, and include two to five year warranties on components and two years on workmanship. Members can also enjoy a 10% discount on all Pit Stop ezy service vehicle servicing packages and spare parts used (excludes tyres, freight & consumables). If you require a WOF check, you’ll receive this at a special discounted rate of $48 (inc GST). To receive the benefits offered, just show proof of membership to the Pit Stop store manager before work starts. Find your nearest Pit Stop store at www.pitstop.co.nz

Best in Brand competition

At the Young Plumbers Club During a recent visit to Gisborne, Master Plumbers Business Development Manager Catherine Schuster competed with an apprentice in a timed contest to take apart and reassemble a mixer tap. “I lost, of course!” she says. Competitors at the Plumbing World Young Plumbers Club event were also challenged to make a wine rack by bending and brazing copper, with a prize for the person who reproduced the sample rack most accurately in the fastest time. The event included a few beers and a BBQ, and Master Plumbers Board Director Grayson Allen was there to help judge the handiwork and discuss the benefits of Master Plumbers membership.

Thanks for all your entries… and we have a winner! This issue, the Best in Brand prize voucher goes to Plumbing & Gas Works in Hamilton. We love the way they’ve incorporated the branding into the rear window space of their vans—a clever way to keep prying eyes out, too. Find out more about the company, which has just become the 2016 Waikato Master Plumber of the Year, on p67. Your turn next To be in to win the next $200 prize voucher, just send us a photo or two of how you’re using the new Master Plumbers branding in your business. Email Vanessa Price, vprice@masterplumbers.org.nz, by 20 January 2017.

Above: The mixer tap contest underway.

NEW! Contractor agreement template We’ve just added a contractor agreement to our contract templates. Master Plumbers assists its members with template agreements, including: • Standard individual employment agreement • Apprentice individual employment agreement • Subcontractor agreement (for when you are entering into a head contract and subcontracting out some of that work).

We’ve now added a contractor agreement for when you engage individual contractors or their companies to carry out work. These agreements reflect the recent changes to workplace health and safety legislation. Find them all in your member log-in at www.masterplumbers.org.nz under Business Resources. >

Above: The wine rack challenge.

December 2016/January 2017

MASTER PLUMBERS NEWS

New Mobilcard acceptors Mobil’s network is expanding. New sites where you can enjoy the full Master Plumbers Mobilcard discount: • • • • • • •

Mobil Kaiapoi, 82 Williams Street Mobil Yaldhurst, Main West coast Road, Christchurch Mobil Matamata, 97 Firth Street, Matamata Mobil Porchester, Porchester Road, Takanini, South Auckland Mobil Opotiki, 89 Church Street, Opotiki Mobil Riccarton, 33 Riccarton Road, Christchurch Mobil Twizel, 50 Mackenzie Drive, Twizel

Plus more to follow…. To find your nearest Mobilcard discount site, go to www.mobilfuelfinder.co.nz

Back of the van

Want the Don’t Risk It message on your vehicles? We’ve had several enquiries from members wanting to use our Don’t Risk It consumer branding on their vehicles. We have a template you can show your signwriter—available in the member login at www.masterplumbers.org.nz under Business Resources (Brand). To get hold of the artwork, just email Marketing Consultant Angie Forrest, angie@foundation.net.nz It’s a great way of getting your vehicles noticed!

Don’t Risk It winner During August, we ran our ‘Don’t Risk It and Win’ competition, with a $2,000 Rheem Hot Water Prize Pack up for grabs for consumers booking their next plumbing or gasfitting job with their local Master Plumber. Congratulations to Keith Deverall on the Kapiti Coast, who won the prize draw after calling on the services of Peter Jackson Plumbing. We hope you enjoy your prize!

December 2016/January 2017

Going for gold We’d like to thank MM Kembla, RWC and Allproof Industries for their continuing support of Master Plumbers, recently upgrading their Business Partnerships from Silver to Gold. We appreciate all the support we receive from our Business Partners, which help us provide valuable services and resources for our members. Please support them too.

Product tick of approval

Our Master Plumbers Recommends campaign is gaining momentum! Greens Tapware, Apex Valves, Marley, Allproof and Buteline are among our Business Partners to have signed up to the Master Plumbers Recommends consumer initiative, launched earlier this year. Products selected by these Business Partners have met the criteria considered by our panel of experienced installers, and are ready to be highlighted in store to consumers who are looking for help making purchasing decisions for their bathrooms, kitchens and laundries. Consumers can also visit our www.tickofapproval.co.nz website to find a listing of all products that have received the Master Plumbers Recommends tick of approval.

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IN FOCUS

Retention payment update New retention money provisions will only apply to contracts signed after 31 March 2017.

UNDER THE CONSTRUCTION Contracts Amendment Act 2015, retention money withheld under commercial construction contracts must be held on trust from 31 March 2017. A Bill was recently introduced to Parliament to clarify that this requirement will only apply to contracts entered into, or renewed, on or after 31 March 2017. The aim of the new trust requirement is to provide more certainty for contractors and subcontractors that they will be paid retention money owed for work done.

How will it work?

The payer who withholds the retention money becomes a trustee and the payee becomes the beneficiary. The obligations end when: • • •

Retention money is paid The payee to whom the money is payable agrees to give up their claim The money ceases to be payable by law (ie, the money ceases to be payable under the contract).

What cannot be done…

A construction contract cannot include any terms designed to 14

December 2016/January 2017

delay payment of retention money. Any such terms in a contract will be void. Similarly, a construction contract cannot include any conditional payment provisions for retention money (ie, pay-when-paid provisions). Conditional payment provisions have been banned since the CCA came into force in 2003. The amendments make it clear that this ban also applies to provisions for payment of retention money. Payment of retention money cannot be conditional on anything other than the performance of the payee’s obligations under the contract. Retention money cannot be used for any purpose other than to remedy a payee’s breach of their obligations under the contract, such as fixing defective work.

What can be done…

Retention money: • Does not need to be held in a separate trust account • May be mixed with other money (ie, it can be held in the same bank account as other money) • May be held in the form of cash or other liquid assets • May be invested and interest earned can be kept provided the investment is in accordance with the Trustee Act 1956.

Keeping account

Proper accounting methods for retention money are now required. Parties holding retention money must keep proper accounts that correctly record all dealings and transactions in relation to the retention money, and must make these records readily available to parties owed the money. The accounting methods must comply with generally accepted accounting principles and be auditable. •

•

Interest must now be paid on late payments of retentions at the rate agreed under the contract. If a rate has not been agreed, the default rate of interest specified in regulations (yet to be developed) will apply. In the event of a payer’s insolvency, retention money will be protected. Retention money is not available for the payment of debts of any creditor of a payer and cannot be taken by a court order at the insistence of any creditor of a payer.

Regulations to be developed

Regulations for the Construction Contracts Amendment Act 2015 are yet to be developed. The regulations may, if necessary, prescribe: • • •

The minimum amount of retentions that the new trust requirements will apply to Methods of accounting for retention money in addition to the requirements of the Act The default rate of interest for the late payment of retention money that will apply where a contract doesn’t provide a rate. ■

#loveplumbing INTRODUCING

INDIANA LINKED TOILET SUITE Astivita combines design excellence with quality components so you can be assured the product you are installing is fit for purpose and will stand the test of time. • Plastic linked toilet suite, 4 Star WELS rating (4.5/3L Flush adjustable to 6/3L) • Plastic soft close, quick release seat • R/H bottom entry inlet valve • Dual flush chrome buttons • Cistern 420 x 323 x 140mm • Pan footprint covers most other pans • 5 year warranty

The information in this article is taken from an MBIE Building Performance fact sheet at http://www.mbie.govt.nz/info-services/ building-construction/skills-innovation-productivity/constructioncontracts

Construction Contracts Amendment Act 2015 timetable Start date

Changes that take effect

1 December 2015

Residential and commercial construction contracts are to be treated the same under the Act, with the exception of charging orders. This give parties to residential contracts full equal access to the Act’s dispute resolution and payment regimes.

1 September 2016

Design, engineering and quantity surveying work (related services) are included under the scope of the Act. This gives parties to construction contracts for these types of design work full access to the Act’s dispute resolution and payment regimes.

31 March 2017

Retention money withheld under commercial construction contracts must be held on trust. The Regulatory Systems (Commercial Matters) Amendment Bill will clarify that this requirement will apply only to contracts entered into, or renewed, on or after 31 March 2017.

Branches Nationwide. Freephone 0800 800 686 plumbingworld.co.nz

December 2016/January 2017

Hire a Masterlink apprentice today! Masterlink removes the risks of taking on an apprentice. Here’s how: Masterlink recruits the best – all candidates are screened and tested before being matched with your business. Masterlink is the employer – leave the recruitment, employment agreements, PAYE and paperwork to us! Masterlink manages the apprenticeship – we look after all block course arrangements, regular appraisals, additional training needs and mentoring – making your job hassle free.

Masterlink helps your cashflow – we pay your apprentice while they’re on block course, holiday and sick leave. Apprentice training fees and block course travel are also covered. You only pay the hours they work for you. Masterlink provides the tools – we give your apprentice a tool allowance and PPE gear (boots, overalls etc) for the duration of their apprenticeship.

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Masterlink offers support – our Regional Managers are here to help you and your apprentice, every step of the way.

Masterlink has high quality candidates ready and waiting to sign up to an apprenticeship. Call us today! Freephone: 0800 502 102 Visit www.masterlink.co.nz Email admin@masterlink.co.nz

IN FOCUS

When disaster strikes

Earthquakes, flooding, tsunami—New Zealand has copped the lot in the past month.

AS THIS EDITION was being laid out, the 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck about 15km north-east of Culverden, and a number of subsequent quakes were felt through much of New Zealand. It was the largest recorded in New Zealand since the Dusky Sound earthquake of 2009, and left two people dead, and caused widespread damage. Geonet was predicting more earthquakes to come in the aftershock sequence, which could continue for months or even years. The strongest ground shaking was measured in Ward, with long and strong shaking in the Wellington region and, of course, Waiau and Kaikoura. “With the flooding, earthquakes and tsunami, it feels like Central New Zealand is getting a hammering by our most brutal project manager: nature,” said GeoNet Director Dr Ken Gledhill on 15 November. “This combination of hits is exhausting and upsetting. But here is the upshot. One thing I know about us Kiwis, we are prepared, tough, and able to cope with almost anything. It is perfectly acceptable to be scared by this earthquake but we will get through this by doing what I think Kiwis do best: helping each other.”

Damaged water supplies and sewerage With the popular tourist route SH1 and inland road access both shut, Kaikoura and rural communities along the route found themselves cut off. Only military style 4WD vehicles could access the township, bringing water and vital supplies. Navy ships also brought aid and evacuated visitors until the inland road could be reopened. The town was still without safe water supply three days after the quake. About a quarter of the water supply was cut off and all water was undrinkable. Sewerage was also not operating, with chemical toilets being brought in. The government announced on 17 November that it had set aside $7.5 million for an initial eight-week subsidy

a reminder to homeowners to use only licensed tradespeople for urgent repairs to make their homes safe and sanitary for small businesses of 20 employees or fewer in Kaikoura, Cheviot, Waiau, Rotherham, Mt Lyford and Ward. In Wellington, 60 buildings remained closed by mid-November due to safety concerns, with further inspections underway. Work began on dismantling a damaged building on Molesworth Street two weeks after the quake and more were to follow.

Getting the right people for repairs On 17 November, the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board sent

out a reminder to homeowners in Kaikoura and Hurunui to use only licensed tradespeople for urgent repairs to make their homes safe and sanitary. “Unfortunately, following the Christchurch earthquakes in 2010 and 2011, there were instances of people offering plumbing services when untrained and unlicensed,” said PGD Board Chief Executive Martin Sawyers. “It is important to know that work undertaken by unlicensed people is not only a high risk to the health and safety of your family, but may also invalidate your insurance policy.” The Board was asking homeowners to notify them if they believed that work had been done by an unauthorised person or if they had concerns about a tradesperson’s competency.

Resources happens.nz - Civil Defence website www.eqc.govt.nz - Earthquake Commission website 0800 779 997 – government helpline (7am-9pm) ■

December 2016/January 2017

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

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December 2016/January 2017

NUTS & BOLTS

Drainlaying demarcation THIS TIME, THE confusion seems to be around plumbing and drainlaying work in regards to the installation, repair and maintenance of water tanks, pumps and onsite wastewater systems (septic tanks). Sam Wood, the PGD Board’s new Trade Advisor, provides some clarity to the issue in the Board’s Info Brief newsletter (Edition 7, 2016). Read on for what he has to say. Sanitary plumbing is described in the Act as including: • •

•

The installation of sanitary fixtures (eg, toilets, sinks, showers) The installation of the pipes, valves, filters and pumps that supply water to those sanitary fixtures and appliances The installation of the associated traps, waste or soil pipes, ventilation pipes and overflow pipes connected with those fixtures.

It’s that topic again— where does drainlaying stop and plumbing begin?

So, if there are sanitary fixtures or appliances on a water reticulation system, it is considered sanitary plumbing. Therefore, all work must be carried out by an authorised plumber. Drains are defined in the Act as being pipes laid for the conveyance of foul water, storm water or industrial liquid waste; and drainlaying includes the installation, alteration or repairs of a drain, including the fixing or unfixing of a drain to an onsite wastewater system or gully trap. All drainlaying must be done by an authorised drainlayer. What this means for work on water tanks is that all connections to and from the tank need to be undertaken by an authorised drainlayer. For example, installation of all stormwater drain pipes and subsequent connections into the water tank. If the water tank supplies water to a sanitary fixture (eg, a toilet) then the

connection to the tank and subsequent pipework and fittings will need to be installed by an authorised plumber. If a pump that is supplying water to a sanitary fixture fails and needs to be removed for servicing, it requires an authorised plumber to remove it and reinstall once serviced. In the context of onsite wastewater systems, all drains leading up to and connections into the wastewater system will need to be undertaken by an authorised drainlayer. If maintenance or repair work is to be done on the drain, this will also need to be done by an authorised drainlayer. ■ If you need help with a technical enquiry, supervision guidance, industry standards, legislation or compliance matters, give PGD Board Trade Advisor Sam Wood a call on 0800 743 262.

December 2016/January 2017

NUTS & BOLTS

Tech points DRAINS FROM HOT WATER CYLINDER RELIEF VALVES Pressure relief valves are designed to relieve excess pressure to ensure valve-vented storage water heaters do not explode. Temperature and pressure relief valves are designed to keep the temperature below 99°C and relieve excess pressure for the same reason. The drain line from the relief valve must be in copper and discharge to an appropriate place that does not cause damage to the building. The range of temperatures likely to discharge to the plumbing and drainage system must be taken into account when selecting materials for use in the plumbing system. If the drain line discharges over a tundish into the plumbing system, the system must be constructed of a material that will take the high temperature discharge from relief valves. Failure to comply could cause the PVC-U plumbing system to melt when a relief valve discharges. This guidance, which was released by MBIE in 2010 and confirmed as current earlier this year, was published after the Ministry received several enquiries on the topic. This seems to have been partly due to the increasing use of solar water heating and other heat sources that can’t be controlled by an energy cut-out device, requiring relief valves to discharge to prevent HWC explosions. Relief valves are designed to reset after discharging and can discharge again and again until the heat source is reduced or a fault, such as a failed thermostat, is fixed. Read the guidance at https://www.building.govt.nz/buildingcode-compliance/g-services-and-facilities/g12-water-supplies/ (look under all related guidance).

STRENGTHENING STEEL MESH RULES The Government has made changes to testing requirements for steel mesh being sold in NZ. More samples will need to be tested, there will be more clarity on how testing is done, and tests will have to be conducted by internationally accredited testing labs. Amendment 14 to NZ Building Code Acceptable Solution B1/ AS1 and Verification Method B1/VM1 with respect to Grade 500E ductile steel mesh has been published and came into effect on 4 November. The existing Amendment 13 will continue to have effect until 30 May 2017 to allow the use of mesh that has already been manufactured and meets the current requirements.

DRINKING-WATER MANAGEMENT UPDATES The recent contamination of the Havelock North water supply has prompted Water New Zealand to provide a series of Drinking-water Management Current Issues updates. The aim of the updates is to enable members to access the best information to plan, operate and maintain drinking water networks—taking account of any learnings from the Hawke’s Bay event and generally accepted best practice. Read them at www.waternz.org.nz/Havelock under Technical News.

December 2016/January 2017

This edition’s technical updates in brief. AUCKLAND SOLID FUEL FIRE INSTALLATIONS Auckland plumbers and gasfitters can now apply to become an approved solid fuel fire installer—a positive outcome from discussions between Master Plumbers and Auckland Council. Prior to this, only members of the NZ Home Heating Association (NZHHA) could install these products without the need for a building consent, despite the fact that plumbers and gasfitters are fully trained and qualified to do this work. Practitioners in the region can now apply to become an approved Producer Statement Author using the application form at www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz (search under producer statements). The Council’s inspection fee is waived for those on the the Approved Producer Statement Author Register.

AS/NZS 3500 AMENDMENTS Draft Amendment 1 to AS/NZS 3500.1:2015 Plumbing and drainage – Part 1: Water services is out for public comment until 19 December. The Amendment applies to Clauses 2.4.2(e), 2.6.7, 5.5.11.1 and 5.5.11.2 and Appendix C. Draft Amendment 1 to AS/NZS 3500.4:2015 Plumbing and drainage – Part 4: Heated water services is also out for public comment until 19 December. It applies to Clauses 2.4.2(a), 4.3.8.1 and 4.3.8.2. View the drafts and have your say at www.standards.govt.nz (under Developing Standards).

HWC WORK FOR CUSTOMERS When replacing household hot water cylinders, it is good practice to recommend that the valve system (or part of it) be replaced or altered at the same time. Master Plumbers has developed a document for members to give customers who decide not to do so. By countersigning the document customers acknowledge that the recommendation has been given, the risks of not doing so explained, and that they will not hold the company liable (to the extent permitted by law) for any failures, costs or losses arising from, or in connection with, the existing valve system or pipework. The document is available freely to members on the Master Plumbers website and health & safety app.

EARTHQUAKE RESILIENCE: NONSTRUCTURAL BUILDING ELEMENTS Following the Kaikoura earthquakes, MBIE has released two practice advisories for the building industry regarding commercial buildings. The first is a reminder to the sector of their responsibilities under the Building Act to ensure appropriate restraint of non-structural elements such as ducting and ceiling panels. These elements are often added after the Code Compliance Certificate for the building is issued, but are large enough to injure or kill people if they fail during an earthquake. The second provides guidance on secondary structural elements, such as precast panels and stairs. Find both new advisories at www.building.govt.nz under Building Code Compliance (B Stability, B1 Structure).

Gas Ring

News snippets for the gasfitting community.

RHEEM BIG 6 2017

New Gas NZ website

The LPG Association and Gas Association NZ websites have been merged into a single new website at www.gasnz.org.nz. The new website also includes the ‘Beauty of Gas’ consumer information about the benefits of using gas. Visit the website to find general information about the natural and LP gas industries, including news and events, legislation, data and statistics.

