NZ Plumber June-July 2020 by NZ Plumber

OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF

J U N E /J U LY 2 0 2 0

COVID-19 & THE ECONOMY Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s forecast for our industry?

2020 NEW ZEALAND PLUMBING AWARDS Discover the winners

TAPWARE

TO THE TEST

Results of new metal leaching study

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A few words EDITOR

Volume 72, Number 3 MAGAZINE TEAM CEO Greg Wallace EDITOR Beverly Sellers 03 543 2008 bsellers@masterplumbers.org.nz PRINT Blue Star 81 The Esplanade, Petone Wellington 6141 DESIGN ICG Designer – Julian Pettitt ICG Senior Account Director – LauraGrace McFarland www.icg.co.nz SUBSCRIPTIONS NZ Plumber is published six times a year by Master Plumbers, Gasfitters & Drainlayers NZ. Members and Certifying tradespeople receive all six editions. If you wish to opt out, please email bsellers@masterplumbers.org.nz To order an annual subscription, go to www.masterplumbers.org.nz MAILING LIST For enquiries, or to update your details: bsellers@masterplumbers.org.nz Non-Master Plumbers’ members with address detail changes should notify the PGD Board direct, giving their registration number here: registration@pgdb.co.nz TO ADVERTISE Contact Alton Anamani advertising@masterplumbers.org.nz

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letters and other material forwarded to the magazine will be assumed intended for publication unless clearly labelled ‘Not for Publication’.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

Business resilience

WITH UNCERTAINTY AROUND THE SHAPE OF ECONOMIC RECOVERY FROM COVID-19, BUSINESSES NEED TO BE PREPARED TO WEATHER THE POSSIBLE STORM. Our feature article this edition looks at what may lie ahead for the New Zealand construction industry as the economy recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, and what support is available to businesses to help them get through. Business coach Daniel Fitzpatrick of Next Level Tradie also has some advice on how to recession-proof your business as we navigate the rest of 2020 (see p63). With the IMF in April predicting the worst recession since the Great Depression and far worse than the Global Financial Crisis, with partial recovery in 2021, what seems certain is that businesses need to be prepared. The construction industry, which is all too familiar with a boom and bust cycle, is perhaps better equipped than most to handle uncertainty. The Riches family plumbing business, featured on p52, must have endured

some ups and downs, having continued on through four generations and two World Wars. It was fascinating talking to current owner Dale Riches about the company history and why he thinks it’s going strong 100 years on. I hope, like me, you watched the 2020 New Zealand Plumbing Awards online celebrations. Unusual times call for innovative, out-of-the-box thinking, and this was a great example! Congratulations to all the winners and turn to p20 to discover more about these top performers.

Beverly Sellers Editor, NZ Plumber, bsellers@masterplumbers.org.nz

Over to you Email us your letters and feedback to be in to win our $50 letter prize. bsellers@masterplumbers.org.nz

This publication uses vegetable based inks and environmentally responsible paper produced from Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) certified, Mixed Source pulp from Responsible Sources.

Paper produced using Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF) and manufactured under the strict ISO14001 Environmental Management System.

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From our readers LETTERS

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

PRIZE LETTER

Dodgy gasfitting

I had hoped here in New Zealand we had a minor problem with cowboys in our gas industry. I was obviously wrong. The photos shown are among seven taken by me over a three-day period. I could be taking similar pictures almost every day of the week. All of the work shown was completed by qualified gasfitters. In some cases, the customer was provided with, and charged for, a gas certificate. However, no certificates have been lodged on the Energy Safety website even though most would be classified as High Risk work. How have we got to the situation where this is acceptable? Insufficient training: our apprentices receive approximately 4½ weeks of designated gas training within our training institutions over a 4-year plumbing/gas fitting apprenticeship. 1 week of this training is about H&S common to all trades, another week is taken up by assessments. Nobody is checking the Certifier: 15 years ago, when I obtained my NZ Certifiers licence, within the first 12 months I had a visit from a PGDB inspector. He checked my H&S paperwork, that I had issued gas certificates where required and that I had given a copy to the customer, gas supplier and PGDB. He also checked that I had a gas leak/CO detector and manometer and that both had calibration certificates. He then chose three of my gas certificates and asked me to take him to the jobs to perform a tightness test, gas rate and to check the various burner pressures. In the following years he would

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ask me to conduct a pipe sizing exercise or other tasks. I would then receive a letter stating how I had done and suggesting things I needed to brush up on. I would also be expected to attend several training courses throughout the year, so I could renew my licence for the following year. Energy Safety: can only prosecute when something goes wrong. A few months ago, I wanted some confirmation as to why ‘plastic’ gas pipes were not allowed to be used as final connections to gas appliances. I sent an email to Energy Safety and was told that in the first instance I should ask my fellow gas certifiers. I sent a letter to NZ Plumber asking for feedback. None was received by the magazine or by me. I did however receive a private email from a gentleman at Energy Safety who agreed with my understanding of the reasons. I then asked, “What could I do when I came across the same non-compliant installation in the future?” He said that all I could do was to advise the customer.

Abridged letter from Robin Trevallion, Marine & Domestic Gas Ltd

Over to you Email us your letters and feedback to be in to win our $50 letter prize. bsellers@masterplumbers.org.nz

J U N E /J U LY 2 0 2 0

16 TECHNICAL THEME: DRAINAGE & WASTE SYSTEMS

Surface water drainage

WHAT’S UP

$1.6bn for trades training

Money where it’s needed

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Updates

Industry news round-up

This edition’s heart warmers

FEATURES

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Gully trap solution

Marley Compakt® PVC boss gully trap

Waste & stormwater pump stations

APD explains how they work and why their usage is increasing

COVID-19 & the economy

Construction industry impacts

5 reasons to use homegrown

2020 NZ Plumbing Awards winners

Discover this year’s top performers

Something in the water

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ON THE TOOLS

Dux Connecto Trade® installer information

Results of a new tapware metal leaching study

Biocontainment project

Award-winning work on National Biocontainment Laboratory

Allproof Industries on the advantages of selecting NZmade products

Products What’s new to market

MASTER PLUMBERS

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Member benefit

The new member Facebook group

Bulletin All the updates from Master Plumbers

BUSINESS SMARTS

Recession-proof your business

Tips from Next Level Tradie

CAREER STARTERS

“Never thought I’d be a plumber”

James Douglas Medallion winner Brent Ewing on becoming an apprentice at 38

“We are all in this together”

Andrea Lovell on Heron Plumbing’s COVID-19 experience

AND FINALLY...