Growth in LPG 45kg sector

LPG Association President Albert de Geest noted encouraging growth for LPG product in the LPG Association’s 2016 annual report. “LPG demand is sensitive to weather, so it was very pleasing to see continued growth during a warm autumn and winter,” he said. “This is especially so in the 45kg sector which has grown by almost four percent.” According to the October edition of the LPG and Gas Associations’ GasLine newsletter, the LPG Association’s regulatory focus next year will include working with the Environmental Protection Authority on non-workplace regulations, and with MBIE and WorkSafe on final versions of the Hazardous Substances Regulations, along with a further major review of the Hazardous Substances regime.

EPA on Facebook

The Environmental Protection Authority now has a ‘Safer Homes’ Facebook page, with information and advice for consumers on keeping safe around hazardous substances. The page includes the recent consumer gas safety videos from WorkSafe New Zealand. Go to www.facebook.com/ EPAsaferhomes

Gas appliance Standard out for comment

Draft Standard AS/NZS 5263.1.4:2016 - Gas appliances Part 1.4: Radiant gas heaters is out for public comment until 18 January 2017. This Standard provides particular requirements for radiant gas heating appliances that apply in addition to, or in place of, the general requirements for gas appliances set out in AS/NZS 5263.0 Gas appliances, Part 0: General requirements. The combination of AS/NZS 5263.1.4 and AS/NZS 5263.0 supersedes AS 4565—2004 and AS 4643—2007. Comments must be submitted to Standards Australia at https://sapc. standards.org.au/sapc/public/listOpenCommentingPublication. action

N O O S G COMIN

PGDB/MICO CPD

ROAD SHOW 2017 WIN, EAT, LEARN, NETWORK tell them what makes Mico special. We received great feedback from attendees and the board, so it made sense for us to extend our sponsorship into 2017,” Bryn said.

Many CPD venues also had trade shows.

Half day training sessions provided a convenient way to renew 2017 licenses.

Following the successful inaugural 2016 CPD Roadshow, Mico is excited to once again be hosting the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) training events in 2017, in association with the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board (PGDB).

excited to have Mico on board as the 2017 sponsor. PGDB Chief Executive Martin Sawyers believes the CPD sessions are critical to ensuring those employed in the industry stay at the top of their game. The sessions, facilitated by The Skills Organisation, covered key topics like supervision, health and safety, industry approved products and disciplinary processes.

The 2016 roadshow hosted nearly 5,000 registered practitioners from the plumbing fraternity (75% of the industry), which was a pleasing result. The new CPD training model required all registered plumbers, gasfitters and drainlayers in New Zealand to complete a compulsory half-day of learning prepared by the Board, either by attending the roadshow or completing the course online. This fulfils the re-licensing requirement for the 1st April 2017 – 31st March 2018 year. The PGDB reported the roadshow exceeded their expectations and are

According to Martin, attendees were relieved to get all their relicensing done for the year in one convenient three-hour session and planning is well advanced for the 2017 roadshow. Bryn Harrison, General Manager at Mico, was pleased with the success of the roadshow. “I think it has definitely been invaluable for Mico. We’ve had a unique opportunity to get out there and talk to our customers and non-customers and

0800 101 999 | www.mico.co.nz

Amongst the many competitions run during the roadshow, Mico and Caroma teamed up to give attendees the chance to win a brand new Ford Ranger 4WD XLT Double Cab Ute with tow bar and lockable hard lid. A demonstration ute travelled to every single venue throughout the country and was finally driven home by the lucky prize winner Stephen Heal, from Laser Plumbing in New Plymouth. As it happens, Stephen was already looking at upgrading his vehicle to a new Ford ute just days before the prize was drawn, so he was completely floored to drive away with the grand prize. Details and dates for the 2017 training and roadshow will be released in February next year.

Stephen drives his prize off the showroom floor.

As time goes by

REAL LIVES

Four Life Members of the Hutt Valley Wairarapa Master Plumbers Association talk to NZ Plumber about the industry then and now. MURRAY BROCKELSBY

Q: Are you retired or still working? A: I sold Brockelsby Plumbing & Gasfitting to one of my employees around 14 years ago. I carried on working in my roof manufacturing business, Brockelsby Roofing, until four years ago and both are still going today. My father started the plumbing business in 1933. I joined as an apprentice in 1954 and bought shares but didn’t entirely take over running the business until the mid Seventies. My father was quite a character and never officially retired. He was still coming into work each day when he was 97. Q: How long have you been a member of Master Plumbers, and why? A: I joined over 55 years ago and started going to meetings in my early twenties. In those days, we were trying to become stronger as an industry and the Association had quite a bit of influence. I learned how to network and I’ve built lifelong friendships because of joining the Association. We all have a common interest in helping one another and improving the industry. Q: What are the biggest changes you’ve seen during your career? A: Material changes have been huge. We used to use galvanised pipe for water, then copper and now there are loads of plastics. We also used lead piping for wastes. Another big change was the arrival of the Plumbing World cooperative, which helped many plumbers by pricing house loads of materials for them. There are still many changes taking place. There is a lot more specialisation today for efficiency and economic reasons, with some companies just doing maintenance and servicing, or new housing, or commercial. Q: What advice would you give to industry newcomers?

we were trying to become stronger as an industry and the Association had quite a bit of influence

A: It’s good to get a trade. We had close to 100 apprentices through the business and they’re the lifeblood of the industry. If you’re planning to run a business, the Certifying level helps you learn the financial side by pointing you in the right direction to get advice. Q: What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? A: I have been a keen bowler for 20 years now. It’s a good sport and I’ve met a lot of people through it. Since retiring, I have also been doing property maintenance.

JIM MALCOLM

Q: Are you retired or still working? A: I’m 74 now and I started slowing down around 15 years ago when I found a young business partner, which has been very successful. I still do my best to help out where I can. I started my business in 1964 on returning from a year’s work experience in Australia having being awarded a bursary by Master Plumbers. I worked for 35 different plumbing companies there, gaining practical experience in all aspects of plumbing. My company, James B Malcolm Ltd, expanded from a small plumbing business doing housing work to small commercial and drainage work, water storage, sewer and stormwater reticulation systems and later large commercial contracts during the downtown Wellington building boom. Q: How long have you been a member of Master Plumbers and why? A: I’ve been a member since around 1966. We’re all in business to make money but we take a supportive way of thinking and encourage other competitor businesses to be profitable. By getting to know the way your competitors think and by making friends, you’re more inclined to support one another. It was good to see the Association still in good heart when we went to receive our Life Membership. The formation of Plumbing World was also a huge bonus. This greatly helped improve the profitability of plumbers. Q: What are the biggest changes you’ve seen during your career? A: The availability of plumbing fittings is enormous now. In the days of the import ban, products were limited and we struggled to buy a McSkimmings pan! > December 2016/January 2017

REAL LIVES

In some ways, it has made it more difficult for contractors as they have to keep more stock to stay up with the play. In our day most commercial buildings in the Wellington area were prefabricated and it was easier as we had a limited product range. Q: What advice would you give to industry newcomers? A: You can’t go wrong with a trade. The most productive way to expand your business is by taking on apprentices. We always had four or five on the go. By training your own staff, you can control the quality of workmanship and output. You have to be organised and set standards of punctuality and work habits for you and your staff. If you’re looking to expand, stick to the aspects you are good at and leave the rest to experts. Competent administration assistance can prove a valuable asset. Q: What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? A: I have a big yard out in Heretaunga, and I play a lot of golf. David, Murray and I were in Nelson recently playing at the Greenacres Golf Club.

DAVID LIVINGSTONE

Q: Are you retired or still working? A: I started my plumbing business in 1967 and closed it in the Nineties. Our daughters didn’t want to take it over, so I got out and we moved to Auckland in 1996. I’m semi-retired now, working as Property Manager for the Auckland Cancer Society four days a week, where I look after the buildings and grounds. It’s a huge complex near Auckland hospital and the gardens have featured in NZ House and Garden. My wife applied for the job on my behalf, originally for a five-year period—but I’ve been there 20 years now. My business, DF Livingstone Plumbers and Gasfitters, did residential and maintenance as well as large multi-storey plumbing work. For many years we had around five or six on the team, but we got up to 18 in the Eighties when things really got going.

at the Association meetings, we’d sort out problems we might be encountering at work

December 2016/January 2017

Q: How long have you been a member of Master Plumbers and why? A: I joined in 1969 and was a delegate at the plumbing conference for eight years. I’d just started in business and picked up a huge amount of experience from guys who had been in business for years. At the Association meetings, we’d sort out problems we might be encountering at work. I also joined for the fellowship and made a lot of friends—not just in the Hutt Valley region. Murray, Jim and I went through tech together and we’ve stayed close friends. We used to help each other out with contracts from time to time. I still use plumbers here and it’s good to stay in touch with the industry. Q: What are the biggest changes you’ve seen during your career? A: The biggest change was copper to plastic piping, even in the larger waste piping. There was also a big revolution in gasftting in the Hutt Valley. Gas used to be quite expensive but it became more competitive with electric water heating and instantaneous gas heating took off. Q: What advice would you give to industry newcomers? A: In some ways the plumbing industry has improved hugely since my time, with specialised products that are easier to install. Over 30 years in business I trained 18 apprentices. One of them ended up taking over Brockelsby’s and the other is Jim’s business partner. I really wanted to keep the industry alive and going. Apprentices are the future of our industry. Q: What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? A: I still enjoy golf on a Thursday afternoon and Saturday morning.

JOHN SEAMER

Q: Are you retired or still working? A: For the past five years I have been employed by Tararua Roofing as their Project Manager, working four days a week. Before that I was with Brockelsby Roofing for two years and five years with Diamond as their Technical Manager in manufacturing. I ran my plumbing business J Seamer Plumbing Ltd for 35 years and trained 20+ apprentices during that period until the company collapsed when construction company Wilkes & Davies went under. I was then offered a job at Aquaheat to start their roofing division and worked there for 10 years.

REAL LIVES

it’s better to get up and say something than stay quiet

They had seen my company do 13 acres of double skinned roofing for the new Todd Motors building, so knew we had fair experience. I used to see unskilled roofers laying acres of roof while I was doing all the flashing, and I could see no future in that. When the big tin boxes arrived, I decided we could pick up money from laying the roofing. Recently I was involved with Tararua Roofing in the replacement of that 40-year-old Todd Motors roof. Q: How long have you been a member of Master Plumbers and why? A: I’ve been a member for many years and am extremely humbled with my life. I also served on the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board for 10 years and was an examiner for the trades cert exam during that period. I wanted a say in what the industry was doing and I knew that only we as Master Plumbers could take the industry forward in the right direction. Everyone should have a say on which way they want to go and not be told. You might not agree with the outcome but at least you’ve had the opportunity to voice your opinion. My principle throughout life has been that it’s better to get up and say something than stay quiet.

Q: What advice would you give to industry newcomers? A: A lot of plumbers don’t touch roofing, but it is skilful work and there are now qualifications you can take, which there weren’t previously. The Roofing Association of NZ is looking to set up its own roofing school, which I think is a good move, as roofers know what skills are required. Roofers now have to be LBPs to sign off residential work, as they are involved in the building envelope. This means the responsibility for the roof is on you as the installer. All of our workers are also qualified in working at heights, and we now have to use edge protection and/or scaffolding, which is a good safeguard. Q: What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? A: I play golf when there is no rain or earthquakes! I lost my wife four years ago, which knocked me about a bit but you have to keep going. I have a son and a daughter, and I enjoy getting together with my daughter and her husband each Wednesday evening. I also have five grandchildren and six greatgrandchildren. I really enjoy the experience the industry has given me with meeting people and the learning they are still giving me. One is never too old to learn. ■

STAINLESS STEEL FASTER. SAFER. SMARTER.

Q: What are the biggest changes you’ve seen during your career? A: There have been changes in many areas—in regulations and in materials—and with the changes, the skills required also changed. We had adopted a lot of Australian Standards and we have moved from copper and lead to plastic. We used to have cast iron water mains in Wellington and then it changed to asbestos. Now it’s plastic.

I really enjoy the experience the industry has given me with meeting people and the learning they are still giving me

Contact MM Kembla for a huge range of stainless steel tube and press fittings and finish fast and in front.

www.kembla.co.nz

0800 kembla December 2016/January 2017

SUSTAINABLE FUTURES

Climate change housing costs BRANZ has been looking at the cost of building in measures to future-proof housing against climate change. The questions are, what do we need to do and what is the extra cost? By Ian Page.

Seven types of impact Here, some of BRANZ’s work is updated using current building costs and forecasts of new housing (see Table 1) for impacts on buildings of: • • • • • • •

Driving rain Wind Hail Drought Bushfire Sea level rise Temperature.

The first four impacts relate to a more chaotic climate with storms and weather patterns becoming more intense. The last three impacts relate directly to global warming.

Increasing intensity The climate forecasts say these seven impacts will increase in magnitude over the next 50 years or so. The changes

local authorities may mandate greater use of rainwater tanks

December 2016/January 2017

may not be immediately noticeable or smoothly increase from year to year. We expect, however, the impacts to increase each decade through to 2080 from the averages experienced in the past decade.

Photograph by Erika MacKay, NIWA

THE RESULTS OF climate change on the New Zealand environment have been outlined by NIWA. In recent years, BRANZ has interpreted how these effects will impact on the built environment and, in particular, existing and new building stock.

Driving rain, wind and hail An increase in driving rain and strong wind affects buildings, increasing the risk of water penetration through the building envelope. This in turn may increase the need for and frequency of maintenance. The intensity and frequency of wind storms are predicted to increase, increasing the load on the structure and its connectors, which may require strengthening. There have been local and overseas examples of hail denting metal roofing and cracking concrete and clay roof tiles. These storms are expected to increase in size and frequency in western areas.

Droughts, bushfires and hotter More drought periods are expected in wind shadow areas east of the main divide in both islands. This could affect municipal water supply, so the infrastructure may need expansion beyond what would be expected with population growth. Local authorities may mandate greater use of rainwater tanks. They may also promote the use of domestic greywater for toilets and outside uses. We know from Australia and western North America that increased temperatures create a bushfire hazard, which can cause considerable damage every year. Temperature rise offers some benefits in southern parts of New Zealand, such as reduced winter heating bills. However,

Above: Slip in Wellington following heavy rain.

summer cooling is already increasingly common in northern regions and will become more extensive to improve comfort levels and avoid adverse health effects.

Sea level rising faster than thought Projections of sea level rise are significant and now expected to occur faster than previously thought. The best adaptation solution to this is not to build new housing in coastal areas or to design to increased floor levels. It is likely these effects are not yet sufficiently understood and new housing will continue in areas at future risk. These houses will subsequently need lifting or other mitigation.

Cost under 1% to futureproof house These impacts have been analysed and costed in Table 1. It indicates $70 million per year to meet 2080 conditions, a cost increase of less than 1% of total new housing costs. Climate change and the effects in Table 1 are expected to occur gradually. Houses typically have a life of at least 80 years,

SUSTAINABLE FUTURES

so houses built now could have another 20 to 30 years of life at full impact of climate change. In their early years of life, however, there will be little benefit.

The question is when The question is when we should start upgrading our new houses for climate change impacts. To answer this properly the benefits of mitigation need to be calculated.

The original BRANZ report showed that by 2080, the benefits do outweigh the costs. However, it is not known when the break-even point is, and further work needs to be done on this. â&#x2013; This article is reproduced from BRANZ Build 156, October 2016. The author, Ian Page, is BRANZ Principal Economist. www.buildmagazine.org.nz

summer cooling is already increasingly common in northern regions

Table 1

Costs to mitigate for climate change in new housing Change impact

Change to 2080 Region

No. new houses/ yr affected

Consequence Mitigation measures

Cost per house ($)

Total ($M/Yr)

Driving rain

10% increase

Western NZ

9,000

Water penetration

More frequent 285 maintenance

236

Wind

8% loading increase

All NZ

25,000

Damaged structure

Strengthen framing, connectors and windows

700

17.5

Hail

Severity increase

Western NZ

9,000

Damaged roofing

0.55mm roofing instead of 0.40mm or tiles

1,326

11.9

Drought

Return period down 50%

Eastern NZ

5,000

Water shortages

Rainwater tanks

4,700

23.5

Bushfire

Fire days up 50%

Eastern NZ

750

Fire damage

Clear vegetation, use fireresistant claddings

100

0.1

Sea level rise

0.2-0.5m

Coast/estuary

Damaged houses

Move or lift house

25,000

0.6

Temperature

Up 1.6-2.4Â°C

Upper North Island

13,750

Unhealthy indoors

Extra insulation, passive design

1,000

13.8

$69.9 million/year Total cost to adapt all new houses in affected regions for 2080 conditions

For more information

Download BRANZ Study Report 179 Assessment of the need to adapt buildings in New Zealand to the impacts of climate change from www.branz.co.nz/study_reports

Cost of mitigation measures as % of total cost

0.8%

Total cost to adapt all new houses for 2080 conditions

$8,750 million/year

December 2016/January 2017

INDUSTRY TALK

Picking the winner! The recent Auckland Master Plumbers Melbourne Cup event was a runaway success.

FROM THE MOMENT Catherine Schuster turned up to the Auckland Master Plumbers marquee at the Ellerslie Racecourse for their Melbourne Cup Day event, she had just one number in her head—17. Catherine, who is Business Development Manager at Master Plumbers, hadn’t planned to place any bets so she’d come emptyhanded, but she was so sure 17 was going to win that she passed the word around to her fellow guests. Sure enough, Almandin, horse no 17, raced to victory—and there were some happy smiles from the punters in the marquee who had listened to her advice. They included members from the neighbouring Master Plumbers Waikato Association, who had turned up in force to enjoy the Champagne Lawn marquee package with drinks, lunch, and afternoon tea. The event was an all-round success, and well attended by plumbers, their staff and wives, merchants and sponsors. Some had travelled from afar to be there—including Peter and Sonya Jackson from 2016 Master Plumber of the Year business Peter Jackson Plumbing on the Kapiti Coast. Jenny Sanders, Administration Manager at Sanders Plumbing Ltd in Auckland, says their team had a great time at the event. “It was fabulous networking with our suppliers and other plumbing businesses that were there. A big thank you from Sanders Plumbing Ltd to Auckland Master Plumbers and all the sponsors.” Another guest, Peter Moloney from Auckland Council, said it was good to see a number of business owners bringing their crew along for the day as a way of thanking them for their contribution and hard work during the year. “We thought the day was a great success and a credit to your members; the hospitality was first class and it was a fun way to include a little bit of networking as well. Well done, though I think my horse is still running!” The Auckland Master Plumbers would like to thank the event sponsors Allproof Industries, Buteline, Dux Industries, GWA Bathrooms & Kitchens, Hirepool, Kembla, Marley, MasterLink, Methven, MICO, Plumbing World, Rheem, Rinnai and RWC.

Above: Attendees from Buteline and Waikato Master Plumbers. 28

December 2016/January 2017

Above: From left, Paul Carrington from Mico, Gavin Brown from Rinnai and Master Plumbers CEO Greg Wallace.

Above: In the Auckland Master Plumbers marquee.

Above: Enjoying the cup day sunshine.

INDUSTRY TALK

Sam’s spot

There are basically three ways to exit your business, says Sam Tyson.

When it comes to exiting your business, you can sell it, keep it while not working in it, or liquidate it. First off you need to recognise what you actually want out of your business, because this influences the strategy. If your intention is eventually to sell it for a big number and retire on the pay out, you need to work on having something to sell. For a plumbing business this would mean securing contracts with forward work, building a strong brand and reputation, developing turnkey systems that help you work smarter, building a competent team of workers who will be willing to stay in the business, as well as maintaining a track record of stable, financial statements showing an attractive profit. If you want to keep it, or keep part of it, you need to make it capable of being run without you—and I don’t mean just for a few weeks while you go on your island cruise. I mean if something were to happen and you needed to step out of the business today, could it run as a profitable entity without your daily input for the next six to 12 months? The third option is to make a whole lot of money along the way, then simply shut it down. You won’t realise the full value of your business assets by doing this (around 50 percent), but hopefully you won’t care very much as you are driving around in your big 4WD, or lounging at one of your holiday homes, or going on yet another overseas holiday. If you are not sure, your best bet is to run with the first option, with the second option as your fall-back position. When going with the ‘sell option’, you also need to have in mind who will buy your business. As an example, when Climate purchased Anchor and Ellis we saw the advantages of adding a plumbing and gasfitting business doing commercial service work to our existing structure. It

Photo licences coming Get your mug shot ready!

From next year, your licence card will look a bit different as it will display your photo, and all registration classes will be shown on the back of the card. Get started for the change now by uploading your photo through your trade log-in on the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers (PGDB) website at www.pgdb.co.nz The easiest way to go is to get a digital passport photo taken and emailed to you, which you can then upload to the PGDB site. This will also ensure a professional-looking ID card. If you wish to take your own digital photo, it will need to be: • in jpg, jpeg, tif, tiff or png format • file size between 250kb and 5MB • aspect ratio 5:6 • between 300 pixels wide x 360 pixels high and 8000 pixels wide x 8000 pixels high.

Sam Tyson.

ironed out our seasonal highs and lows as a predominantly heating business; we were able to utilise staff on both sides for the merged business; and it enabled Climate to diversify and grow our offerings. Anchor and Ellis had something to sell and we wanted it. The owner also agreed to leave some vendor finance in the deal to help us financially and to show he believed in what he was selling. We were a perfect buyer for his business. When Climate bought Plumbwell, it was quite different. The owner more or less wanted out, but did not have a lot to sell. We basically bought their assets at a liquidating price and paid some goodwill money for the transfer of some contracts and dealerships. This helped accelerate our growth somewhat, but not to the extent of our acquisition of Anchor and Ellis. As it happens, since then we have been approached by a number of local plumbing businesses wanting us to buy them. I guess they see Climate as their exit plan. So what’s your exit plan going to be?

Licence changes

New Tradesman and Journeyman licence classes. On 6 December, the name of the Licensed registration class changed to Tradesman. So, instead of Certifying and Licensed registration classes, it is now Certifying and Tradesman. When someone in the Licensed class comes to renew their authorisation for the 1 April 2017 licensing year, they will now apply for a Tradesman licence. It's a name change only—nothing else about the class changes. A new Journeyman registration class also became available on 6 December. This class will mostly appeal to those who completed their qualifications some time ago but have never passed the 9192/9193/9197 exams. It may also appeal to those who have completed their qualifications in recent years and who are no longer eligible to work under a trainee limited certificate. Find out more in the PGD Board's latest InfoBrief (Edition 09 2016) at www.pgdb.co.nz

December 2016/January 2017

INDUSTRY TALK

Site Safe Passport courses

Three new health and safety specific Site Safe Passport renewal courses launch this December. The new Passport Plus courses give trainees more options when renewing their Site Safety Card/Passport. Each four hours long, they will cover: • Tools and Plant • Height • Worker Health (includes chemicals, noise, fatigue, drugs and alcohol). Site Safe has also developed a new four-hour face-to-face Foundation Passport for industry newcomers. Available in two options—building/construction and civil—it introduces topics such as behavioural safety, risk assessment and legal requirements, and important technical risks and hazards. The existing Maintenance Passport course will be merged into the new Foundation Passport in Building/Construction. Successful completion of either a Foundation Passport course, a renewal Passport Plus course or an existing one- or two-day course will renew Site Safety Cards/Passports. Online renewal modules will be launched in 2017. Find out more at www.sitesafe.org.nz/training/passport-changes. If you have any questions, contact Site Safe on 0800 748 372; email comments@sitesafe.org.nz

Above: More Site Safe training options for apprentices.

PS: A reminder that, as a Master Plumbers’ member, you are entitled to a 10% discount on annual Site Safe

membership.

Pool fencing changes

Spa pools, garden and drainage ponds will no longer need fencing under new legislation. New swimming pool safety requirements will be incorporated into the Building Act instead of being a separate Act. As of 1 January 2017, spa pools will no longer need to be fenced. “Small, heated pools such as spa pools and hot tubs pose a low risk of drowning to small children,” said Building and Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith on announcing the changes. Pools of this kind will comply with the new law if they have a lockable, child-resistant cover and are at least 760mm above ground. The new law also excludes garden and drainage ponds from having to meet swimming pool fencing requirements. Swimming pools will no longer be required to be fenced on all four sides if the access of children is ‘adequately excluded’. There will be a compulsory nationwide requirements for all swimming pools to be inspected and certified every three years. “This addresses the problem that most drownings today occur because gates no longer close, fences have not been maintained or other changes have occurred that enable children to get access,” said the Minister. Other changes include requirements on retailers and manufacturers to inform purchasers of their legal obligations 30

December 2016/January 2017

for child safety and new enforcement tools, such as notices to fix and infringement notices. The Ministry is now seeking feedback on proposed new Acceptable Solutions F9/AS1 Barriers for residential pools

and F9/AS2 Covers for small heated pools to support these changes. Consultation closes on 16 December.

INDUSTRY TALK

Conceptual thinking

Bathroomware brand Caroma have announced the opening of the first stage of their Concepts Centre in Auckland. The Caroma Concepts Centre is a resource for homeowners, designers, architects, plumbers and anyone else interested in bathroom and kitchen design. The new space showcases the latest in bathroom and kitchen products and innovation from some of New Zealand's most trusted brands. "Our new centre will also offer professional advice and design ideas—a valuable resource for the trade and design community," says Managing Director James Ewart. The showroom features products from some well-known Australasian brands, including Caroma, Dorf, Fowler and Stylus, in user-friendly, hands-on displays, allowing visitors to see, touch and feel products before purchasing them. It will enable builders, plumbers, architects and other professionals to refer their clients to the showroom to view and select products, before making their final purchases from plumbing supply and retail hardware distributors. A team of industry specialists will be on hand to offer oneon-one advice, provide information on the latest innovations in the bathroom and kitchen space and guide visitors through their options. Earlier this year, Caroma launched the next evolution of its renowned flush technology—Caroma Cleanflush®. By removing the rim of the toilet bowl and adding Caroma's flush and flow features, a superior flushing performance delivers a cleaner

Above: The Caroma Contura bathroom features in the new Concepts Centre.

clean. It is innovation of this kind that will be on display at the new Caroma Concepts Centre. The company's product range includes toilet suites, basins, baths, tapware, showers and specialty commercial and care products. The Caroma Concepts Centre is located at 33 Business Parade North, Highbrook, Auckland. Opening hours are 9am-4pm, Monday to Friday.

CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE. CUT. PUSH. DONE

WHEN EVERY SECOND COUNTS LOOK FOR THE SHARK

December 2016/January 2017

INDUSTRY TALK

Not happy!

Building industry product misrepresentation is among the issues flagged by the Commerce Commission in its latest consumer issues report. Some interesting complaint trends are highlighted in the 2016 Consumer Issues Report from the Commerce Commission. The report takes a detailed look at the complaints received by the Commission as well as looking at the wider consumer environment and the influences the economy and technology have on consumers. Consumers complain to the Commission most about price (26 percent), goods (23 percent) and services (22 percent), while one quarter of the Fair Trading Act complaints the Commission receives relate to just 21 traders. Complaints in a number of areas have increased significantly since 2013, with vehicle sales complaints increasing by 70 percent, complaints about contracts doubling and complaints about debt collection also showing a marked increase. Non-bank lenders featured large this year, with complaints about non-disclosure, targeting of vulnerable consumers and irresponsible lending. For example, while finance companies make up only three percent of the credit market, they account for 43 percent of credit-related complaints to the Commission.    “We produce this report primarily as an internal planning tool for the Commission, which helps us to understand the consumer environment and prioritise our efforts where it will have the greatest impact for consumers and more meaning for businesses,” says Commerce Commission Chairman Dr Mark Berry.

“However, we choose to share the report publicly as we believe the information is of wider interest and benefit to consumers, traders, advocates and community groups.” Misrepresentation of products in the building industry is among 41 current issues and emerging risks identified in the 2016 report. Read the full report at www.comcom.govt.nz/thecommission/consumer-reports/consumer-issues-report

EQC chief moving on Utilities Disputes Ian Simpson is leaving EQC at the end of replaces EGCC the year. Earthquake Commission Chief Executive Ian Simpson will be leaving the organisation at the end of the year to take up the role of Chief Executive at GNS Science in 2017. “Ian joined EQC as Chief Executive in 2010,” said Chairman Sir Maarten Wevers on the announcement. “Over the past six years he has led the organisation’s remarkable and unprecedented response to the Canterbury Earthquakes—the largest and most costly insurance events in New Zealand’s history. By any standard the scale of the event, the number and nature of insurance claims lodged and of settlements to customers has been huge. “Ian’s leadership of EQC since 4 September 2010 has been outstanding. As so many others did, he stepped up as a leader to deal with the very difficult circumstances of the time.” According to EQC’s October 2016 Scorecard, 99.9 percent of full repairs have been completed on the 67,758 homes in the Canterbury Home Repair Programme. A new Chief Executive appointment was to be announced shortly.

December 2016/January 2017

What’s in a name? Quite a lot in the utilities sector, it seems.

The Electricity and Gas Complaints Commissioner (EGCC) became Utilities Disputes Ltd in November after an ‘extensive consultation process’. “This change is an important evolution,” says Utilities Disputes Chair Hon Heather Roy. “As providers innovate and expand their offerings, Utilities Disputes will provide a flexible and robust dispute resolution service for consumers of utilities.” The independent service will continue to resolve complaints and disputes in the electricity and gas industries, with more than 230 energy and gas providers using its services. However, it will expand its range of possible dispute coverage, as it is also applicable to other related utilities, such as solar, water and ultrafast broadband. “In the rapidly changing utilities marketplace, Utilities Disputes will offer providers and consumers a one-stop-shopping dispute resolution service,” says new Utilities Disputes Commissioner Nanette Moreau.

INDUSTRY TALK

Water and the economy

New Zealand can learn from international developments in water management, says a Kiwi tank manufacturer. Earlier this year, Bailey Tanks General Manager David Bailey travelled to Germany for the 2016 IFAT tradeshow. He was among approximately 138,000 visitors to the show, which is the world’s leading trade fair for water, sewage, waste and raw materials management and now in its 50th year. While there, David listened to the United Nations’ presentation, which outlined the correlation between water and the impact it has on business and the economy. With three out of every four jobs dependent on water, the UN offered insights into how water shortages can affect economic growth, he says. It also demonstrated how water shortages can be resolved by things like capacity development solutions and growing the skill sets of those working in water and sanitation. “The UN’s findings have huge significance, not just for us as an industry, but for New Zealand’s wider economy in general,” says David. “Water is a key factor to the success of New Zealand’s economy and business buoyancy, and there are so many new advancements and solutions out there that need to be utilised.

“For example, we’ve recently seen two extreme examples in regards to the handling of water in New Zealand: Otago in the grip of a two-year drought and heavy and unpredictable rain that hit Auckland [and Wellington] recently. Situations like these require new thinking and new products to help address them more effectively.” Water is ‘our most important food’. It is a valuable asset that must be obtained cost effectively in an environmentally friendly way, distributed efficiently, recycled wherever possible and after its use retreated. New developments at the tradeshow—and there were many among the 3,000-plus exhibitors—included advances in stormwater retention and treatment systems, rainwater tanks and plastics and composite pipe materials. This is an exciting sign of where the industry is moving, says David. “We’re always looking to improve our products for our customers and the new developments in plastics at IFAT were of particular interest to our team.” The next IFAT takes place in Munich from 14-18 May 2018.

0800 BUTELINE www.buteline.com

December 2016/January 2017

INDUSTRY TALK

Happy Birthday Methven Methven has marked its 130th year with a brand-new global head office, experience centre and manufacturing facility. The unrelenting pursuit of amazing water experiences that don’t cost the earth. This is the message that greets visitors at Methven’s new purpose-built facility in Avondale, Auckland, which was officially opened by Prime Minister John Key at the end of September. The new premises includes everything from design, engineering, tool making, foundry, polishing and assembly on site. It also incorporates an extensive showroom and ‘inspiration zone’ called The Source. Here, customers can browse Methven’s showering and tapware collections, displayed on walls, tables and open timberwork bathroom-style settings, while a huge waterfall plays in the background.

the new premises includes everything from design, engineering, tool making, foundry, polishing and assembly on site

Above: A giant waterfall in the showroom provides an impressive backdrop to Methven’s vision statement. 34

December 2016/January 2017

INDUSTRY TALK

“We are incredibly proud to join a prestigious group of companies around the world that have been in business for over 130 years,” said Methven Chairman Phil Lough, speaking at the launch event. “We are proud to distribute award-winning products throughout the world that are designed, engineered and manufactured right here in New Zealand.” Methven started life in 1886 as an iron and brass foundry, established in Dunedin by Scottish-born George Methven. Ten years later, the company began manufacturing taps and copper laundry vessels, and during the post-war building boom, it turned its focus on tapware and valving products for New Zealand homes. Today, Methven’s market extends to Australia, China, UK, the Middle East and continental Europe. > Above: A tapware display in the new showroom.

Above: Prime Minister John Key tours the manufacturing facility at the launch event. December 2016/January 2017

INDUSTRY TALK

The new facility also houses Methven’s head office, which, says Methven Group CEO David Banfield, has the same net operating cost as the previous premises “but better reflects Methven’s ambition and supports our long-term goal to deliver revenue of $130 million by June 2018.” He also noted that Methven’s Aurajet™ shower technology, which launched in March, has just become the most awarded product in the history of the company. “The Spirit of Innovation that was a founding principle of the business in 1886 is alive and well in the business today.”

an extensive showroom and inspiration zone, called ‘The Source’ Above: Launched earlier this year, Aurajet™ has become Methven’s most awarded product.

Above: Bathroom displays in the inspiration zone. 36

December 2016/January 2017

EXCLUSIVE

NZ PLUMBER NOW AVAILABLE DIGITALLY TO MASTER PLUMBER MEMBERS! Reporting from the World Skills Nationals NZ—See p72 CONTENTS

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2016

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

Art and Craft

Sheetmetal mastery at the Len Lye Centre

DO YOU DIG IT?

Inside this issue

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

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2015 37

New excavation safety guidance

WHAT’S ON

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT

Registrations are open for the NZ Plumbing Conference 2016

MASTER PLUMBERS NEWS 8

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

Commercial leases One of your most important business contracts…

REAL LIVES 14

Out West Why West Coast plumbing takes planning

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

CONSTRUCTION HITS NEW HIGHS

INDUSTRY TALK 30 Bathed in glory Bathroom Excellence winner 31

Occupational regulation review MBIE plans to simplify

Preventing Legionnaire’s Keeping water systems safe

Innovation for Green Star Rating tool gets an update

Best practice: rainwater Top tips from Marley

24 Backflow know-how Questions installers should ask themselves

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

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

NUTS & BOLTS 21

IN FOCUS 12

Mirror, mirror Sheetmetal mastery at the new Len Lye Centre

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

People NZPM Board; vale Nigel Mason

34 Recent convictions Licence checks are proving effective 35

Raising the roof Winners at the RANZ Roofing Awards

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

SMART BUSINESS 39 Eyes on insurance Covering your tools… and keeping your insurance current 43 Growing your business Business development advice from The Icehouse 44 Biz brief Employment law changes and more… 46 Understanding GST The IR has the low-down 47 Recruit to suit Kicking off our new HR series with recruitment

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

Commercial leasing

OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF

What you need to know

BACKFLOW KNOW-HOW Installer basics

OUTWARD BOUND Tomorrow’s leaders

NEXT GENERATION 66 Why hire an apprentice? MasterLink videos have the answers!

AROUND ASSOCIATIONS 53

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

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

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

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

ASBESTOS ALERT Worksite risks

70 Cover photograph by Patrick Reynolds: Len Lye Centre facade

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

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

MasterLink winners Success down South

Following the code An apprenticeship code of practice

Making 2015 a success Skills looks at credit completion

PRODUCTS & SERVICES 75

What’s new to the marketplace

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

October/November 2015

Get ready for the 2016 NZ Plumbing Conference in Rotorua – See page 7 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015

Seize the opportunity!

Learning the trade

Touring two training centres

READY FOR GROWTH BIM BASICS Buying a second Getting NZ on board business

SPEED MERCHANT Back at Bonneville!

Perfect or defect?

OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF

12-month defect repair guidance

CELEBRATING INNOVATION How new products evolve

HR ADVICE LINE New service for Master Plumbers

PLUMBERS WITHOUT BORDERS Lending a hand where it’s needed

Available via www.pocketmags.com

Just log-in to enjoy on your iPad, iPhone, Android device, Mac, PC or Amazon Kindle Fire

www.masterplumbers.org.nz

INDUSTRY TALK

Give us funds to train plumbers

This opinion piece from Master Plumbers CEO Greg Wallace appeared in the NZ Herald in November.