10 minutes with….

Plumber Damian Houghton and his Three Fat Pigs brewery

Dodgy plumbing Two pages of downright dodginess

Empathy is OK Sam Tyson on what women leaders bring to the industry

Member profile

Meet this fourth generation plumbing company

Masterlink messages

What’s up at the Master Plumbersowned group training scheme

Branch profile Bay of Plenty/ Coromandel branch activities

Employment agreement variations

OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF

J U N E /J U LY 2 0 2 0

Why consultation is key

Asbestos dangers: firsthand experience

Plumber Wayne Thompson’s story

73 74

What’s involved in hydraulic consultancy

Toolbox tips

Quick health & safety messages

Cybercrime shock

Plumbing business case study

COVID-19 & THE ECONOMY

I could be… a plumbing designer

In control of your money?

Personal budgeting tips

What’s forecast for our industry?

2020 NEW ZEALAND PLUMBING AWARDS Discover the winners

TAPWARE

TO THE TEST

Results of new metal leaching study

Cover story Turn to page 28 to discover the results of a new study investigating levels of trace metals leaching into drinking water from household taps.

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Reports CEO & CHAIR

CEO’S REPORT At the time of writing, we were in COVID-19 Alert Level 2. This meant that, for half of the Master Plumbers and Masterlink teams, we were back in the Wellington office—a nice change from working at home as we had done for the previous nine weeks. Some great learnings have come from the use of remote working technology in terms of reduced costs. However, nothing beats having face-to-face conversations with team members and the efficiency is much greater. We have been carrying out a tremendous amount of advocacy work in recent times and we are extremely pleased with some of the Budget outcomes for the plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying industry, including the extension of the wage subsidy for businesses, reduced training fees for apprentices and employer support for those businesses that train. Although the details of the trades and apprenticeships training package are yet to be fully announced, it is encouraging to see the Government recognising the importance of the construction sector in comparison to other sectors for the recovery of the New Zealand economy. Whilst the $15 billion infrastructure plan may not directly impact the plumbing industry, this will also drive activity for the construction sector as a whole.

“It is encouraging to see the Government recognising the importance of the construction sector for the recovery of the New Zealand economy”

As many of you will be aware, we held our first-ever online NZ Plumbing Awards ceremony in May. We’re very pleased still to be able to recognise the top achievers in our industry and I want to congratulate all the finalists and winners. I’m particularly proud of the new Jackson Women in Plumbing

Award, which shows how far Master Plumbers has come and the importance of acknowledging diversity in our sector. The Master Plumbers AGM was also a digital success and I thank the Association and Branch Presidents for taking time out of their busy working days to attend. We are having to use different platforms than we’re used to, but it does show how nimble and flexible we’ve become in these unusual times and we will continue to take steps to ensure we’re delivering benefits for all members. Finally, some building reform proposals are due to be announced concerning product quality. As you’ll see from our tapware article on p26, Master Plumbers is still not satisfied that these proposed changes will address the major concerns we have with substandard plumbing products—particularly those for use in contact with drinking water. We have made it very clear to the Minister and MBIE officials that, whilst these suggested reforms are stronger, the policing of products is a gap that has not been addressed. Master Plumbers will be making a submission to this effect during the consultation period. Greg Wallace, CEO Master Plumbers, Gasfitters & Drainlayers NZ

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT The COVID-19 situation has shown us there is a place for video conferencing, though I believe face-to-face remains the best option for robust discussion. This year’s Master Plumbers online AGM was limited to Branch and Association Presidents, but we achieved what we needed. With the Master Plumbers Board holding six or seven meetings a year, it makes sense for at least half of these to be held via video, particularly in winter when nationwide travel is often disrupted. We have already held two Board meetings this way in 2020, which went well. The half-yearly meeting and annual AGM will, of course, continue to be held in person each year. All three Board directors who were due to retire this year, including myself, put ourselves forward for reelection and are pleased to continue on the Board for the 2020-21 term. On behalf of the Board, I’d like to thank Rod Miller for his time as President and welcome Jon Lewis to the role for the year ahead. I am very happy

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“I always believe the best approach is to plan for the worst and hope for the best”

to have been reelected as Chairman and Dave Strong also continues as Chairman of Masterlink. I’d also like to thank Greg Wallace and his team for doing such a great job for members during the lockdown and beyond. It’s hard to predict how this global pandemic will affect member businesses but I always believe the best approach is to plan for the worst and hope for the best. It’s a good opportunity for us all to think smarter and ensure we are operating as efficiently as possible. The construction sector has been enjoying heady heights and perhaps the new norm will be more manageable in terms of workload. The wage subsidy will have helped businesses get through the lean months, and now it’s time to reevaluate our budgets, keep up the good work and look forward to the future. Craig Foley, Board Chair Master Plumbers, Gasfitters & Drainlayers NZ

NZMADE #SupportLocal

WASTE & DRAINAGE SYSTEMS INTERNAL WASTE SYSTEMS

COMMERCIAL DRAINAGE SYSTEMS EXTERNAL DRAINAGE SYSTEMS allproof.com

What’s up SUPPORT FOR BUSINESSES THAT TRAIN THE PLUMBING INDUSTRY HAS WELCOMED THE $1.6 BILLION TRADES AND APPRENTICESHIPS TRAINING PACKAGE, ANNOUNCED IN MAY’S BUDGET.

The package includes $412 million for employers to retain current apprentices, $19 million for group training schemes, $50 million for a Māori Apprenticeships Fund and $320 million for free trades training in critical industries, including construction. Over the next two years, from 1 July 2020, there will be no training fees for new and existing plumbing, drainlaying and gasfitting apprentices. Employers that train will also be able to apply for financial support from August 2020 to April 2022, with $1,000 per month for a first-year apprentice and $500 per month for eight months for a second-year apprentice. “We are extremely pleased that the Government has recognised the

importance of providing financial support to assist companies in our sector to stay in business, pay staff and retain their apprentices,” said Master Plumbers Chief Executive Greg Wallace. With New Zealand already experiencing a critical shortage of skilled tradespeople, the funding package is a much-needed investment in the construction industry, he said. “A lack of apprentices today, means a lack of skilled workers tomorrow, so it is good to see Government support for the businesses that train. “New Zealand will need a robust, skilled workforce to rebuild our economy and meet future demand.”

INDUSTRY UPDATES

14 WE LOVE... nzplumber

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What's up INDUSTRY NEWS

PLUMBING-RELATED NEWS FROM AROUND NEW ZEALAND.

SKYCITY CONVENTION CENTRE FIRE ‘ACCIDENTAL’

FOLLOWING ITS INVESTIGATION OF THE SKYCITY CONVENTION CENTRE FIRE IN OCTOBER 2019, FIRE AND EMERGENCY NEW ZEALAND HAS DEEMED THE CAUSE TO BE ‘ACCIDENTAL’. The centre was under construction when the fire broke out. At its peak, the blaze was attended by around 150 firefighters, and took about 10 days to fully extinguish. Rumours that the fire was started by an inexperienced worker leaving a blow torch on while going on lunch break were quashed by

BOOST FOR WARMER KIWI HOMES A further 9,000 homes are expected to be retrofitted with insulation and/or an efficient heater with the additional $56m government funding for the Warmer Kiwi Homes programme in the May Budget. The fund previously covered up to 67% of the cost of the retrofit but this has now been raised to 90%. Since its launch, the programme has seen more than 20,000 homes given insulation and efficient heaters.

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the investigation team. “This did not happen,” said Fire and Emergency Te Hiku Region Manager Ron Devlin on announcing the outcome of the investigation in late April. “Our investigators found all gas bottles around the origin of the fires were turned off for the lunch break. There were no inexperienced contractors working in the area at the time.” The official investigation into the cause and origin of the fire found it was inadvertently caused when the top layers of a waterproofing membrane—or cap sheet—were being laid on the roof of the convention centre. “Our investigators concluded the fire started after the cardboard inner of a cap sheet roll was momentarily exposed to a flame from a worker’s gas torch and began to smoulder. After smouldering unnoticed inside the roll, an intense fire developed that burnt through the top layer of the cap sheet, and then spread across the level 7 roof membrane.”

Remote inspections with Artisan BRANZ is working with a number of building consent authorities (BCAs) to implement Artisan, its new digital quality assurance tool. Artisan allows residential build teams, including plumbers and drainlayers, to capture photographic evidence that BCAs can review offsite. The digital tool, which was developed by independent construction research organisation BRANZ with the construction industry, has earned a finalist place at the 2020 NZ Hi-Tech Awards. “We’re proud of Artisan as a digital tool that saves both time and money while lifting build quality and improving industry efficiency,” says BRANZ Chief Executive Chelydra Percy. “At such a difficult time, this is the sort of quiet good news that reminds us that there are

opportunities to build a more resilient industry following the COVID-19 lockdown. As we look towards recovery, innovative new ways of working will be in demand even more.”

CHANGE TO BUILDING CODE UPDATE DELIVERY

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) currently updates the Building Code twice a year, in June and November. Due to COVID-19 sector impacts, MBIE has decided to postpone the June 2020 update until 24 September. After the September update, it will move to annual Building Code updates, with the subsequent one in October 2021. “These changes will reduce the burden on the sector to provide feedback twice yearly on proposed changes and related activities to implement these changes,” it says. “MBIE is confident that annual changes are regular enough for the Building Code to remain credible and up to date, while having the ability to release urgent updates if required.”

Focus your energy on the things that matter. The fuel card that helps you run things your way

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To take advantage of our great offer call the team at the Master Plumbers Association on 04 801 2010.

What's up INDUSTRY NEWS

CHANGES FOR RETENTIONS REGIME

Subcontractors will have greater protection in the event of a construction company’s insolvency under newly announced changes for retentions payments under the Construction Contracts Act.

Changes will include: introducing a new offence and penalties of up to $50,000 for company directors and $200,000 for firms that don’t comply strengthening how retention money is held to prevent firms from using it as working capital requiring those holding retention money to issue a transparency statement stating how much is being held and where. The changes are expected to come into effect in the coming months.

NEW CONSENT EXEMPTIONS

New building consent exemptions are being added to the Building Act, with most expected to start at the end of August. It will now be possible to build single-storey detached buildings of up to 30sq m without the need for a building consent. Find the full list of new exemptions at www.building.govt.nz

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We This edition’s heart warmers from the plumbing, gas and drainage industry. Kohler Co in the US has manufactured thousands of disposable face shields to help meet medical facilities’ critical need for PPE during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Wisconsin-based global manufacturer of bathroom and kitchen products develops new socially minded business opportunities through its Innovation for Good team. The team partnered with the face shield designers to produce them at its cast iron foundry in Wisconsin and its kitchen and bath facility in China, turning out 10,00015,000 face shields a day. Kohler also sent the company’s 42-foot KOHLER Relief Showering Trailer to New York, where it was stationed at a temporary field hospital for use by healthcare professionals and volunteers.

Seven Sharp featured women plumbers on the show in May. A passing remark by Jeremy Wells about never seeing a female plumber apparently caused the show’s email inbox to run hot. “The women on the frontline wanted you to know they are out there, and they love plumbing,” said Hilary Barry. Nikita Ward, a 25-year-old plumbing apprentice and one of three women plumbers at Hutt Gas & Plumbing, appeared on the show to explain that the career offers plenty of variety and is not just about poo. It’s also a very flexible job that could suit women with kids, she said. Hilary noted there are 3,477 plumbing apprentices in New Zealand and only 44 (1.3%) are women. Male midwives are equally poorly represented in NZ, said Jeremy, as both presenters called for New Zealanders to break down gender stereotypes.