About 40 houses a day are being built in Auckland and Housing Minister Nick Smith has said that needs to be more like 70 to 100 to meet demand. With a critical shortage of plumbers in Auckland, these homes could well be without water. A 2015 report by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) found a shortfall of 602 plumbers in Auckland. We estimate that’s now about 30 percent higher and it’s not just an Auckland problem—our members from every part of the country are experiencing issues recruiting qualified staff. From the public’s point of view, the solution must look simple—encourage skilled migrants or put more people through apprenticeships. Surely there must be plenty of trainees coming through, given the millions the Government invests in pretrade training courses, including in plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying? Unfortunately, neither option is providing a solution for a sector stretched to its limits, and has low numbers taking up apprenticeships. Unlike some trade sectors, we cannot address the shortage through skilled migrants. The only country with mutually recognised plumbing qualifications is Australia. All other migrant plumbers need to be prepared to retrain. For apprenticeships, we just aren’t getting enough suitable candidates to meet demand. Currently, the industry has 1,918 people in different stages of four-year plumbing-related apprenticeships. By contrast, the electrical industry has 4,085 enrolments. The one-year, fulltime plumbing-related pre-trade courses run by the Tertiary Education Commission are billed as giving participants the knowledge and experience to enter an apprenticeship in the industry. Yet most of these students don’t end up in plumbing apprenticeships. The number of people enrolled in plumbing-related pretrade courses who go on to complete a full apprenticeship are extremely low and do not seem to warrant the investment the Government makes in these courses. We estimate that, at around $10,000 per pre-trade trainee, courses cost taxpayers about $23.5 million. It’s a good income stream for polytechs but it isn’t delivering outcomes for the industry.

if a young person thinks they want to do an apprenticeship, they should have a good idea after three months of the basics 38

December 2016/January 2017

Clearly something needs to change. We are proposing to the Government that plumbing-related pre-trades courses are shortened to three months. Our members are telling us those trainees who do come from the courses need significant support to get them up to starter speed anyway. Provide them with health and safety induction and basic plumbing 101—working-at-height and confined-space training, tool identification and making flashing—and then give them to us. If a young person thinks they want to do an apprenticeship, they should have a good idea after three months of the basics. This way, if they do, they can be learning on the job and earning an apprentice salary much sooner. The shorter pre-trade training could also be included in school programmes, with day release. Now we come to the crunch. Currently plumbing businesses that take on apprentices get no funding—despite the additional time and effort needed to train them. We propose combining shorter pre-trades courses with a return to a redesigned version of the Reboot scheme the Government ran until 2014. The Reboot involved a $2,000 payment to assist with training expenses and $2,000 for the apprentice’s tools or training. In our experience, apprentices tended to spend their $2,000 on stuff like PlayStations. We suggest providing the full amount

INDUSTRY TALK

to the employer to help with training expenses and provision of tools. For those using our MasterLink programme, Master Plumbers would then match that sum dollar for dollar—on top of the $12,000 the industry already shoulders to put each apprentice through block course training. We’re not asking for more funding. We’re asking for some funding to be transferred from programmes that aren’t meeting industry needs into one that gets young people who genuinely want careers in this sector learning more efficiently. There’s a misconception that plumbing is all about dealing

with human waste. Technology has moved on. Pipe clearing is handled by sophisticated machinery, usually by specialist companies, and only about one percent of our members do this work. Modern plumbing is a highly-skilled, in-demand and rewarding profession. Through a plumbing apprenticeship they are setting themselves up for a career where there is huge demand for their skills, where they can earn a good salary, and where there are very good opportunities to be their own boss. That’s the scenario careers advisers should be putting in front of our young people.

Construction highs and lows

A new report looks at the major contribution the construction sector makes to the economy—and the issues it faces. The PricewaterhouseCoopers report is an update of its previous 2011 economic analysis of the sector. The earlier one was written at the bottom of the cycle, while today we’re in a boom. “However, while the state of the industry has changed significantly, the underlying structural issues which were identified in our previous report largely remain today,” it says.

Volatile sector The construction sector is particularly characterised by boom and bust cycles. “In periods of high demand, the sector suffers from capacity constraints, while in downturns it sheds a great number of jobs in other sectors. In addition, it creates significant uncertainty about future demand. This makes it difficult for businesses to plan for the future. It can discourage investment in skills, additional labour, capital assets, and new processes.” One progress highlight, notes the report, has been the publication of the annual MBIE National Construction Pipeline report, which has been well received by the industry in supporting investment and workforce planning.

High job growth The construction sector is NZ’s fifth largest by employment. Construction and construction-related services contributed eight percent of the country’s total GDP in 2015, delivering almost as much of our GDP as the whole of the Waikato region—and this contribution is growing. Construction also supported the highest job growth between 2012 and 2015, with core construction contributing one out of every five new jobs in NZ (26,000 new jobs).

Low labour productivity However, there is still significant opportunity to improve

the sector’s performance, says the report. “Construction is a labour-intensive industry and as such labour availability, capability and productivity are key drivers of sector performance. “Labour productivity in the sector is well below the national average and, although this is not uncommon amongst labour-intensive industries, there is scope for significant improvements in this area.”

Change needed Without change, the sector will struggle to meet medium-term demand, it notes. “The recently released decisions version of the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan provides for an additional 422,000 dwellings over the next 30 years. The opportunity for the construction sector is significant, but the sector will not be able to meet the challenge without change.” A recurring theme from PwC’s interviews with industry participants was that the government should take advantage of the current conditions and work more closely to smooth volatitily in the cycle. There is potential to avoid a bust if government sector demand can counteract falling private sector demand, the report notes. Another common theme was the need for government procurement processes to improve. Consumers can play a role in improving the industry’s performance too by having greater acceptance of standardisation of products and components as well as mass-customisation in construction. The project was undertaken by PricewaterhouseCoopers, with funding from the Construction Strategy Group, BRANZ and the Construction Industry Council. Read the ‘Valuing the role of construction in the New Zealand economy’ report in full at www.pwc.co.nz December 2016/January 2017

INDUSTRY TALK

Females at the fore

Women working in all aspects of construction were recognised at the 2016 Hays NAWIC Excellence Awards. With the construction industry predicted to grow by 10 percent each year through to 2019, attracting more women into the sector makes good sense. The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) aims to do just this by promoting the industry’s top female achievers through its annual Excellence Awards. This year’s winners included builder Carmen Sutton from McIntosh Builders in Ashburton, who took out Tradeswoman of the Year for her strategic leadership and outstanding communications skills. A home renovation project saw Carmen switch careers from truck driving to building houses, and she now leads sole-charge building projects as the company’s foreman, while also training apprentices. When she left school, Carmen gravitated to jobs where she could hide her (then undiagnosed) dyslexia, she says on the Ministry for Women website. For a time she worked in horticulture in England and France, where she specialised in breeding and grafting roses, before returning to New Zealand and turning her hand to truck driving. “I’ve always worked really hard, that’s the positive thing about what I’ve done. Working in an office isn’t my kind of thing, I need to be active,” she says. “It’s a very physical job, but I really like that side of it. Some guys are a bit funny about having a woman on the job, but most

Above: The award winners with NAWIC President Donna Howell (left).

are OK with it. I run my own jobs now anyway, so I think people are getting used to it.” Apprentice painter Natalie Thornton of City Decorators in Christchurch collected the Apprentice and Student Award (trades category), having taken up a painting apprenticeship to create a better life for her family. “It’s full-on, children, work, paperwork, apprenticeship, health and safety training, small business management course and running a household. I try hard to keep everyone happy and be the best mother and trade professional I can,” says Natalie. Nearly at the end of her BCITO apprenticehip, she hopes eventually to lead her own crew. Other winners at the awards came from the fields of architecture, engineering design and construction administration.

Top performers

This year’s high achievers in the PGD Board Certifying exams. Congratulations to the Plumbers, Gasfitters & Drainlayers Board 2016 Merit of Excellence Award Winners. Barry Graham (Drainlaying) from Otaki Barry started his plumbing and gasfitting apprenticeship under the New Zealand Defence Force in 2010, adding drainlaying into the mix in 2011. After completing his National Certificates through the ITO and passing his Licensed level examinations, Barry became registered in the three trades in 2014. He then sat his Certifying level examinations, attaining 77 marks for plumbing, 86.5 marks for gasfitting and 92 marks for drainlaying. Barry became registered as a Certifying Plumber, Gasfitter and Drainlayer on 1 April this year. Jade Strawbridge (Gasfitting) from Levin Jade started his National Certificate training for plumbing and gasfitting in 2003. He became registered as a Licensed Plumber and Gasfitter in October 2007 after completing his National Certificates through the ITO and passing his Licensed level examinations. Jade sat his Certifying examinations, attaining 83.5 marks for plumbing and 95.5 marks for gasfitting. He became registered as a Certifying Gasfitter and a Certifying Plumber in February and August respectively this year. Jade is currently training towards becoming a drainlayer.

December 2016/January 2017

Above: Award holders, from left, Jade Strawbridge, Alex Hyland and Joel Eddington (Barry Graham not in attendance).

Alex Hyland (Plumbing) from Gisborne Alex started his National Certificate training for plumbing and gasfitting in 2011. He became registered as a Licensed Plumber and Gasfitter in May 2015. Alex subsequently sat his Certifying examination in 2015, attaining 82.5 marks for gasfitting and 90.5 marks for plumbing. Alex will be eligible to apply for registration as a Certifyer in both trades after completing his 24 months as a licensed person during the next licensing year. Alex is now training towards becoming a drainlayer. Joel Eddington (Plumbing) from Auckland Joel started his apprenticeship in plumbing and gasfitting with the Apprenticeship Training Trust in 2006, qualifying as a Licensed Plumber and Gasfitter in October 2014. He sat and passed his Certifying level examinations, attaining 83.5 marks for gasfitting and 90.5 marks for plumbing. Joel is now also training towards becoming a drainlayer.

AROUND ASSOCIATIONS

Wowing ‘em in Waikato Regional excellence was celebrated in real style at the second annual Waikato Master Plumbers Awards. The 2016 event was even bigger and better than last year, with more awards categories, more speakers and guests enjoying drinks, canapés and a sitdown dinner in the contemporary surroundings of the Wintec Atrium. The event was MC’d once again by The Breeze Waikato’s Ronny Phillips, who invited Hamilton city councillor Rob Pascoe to open the proceedings. He outlined the need for more residential sections and affordable housing in the region in this period of growth. Five apprentice awards were presented during the evening for outstanding conduct, skills and workmanship. These included a new MasterLink Apprentice of the Year award, with MasterLink Central North Island Manager Dave McGall on hand to present the trophy to winner Nathan Brown. David Bennett, National MP for Hamilton East, spoke in the interval about the positive growth for New Zealand—one of few countries in the world to be in this position—and how encouraging it was to see young people making the choice to go into a trade. Also speaking at the event was National MP for Hamilton West and Senior Government Whip Tim MacIndoe, who expressed his belief that the Waikato Trades Academy was making an enormous difference for school students in the region in helping them understand the point of their studies. He also thanked employers in the region for taking on apprentices. With this country on a roll, more people like this were needed, he said. Eight exceptional qualified tradespeople and business owners were recognised at the event, which culminated in the 2016 Waikato Association Master Plumber of the Year award, presented to Plumbing & Gas Works in Hamilton by Association President Mike Wilson. >

Waikato Association Master Plumber of the Year And the winner is: Plumbing and Gas Works (see p67 for a company profile).

Above: Sarah Avery and Mike Foote of Plumbing and Gas Works.

Wintec Apprentice of the Year Nominees: Nathan Brown, Tawhiri Johnson, Mike Smith And the winner is: Nathan Brown, MasterLink apprentice at Hamilton Plumbing

Above: Wintec’s Olaf Sparrow (centre) with, from left, Nathan Brown, Mike Smith, Tawhiri Johnson and Waikato President Mike Wilson. Wintec presents this award to a graduate or near graduate showing leadership and management prospects.

December 2016/January 2017

AROUND ASSOCIATIONS

Industry Excellence

Nominees: Chelsea Miller, Mike Smedts, Ashley Walker And the winner is: Ashley Walker

Most Outstanding Gasfitter

Nominees: Gordon Goodman, Duncan Leask, Glen MacKintosh, Neil Warriner And the winner is: Gordon Goodman of Warmfloors Gas & Heating

Best All Round Year 1 Apprentice

Nominees: Kaaid Bourke, Jayden Higgins, Kaleb Reeve And the winner is: Kaaid Bourke of Ace Plumbing

Above: Winner Ashley Walker with Wendy McCarrison of award sponsor Hirepool.

Above: Winner Gordon Goodman with his award, sponsored by Rheem.

Above: Winner Kaaid Bourke with James Ewart of award sponsor Caroma.

Contribution to the Industry

Most Outstanding Drainlayer

Best All Round Year 2 Apprentice

And the winner is: Eddie Makin

Above: Wintec Gas Tutor Eddie Makin with his award, sponsored by Dux.

Waikato Association Personal Growth and Development

And the winner is: Russell Brunton of Brunton Plumbing

Above: Russell Brunton collecting his award from Allen McCormick of Zip Plumbing Plus. Russell was acknowledged for his support for charity, sporting and scouting groups in the community.

December 2016/January 2017

Nominees: Mike Gallagher, Jason Mclaren, Jacob Smith And the winner is: Mike Gallagher of Drainage Systems

Above: Mike Gallagher with his award, sponsored by Marley, is pictured here with nominees Jacob Smith and Jason Mclaren, Waikato-based Master Plumbers Board Director Dave Strong (centre) and Waikato Master Plumbers President Mike Wilson (right).

Most Outstanding Plumber

Nominees: Brad Kells, Jacob Smith, Ashley Walker And the winner is: Jacob Smith of Plumbing & Gas Works

Above: Winner Jacob Smith with Neil Parkinson of award sponsor Plumbing World.

Nominees: Jaime Handley, Ryan Oliver, Gaarryn Smith And the winner is: Gaarryn Smith of Laser Plumbing Hamilton West

Above: Winner Gaarryn Smith with Trudy Smith of award sponsor Greens Tapware.

Best All Round Year 3 Apprentice

Nominees: Nathan Brown, Julian Dines, Patrick Smith And the winner is: Nathan Brown of Hamilton Plumbing

Above: Nathan Brown receives his award from Hata Puriri of award sponsor Buteline.

MasterLink Apprentice of the Year And the winner is: Nathan Brown of Hamilton Plumbing

Above: Dave McGall of MasterLink presents Nathan Brown with his trophy.

Apprentice achievement

Above: Nathan Brown won three awards on the night.

Nathan Brown, one of Hamilton Plumbing’s recently qualified apprentices, picked up a swathe of awards at this year’s Waikato Master Plumbers Awards, including the 2016 Wintec Apprentice of the Year. Nathan came to plumbing and gasfitting later than most, having tried his hand at farming, painting and driving machinery. Surgery on a shoulder injury put his MasterLink apprenticeship back another six months, but once underway there was no stopping him. During his training he worked on some major projects in Hamilton city—and he has all the qualities needed to become a first-class trades professional, says Hamilton Plumbing Manager Colin Fagg. “Nathan has learned many different skills from the company’s competent team.” Nathan is currently working under Supervisor Brendon Hamilton, who has been steadily increasing his responsibilities over the last six months. “Nathan has shown he is more than capable and is making excellent progress,” says Colin. “He is also inspiring young apprentices who are training on the same project.”

SAFETY FIRST

Feeling fatigued? Site Safe has some advice for managing fatigue and staying on top of the job. WITH CONSTRUCTION BOOMING across much of the country, and a shortage of apprentices in training, the demand for qualified plumbers is on the rise. If you’ve got lots of jobs on the go, not to mention emergency callouts coming in, it can be tempting to push through and extend your working day. But ignoring the signs of fatigue in yourself and your workers can be a real hazard. With that in mind, here are some handy tips from the team at Site Safe to help you stay on top of the job.

What is fatigue? Fatigue is more than feeling drowsy. At work, fatigue is a state of exhaustion, which can be both mental and physical. Fatigue

fatigue reduces a person’s ability to do their job safely, and decreases performance and productivity 44

December 2016/January 2017

reduces a person’s ability to do their job safely, and decreases performance and productivity. Fatigue is often caused by a number of combined factors, including: • • • • • • • •

the demands of work work scheduling and planning environmental conditions dehydration—symptoms can include cracked lips, flushed face, dizziness, cramps or headaches drugs/alcohol/medication the type of work activity—such as a noisy environment or using vibrating tools poor diet, a lack of exercise, disrupted sleep poor emotional wellbeing or stress

Identifying fatigue as a risk To figure out if fatigue could be a hazard at your work, it’s vital to recognise mood, alertness, sleepiness, task performance and focus. To assess the fatigue risk, ask yourself and record:

SAFETY FIRST

• • • • • •

Who is likely to be at risk of fatigue and where? How often is fatigue likely to occur? What degree of harm could it cause? Are any existing control measures effective? What action should be taken to control and monitor the risk of fatigue in yourself and others? How urgently is the control needed?

Signs someone may be fatigued Mood

make sure everyone is aware of the policy, how to recognise fatigue and how to report risks and incidents

irritable, uncommunicative, frustrated,

How much sleep do I need?

disengaged, late for work or doesn’t show up

You should aim for between 7.5 to 8.5 hours a night. But to work out your optimal sleep time, try the following on your next holiday: • Put your alarm clock away and wake up naturally for at least two days to overcome cumulative sleep loss. • Then for the next three or four days, write down how many hours you sleep. • Divide the total number of hours you have slept by the number of days—this is how much sleep you need to maintain optimal alertness, performance and wellbeing.

Alertness

slurs speech, rubs eyes, yawning, appears tired

Performance

cuts corners, takes risks, clumsy, forgetful, makes mistakes, poor decision-making and judgement

Focus

loses the big picture, misses warning signs, has a fixed gaze, blurry vision, lack of focus

Get the whole team on board Preventing fatigue

Work scheduling and planning: • Take regular breaks and consider extra breaks if the work is demanding. • If you need to work longer hours, consider staggered start and finish times, and longer breaks and periods off work. • Think about how you schedule your work—a person’s ability to be alert is not constant throughout the day. For most people, low points occur between 3.00am and 5.00am, and between 3.00pm and 5.00pm. During these times, try to avoid doing tricky or dangerous jobs. • Monitor and place limits around overtime. Avoid incentives to work too many hours. If night work is required, limit the number of night shifts in a row that your employees can work. Also place limits around shift swapping and on-call duties—regular sleeping patterns help prevent fatigue. • Try to create a positive environment with good relationships. Mental and physical demands of work: • Use the right tools and resources for the job. • Use low-vibration, hand-held tools and where practical install low-vibration seats in machinery. • Rotate tasks between workers. • Stay hydrated and avoid drinks with caffeine. • Make sure workloads and deadlines are realistic. Environmental conditions: • Avoid working during extreme heat or cold. • Provide shelter and facilities for breaks.

Develop a fatigue policy that includes details on the maximum shift length, average weekly hours, and travel time. Make sure everyone is aware of the policy, how to recognise fatigue and how to report risks and incidents. ■ For more information, check out the fatigue guide on the Site Safe website at https://www.sitesafe.org.nz About the author: Site Safe is a national not-for-profit membership organisation that promotes, supports and inspires a culture of health and safety in the NZ construction industry. Master Plumbers’ members are entitled to a 10% discount on annual Site Safe membership.

Fatigue fact sheet WorkSafe NZ has developed a fact sheet on fatigue in construction. Because construction work involves high-risk activities, workers must be physically and mentally alert, it says. Fatigue is a potential risk. The fact sheet includes a checklist to help identify the risks of fatigue. If you can answer yes to any of the checklist questions, fatigue risks need to be assessed and strategies put in place to manage it, says WorkSafe. Questions include: - Does anyone have to travel more than one hour to get to their job? - Does anyone work in excess of 12 hours regularly (including overtime)? - Does anyone carry out work for long periods which is physically demanding? - Is work carried out in harsh or uncomfortable conditions? Find the fact sheet at www.worksafe.govt.nz under Information & Guidance (look under Guidance by hazard type).