Plumbing pre-trade students at EIT Hawke’s Bay have marked a milestone, with the completion of the 50th house in a joint venture between the polytechnic and HB Homes that’s been going for 10 years. Carpentry and electrical students are among other trades trainees at EIT getting real-life hands-on experience by building the houses, with money raised from their sale going towards materials for the next project. The two-bedroom house, completed just before lockdown, was among seven up for sale in May, with prices starting at $89,000.

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BRASS SHANK INLET VALVES

PLASTIC SHANK INLET VALVES

COVID-19 ECONOMIC IMPACT The construction sector can expect a rocky road but with rapid recovery on the horizon as New Zealand tackles the impacts of COVID-19. AUTHOR: SARAH JOHNSON

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Feature COVID-19: ECONOMIC IMPACT

he economic impact of the COVID-19 virus and subsequent lockdown have been immediate and extreme for New Zealand’s construction sector. The question now is what that impact will look like in the future, both for the remainder of 2020 and beyond.

Sharp dip, then recovery With so many unknown factors still in play nationally and internationally, it can be hard to gain a clear vision of what the future may look like. However, as New Zealand moves into, and hopefully remains in, lower levels of lockdown, economic forecasters are making similar predictions of how the New Zealand economy can be expected to react and perform. We can expect to see significant drops in GDP, business and investor confidence, tourism, population growth and house prices, and long-term rises in unemployment rates. However, the bounce back is expected to be as rapid as the initial decline. The New Zealand Government, in its 14 May Budget announcement, predicted that the expected economic impact of the pandemic for New Zealand would take a V shape: the next 12 months are expected to be tough, but will be followed by a quick recovery.

“Now, more than ever, businesses need to have a firm grip on their cashflow, what and who they owe, what projects are coming down the tracks, and what their clients and staff need.” GRAHAM BURKE President, Specialist Trade Contractors Federation

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Feature COVID-19: ECONOMIC IMPACT

Within this scenario, the construction sector is acknowledged to be particularly vulnerable— a combination of dependence on global supply chains, heavy reliance on cashflow, and lack of investor and sector certainty and confidence. Property Council New Zealand has warned that many planned development projects are likely to be cancelled or postponed as market confidence declines. A recent survey of its members showed that, across a planned project pipeline worth several billion dollars, 60% of projects were considered uncertain given the current economic climate. “Industrial and commercial property developers were most cautious, signalling that 70% of projects were now uncertain, while residential developers indicated that around half of all projects were now uncertain,” says Property Council New Zealand chief executive Leonie Freeman. Independent economic consultants Infometrics foresee similar uncertainty, stating that the economic fall-out from COVID-19 will have the effect of ‘turning off the tap’ for residential development. Infometric’s forecast comparison of new residential building consents sees the numbers processed falling by over 10,000 in the coming year, with the decline not flattening out until 2024/ 2025. Additions and alterations work will be similarly affected, as homeowners rein in their discretionary spending. The lockdown and lower confidence will also curb non-residential building activity to below 2016 levels, putting a hole in the commercial building sector that won’t be climbed out of until well into 2021. However, these losses will be offset in some areas, by government investment in hospital builds and other major construction projects, and government departments scrambling to identify ‘shovel ready’ infrastructure projects to tide the sector over. Likewise, the government’s announcement of 8,000 new houses will shore up the residential market, hopefully in the near future.

Combined government and industry response The government’s support measures for businesses affected by COVID-19 have enabled firms across the construction sector to keep staff on their books and access cashflow through the lockdown. Most New Zealand plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying businesses fall into the small to medium business category, and these measures will have provided some

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“The extension of the wage subsidy for a further 12 weeks supports businesses as their revenues decline, and the training package supports apprentices and recognises the importance of retaining a strong workforce to help with the recovery.” GREG WALLACE CEO, Master Plumbers, Gasfitters & Drainlayers NZ

WHERE TO FIND

information Available business support & economic data: www.uniteforrecovery.govt.nz/ business Building and construction statistics: www.stats.govt.nz/ topics/building Construction Sector COVID-19 Response Plan & Guidance: www.constructionaccord.nz/ covid-19/construction-sectorcovid-19-response-plan/ Twice yearly economic updates from the Treasury (latest 14 May): www.treasury.govt.nz/ publications/budgets/forecasts

measure of relief. The issue now is how to continue to operate viably. To this end, the Construction Sector Accord (CSA)—a collaboration of sector leaders from across government and industry—has been advising ministers on how the construction industry can best be supported and its confidence maintained during lockdown and beyond. Graham Burke, President of the Specialist Trade Contractors Federation and Chair of the Construction Industry Council, represents specialist trades on the CSA. He considers that the attitude businesses adopt will be fundamental to whether or not they remain healthy through any period of economic slowdown. “We have been urging specialist trades from the outset to use this time to fully understand where their businesses are at. Now, more than ever, businesses need to have a firm grip on their cashflow, what and who they owe, what projects are coming down the tracks, and what their clients and staff need. The more you know about your business at this stage, the more successful you will be in meeting future issues head on and proactively,” says Graham. The CSA has developed a COVID-19 response plan for the construction sector. The plan is largely focused on government actions and leadership by example, but the expectation is that the private sector will also follow it, where possible. Essentially, the plan encapsulates three response phases, which can be cycled in and out of, as required. Actions that apply across all phases focus on maintaining and accelerating the pipeline of work, removing barriers to restarting work, keeping cash flowing in the sector, and ensuring a fair and consistent approach to how contractor costs are covered or reimbursed.

New guidelines for procuring agencies The first action to come out of the CSA’s COVID-19 response plan was guidance for public sector agencies dealing with construction contracts. The guidance aims to help agencies work through the legal and commercial issues associated with the lockdown, support the construction sector during this time, and create a consistent and supportive approach to contracts. Central aspects include the need for agencies to continue with construction work that can be done off-site, and for those projects stalled due to the lockdown to take a ‘fair and consistent approach’ to contract management. This includes treating

any extra costs incurred by contractors due to the lockdown as variations to the contract, and doing what they can to support the financial viability of contractors and help them retain their workers. There is also provision for agencies to consider what additional extra-contractual relief may be warranted and in the public good. Graham says that while these guidelines are designed for government commercial and industrial contracts, the intention is that the approach and principles they contain can be used as a model for all construction contracts. “It’s about what’s fair and reasonable, and spreading the costs along the supply chain, from the client to the lead and subcontractors. No one should expect to maintain their margins during lockdown at the expense of any individual party, we need to share the costs fairly,” he says. Further guidance, issued in early May, includes a set of principles for parties to follow when negotiating the cost of the variation, and outlines the factors that need to be taken into account. It lists the types of costs contractors can claim and notes that they need to be able to demonstrate they have incurred these costs and have tried to mitigate them where possible. There is also guidance on a fair approach to ‘idle labour’ costs, which has been an emerging contentious issue in the sector.

EARN POINTS, REDEEM FOR GREAT REWARDS

What this means for jobs The government’s 14 May Budget announcement, with its $1.6 billion package to boost apprenticeships and industry training, has come at just the right time. Apprenticeships and vocational courses in critical industries will be made free over the next two years for everyone for the next four years. Another $412 million has been allocated over four years to support businesses to employ, retain and keep training their apprentices. Master Plumbers Chief Executive Greg Wallace says the support package is just what the sector needs. “The extension of the wage subsidy for a further 12 weeks supports businesses as their revenues decline, and the training package supports apprentices and recognises the importance of retaining a strong workforce to help with the recovery. Both measures give businesses time to regroup, while the government works though its infrastructure and housing projects,” Greg says. He cautions that the next 12 months will be a challenge for the sector, but notes that plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying businesses are fortunate in that a number of different types of work already drive the industry. “Businesses may have to diversify, but that’s no bad thing,” says Greg. “Being nimble and able to create new opportunities by going into different sectors will be beneficial for businesses.”

Do you own your own drainlaying, plumbing or gas fitting business? Buy selected products by any of these leading brands and earn points for great rewards.

Huge congratulations to all the winners of the 2020 New Zealand Plumbing Awards—this industry’s top performers nationwide.

his year’s NZ Plumbing Awards were celebrated a little differently, due to COVID-19 and the postponement of the 2020 NZ Plumbing Conference. The award winners were announced in a fun online ceremony, presented by Master Plumbers CEO Greg Wallace and New Zealand entertainer Jackie Clarke. “A big shout out to Master Plumbers for thinking outside the bubble and delivering this award night in a unique and innovative way,” said Plumbing World Marketing Manager Sarah Vining in her online speech on behalf of this Platinum Awards Sponsor. “I have always loved being a part of this industry and now more so than ever since COVID-19 has shown the resilience of our people and how we have quickly adapted to bring essential plumbing services to New Zealanders in a safe and effective manner. “Master Plumbers have absolutely led the way for us all and have been excellent advocates and we can’t thank Greg Wallace and his team enough. Plumbing World have so much pride for the industry and I think we should all feel proud for what has been achieved during the Alert Levels and we look forward to supporting all our customers through Level 2 and beyond so that they too can achieve excellence in their own businesses.” This year’s awards ceremony may have broken with tradition, but some things never change—the quality of entrants was as high as ever. We recognise the success of New Zealand’s outstanding businesses, individuals, projects and products over these pages.

Watch MC Jackie Clarke and Master Plumbers CEO Greg Wallace announcing the 2020 awards winners on the Master Plumbers YouTube Channel.

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The awards video saw Greg in his home bubble, preparing the speech in his garden shed and celebrating with family dog Buddy!

NZ entertainer Jackie Clarke was the MC on the night, with Sarah Vining saying a few words on behalf of Plumbing World.

Feature AWARDS 2020

James Douglas Medallion FINALISTS ARE:

New Zealand Master Plumber of the Year AND THE WINNER IS:

iPlumber Ltd, Hamilton Central to iPlumber’s ethos is integrity. “If you are going to do something, do it right and do it where, when and how you said you were going to do it,” says company director Jamin Saes. iPlumber is a forwardlooking company that uses modern technology wherever possible to streamline its business operations and to provide proactive communication. This includes the use of job management software, fleet tracking software, systemised service reminders and the ability to invoice and take payment on site. The company website also includes a 24/7 chat function. The company focuses on residential maintenance and renovations, with urgent, 24 hour and general service options. iPlumber has also recently been engaged by PAK’nSAVE in Hamilton—the largest of the nationwide stores—for their ongoing maintenance and is carrying out a total upgrade of a local retirement home. With over 20 years’ experience in plumbing, gasfitting, drainlaying and roofing, Jamin practises environmental awareness wherever possible in the workplace—recycling cardboard, scrap metal, bottles and cans. Good presentation is important at iPlumber, with tidy, signwritten vehicles and a clean-cut team in uniform. The company has reaped financial rewards from heavy investment in marketing, rebranding, business coaching, staff training, uniforms and a new website. Good team mental health is promoted through regular social functions and keeping work hours to a set limit. iPlumber’s plan from the start was to stand behind top-quality customer service by being on time, doing the job right and offering a 15-year labour guarantee. If anything isn’t right, it’s fixed efficiently and at no cost to the customer.

Plumbing Thomas Walls

Gasfitting Brent Ewing

Drainlaying Ben Stevens-Howie

AND THE OVERALL WINNER IS:

Brent Ewing

Presented to outstanding newly qualified tradespeople in plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying for their commitment and determination to achieve success in the industry, the James Douglas Medallion has been awarded since 1948. Described by his block-course tutor as an exceptional student who led the way in his class and produced top-quality work, Brent Ewing gained pass marks of

over 80% in his Tradesman Gasfitter and Tradesman Plumber registration exams last year. Brent, who works at McIvor Plumbers and Gasfitters in Wanaka, was nominated for the award by his Masterlink Lower South Island Regional Manager Brendan Parker, who was his mentor during his apprenticeship.