December 2016/January 2017

SAFETY FIRST

Health and safety made easy The Master Plumbers health and safety app helps you meet health and safety compliance on site… without piles of paperwork. LAUNCHED TO COINCIDE with the new legislation earlier this year, the Master Plumbers health and safety app is designed to help you with ‘on the job’ health and safety. With so many plumbing businesses using smartphones and tablet devices while out on the job, the app is an easy way to complete, sign and submit forms to your workplace instantly with no need for paperwork. The app contains 25 forms and checklists, including: • • •

Specific Safety – a single quick checklist for a specific site Drainlayer Safety – for drainlayers on site Accident Incident Register – to record an accident or incident • PPE Checklist – for when you need PPE on a job • Visitor’s Register – sign-in form for people visiting the worksite • Toolbox Safety Meeting Mintues – keep track of the issues raised • Gas Jobs Final Checklist – gas safety checklist on completion of the job. • Annual Health & Safety Plan with Monthly Tasks (Admin) – to keep your processes up to date • Health & Safety Policy Document – you can customise to your business. Businesses can order all 25, or choose the ones that suit their particular needs.

it has all the relevant health and safety forms that I need for the day-to-day running of my business

Above: Greg Wallace demonstrates how to use the app in this You Tube video. 46

December 2016/January 2017

Above: All the forms you need on site.

Prefer paper? If you’re not digitally savvy, the printed Master Plumbers Health & Safety Manual provides the forms on the app in hard-copy format or as PDFs. Master Plumbers also offers hard-copy help by way of The Absolutely Essential Health and Safety Toolkit: Pocket Edition. You can order these printed Above: One for the glovebox. resources via the Master Plumbers website at www.masterplumbers.org.nz

SAFETY FIRST

“I have been actively using this app for three months now and have found the functionality to be excellent,” says Certifying Plumber Braden Hammond. “It has all the relevant health and safety forms that I would need for the day-to-day running of my business in regard to health and safety. It caters for all tiers of plumbing, gasfitting, drainlaying, roofing, excavation, hot works, confined space, asbestos, employee and PCBU induction forms, to name a few. “I highly recommend this app to anyone who is looking at upskilling the way they do health and safety in their business, as it really has superseded written forms. As soon as you have finished inputting the data, it is uploaded and saved ready for further input or reference at a later date.”

Using the app •

• • •

Download the app from the App Store (Apple devices) or Google Play (Android devices) by searching under MPGD Book a free 7-day trial by contacting Flo Pitovao: 0800 502 102 or flo@masterplumbers.org.nz Purchase a log-in for you and your team for $120 for the first year See how the app works at https://youtu.be/mOVxqX_ WIrA ■

Master Plumbers app an award finalist For its development of the health and safety app, Master Plumbers was selected as a finalist for the Site Safe Construction Health and Safety Awards, held in November. It was one of two finalists for the Unitec Safety Innovation Award for Small to Medium Business. Master Plumbers CEO Greg Wallace was also selected as a finalist for the Safety Leadership Award (small, medium or large business) for driving best-practice health and safety in his role. The awards were held at Alexandra Park in Auckland in November.

Solvents in construction Six quick tips for staying safe when working with solvents. MASTER PLUMBERS CEO Greg Wallace recently featured in a series of Monday morning WorkSafe health and safety toolbox talks with The Rock’s Morning Rumble DJ Roger Farrelly. Here’s what Greg had to say about solvents: Solvents, paint, lacquers, adhesives, fillers and metal cleaners all contain organic solvents. Solvents used in our trades can be bad news if you inhale them, swallow them or absorb them through your skin. Exposure can cause headaches, eye or skin irritation, nausea and drowsiness. Long-term effects may include memory problems, mood changes or chronic weaknesses.

Staying safe with solvents 1. Read the container label and safety data sheet from the manufacturer. 2. Think about ways to reduce workers’ exposure and usage. 3. Make sure the workplace is well ventilated 4. Use long handled tools and proper PPE including protective gloves and respirators 5. Make sure all products are properly labelled 6. Think about a safe clean up for storage. ■ For more guidance, head to www. construction.worksafe.govt.nz and sign up for WorkSafe’s regular construction newsletter. You can listen to all of Rog’s health and safety interviews at https:// soundcloud.com/worksafe-new-zealand December 2016/January 2017

WORLD VIEW

Ready for adventure? NORTHLAND PLUMBER TREVOR Gatland, who we featured in October 2015, is about to finish his two-year stint in TimorLeste with Volunteer Service Abroad (VSA), installing water supplies and teaching sanitation to people in hill villages. The four-year Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade-financed project is halfway through and on target to providing these facilities to 5,000 people in 12 villages. “Six villages now have running water, tap stations and tippytaps for hand washing,” says Trevor. “When you consider it took five months on the ground just to get the project started, we’ve done well to get this far—especially given the demanding terrain we are working in.” Of those six villages, three have been officially declared ODF (open defecation free) and the other three are 70-84 percent on the way to ODF status. “Hand washing as a normal thing to do— and the reasons for it—has to be taught, and the trick is to get the mothers behind you.” Diarrhoea and similar illnesses are not unusual among the hill tribes, and the programme is hoping to make a major impact in this area. Part of the programme is instruction in the construction and placement of latrines.

six villages now have running water, tap stations and tippytaps for hand washing

If you’re a plumber with a taste for exotic locations and who can think outside the square, VSA has the job for you!

Above: Trevor and Alison Gatland.

“You have to remember that the only difference over 500 years in some of these villages are the T-shirts!”

‘Movie star syndrome’

Trevor says the villages can be quite different from one another. “It may have something to do with the individual leadership, or the supply of food in any area, but there are noticeable differences in the general happiness evident from one village to another.”

Above left: A completed spring intake with sediment chamber. Above right: The make-do Tippy Tap innovation—a plastic bottle tethered to a foot pedal for hygienic hand washing. 48

December 2016/January 2017

WORLD VIEW

Some are withdrawn and some are openly curious and want to know who you are, what you do, how you got here etc. You do get used to the ‘movie star’ syndrome—being the object of overt interest from staring locals, he says. “I got lost one day and wandered through the paddy fields of a village I had not been to before. I got some very strange looks.” For Trevor, the reward is to go back to the villages he has worked in and see their happiness. “With reliable water supply that doesn’t have to carried up from the nearest steep creek gully, gardens are being planted, they can easily mix concrete for all sorts of things, and there are tippy-taps for hand washing.” The official opening of a village’s new water system is cause for celebration and can be a two-day party, he says. The tribal finery is brought out and particular rituals gone through.

Lasting friendships

Trevor’s wife Alison says she arrived on a small island and found her mind broadened in the worldwide sense as she learned about the Timorese beliefs and traditions, and then got to know about other countries when making friends within the expat community. “The highlight for me was witnessing the obvious affection displayed between families and extended family members. It took a little while for Trevor to get used to his workmates holding his hand sometimes during conversations! “I have absolutely no regrets. It can be frustrating, yet rewarding, but ultimately it is an adventure. We look forward to more volunteer assignments in our retirement.” Another highlight for the Gatlands has been the friendships forged with other volunteers—Australia, USA, Japan and the Netherlands also have aid programmes in the area.

Above: Sediment chamber under construction.

Trevor says his replacement will need a sense of adventure, tolerance and the ability to handle frustration. The next two years will be dealing with pump systems—some solarpowered—in territory a bit different from what he has been working in. There will be no holiday for Trevor. He has accepted a job with Downer, supervising a major project in Whangarei. ■ If you’re interested in helping with this valuable work, email volunteer@vsa.org.nz or call 0800 872 8646.

the next two years will be dealing with pump systems— some solar-powered

Above: Part of the opening ceremony at Lulinuno. December 2016/January 2017

Working with asbestos HEALTH MATTERS

A new code of practice sets out expectations for people doing work that involves asbestos.

or ACM in the workplace, and there are tips APPROVED NEW ZEALAND NO longer produces or CODE OF PRACTICE for this, along with illustrations of where it imports building products containing asbestos. can potentially be found in commercial and Management and Removal However, there are plenty of properties built, of Asbestos residential properties (see illustrations). altered or refurbished from 1940 until the midPCBUs with identified asbestos or ACMs in 1980s that are likely to contain products of this the workplace must have a written, accessible kind. Some buildings after this date may also be and up-to-date asbestos management plan. affected. This must include information about: Asbestos was used as a fire retardant and insulation for products like pipe lagging, gas and • identification (eg, signs and labels) electric heaters and insulating board. Due to its • risk management decisions (eg, safe work waterproofing qualities, it was also used in some procedures and control measures) roofing materials; wet area asbestos sheeting • incident or emergency recording procedures or vinyl tiles; and water and sewage pipes. The • workers carrying out work involving asbestos single biggest cause of work-related disease (eg, what training will be provided, roles and Above: WorkSafe’s new asbestos deaths, asbestos must be handled with extreme code of practice. responsibilities, health monitoring). care. New Asbestos Regulations came into effect Workplace PCBUs have until 4 April 2018 to prepare or in April this year with the aim of protecting as many people as review existing asbestos management plans. possible from exposure to asbestos fibres. In June, applications opened for asbestos removal licences. And this October, Doing the work WorkSafe New Zealand published the Approved Code of Practice PCBUs carrying out asbestos-related work should use safe work for Management and Removal of Asbestos. practices to minimise airborne asbestos fibre generation. The The code of practice includes information for workplace code of practice contains detailed information about safe work PCBUs on identifying asbestos or asbestos-containing material techniques and practices. (ACM), recordkeeping, managing risks, management plans, Techniques include wetting asbestos, using thickened safe work practices, training, tools and equipment, PPE, health substances, pastes or gels to cover surfaces, ‘shadow vacuuming’ monitoring, decontamination, waste containment and disposal. and doing the task in a controlled environment. PCBUs must also make sure that every worker who works PCBU duties with asbestos has the necessary knowledge and experience—or The code has a five-step plan to help workplace PCBUs manage is supervised by someone who does—and is adequately trained. asbestos exposure risks. The first step is to identify asbestos F E T Y AT

•

HSWA

AC T

• HEA

NOVEMBER 2016

December 2016/January 2017

52 ACM interior window panel

ACM ceiling tiles

ACM bath panel

Gutters and downpipes

ACM roofing panels, eg Super Six

ACM surrounding fireplace Soffits ACM clad garage

Compressed sheeting (asbestos containing material)

ACM fence panels

Electrical meter board

Wet area lining substrate Cladding, including baseboards

ACM stormwater trap Vinyl flooring

ACM stormwater and sewage piping

ACM partition wall

Loose fill insulation

Figure 14: Potential asbestos locations in a pre-2000 house

Above: Potential asbestos locations in a pre-2000 house. Roof ventilators ‘Super Six’, ‘Super Eight’ roof sheeting

Skylight and manhole frames Asbestos cement vent pipe and capping

Fluted ridge capping used on plain roll, fluted saddle ridge, sawtooth ridge capping and ventilatiing ridge

Window moulding and louvre blades

Barge moulding ACM sheeting or ceiling tiles used in the office area, kitchen, toilet walls or mezzanine area Compressed sheet flooring

Gutters

‘Super Six’, ‘Super Eight’ or architectural designed wall cladding

Door mouldings

ACM wall sheeting or compressed sheeting

Rainwater heads ACM woven fencing product

Window moulding and louvre blades

‘Super Six’ awning

Side flashing Asbestos cement downpipes ACM backing to the switchboard and internal lining

Textile in the fuse holders

Vinyl floor tiles or sheet vinyl floor coverings

DT surrounds (disconnector trap) Moulded telecommunications pit or electrical pit

Compressed wall sheeting used for toilet partitions

SECTION 6.0 // IDENTIFYING ASBESTOS OR ACM IN THE WORKPLACE

Illustrations taken from WorkSafe's Approved Code of Practice for Management and Removal of Asbestos.

Exterior window flashing

Textured ceiling

ACM water tank

APPROVED CODE OF PRACTICE // MANAGEMENT AND REMOVAL OF ASBESTOS

ACM hotwater cupboard lining ACM toilet seat and cistern

Figure 13: Potential asbestos locations in a commercial building

Above: Potential asbestos locations in a commercial building.

The code of practice gives guidance on the type of training required for the different levels of risk. There is information, APPROVED CODE OF PRACTICE // MANAGEMENT AND REMOVAL OF ASBESTOS too, on tools and equipment and PPE for workers, and health monitoring duties (see more on this in the previous NZ Plumber). The The legislation that for applies in this asbestos-related section of the code is: work is being PCBU which Health and out Safety at Work (Asbestos) 2016 carried must also make Regulations sure contaminated items are Regulation 10 Duty to ensure asbestos identified at workplace decontaminated or safely contained before they leave the work Regulation 11 Duty to analyse samples area, and asbestos waste is disposed of safely. ■ Regulation 12 Duty to ensure presence and location of asbestos indicated Download the new WorkSafe ‘Approved Code of Practice for INTRODUCTION Management and Removal of Asbestos’ at www.worksafe.govt.nz managing asbestos exposure risks. under Information & Guidance. > 6.1

For workplace PCBUs, identifying asbestos or ACM in the workplace is the first step for

Figure 12 shows the asbestos management process. The first step is ‘identify asbestos and ACMs and identify ways to control them’.

Identify asbestos and ACMs

Assess risks from asbestos and ACMs and identify ways to control them

Develop an asbestos management plan

Processes for accidents, incidents, emergencies

Review asbestos management plan’s effectiveness

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Above: The 5-step asbestos management process in the code of practice.

Figure 12: Asbestos management process – identify ACMs

Identifying asbestos will help those people in the workplace who do not need to work in asbestos-containing areas to avoid exposure to asbestos. People working in these areas will know what to expect and what precautions to take to keep safe.

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HEALTH MATTERS

Drilling into asbestos board

At the recent Master Plumbers asbestos toolbox talks, one commonly asked question was: ‘What if I want to drill a hole into asbestos?” When you do this—for example to pass pipework through board containing asbestos—you create a friable, or dusty, atmosphere. WorkSafe has produced a helpful Fact Sheet on Drilling holes in asbestos-containing board reproduced below.

Preparing the work area • • •

Make sure there is safe access to the work area. Restrict access—reduce the number of people present. Close doors opening into the work area. Use tape and notices to inform others why the area is restricted. • If it’s possible, also restrict access to the area behind the ACM board. • Let other people know the area is contaminated. Keep dust down • Use a thick paste, like wallpaper paste or shaving foam, to contain drilling debris. • Only use power tools set at the lowest speed so you do not create a lot of dust. Use dust collection equipment if it is available. • Use plastic sheets to cover your work area to help stop the spread of dust. They will also make cleaning up easier.

Use the right protective equipment

Wear a mask • Not all masks protect from asbestos. • A disposable P2 mask with a valve is the minimum needed for this work. P1 or ‘nuisance dust’ masks will not provide the protection you need. • Don’t re-use disposable masks. • Make sure your mask fits properly. Facial hair and stubble make it almost impossible to get a good seal between your face and the mask. Wear overalls • Disposable overalls will stop the tiny asbestos fibres getting on your clothes. • Don’t re-use disposable overalls. • Wear the overalls one size too big as it will help prevent ripping at the seams. • Make sure you put the legs of the overalls over the top of your footwear – don’t tuck them in as it lets in dust.

•

Clean off the paste, foam and debris with damp rags. Or remove the device and clean the surface. Clean the back surface with damp rags, if accessible. • Rags and paste or foam contain dust and fibres. Dispose of as asbestos waste. • Seal the drilled edge with sealant. • Insert a sleeve to protect the hole’s edges. Method 2 • Place a plastic enclosure over the drill point. Put the drill bit or cutter through the enclosure opening. • Use a vacuum with a type of filter designed to capture fine particles like asbestos. Attach the hose of a vacuum cleaner to the plastic enclosure. Turn it on. • Drill the hole. • Vacuum the drilled hole, and the rear of the board if accessible. • Seal the drilled edge with sealant. • Insert a sleeve to protect the hole’s edges.

Clean up properly It’s really important to clean up properly so that you safely remove and dispose of the asbestos waste. The work area and tools • Clean up as you go to stop waste building up. • Use a damp cloth to wipe down tools and surfaces to remove asbestos fibres. Do not re-use the cloth. It must be disposed of as asbestos waste. • Don’t sweep up because this will spread asbestos fibres into the air. • Don’t use domestic vacuum cleaners to clean up asbestos dust. Use a vacuum with a type of filter designed to capture fine particles like asbestos. Personal clean-up • Dispose of disposable masks and overalls safely after you have finished the job. The mask and overalls are asbestos waste. • Don’t take overalls home or wear them in vehicles. This will prevent people at home being exposed to asbestos fibres.

Disposal •

Procedure • • •

Put on mask and overalls and make sure they fit properly. Protect nearby surfaces from contamination. Cover the drilling point and the rear (if accessible) with masking tape to prevent the edges crumbling. • For cable and pipework, make the hole slightly bigger than required. Method 1 • Cover the drill entry and, if accessible, exit points, with a generous amount of paste, foam or a proprietary device. • Drill through the paste, foam or device.

December 2016/January 2017

•

Make sure all waste, including masks, overalls, cloths and plastic sheets are double-bagged in heavy-duty plastic bags, sealed with tape and marked as asbestos waste. Dispose of the asbestos waste at an authorised disposal site. Contact the local tips in your area to find one that accepts asbestos waste.

Finishing the job •

Visually inspect the area to make sure it has been cleaned properly.

Find the fact sheet at www.worksafe.govt.nz (Information & Guidance).

SUPPLY LINES

Work life balance Grow a business—and have a life—with simPRO Software’s cloud-based job management system. Frustrated with messy paperwork and spreadsheets, little to no visibility across your trades business, and little to no possibility of taking a break from it all? Steve Bradshaw was. That’s why he set out to make his business—and life—a lot less chaotic. And that’s how, just a few years later, simPRO job management software was born. With the innovative cloud-based solution, trade contractors—from plumbers to electricians to HVAC technicians—have the ability to take control of their businesses, so that they can drive or accommodate growth, have more time to spend with family, or take a holiday. As co-founder Steve says, “What we’ve always done [at simPRO] is we’ve always aspired to improve people’s lives.” Today, simPRO solutions are trusted by more than 2,500 trades business owners and 80,000 users worldwide. Here’s how simPRO’s office and mobile solutions can help you work smarter, provide better service, maximise your profitability… and maybe even take that holiday.

Greater visibility Trades business owners working with outdated systems and processes (or no systems at all) have little visibility across (and as a result, little control over) their businesses. They work from the seat of their pants without good knowledge of who’s where and for how long, how much stock they have and where it’s spread, and whether or not they’re making a profit or a loss on a job, and as a business overall. simPRO makes it easy to see everything that goes on in your business, from workforce schedules to stock and storage locations, to tracking job profitability in real time. Accurate, up-to-date job reporting helps you take the necessary action to make change, drive growth, and push your business on the right path.