Turn to page 76 for a profile on Brent.

“Brent brings an uncompromising desire to seek excellence; he is a true advocate for the trade done well.” BRENDAN PARKER Masterlink Lower South Island Regional Manager

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Feature AWARDS 2020

Graeme Victor Smith Contribution to the Industry Award AND THE WINNER IS:

Jack Rogers

Rogers and Rogers, Kaitaia During almost 50 years in the plumbing industry, Jack Rogers has made a huge contribution, which has included training more than 18 apprentices, giving local school Gateway students a taste for a plumbing career and helping run Plumbing World Young Plumber of the Year events in his region. Currently providing on-job training to three apprentices as a Masterlink host employer, Jack makes himself available to them for questions and help when needed. He is well-known and respected in his local community for his strong family and business values and many of his employees are long-standing— one being the very first apprentice he trained, shortly after setting up Rogers and Rogers in 1975. A family business, the company provides plumbing, gasfitting, drainlaying, roofing and solar services to the Northland community, and also sells plumbing and related supplies. Current staff include five qualified tradespeople, five labourers and the three Masterlink apprentices—one of whom, Valentino Eyer, received a Most Valued Plumber award at the 2019 Young Plumber of the Year finals. There are also four office staff, including Jack’s wife Heather and daughter Jen. A firm believer in social responsibility, Jack provides sponsorship and funding for local sports teams, community activities and major fund raisers in the region. He is also a member of all major plumbing and related industry organisations—with 28 years of Master Plumbers membership. He is always willing to assist other plumbing businesses and merchants with his time and resources when needed.

Outstanding Projects Award AND THE WINNER IS:

Hutt Gas and Plumbing for the Ministry of Primary Industry’s National Biocontainment Laboratory Building began in late 2015 on MPI’s National Biocontainment Laboratory to replace NZ’s only approved laboratory for containing and diagnosing serious veterinary diseases. Incorporating some of the most sophisticated systems and safety features in the world, the building’s design was led by US-based Merrick & Company. Fletcher Construction was the main contractor, with Hutt Gas and Plumbing engaged for all gasfitting, plumbing and drainage work.

Hutt Gas and Plumbing Director Scott Adin was based on site for three years, supported by up to 10 team members, for this complex, high-standard and technically challenging project, which tested all aspects of the company’s design, administrative and thinking process— particularly as there was little precedence in using standard plumbing to produce such a high level of containment in a building of this type.

Turn to page 33 for a closer look at this award-winning project.

New Zealand Plumber, Gasfitter or Drainlayer of the Year AND THE WINNER IS:

Sean O’Shea

Sean O’Shea was nominated for the award by his boss Mike Foote at Plumbing & Gas Works Ltd in Hamilton, who describes Sean as a “machine of a worker” who deserves respect for leading by example. At 54, Sean is always the first to get stuck in on the shovel and the last to stop and is also an excellent problem solver with a vast amount of knowledge that he’s always willing to pass on to apprentices. No job is too big or small—from digging in someone’s back yard to connect an extra toilet to installing kilometres of pipe for a 46,000sq m glass factory. Sean treats each job with the same respect for the customer and the good of the company name. Sean’s ability to give 110% was also recognised in 2019, when he was awarded the Waikato Master Plumbers Drainlayer of the Year.

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Jackson Women in Plumbing Award AND THE WINNER IS:

Colleen Upton

General Manager and Director, Hutt Gas and Plumbing Colleen Upton is the heart of the Hutt Gas and Plumbing business and responsible for

everything behind the scenes, including HR, finance, job management, pastoral care of apprentices, health and safety, and managing the administrative team. She manages over 24 staff working on projects that range from large-scale commercial to domestic gas appliance servicing. Passionate about seeing young apprentices succeed, Colleen is the driving force behind the company’s staff training

and development. She is a strong supporter of diversity in the industry and a wellknown advocate for increasing female participation. She also has experience in governance and currently serves on the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board. Colleen has mentored and overseen the training programmes of more than 45 apprentices since 1992, with more than 14 plumbing businesses in Wellington now owned by or employing her former graduates. She was also part of a Skills Organisation working group that reviewed and wrote the Level 4 Gas qualification. She regularly speaks at secondary school career evenings and offers pastoral care and mentorship to potential apprentices. Colleen is a member of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) and an outspoken supporter of women in trade. Hutt Gas and Plumbing employ three of the few women plumbers currently working in NZ—a reflection on her reputation for providing a respectful and inclusive workplace. In 2019, she was awarded the supreme NAWIC Helen Tippett award for her outstanding and enduring contribution to supporting women in trade. She was also recognised as a finalist for the Inspiring Governance Leader award in 2019 and, as a Director of Hutt Gas and Plumbing, was instrumental in the company winning the NZ Master Plumber of the Year award in 2018. Determined and outspoken on issues that are close to her heart, Colleen is never afraid to raise her concerns and always places the integrity of the industry above all else.

“IN HONOUR OF MY WIFE MAUREEN” Allproof Industries’ owner Ian Jackson announced the new Jackson Women in Plumbing Award during the online 2020 NZ Plumbing Awards, raising a glass to the winner with his daughter Jacinta and son Adam, who are both directors. “We are sponsoring this award in honour of my wife Maureen, who has supported our businesses for over 50 years,” said Ian. “The Jackson family have been in the plumbing industry since 1920, just on 100 years. The women in our family—my mother, my sister, my wife and daughter have all made a great contribution. Historically, the plumbing industry has been dominated by men. There is a shift now with more woman being involved with ownership, management, marketing and, of course, working on the tools. May this continue.”

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Jacinta, Ian and Adam Jackson of Allproof Industries with the Jackson Women in Plumbing trophy, presented for the first time in 2020.

Feature AWARDS 2020

Training Leader of the Year AND THE WINNER IS:

Mark Watkins

of Advanced Plumbing HB Ltd Since starting Advanced Plumbing HB in 2009, Mark Watkins has grown the company into a team of 40, with locations in Hawkes Bay and Taupo. This includes a team of 29 out in the field, of which 15 are apprentices. The business employs and trains the largest team of plumbing apprentices in the region and, under Mark’s leadership, many have qualified and gone on to grow their skills within the company. He is passionate about helping address the industry’s skills shortage by bringing through apprentices using the company’s ‘Advanced Way’ methodology, which has a focus on instilling pride in work and a commitment to provide effective client solutions.

Mark’s ability to lead, teach, support and empower his team flows through at all levels, with the more experienced taking the less experienced under their wing, and all team members, including office staff and management, regularly attending training courses to advance their skills. An all-inclusive culture inspires the team to want to perform to their very best under his leadership. A commitment to health and safety training for the team often leads to positive feedback from clients and business partners. Mark is also very community driven, supporting many regional causes with a particular focus around helping young people. Essentially, Mark is a people person who is driven by seeing others achieve success and reach their goals. He is currently president of the Hawkes Bay Master Plumbers Association and sees this as a vehicle to help make a difference in the industry.

Product of the Year AND THE WINNER IS:

Greens Vantage Range The new Vantage tapware range from Greens combines high performance with good looks—plus a donation from every sale goes towards supporting plumbing apprenticeships in New Zealand. Vantage products are suitable for all pressures, making it a versatile product range for plumbers to carry on board, so they always have the right solution to customers’ mains- or low-pressure requirements. With stylish, on-trend round and square design options, the Vantage range features the patented FloBOOST® and RainBoost® shower technologies. The Vantage FloBOOST® shower valve is easy to install, with only one jet for low pressure situations and the ability to simply remove the jet to make it compatible with mains pressure systems. The adjustable rail shower is extremely quick to install by fixing two clips to the shower lining and sliding the rail on to lock in place. The rail can adjust up to a maximum of 760mm, which can easily cover previous rails fixing holes in a swapout situation. Greens Vantage is available through reputable plumbing merchants.

The team that gets it done. We go all out to help and make your life easier, ‘cause we’re your team in black.

View all reasons at plumbingworld.co.nz/30reasons

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Feature AWARDS 2020

Kava Cup AND THE WINNER IS:

Canterbury Master Plumbers for their community project at the Kowhai Rest Home

Paul Olsen of Whitehead Plumbing & Gas and Sam Timlin of Master Plumbers were the driving force behind the Canterbury Master Plumbers’ community project at the Kowhai Rest Home in Christchurch, a client of Aspire Canterbury. Following the 2011 earthquakes the property was found to have been structurally damaged and in need of repair, putting on hold some muchneeded bathroom renovation work. Once the roof support, rotten floors and walls had been attended to, Paul and Sam met with the rest home team and residents to work out a bathroom repair plan and organised gratefully received donations from some Master Plumbers Business Partners. The project finally got off the ground in late 2019, with 13 members of the Canterbury Association working on replacing eight toilets and three showers for the 28 elderly and disabled residents.

This community project was featured in the last edition of NZ Plumber.

Plumbing World Scholarships AND THE WINNERS ARE:

Alan Wharton (Supreme Winner)

George Steed

Darren Mills

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Three $1,000 Plumbing World Scholarships were presented to Masterlink apprentices for showing diligence in their assignment completions, and maturity and personal growth over the past year. Alan Wharton, hosted by Flints Plumbing & Drainage in Queenstown, was the 2020 supreme winner and has demonstrated natural leadership qualities from the start. Unwilling to settle for anything but the best, Alan has a thirst for knowledge and is always well prepared and engaged at block course. The 2017 recipient of the Southland Master Plumbers top apprentice award, he has since taken on his host company’s large domestic and commercial service and maintenance division as his main role, which has helped him develop his customer-facing skills. Jobs are often complex and in remote locations, calling for high-level problem solving. Alan was recently selected to become an apprentice health and safety representative for the national Masterlink group training company and has also participated in meetings for the newly formed Queenstown Lakes branch of Master Plumbers. George Steed began his Masterlink apprenticeship at Rogers and Rogers in Kaitaia after completing the Gateway programme through Kaitaia College. Within a year he was carrying out a wide variety of maintenance plumbing work to a high standard. A good problem solver, George

is always keen to upskill and gain more knowledge, and not afraid to ask for help when needed. His excellent work ethic has seen him become part of the on-call team, with the responsibility of a vehicle. George says he is proud that he can contribute to people’s lives in a positive way in a region that comes with its social challenges. He has participated in Young Plumber of the Year branch competitions and is a winner of the Housing NZ Scholarship, presented each year by Spencer Henshaw in Whangarei to a young, up-and-coming tradesperson in the Northland region. Darren Mills is hosted by Graham Bond Ltd in Christchurch, where he has completed a broad range of tasks, including work at the St George’s Hospital. Darren was put in charge of the entire water supply system and his performance was outstanding. Having put in extra study time early in his apprenticeship, he passed his Plumbing Tradesman registration exam in his second year and is top of class at his block courses. Quick to make friends and a good team player, he has become a frontline staff member at his host business, and can now run any job and staff on site. Darren was among the first to put up his hand to be part of the Canterbury Master Plumbers community project (see Kava Cup) and says it was a great feeling to be a part of something helping the less fortunate. He constantly pushes himself to learn more and be the best apprentice he can be.

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SOMETHING IN THE WATER

A newly released scientific report sheds further light on leaching of metals from household taps in New Zealand. NZ Plumber takes a look. 028

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Feature TAPWARE METAL LEACHING

or some time now, Master Plumbers has been highlighting the risks to human health of lead leaching from substandard tapware on sale in New Zealand. In 2018, Master Plumbers commissioned an independent test of five tapware products sold in New Zealand, which found the level of lead leaching from one product purchased online to be 70 percent higher than the allowable limit. The Master Plumbers’ study has now been extended through a new joint project, led by Massey University and the Centre for Integrated Biowaste Research (CIBR).* The aim of this new study was to quantify the leaching of lead, copper, zinc, nickel and chromium from a range of tap materials commonly found in New Zealand after a stagnation period of between one and 14 days. For the test, Methven kitchen and bathroom taps certified to

Stagnation

tapware Standard AS/NZS 3718 were compared with kitchen and basin taps purchased online and assumed to be non-certified. Trace metal concentration limits given in the New Zealand Drinking-water Standards were used as a benchmark for assessing potential health significance of metals leaching from the tapware—of which lead is of the most concern to human health, and zinc and copper to the environment.