Connectivity Field mobility—keeping your workforce connected—is critical in a trades business like plumbing where your staff can be spread far and wide across the city, country or indeed even the world. With simPRO, plumbers can use their mobile devices to view their entire work schedule, share information with the office in real time, and invoice and collect payment on site. Your plumbers no longer need to text, call, or drop by the office, which not only maximises your billable hours but also provides an exceptionally high standard of customer service.

Above: Your team can use their mobiles to view their work schedules, invoice and collect payment on site.

invoicing, payment processing and more help you win and do business smarter and faster—maximising your profitability. With the right systems in place, many trade business owners find that they have more time—to work on the business instead of in, to spend with their family, to enjoy their hobbies, to get fit, or to take that long-awaited holiday.

A bright future Originally founded in 2002, simPRO Software now has offices in New Zealand, Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom. Having recently received a $42.5 million investment from New York-based growth equity firm, Level Equity, the company’s future is indeed looking bright. Plans for product, development and support team expansion and an increased focus on customer success is set to bring its comprehensive solutions and services to many more trades businesses worldwide. ■

simPRO NZ partnering with Master Plumbers simPRO Software is a Platinum Business Partner of Master Plumbers Gasfitters & Drainlayers NZ Inc, and is offering members 20% off the initial investment price of simPRO Enterprise: the comprehensive job management solution built for service, project and maintenance businesses. To find out more, go to simprogroup.com/nz/mp-members or call 0800 100 854.

Quote to cash… fast Because simPRO powers a more efficient (paperless) workflow, trade contractors can benefit from the speedier turnaround of quote to cash. Intelligent tools for quoting and estimating, scheduling,

Platinum Partner

December 2016/January 2017

SMART BUSINESS

Big picture thinking Where is your business now? And where is it going? If you’re experiencing growth, you may want to consider some outside help. IF YOUR PLUMBING business is starting to grow—or you want it to—you need a vision and a plan for the future. If you feel that you’re a skilled tradesperson but not necessarily a natural businessperson, you may want to consider getting external advice and guidance to help with this.

Business mentors For busy small to mid-size business owners (SMEs), it can be all too easy to lose sight of anything other than the demands of the day. For SMEs, ‘governance’ often begins when you step outside of your operational role and seek help from a trusted advisor— someone who’s looking at your business from the outside. If you don’t know anyone who can offer this kind of support, a business mentor or coach could be a good way to go. This doesn’t need to cost big bucks—in fact, it may not cost anything at all. Business Mentors, for example, is a not-for-profit organisation that can match you with a volunteer mentor to provide a year’s worth of confidential one-on-one advice.

Advisory boards As your business forges ahead, and you realise the value of an external perspective, you may want to move to the next stage and establish a board. The Institute of Directors explains that there are two types of board: advisory boards and formal boards. If you want to make changes to your business but keep control of it, an advisory board may be your best option. This kind of board provides specific advice and information in a flexible, informal way. Members are not directors, have no powers and don’t represent shareholders. An advisory board does just that: advises. It has no decision-making powers and can’t instruct your company to act. SMEs particularly can benefit from the guidance of an advisory board, which can help with business development and strategic planning. Larger companies with a formal board of directors may also set up advisory boards—to work on a particular project, say, or provide expertise in a specific area.

Formal boards The next step is for those who want to build their business into something really big. You might be getting ready to float the company on the stock market or you might want someone to look at your strategy in real depth.

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December 2016/January 2017

A formal board will meet regularly to consider your company’s performance and strategic progress. It is a good idea to have at least one independent/non-executive director, who can look at the company objectively without the emotions that you, as a business owner, may have. An independent director can ask the hard questions and challenge your thinking. By being separate from the day-to-day operations, he or she can take the big picture view to guide your company’s future.

Keeping it in the family? Many plumbing firms are family businesses—a husband and wife team, perhaps, or inter-generational. This is great when it comes to a genuine passion for the business and strong relationships with employees, suppliers and customers. However, family relationships can sometime affect the business adversely. Human factors can lead to poor communication, resentment, dominating personalities or the business owner always having the final say. This is where a board can play a vital role. Professional expertise can help shift entrenched thinking and take the business to a new level by providing an outside view. If family members are on the board as non-executive directors, everyone’s roles need to be clearly defined to keep them feeling engaged. For an owner who’s keen to sell the business or pass it to another family member, setting up a board can also be a good way of ensuring it is left in good hands.

SMART BUSINESS

What you want from a director is someone with a passion for your business; someone who cares about its future and understands your vision. Unlike an advisory board, a formal board of directors has major responsibilities and legal obligations, advises the Institute of Directors. They: • • • • •

Are appointed by shareholders Manage, direct and supervise the company Are liable for their actions May direct management Are ultimately responsible for the success of the company.

Statistics confirm that, regardless of size, businesses with formal structures tend to develop quicker and with a clearer direction than those without, says the Institute of Directors.

Is it for me? If you’re happy with where your business is going and don’t want to make any real changes, then you may not need any of this support. But remember that change does happen whether you like it or not. Instead of being forced to move your cheese, it’s often a good idea to anticipate change and come up with a strategy for dealing with it. Can you answer yes to any the following? If so, it may be time to look at setting up a board. • • • • • •

My company is growing and I need to get less personally involved in running the business I’m facing opportunities that are outside my current knowledge and experience I need to profile the business to investors, bankers and other important outsiders I want the business to grow and prosper without my input I want a fresh perspective on issues without any emotional bias I want to ready my business for sale.

The Institute of Directors is one avenue if you need help finding an independent director. Again, this doesn’t have to be expensive. You could offer the person a short-term contract or an equity interest. Experienced directors are often willing to invest their time in a new or fast-growing business. A thorough interview process is important. This is not like hiring an employee—you’re looking for a peer to engage in robust debate. Remember, too, that taking on governance requires a cultural change. You have to be open to embrace their views. Find the right fit, and the sky is your limit. ■

The meaning of governance Governance is what a board of directors does. Boards ensure a company is well run and well governed to ensure shareholder value can be maximised and no ‘funny business’ goes on. The Institute of Directors explains that good governance helps a company: • • • • • •

Improve performance Have a defined vision for the future (strategic plan) Take a big picture view separate from day-to-day operations Ensure accountability and oversight of operations Manage risk Find the right balance between short-term gains and long-term wealth.

It can be easy to confuse governance and management. Management takes the strategic plan and works to implement it into the day-to-day operations.

Where to find help Possible sources of information and assistance include (please note these are not personal recommendations): • www.businessmentors.org.nz - confidential, independent help from volunteer mentors • www.theicehouse.co.nz - business growth workshops, programmes and events • www.plumberscoach.co.nz – programmes, guidance and events for the PGD industry • www.cdlinsight.co.nz - business growth coaching, training and pathways • www.tradescoachacademy.co.nz - industry-specific knowledge and systems • www.iod.org.nz - advice, events, tools and resources for businesses looking to set up their first board.

it’s often a good idea to anticipate change and come up with a strategy for dealing with it Thanks to the Institute of Directors for their help with this article. Find more information about setting up a board on their website at www.iod.org.nz/firstboards

December 2016/January 2017

SMART BUSINESS

Relax and recharge Advice from BNZ on starting the New Year with a solid plan and a relaxed mind-set. THE HOLIDAYS AND the New Year are a time to reflect and make some changes in our behaviour—whether that means taking up a healthier diet or making better use of our time. BNZ has pulled together some advice from experts on taxes, your personal finances, and balancing business with taking some time off.

Provisional tax requirements

BNZ’s head of tax Campbell Rapley is thinking a bit further ahead for his New Year’s resolutions. In the coming year, provisional tax payments for those with the standard year-end on 31 March 2017 will be due on 28 August 2017, 15 January 2018 and 7 May 2018. “These can creep up on you, so it’s important to ensure you have the cash available to make the payments,” Rapley says. When it comes to your income tax return, if you have a tax agent the filing deadline can be extended, but it makes sense to complete the process as quickly as possible after year-end to get any refund quicker—or pay less interest. Trying to file sooner rather than later will also mean the required information should be easier to retrieve. “Remember to keep your tax records for at least seven years and to hold a valid GST invoice if you want to claim GST back on purchases of more than $50 in your GST return,” says Rapley. You could consider putting any windfalls towards your mortgage.

Mortgage payments

The small changes you can make to pay off your home loan quicker, the more you can save. On a $300,000 standard

the small changes you can make to pay off your home loan quicker, the more you can save 56

December 2016/January 2017

table home loan with a 5.64 percent interest, even just paying an additional $35 per week could mean saving as much as $26,725.32 and taking two years, four months and six days off a 20-year mortgage. When interest rates are historically low, it’s tempting to bank the difference and spend it on luxury items. There’s no rule that you have to spend 25 or 30 years paying off a mortgage. If you want to get ahead financially, turn that thought around and view the all-time low interest rates as an opportunity to pay down your mortgage now and get debt free faster. “Think of it this way,” says Manjeera Hammond, Product Manager Home Loans at BNZ: “When interest rates drop and if you keep your payments the same, more of those payments go towards paying down the principal.”

Take time to relax

With the summer and Christmas near, take some time to relax and enjoy time with family and friends. Regan Frost, owner of Regency Plumbing in Auckland, enjoys a relaxing camping trip with friends in a magical spot. He says that relaxation recharges him—and that some

of the best ideas come to him while he is out fishing, or when he runs into other tradesmen who all have a lesson learnt from the year. “For sure you need to switch off, but this is much easier said than done. To be honest I never switch off completely; however, in saying that, when I go on holiday I don’t take my phone, so this means phone calls and emails just must wait, and I get an uninterrupted break while an on-call plumber is always available 24/7, 365 days a year.” He stresses the importance of having a good team on the road and in the office. “Spread the load; everyone can have a turn and get a holiday this way, including the business owner.” Need help with your financial plan? Give BNZ a call on 0800 269 763 and discover why BNZ was awarded Canstar’s Best Small Business Bank for the sixth year in a row. ■ This information is for general information purposes only. To the extent that it contains financial advice, it does not take into account your particular financial situation or goals. BNZ recommends you seek advice specific to your circumstances from your financial adviser. Lending criteria (including minimum equity), terms and fees apply.

SMART BUSINESS

When Inland Revenue calls When Inland Revenue says your business is to be audited, be prepared and don’t panic. You may even come out of it with a tax rebate. What’s an audit? An Inland Revenue audit looks at your financial affairs to make sure you’ve paid the right amount of tax and complied with tax laws. It could be a simple check of your GST registration or a full examination of all your business and personal records.

Who gets audited? Inland Revenue can audit any business. It uses a range of methods to select who to audit, but won’t disclose the reason you have been chosen.

How it works Inland Revenue may sample your records to see if an audit is needed. If everything is okay, the inquiry ends there and Inland Revenue will confirm you won’t be audited. If an audit is necessary, you’ll get a letter telling you what records Inland Revenue needs to see, with an information sheet on how the process works. Usually, Inland Revenue will follow up with a face-toface interview to learn more about your business and answer your questions. Some audits focus on a small part of a business. In these instances, Inland Revenue may not need to meet you and

CLASSIFIED ADS

may instead choose to conduct the audit by email or through your tax agent.

An audit will look at your: Ledgers, journals, invoices, payroll records, bank statements.

How long do audits take? Audits, like the businesses they look at, are all different. At the start of the process, Inland Revenue will give you an estimate of how long it thinks the audit will take.

Results Near the end of the audit, Inland Revenue will meet you again to discuss its findings. It should be clear at this point if you’ll get a refund or need to pay more tax. The auditor will also tell you where you’ve gone wrong and how to put things right. Inland Revenue can audit any business. It uses a range of methods to select who to audit, but won’t disclose the reason you have been chosen.

Voluntary disclosure Prepare for your audit by checking your records—if anything is missing, contact Inland Revenue straight away. If you think you’ve made a mistake, ask Inland

Revenue about voluntary disclosures. Telling Inland Revenue what’s wrong with your tax affairs before an audit starts is called a voluntary disclosure. An advantage of doing this is that it may reduce any tax shortfall penalties. ■ This article is reproduced courtesy of business.govt.nz

Resources •

•

Read more about audits at www.ird. govt.nz/how-to/audits/about-audits/ about-audits Watch the IR audit video at www.ird.govt.nz/help/demo/businessaudits/audit-video-index.html Read more about voluntary disclosures at www.ird. govt.nz/yoursituation-bus/ starting/obligations/runningputtingtaxaffairsright

The cost to advertise is $60+GST for MPGD members; $100+GST for non-members. Just send your text (up to 100 words) to advertising@masterplumbers.org.nz

Experienced Plumber, Gasfitter, looking for something more? Do you have a good attitude and want to develop your skills? We’re a small Wellington based company where no two days are the same. We cover Plumbing, Gas, Roofing, Drainage, Waterproofing and more. Excellent rates of pay, very rare after hours work. If you are: • Honest, trustworthy, down to earth. • Have great people and

Above: The IR video on audits explains the process.

communication skills • Can work independently and supervise others • Problem solving skills • Organised with good time management • Fit, healthy and motivated • Clean driving and police record Send a copy of your CV, or call today. Jared@nve.co.nz 0278978716

Freephone number for sale 0508 PLUMBER - Business no longer operating. Website also available if wanted: teamparagon.com. Please tender to redbeachrules@gmail.com by 13 January 2017.

NZ Qualified Plumber/Gasfitter required Drainage Solutions Ltd are seeking a qualified Plumber/Gasfitter to join its small team at Gecko Plumbing in the Auckland region. Candidates should be NZ qualified and have the ability to work on their own initiative in this autonomous role. We currently focus on plumbing maintenance and high end bathroom refurbishments but this role will focus on the maintenance side of the business. A company vehicle and phone will be provided for the right candidate along with a competitive salary. May consider contract work. Please send your current CV to scott@hh.co.nz Drainage Solutions.

December 2016/January 2017

HEALTH & SAFETY PACKAGE CHOOSE THE OPTION TO SUIT YOUR BUSINESS: Printed Health & Safety Manual

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Online Manual

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HEALTH & SAFETY TRAINING: Member companies (5 or more employees)

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MANUAL INCLUDES: • H & S Policies • Accident & Hazard Registers • Information on Training & Supervision • Emergency Planning & Readiness

Call 04 801 2017 or email flo@masterplumbers.org.nz

Measuring performance CONDUCTING A YEARLY performance review with your team will help you understand where your employees are at, if there are any areas of concern and where further development and training needs to be considered. A good tool for evaluating an individual’s job performance is the initial job description used when interviewing for their position and for their job induction. This typically outlines the necessary skills, training and education needed, and spells out the duties and responsibilities of the role.

having performance reviews in place keeps people honest

SMART BUSINESS

All employees like to know what is expected of them and how their performance will be measured, says Lisa Duston.

In most cases, employees enjoy the interaction with their manager and appreciate the feedback. Having performance reviews in place keeps people honest—and people work better when they have clear goals and perform to agreed values. Many employees appreciate the opportunity to improve on what they are already doing; it’s just got to be sold in the right manner. Remember, too, that the review is a two-way street—it’s an equally good opportunity for you to get some feedback from employees on what your business could be doing smarter! Having performance reviews in place will also come in handy if you have any performance issues with your team. It’s a good tool for tracking when an employee’s performance isn’t where it should be and needs to be managed going forward.

By understanding the issues— time restraints, for example, or not understanding the task—you can make a plan with the employee to get them back on track and manage their progress along the way. If you need any assistance with performance reviews or would like some practical templates, just get in touch! ■ About the author: HR specialist Lisa Duston is here to support your business, ensuring you and your team have the tools to get it right. Lisa can assist with your recruitment needs, from placing ads through to supplying you with a shortlist of well-screened potential applicants ready for interviewing. Master Plumbers’ members can access HR support from Lisa at specially reduced rates. Call Lisa on 021 245 1704 during normal business hours or email lduston@masterplumbers.org.nz

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SMART BUSINESS

Recruiting from overseas With the shortage of Kiwi plumbers, some businesses are thinking of looking overseas for qualified staff. Here are some answers to commonly asked questions. Will their qualifications be accepted here? Australian qualifications held by registered plumbers, gasfitters and drainlayers are the only ones to be recognised in New Zealand. To be granted NZ registration and a practising licence in the equivalent class, Australianqualified tradespeople must first apply to the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board using the form on their website. Tradespeople in any other countries can also be granted registration to work in this country if they meet the PGD Board’s minimum standards for registration, which are outlined in an introductory guide on the Board’s website. Tradespeople who meet the minimum standards can complete an overseasqualified tradesperson pre-registration application form, also available on the website. If this is accepted, the Board will provide the person with an application form for a provisional licence, which enables them to carry out sanitary plumbing, gasfitting and/or drainlaying work for up to 12 months while they complete the Board’s written exams (Licensed class) or Advanced Proficiency Assessment (Certifying class).

if they are treated well and are comfortable both within and outside the workplace, they should remain with you for the long haul 60

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Above: Migrant workers can be the answer for companies struggling to find staff.

Can I expect to pay their relocation costs and help find accommodation? There are two ways you could look to bring in staff: do it yourself or (the more common way) partner with a reputable agency who understands the plumbing trade and has good relations with bodies such as the Plumbing, Gasfitting and Drainlaying Board and Immigration NZ. “With an agency on-hiring the workers to you, you won’t have to handle any upfront costs or organise accommodation and relocation for your workers—this is all part of the package,” says Ihaka Rongonui of Turbo Staff. “Agencies like ours also have exclusive supply deals where clients are able to take the workers on to their own books after a fixed period at no cost.

“New Zealand employers who recruit and relocate workers themselves, without involving an agency, are legally required to cover all costs such as visa processing fees, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) fees, medical fees, flights and relocation. It is also expected that the employer facilitate accommodation for the worker to arrive into. Average upfront costs to do things this way would average around $8,000$10,000 per worker.”

How can I help migrant workers settle in so they want to stay— especially if they don’t speak English? The best approach here is to be selective with what countries you relocate workers from, advises Ihaka. “The biggest influx

SMART BUSINESS

increase from any particular country in New Zealand over recent years has been from the Philippines. The Philippines has specialised in relocating workers around the world for over 50 years and have around 10 percent of their working population working abroad at any given time. “As a result of this specialisation, the Philippines is very efficient in educating their travelling workers in different languages before they leave on assignment, and is the third biggest English speaking population in the world. “An agency can test applicants for English speaking abilities before they reach interview stage with you, so you will only be selecting from candidates who are well-versed in English. We have a three-stage interview process for all applicants who we present to our clients. The first is a thorough English exam, which allows us to give a score out of 100 on how well the worker is able to read/ write and understand English. We also supply workers with English tutoring when they first arrive to help them adapt to Kiwi slang and culture.”

What can I do to encourage overseas workers to stay longterm?

There is no real secret to gaining these workers for long term, says Ihaka. “If they are treated well and are comfortable both within and outside the workplace, they should remain with you for the long haul. “New Zealand is a country favoured by migrants, which generally makes them want to live here long term. They are likely to remain loyal to your particular company if they are treated respectfully and have a good flow of work hours. In fact, they often turn out to be the most loyal of all because of their respect for the company that gave them their initial opportunity. “At Turbo Staff, we have many initiatives outside the workplace to add more value to working with us and retain our migrant workers. These are things such as sports teams, social events, assistance with gaining NZ residency, reward programmes for top performers and so on. We also allow our workers who have taken permanent jobs with our

employers to remain as members of this work unit, so they can continue to be part of the ‘family’.” ■

Master Plumbers working to support industry Master Plumbers is working to assist its members by sourcing skilled, qualified plumbers and gasfitters from Australia— the only country with mutually recognised trade qualifications. Candidates are pre-screened by Master Plumbers' HR Consultant Lisa Duston, who can also assist with booking interviews, pre-employment checks (including reference checks) and relocation requirements, if needed. Candidate profiles are available in the member log-in at www. masterplumbers.org.nz (under Business Resources). If you are interested in taking someone on in your business, contact Lisa on 021 245 1704; or email lduston@masterplumbers.org.nz. A one-off finder's fee applies.

TIMES PAST

In on the act

Master Plumbers was instrumental in bringing about the original PGD Act—a task of patience and perseverance. OVER THE YEARS, a significant amount of members’ time has been spent on regulatory matters relating to the trade. So say the authors of the Otago Association’s 100-year commemorative book. They note that, as early as December 1898, a general discussion was held around ways and means to improve the trade. Among the subjects being discussed was a proposed ‘Registration Act’. “The advent of the various Drainage Boards in New Zealand cities was in many ways the catalyst for the push for the registration of plumbers and drainlayers. The Drainage Boards saw a need for regulatory controls in the form of by-laws to ensure that those who were providing plumbing and drainage services should have a standard with which to conform. “This brought about the ‘dos and the don’ts’ in by-laws as opposed to ‘assumed’ best trade practice. It was then a natural progression to expect that these same plumbers and drainlayers should be suitably qualified, to ensure that the work entrusted

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to them was performed to a skill standard to be attained by qualification through examinations, conducted by the Drainage Boards.” It must also be remembered, say the authors, that many nations of the world had by now come to realise that the plagues that periodically ravaged many of the populated regions were a direct result of inadequate potable water supplies, insanitary waste water removal and treatment systems. “Is it any wonder then, that those people of the British Isles who settled New Zealand were determined in their efforts to avert conditions experienced the old world from manifestation in this, the new world?”

Protecting public health

The debate on the ‘Registration of Plumbers by Act of Parliament’ really came alive at the second national Master Plumbers’ conference, held at the end of 1901, as this extract from the event report shows: “During the discussion that ensued under this heading it was clearly demonstrated by those present, that the time had arrived when this Association should take upon itself the responsibility of urging the Government to take prompt action in the matter of registering plumbers on a statutory basis.” It was carried unanimously that the conference should record its opinion that it was “urgently necessary to the protection of

TIMES PAST

public health” that there should be a means by which public authorities and the public could distinguish “incompetent persons” from plumbers who were properly qualified to perform their work—and that the Conference strongly urge the Government to take the necessary steps to secure prompt legislation establishing the registration of plumbers on a statutory basis, thus ensuring the qualifications and responsibility of the person registered. A year and half later, the pressure for the registration of plumbers was still gaining momentum, with the Otago Association receiving a letter from the National Association asking for support in their endeavours to obtain this goal.

Low on the agenda

However, the Bill must have had low priority on the Government’s legislative agenda. An issue around Drainage Board examinations was noted in the Otago Association minutes from a meeting held in mid 1910, with a resolution to empower the executive to approach the Government “with a view to getting the National Registration for Plumbers made law”. From a newspaper article published later that year, it is evident that not everyone in New Zealand thought the proposed Act was necessary or indeed appropriate. Headed A Drastic Bill, the article went on to state that, although the legislation was not intended to pass at this session, the Plumbers Registration Bill had been introduced that day for “circulation and consideration” of those interested during the recess. Under its provisions, the Inspector General of schools would register all duly qualified plumbers. The qualification for registration was having been in business as a Master Plumber or having been a fully competent Journeyman Plumber on the passing of the Act, or holding a certificate of the ordinary, or the honours grade granted by the City and Guilds of London Institute, or other certificate of at least equal value with the first,

or having passed the examinations presented by registration under the Act. The Governor would be able to make regulations for setting up a Board of Examiners. A fee not exceeding one pound would be charged for examination etc. Registered Plumbers would be exempt from further exams or licence fees. An unregistered Journeyman was not to be deemed a competent workman after 1 July 1911 and only registered plumbers were to be employed on sanitary work.

Wartime disruption

Otago Association minutes from 1911 to 1916 are missing— probably due to people making hurried departure plans for the onset of the First World War. “In so far as the registration of plumbers is concerned, the loss of these minutes could not have been for a more important period in plumbing history,” note the authors. “That the Act became law in this era is now history and the discussions and deliberations of the Otago Master Plumbers at this significant time will probably never be known.” However, both the Auckland and Otago Master Plumbers Associations can be proud of the contribution made by Alex Burt Junior as the first Master Plumbers representation on the registration board when it was formed in 1913. A founding member of the national Society, he was acknowledged as one of the industry’s most ardent driving forces in the push for the registration of plumbers early in the century. Alex Burt was active at both Associations, having moved to Auckland with his family and stayed 25 years before returning to Dunedin. He will be remembered for his untiring wok to bring about the registration of plumbers in New Zealand. As the authors note: “The Registration Act, with the passage of time, became an accepted piece of legislation that plumbers and people generally came to accept as being normal and quite proper enactment that was fulfilling the purpose for which it was established.” ■

Above: The second annual convention of the National Association of Master Plumbers in 1902. Alex Burt, tireless advocate for the registration of plumbers in New Zealand, is pictured front row, second from right. December 2016/January 2017

INNOVATION

Water smarts Home is where we all use water… and lose it. Yet that could all change with an innovative smart water management system, being developed right here in New Zealand. WITH WATER SCARCITY now a wellestablished fact, and the demand for sustainable living growing worldwide, there is a need to be as ‘green’ with water as we are with other aspects of environmental conservation. As it enters the sixth year of its historic drought, the state of California understands this only too well. This made the Los Angeles Convention Centre an appropriate venue for the recent Greenbuild International Conference & Expo. The largest sustainable building event in the world, Greenbuild brings together a global community of like-

Above: Showcasing Digital Water at Greenbuild 2016 in Los Angeles. 64

December 2016/January 2017

Leak detection and alerts

repaired, and automatic leak shut-off while allowing temporary reactivation of water for normal use. At the other end of the spectrum, Digital Water protects against unintended or negligent use of water, which can all too often result in flooding and property damage. The Digital Water system offers a sustainable solution for professional property developers, too, and water utilities can also access data. Demonstrations of this patented water management system in Los Angeles garnered positive interest and feedback from developers, architects, plumbers and programme managers, says Llewellyn Picton, General Manager of Buteline and one of the representatives for Digital Water at Greenbuild. “The Greenbuild show was an eye-opener to the demand and vast amount of modern sustainable building products,” says Llewellyn. “With the growing trend in building automation and innovative technological solutions for everyday living, we see Digital Water as the answer to water conservation in sustainable properties of the future.” ■

Digital Water uses state-of-the-art ultrasonic metering technology to deliver precise leak detection—together with alerts, so the homeowner can get the leak

In the later stages of R&D, you can find more information about Digital Water at www.digitalwater.co.nz

minded industry professionals. Among those involved this year was Digital Water, a member of the Buteline Group, showcasing the Digital Water smart water management system.

Real-time water usage data The idea of Digital Water is to provide knowledge, control and protection for property owners, wherever their location. Real-time water usage data, available on a touchscreen or remotely via a mobile app, increases people’s awareness of how they are using their water, while historical consumption data gives them insights that enable them to change their habits. These changes can be actioned via interactive water saving, scheduling and flow management functions within Digital Water. The savings extend beyond water to energy—particularly with regards to hot water usage. In the bigger picture, as wastage and excessive usage is reduced, so are the upstream CO2 emissions and the environmental footprint associated with water processing and supply.

Big change for Google AdWords

TECH SAVVY

Expanded text ads have launched—so, if your company advertises online, make sure you’re on the ball. WE’VE ALL SEEN them. The adverts that appear at the very top of the list when you do an internet search on Google. Known as Google AdWords, they look similar to the ‘organic’ search listings lower down the page. The difference is that the company placing the advertising pays whenever someone clicks on their listing or gives them a call. An internet change by Google in October will see these text ads expanding in size by nearly 50 percent. This will most likely result in an increase in the costs of Google advertising, and potentially reduce the value of organic search results, says Chris Price, CEO of Auckland-based search engine optimisation company Ark Advance, a Google Adwords Premier Partner. “Google has already moved its text Adwords off the side of the search results page, whilst also including an additional advertising slot for some search results, sparking more competition for listings at the top and bottom of the page. As a result, organic listings are further down the page.” Chris believes that Expanded Text Ads will mean less prominence for organic results and more companies turning to Adwords to be found online. “I expect that companies will need to get their AdWords best practice spot on to be competitive. “So instead of 25 characters for a heading and two 35 characters of description, you now have two 30-character headlines and one sizable 80-character description.” The quality of the copywriting is crucial, advises Chris.

Left: These typical Google AdWords are set to expand in size.

He has the following tips for companies wanting to improve their conversion from Google AdWords: 1. Update your Google AdWords account to use this new format. Text ads in the old form may look skinny when compared to competitors’ expanded alternatives 2. Use a compelling message to differentiate your business 3. Remember that people go to Google looking to solve a problem. Credibility is high on the list, so use this extra space to mention your years of experience or the scope of problems you have solved to date 4. Closely monitor the results of your Google advertising as the change rolls out. If your advert is working well, great. If not, jump on it! ■

Avoiding scams THE INTERNET HAS created a new world of business opportunities—but also new risks. A hacker can cost your business in money and reputation. To protect your business, look hard at your IT systems, eg email, customer data and accounting. Ask if you’re making it easy for an unauthorised person—a hacker—to gain access.

Have a process It’s easier to find and solve problems if you check your systems regularly. Steps you can take include: • If you have enough employees, assign one person to be a password holder for each of your systems, eg accounts and email. You’ll know straight away who to contact if you notice anything unusual. • Set times for tasks like depositing money and making payments—it’s easier to spot suspect transactions. • If you don’t have an in-house IT specialist, think about paying someone to help you set up a security process.

Make sure your systems are in good shape before Christmas and rest easy over summer.

Protect your computers It’s vital to install security software to protect your computer from viruses and other malicious programmes. • Get antivirus software—it protects computers from software designed to do them harm. Go to digitalresources.nz for more on antivirus software. • Install a firewall—an internet barrier that gives constant protection against hacking. • Use longer passwords made up of random letters and numbers—these are hard to guess.

Update your software Software providers release regular updates to guard against the latest hacks and bugs. They’re easy to ignore or put off, but it’s time well spent to keep your systems safe. Read this article in full at www.business.govt.nz under Risks & Operations.

December 2016/January 2017

TECH SAVVY

Dealing with Facebook feedback Got a negative comment on your company’s Facebook page? Here’s how to handle it. IF SOMEONE POSTS a complaint on your business’s Facebook page or Twitter feed, would you: a. delete or ignore it? b. discuss a possible resolution via comments on their post? c. thank them and make contact privately? Here’s how to turn feedback—good or bad—into an opportunity. Complaints, questions or compliments posted on your business’s social media pages offer a chance to make a positive impact on what current and prospective customers think of your business. Quickly resolving a complaint, for example, can build credibility and goodwill amongst your followers.

1. Plan ahead Assign one person to manage social media feedback. Ideally, they will have customer service experience. Prepare a plan. This could be a simple decision tree that covers: • types of comment • how to respond to each type, eg “Thanks so much for your compliment” • how quickly to respond to each type, eg within 30 minutes for a complaint • when to involve someone more senior

Don’t delete negative comments out of hand. A business page with absolutely no complaints can raise suspicions.

✘

A page where customer complaints have clearly been resolved can build trust.

December 2016/January 2017

4. Respond quickly

or with detailed product knowledge, eg a question that can’t be answered readily • how to proceed in certain situations, eg notify X of a complaint about Y and find a solution together. To help develop this plan, think about how your business handles customer complaints on email, by phone or in person. Remember, social media is a public forum and conversations remain visible, so extra-special care is required when responding.

2. Keep across it To be able to respond quickly, monitor your social media pages constantly. This doesn’t mean someone watching them 24/7. Your social media person should check work accounts as often as possible, and set up alerts to be notified immediately when someone posts a comment. Social media platforms offer this alert function, but only for activity on that platform. Tools such as Hootsuite enable monitoring across different platforms.

3. Review carefully Each comment should be read thoroughly. Some may be inappropriate and should be deleted, eg abusive or racist, or a product promotion. Set out the types of comments that will get deleted in the ‘profile’ or ‘about’ sections of your page.

Generally, the faster a business responds to comments the better. So if someone puts up a compliment, sincerely thank them for it as soon as you can. Similarly, if they make a genuine complaint, respond quickly with thanks, an apology and a promise to make things right. Be open, polite and professional, not cold or defensive. Their complaint is a sign they value your product or service. It’s important then to move the conversation onto a private channel —eg Facebook Messenger, email or phone—so you can get to grips with the problem without discussing every detail in public. Then do all you can to solve the problem. Once the issue is resolved, go back to the original comment and ask the person publicly if they are satisfied. This shows your customer and others that you made good on your promise, and that you value them.

5. Learn and improve Feedback on social media offers valuable information about your business. It’s also a chance to test and enhance the way you handle complaints and queries. ■ About the author: This article, reproduced from business.govt.nz, is by Ashlee Keown, Warehouse Stationery’s Digital and Direct Communications Manager. Warehouse Stationery. For more social media marketing tips for small businesses, see Ashlee’s blog at www.meetingroom.co.nz

Whether positive or negative, use feedback to improve your customer service and your business as a whole

✓

REAL LIVES

Putting service first Over the years, Mike Foote has put his training as a quantity surveyor to good use at Plumbing and Gas Works in Hamilton. THE PLUMBING INDUSTRY runs in Mike Foote’s veins. Mike has worked at Plumbing and Gas Works since 1997—in the days when it was known as Plumbing Works—and took over its management in 2000. For a time, his mother was the office administrator and his father the estimator, while his sister and brother worked as contractors. Another of his siblings is also involved in the plumbing industry. Mike himself originally qualified as a quantity surveyor—and this skill has proved useful for the estimating and quoting work he does in the firm. These days Plumbing & Gas Works Ltd has 12 staff. Four of them are shareholders in the company and, because they are employees, they all have a vested interest in looking after the company’s customers. As well as his General Manager duties, Mike is responsible for estimating, allocating and supervising work. “We strive for excellence in everything we do,” he says. “We’re committed to providing outstanding service and we also believe in giving back to the community by taking on apprentices and supporting local community organisations.” One of those organisations is the HaloBiz Network, with the company’s membership helping the local Hospice Waikato charity. Plumbing and Gas Works undertakes commercial, industrial and domestic

Above: Mike Foote and Sarah Avery collecting the 2016 Waikato Master Plumber of the Year award from Waikato Master Plumbers Association President Mike Wilson (right).

plumbing, drainage and gasfitting work and prides itself on a timely response to clients’ needs. Recent projects have included the Hampton Downs Race Track and George Weston Foods as well as a number of retirement villages and townhouse developments. At the recent 2016 Waikato Master Plumbers Awards (see p41), Plumbing and Gas Works was presented with the Waikato Master Plumber of the Year Award for its exemplary standards of workmanship and professional service. Mike and fellow shareholder Sarah Avery, the firm’s Office Manager, were at the event to collect the award. Staff

member Jacob Smith—who started with the company as an apprentice in 2005— was also there to collect the 2016 Most Outstanding Plumber Award. The company’s bright red vehicles are a familiar sight about town every day of the week—and will doubtless be in even more demand now that the company is the region’s winner. Busy as he is at the helm, though, Mike still makes time to get out on the golf course whenever he can, as well as playing cricket, mountain biking and spending time with his wife Nicola and their two boys. ■

Above: I see red—the Plumbing and Gas Works fleet is easily spotted on the road. December 2016/January 2017

NEXT GENERATION

Christmas wrap MasterLink provides a round-up of this year’s highlights.

in the nationals, with Isaac winning Silver. Read more on p70. We were also very proud to see former MasterLink apprentices Kyle McKenzie and Ashley Walker on stage at the 2016 New Zealand Plumbing Awards as two of the three finalists for the James Douglas Medallion. Ashley, the gasfitting finalist, went on to take out the overall award. At the same awards, MasterLink apprentices Nathan Brown, Harry Gedye-High, Ryan McQuade, Cameron Smith and Patrick Smith each received a Plumbing World Scholarship. Thanks to all the MasterLink hosts who provided the high calibre on-job training. A stellar year!

BNZ on board Attracting school leavers This year the Masterlink team has visited a number of schools around the regions, and spoken to students interested in a trade. For some students who were super keen to experience a day in the life of a plumber, the MasterLink recruitment team organised work experience and a Gateway placement to help them decide if plumbing was the trade for them. Masterlink currently has a number of high school students working with plumbers, with the aim of getting them started on an apprenticeship in the New Year. If this is something your business would like to take part in, please contact Lisa Duston on 021 245 1704; email lisa.duston@masterlink.co.nz Having established some strong relationships with schools over the past year, MasterLink will continue to visit students and career advisors through school career events throughout 2017. The team will also be attending the NZ Career Expos in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Christchurch. These two to three day events capture audiences from all around the regions, and are a great way to speak first-hand to the students about why plumbing is a great trade to be involved in.

Developing winners Two of this year’s World Skills NZ National Competition plumbing contestants were MasterLink apprentices. Kaleb Reeve and Isaac Wairau came top of their regional contests to take part

In February, BNZ became Principal Sponsor of MasterLink, offering a package of products and services for MasterLink apprentices, including a $2,000 interest-free overdraft, personal loan, fee waiver on a YouMoney account, Flexi Debit Visa and insurance for MasterLink apprentices opening an account with BNZ.

Out and about During the year, MasterLink showcased its services at a number of nationwide events, including the CONZTRUCT travelling trade show, the PGDB & Mico CPD training roadshow and the New Zealand Plumbing Conference.

Part of the family A great new bonus for MasterLink apprentices during the year was free Apprentice Membership of Master Plumbers, entitling our apprentices to some awesome benefits and a first step on the rung to full Master Plumbers’ membership.

Health & Safety focus We take the health and safety of our apprentices very seriously at MasterLink. To this end, we have introduced a number of initiatives including a new H&S app for apprentices with a simple traffic light system for reporting near misses and accidents. It also contains links to codes of practice and safety data sheets.

Apprenticeship advocacy In August, MasterLink Operations Manager Kate Jenkins, CEO Greg Wallace and Chair Craig Foley met with Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce to discuss industry training. Discussion centred around the effectiveness of pretrade courses and the national shortage of plumbers. MasterLink has also met with the Chief Executive of the Tertiary Education Commission to discuss industry training for our sector. Above left: 2016 James Douglas Medallion winner Ashley Walker. Above right: Isaac Wairau at the World Skills NZ Nationals. 68

December 2016/January 2017

NEXT GENERATION PAGE TAG

In October, MasterLink representatives met with Unitec’s new Head of Building Construction and As at 1 November Services in the first of a new quarterly timetable 2016: of meetings that Unitec will be holding • Sign-ups are up by 43% with industry representatives, including on the same time last year MasterLink, Master Plumbers and The Skills • Total apprentice numbers are Organisation.

New-look website

up by 11% on last year • 33% more completions than the same time last year

We hope you’ve taken a good look round our new MasterLink website, launched in August. Thanks to Scott and Granville, our real-life host and apprentice for agreeing to be the faces of MasterLink! Go to the website to find willing apprentice candidates in your region—all vetted, screened and ready to work. Or ask your Regional Manager about placing a vacancy listing on the site.

Regional markets

A brief marketplace update from our Regional Manager network. Bob McCoy: Lower North Island Manager 027 479 0075; bob.mccoy@masterlink.co.nz

If I had $10 for every phone call I have received recently seeking 2nd or 3rd year apprentices, I would be a wealthy man. As we enter the silly season, Hosts are reporting that they are all very busy. With the lack of skilled tradespeople, there has been a notable increase in the final quarter of 2016 in the number of apprentices being signed up in the Lower North Island, especially in Hawkes Bay, Taranaki and Wellington—and hopefully this trend will continue into 2017. The shortage of tradies is not going to go away soon, so it’s paramount that we continue to train apprentices. MasterLink makes that process seamless and risk free for you, as a Host, so talk to me about the benefits afforded to you when considering your next apprentice. Dave McGall: Central North Island Manager 027 669 9830; dave.mcgall@masterlink.co.nz

The Central North Island has had some massive development during the year, with more apprentices signed up in 2016 than the previous two years put together. Nearly 50 percent of our sign ups this year are with new Hosts. The area has grown too, with Hosts now throughout the Volcanic Plateau, Bay of Plenty and Waikato regions. Next year is already looking encouraging, with a number of companies trialing their prospective apprentices, as workload looks to continue through 2017 and beyond.

Steve Rickard: Upper North Island Manager 027 558 5441; steve.rickard@masterlink.co.nz

The Auckland market is very busy with strong growth in the region. Economic and employment confidence is also rebounding in Northland and I am here to assist firms in both these regions with their apprentice training needs as they face increasing workloads. Roger Herd: South Island Manager 027 591 8810; roger.herd@masterlink.co.nz

Apprentice sign-ups have been good during 2016 with six more ready to go in the New Year. The marketplace in Dunedin, Southland and Nelson remains steady, with the main growth in Te Anau, Queenstown, Wanaka, Oamaru, Tekapo and Timaru. Geoff Hooker: Canterbury Regional Coordinator 027 435 3225; geoff.hooker@masterlink.co.nz

Things in Christchurch have been patchy. Work is not as plentiful as it was, with businesses having to work harder to obtain jobs. The residential market is quite soft at present, with some of these plumbers venturing into light commercial work. Interest from business for apprentices looks set to increase as we head into the New Year and we are still getting high-quality candidates. It is going to be interesting in the coming months with the supply chain being cut off at Kaikoura. Naturally, we extend our thoughts to those affected by the recent earthquake events. December 2016/January 2017

Competition standard NEXT GENERATION

THE BIENNIAL NATIONAL World Skills competition was held at Wintec in Hamilton from 29 September-2 October. All the winners of their respective regional competitions gathered together to compete against each other for the right to represent New Zealand at the international event, to be held in Abu Dhabi in October 2017. At this year’s nationals, we had eight contestants for the Plumbing competition from most of the regions of New Zealand. The competitors arrived on the Thursday afternoon and were allowed two hours to familiarise themselves with the projects they would complete for the competition. During this time, they were also given samples of the materials and tools they would be using during the competition.

Day 1 The competition began in earnest at 8am on Friday morning, starting with quantifying the pipework, fittings and valves each competitor would require for the job. Once their order forms were completed, they were able to start their practical components—either starting with the rainwater head and downpipe, or the copper branch (32mm into 40mm). While they were doing this, their material order was made up and delivered to their work area.

Wintec tutor and World Skills NZ Plumbing Skill Expert Bryan Smith looks back on another successful national competition.

The rainwater system and the copper branch had to be completed on Day 1 as they were marked that evening. Each contestant then spent the remainder of the eight hours completing as much of the pipework installation as possible.

Day 2 Work on the projects started at 8am again, and had to be completed—including all pressure tests—by 5pm. All but two of the competitors finished the project. Each project was then marked and the results entered into the computer, which collated the results.

Day 3 The medal ceremony was held on the Sunday morning, and was followed by an award ceremony. Contestant Hunter Turner received the Gold medal in Plumbing and The Skills Organisation Award, which included an iPad and engraved trophy. Congratulations to Mark Jordon of J&J Plumbing and Gasfitting Ltd in Auckland and the MIT team for training Hunter. He is now expected to put in a minimum of 400 hours of extra training in preparation for next year’s international competition.

Above: The plumbing and heating competitors, from left: Nikita Ward, Matthew Savonije, Hunter Turner, Kaleb Reeve, Phoebe Coers, Jesse Pitts, Jade Winter and Isaac Wairau. 70

December 2016/January 2017

STAINLESS STEEL MAINS PRESSURE

Rheem Mains Pressure Stainless Steel Water Heaters are designed in New Zealand for New Zealand conditions •

Able to connect to a range of Heat Pumps and solar technologies including direct or top down external heating sources (Future Proofing).

•

Double element option available for fast recovery.

•

Able to deliver over 40 litres of hot water a minute.

•

Ideal for installation with a secondary heat source that may exceed temperature limits of vitreous enamel cylinders*.

Above: Isaac Wairau beside his completed project.

Thanks go to… Thank you to the World Skills NZ Regional Coordinators, Brendon Wyatt of Southland, Ritchie Gorrie of Canterbury, Paul Dempster of Wellington and Ron Heywood of Auckland, for organising and running their regional competitions. Also thanks must go to all the regional competitors. Even though most of you did not get selected for the nationals, we hope you enjoyed the competition. A lot of work goes into preparing for an event like this and World Skills NZ would like to acknowledge the following companies for their wonderful support in donating materials: • • • • • •

*135L model is not Heat Pump/Solar compatible

Mico (especially the Te Rapa Branch in Hamilton) Dux Industries Marley Rheem Felton Industries RMC.

Caroma very generously donated a Stanley tool bag full of goodies for each contestant. Skills donated a multi tool for each contestant and a polo shirt for each contestant and the judges. Mico and Dux also donated polo shirts. World Skills NZ would also like to say a very big thank you to all the sponsors responsible for the Awards: • • • • • • • •

The Skills Organisation Master Plumbers, Gasfitters & Drainlayers NZ SPK Industries Dux Edward and Gibbons (Hamilton Branch) ATT Felton Industries Mico (Te Rapa Branch, Hamilton)

World Skills NZ would like to acknowledge the support of the plumbing industry for your commitment to quality training, The Skills Organisation for managing the training, the polytechnics for their assessments, and especially all of the employers who take on apprentices and make sure their training is to the standard this country requires.

Available from leading plumbing merchants or for information call 0800 657 336 or visit www.rheem.co.nz INSTALL A R HEE M RHC-JN00805

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NEXT GENERATION

Above: Diane Lithgow from The Skills Organisation Board presenting Gold medal winner Hunter Turner with his First Place Award. Above: Nikita Ward beside her completed project.

The Plumbing contestants were: - Isaac Wairau form Southland - Phoebe Coers from Otago - Jesse Pitts from Canterbury - Nikita Ward from Wellington - Jade Winter from Manawatu - Kaleb Reeve from Waikato - Matthew Savonije from Auckland - Hunter Turner from Auckland

Above: Malcolm Harris, CEO of WorldSkills NZ, presenting Silver medal winner Isaac Wairau with the Master Plumbers Award.

There were no age-eligible contestants for the Armed Services this time. The Plumbing judges were: - Adam De Pass (Tool Black 2015) from Southland - Paul Dempster (Deputy Manager World Skills NZ Plumbing & Heating) from Wellington - Malcolm Jacobs from Waikato - Olaf Sparrow from Waikato - Bryan Smith (Manager World Skills NZ Plumbing & Heating) from Waikato - Andrew Gildersieve from Auckland - Ron Heywood from Auckland

Above: Steve Davies, Business Development Manager, presenting Bronze medal winner Jade Winter with the SPK Award.

December 2016/January 2017

Your turn next?

The next round of regional competitions starts in 2018, with the international competition to be held in Russia in 2019. For those of you who are interested, now is the time to start getting your apprentices that are age eligible (under 23 on 31 December 2019) interested in preparing for the next regionals. Thank you all for your commitment to excellence in our industry.

NEXT GENERATION

More plumbers needed

Become part of the solution, says The Skills Organisation!

THE NEED TO maintain a pipeline of skilled tradespeople has never been greater. With unprecedented construction growth and an ageing workforce, training the next generation has to start now. The Workchoice programme provides a way for businesses to be part of the solution. Whether it’s plumbing or roofing or carpentry, there are plenty of opportunities to get young people engaged with these trades early on.

What is Workchoice? Powered by The Skills Organisation, Workchoice’s mission is to educate high school students on a range of careers through real industry experiences. Workchoice runs a range of events each year that enable school students to get a taste of working life, and talk to businesses about their career options.

Upskill your team for 2017 Is there a skills gap in your business that’s holding you back? We’ve got you covered. The Skills Organisation offers a range of business qualifications to keep your business geared for growth. -

Health and safety Project management Financial services Business administration First line management

Many of our qualifications can be assessed on the job. Contact us today for more information about how we help implement a training program in your business. To find out more call 0508 SKILLS (0508 754 557) or email support@skills.org.nz

Workchoice Days The full-day Workchoice Days give students a real-world taste of working in trades and services industries. They also give employers the opportunity to educate their potential future staff about their industry, build relationships with local schools, and in the long term, address growing skills shortages. The day consists of a conference-style session, and after lunch, the students visit workplaces according to the industry they are interested in.

• •

Christchurch: Thursday 25 May at Wigram Air Force Museum Auckland (split into regions): - West: Tuesday 13 June (venue tbc) - Central: Wednesday 14 June at Auckland Girls Grammar School - South: Thursday 15 June at Vodafone Events Centre, Manukau

Want to take part?

Target audience Secondary school students aged 15-18 (Years 11-13)

We want to hear from employers who are keen to get involved and help educate students about the benefits of working in your trade. ■

2017 dates (all 9:30am-3pm) • Wellington: Wednesday 17 May at Te Papa

To find out more, please visit www. workchoice.co.nz or contact Shaun Gear on 09 583 1706; shaun@workchoice.co.nz

PRODUCTS & SERVICES

Here comes summer

Industrial classics

Schweigen have extended their silent rangehood portfolio to the outdoor space.

A new tap collection inspired by early 20th century industrialisation.

Schweigen, a major player in the rangehood market, have now developed an alfresco outdoor BBQ rangehood. “Customers want to create outdoor spaces that are seamless between the kitchen, being the heart of the social space, and outdoor areas—all with minimum physical and visual disturbance,” says Barnaby Thompson, Schweigen New Zealand Manager. Schweigen’s BBQ rangehoods are the perfect ventilation system for BBQs or outdoor cooking. Much like Schweigen’s indoor silent rangehoods, the BBQ systems have a motor placed away from the hood so the unit operates quietly while removing fumes and odours from the cooking area. Schweigen BBQ rangehoods are available in a sleek wallmount design in either 1200mm or 1500mm, and retail from RRP $4,999. They are available at appliance retailers including Weber BBQ outlets, Harvey Norman, KOUZINA, Noel Leeming, Lifestyle Appliances, Kitchen Things, Heathcotes and Independent appliance retailers. For more details, visit www.schweigen.co.nz

In brackets COFIX pipe brackets are coming to New Zealand. aquatherm New Zealand is set to supply the Australasian market as the sole agency for COFIX brackets. COFIX manufactures a wide range of brackets for all pipe systems, including PVC, copper, PP-R and mild steel. The range includes insulated, uninsulated, heavy duty and saddles, all of which come with seismic load data. aquatherm will initially only carry the insulated brackets but will supply others in the range over time. Features of the insulated COFIX brackets include: • hinged 32mm and below • quick release for 40mm and above, allowing ease of use of the single screw hinged bracket as well as the extra load capacity of two screws • DACROMET coating for corrosive environments, replacing the need for Hot Dipped Galvanising (HDG), which can be costly. DACROMET also outperforms HDG in other tests and can be used as an alternative to stainless applications. For more information, contact your local merchant or email info@cofixbrackets.co.nz 74

December 2016/January 2017

With design features from the early 20th century, the Axor Montreux bath and kitchen collection reflects an era of increasing prosperity and modernisation, when the first industrially manufactured fittings were produced. “The style and industrial production methods of the early 20th century still hold value today,” says Silke Giessler, Head of Axor Brand Marketing, on the launch of the collection in October. “We have re-interpreted these features with great precision and workmanship to offer our customers the best in design and functionality–in the bathroom and, for the first time, in the kitchen.” Axor Montreux is characterised by charming stylistic detailing. Industrial design elements, such as pipes and valves, were combined with classical details, such as delicate cross handles and ceramic inlays, and with contemporary lever handles. Functionally speaking, Axor Montreux represents state-of-the-art technology and comfort. The kitchen taps allow for maximum operability around the sink with swivel and pull-out spouts. In the bathroom, taps with lower and higher spouts now accommodate different comfort zones. The new Axor Montreux Showerpipe is also easy to use, with operating elements for the overhead and hand shower separated with ergonomic lever handles. The collection is available in scratch and abrasion resistant chrome and nickel. Find out more at www.axor-design.com

Puddle sucking An answer to clearing water after heavy rains. Australian Pump offers a lightweight, single-phase residue dewatering pump manufactured by Japanese company Tsurumi. Nicknamed the Puddle Sucker, it removes sheet water, dewaters concrete slabs and pools and empties flooded manholes. Designed to remove water down to 1mm, the Puddle Sucker weighs only 12kg, is portable, easy to set up and simple to prime. A non-return valves holds the prime and stops any water from flowing back to the drained area, while a resilient rubber base plate protects the floor from damage. Find more information on the complete range of Tsurumi submersible pumps at www.aussiepumps.com.au

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December 2016/January 2017

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December 2016/January 2017

AND FINALLY

Christmas crackers This issue’s offcuts and media oddities.

Plumber fights Brexit

Cone conundrum

How many cones do you think were on the streets at the peak of the Christchurch rebuild?

High-profile UK plumber Charlie Mullins has helped fund a successful campaign against the government for leaving the European Union without consulting members of Parliament— many of whom voted to remain in the EU. According to the Australian Financial Review, following a Supreme Court ruling, Prime Minister Theresa May will now have to first consult with Parliament before triggering Article 50, the mechanism by which the UK would start negotiations over leaving the EU. While the legal ruling is unlikely to block Brexit, the newspaper reports that it could alter the way it unfolds. Charlie Mullins, founder of Pimlico Plumbers and a ‘remain’ voter, said he bankrolled the campaign in an effort to end the uncertainty in the British business community.

5,000, 10,000 50,000 (answer below). SCIRT is now doing a clear up of any stray cones and is asking residents to track down lost and lonely ones, so it can come and retrieve them in its new CONEMOBILE. It even has a Facebook page where people can share photos of lonesome cones in their streets.

No plans to retire

It’s official. A 92-year-old Canadian plumber earned the title of the world’s oldest plumber from Guinness World Records in October. Lorne Figley is the sole owner of Broadway Heating in Saskatoon—a company he set up with four friends in 1947 on returning home from the Second World War. He told Guinness World Records work keeps him fit and sharp and he hoped to die with a pipe wrench in his hand, reported CTV News. According to the news channel, he’s using the publicity of his world record to highlight the apprenticeship programme in his homeland province of Saskatchewan. “They have certainly done the best job in the country of gathering younger students in and [outputting] quality work.” The local polytechnic, where Figley completed his own qualifications in the 1950s and 1970s, has created a scholarship in his name.

Plumber’s fossils go on show

A former UK plumber who spent 30 years collecting 2,500 Jurassic fossils has run out of room in his garage. The specimens will now be on display at a new £5 million Jurassic centre in his hometown of Kimmeridge in Dorset. Steve Etches told the Daily Mail he has always wanted to exhibit his work but never imagined it would be on such a grand scale. Just 10 percent of his huge collection can be on display at one time, the newspaper reports. The largest single specimen is a two-metre long jaw of a pliosaur.

Queue for the toilets

British Airways is to squeeze an extra 52 economy class seats into its Boeing 777s at Gatwick Airport, according to the UK’s Independent newspaper. If the number of toilets stays the same at 11, there will be one for every 30 passengers, compared with 25 now, says the newspaper. That’s a long queue for the loo.

Answer: there were more than 50,000 road cones on construction sites around Christchurch. December 2016/January 2017

AND FINALLY

DODGY Plumbing Keep them coming! Send your Dodgy Plumbing examples to the Ed: beverlysellers@xtra.co.nz

A prize selection of dodgy plumbing to round off the year in style (not). Mind the gap

“An EQC repair found recently,” says Martin de Gouw of Clyne & Bennie Plumbing in Christchurch. “Client was not comfortable in using the gas fire (thankfully) as the inner flues did not match in size—as well as having building paper in the gaps to stop it rattling in the wind.”

Live and kicking

Gas Engineering Services were brought in to test an old Ø300mm cast iron ‘town’ gas main outside Princess Margaret Hospital in Christchurch. “A section was to be cut and removed to make way for a new stormwater line,” explains Marshall Weenink. “The gas main had been abandoned since the closure of the old coal gas works in 1980. Testing of the main indicated that not only was it still ‘live’ but also holding pressure at 7kPa. “We think it is safe to say that this section of pipework has passed its drop test.. It also serves as a timely reminder to initially treat every gas pipe as live until it can be tested and confirmed gas-free.”

Stopping the flow

One of Heron Plumbing’s plumbers went to look at why this rainwater head kept on overflowing. “He found that the downpipe teed into the side of the vertical downpipe went too far into the downpipe, causing it to overflow,” says Dale Lovell. Please send the biggest size photos you have. The bigger the file, the bigger we can show it on the page!

December 2016/January 2017

Fire a hubby

“Got sent out to this job for leaking hwc,” says Damian Houghton of CJ Cant Ltd. “Husband had had a good go at plumbing it in.”

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