Study findings The study found that household taps are a significant source of drinking water trace metal contamination and states that the obvious route to eliminate these unnecessary sources would be through the New Zealand Building Code, which doesn’t currently specify AS/NZS 3718. Although the Ministry of Health acknowledges that metals leach from plumbing pipes and fittings in people’s homes, the Drinking-

The certified tap set-up for the study.

Stoppers

Simulation of tap that has been unused for extended periods

Tap filled with water

Constant pH(˜7) and temperature (room temperature) This diagram shows the set-up of the stagnation experiment in the study.

In some cases, leaching of metals can be far in excess of drinking water limits. For example, the noncertified kitchen tap leached zinc to concentrations 7.5 times the limit after one day of stagnation. Zinc concentrations are significant relative to potential accumulation in sewage effluent or biosolids.

CONDUCTING THE TEST

For the test, three identical kitchen and three identical bathroom taps by Methven, all certified to tapware Standard AS/NZS 3718, were compared with three identical kitchen and three identical basin taps purchased online, which were assumed to be non-certified. AS/NZS 3718 is not cited in the Building Code so compliance is voluntary, but a number of reputable tapware suppliers in New Zealand choose to do so. All tested taps were rinsed to flush out any manufacturing process residues, then filled with double distilled pH 7 water, stoppered and left to stagnate. The water was agitated before sampling, with samples taken at 24, 48 and 72 hours, then five and 14 days to measure metal concentrations.

Something in the Water: Investigating the Leaching of Metals from Household Taps Report, 2020

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TEST RESULTS

The non-certified basin tap performed worst of the four taps, with the greatest leaching of lead throughout. However, levels remained below the maximum allowable limit in the drinking water standard.

Copper

Copper concentrations were all below the drinking water standard limit throughout the 14-day test.

Zinc

Both the certified basin and non-certified kitchen taps leached zinc in excess of the guideline limit in the drinking water standards. The non-certified tap in particular produced an initial concentration 7.5 times over the limit.

DO PROPOSALS FOR CHANGE GO FAR ENOUGH? consultation on policy proposals for the Bill, and are matters which will be under active consideration when the detailed policy work on the regulations begins.” Master Plumbers CEO Greg Wallace says Master Plumbers is pleased that the Government is addressing the issue but says testing is the only way to make a product quality assurance scheme truly effective. “At least 15-20% of products each year would need to be audited,” he says. “Without such auditing, how can it be sure that suppliers are actually meeting the minimum standards?” MBIE must also enforce compliance, with penalties for suppliers whose products fail such audits, he says. “Master Plumbers spends up to $20,000 a year reviewing and developing plumbing Standards for MBIE, but if these Standards are not policed, we wonder what real value they have. In our view, the Australian WaterMark system is the gold standard for plumbing product supplier compliance,” says Wallace. “It is a far more comprehensive and robust approach because all products are required to have third party testing and verification before being sold. “By citing tapware standard AS/NZS 3718: 2005 in the New Zealand Building Code, it would become mandatory for all tapware suppliers to comply.”

The certified basin tap leached nickel above the threshold limit and in some cases nearly double the limit. The leaching remained consistent from day one onwards, suggesting it was a ‘first flush’ that would reduce over time under typical use. By contrast, the noncertified basin tap initially showed low levels but these increased rapidly throughout the experiment, reaching 22 times the drinking water standard by day 14.

Chromium

Only the non-certified kitchen tap exceeded drinking water limits for chromium, which increased gradually before reducing by day 14.

You Kno w?

A Bill currently before Parliament proposes “significant” changes to the regulation of all building product in New Zealand, according to John Sneyd, General Manager Building Systems Performance at MBIE. “The Building (Building Products and Methods, Modular Components, and Other Matters) Amendment Bill includes the requirement for manufacturers and suppliers to make a minimum level of information publicly available about the building products they sell,” he says. “It also includes amendments that will significantly strengthen New Zealand’s product certification scheme, CodeMark, to provide higher levels of assurance that products will comply with the Building Code. MBIE considers that these changes together will provide similar levels of assurance for plumbing products in New Zealand as the WaterMark scheme does in Australia.” The Bill has now been referred to a select committee, with Master Plumbers making a submission by the consultation closing date of 10 July. “It is worth noting that many of the details of the scheme will be contained in regulations, which MBIE intends to begin public consultation on later this year,” says Sneyd. “Matters such as product testing, enforcement and auditing were discussed in some detail during

Nickel

DI d

Lead

Tapware Standard AS/NZS 3718: 2005 is not currently embedded in the Building Code AS/NZS 3718 requires that copper alloy tapware parts in contact with water are made of dezincification resistant brass (DZR), certified to Australian Standard AS 2345 Reputable tapware companies in New Zealand conform voluntarily to AS/NZS 3718 Taps sold online don’t necessarily conform to any standard.

Non-certified taps in general leach higher concentrations of metals. Something in the Water: Investigating the Leaching of Metals from Household Taps Report, 2020

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Feature TAPWARE METAL LEACHING

Total lead µg/L levels in water samples taken between one and 14 days of stagnation. 6

Lead of greatest concern Lead is one of few substances known to cause direct health impacts through drinking water, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). Several countries have rules in place for products in contact with drinking water and in 2018 the European Commission proposed lowering the lead limit to 5µg/L, as it is already in countries such as Sweden and Denmark. The New Zealand Drinkingwater Standards currently recommend a limit of 10µg/L. The lead concentrations in water from all four taps tested in the study remained below the New Zealand and WHO drinking water standards. However, a significant difference in overall leaching was observed between taps, with the non-certified basin tap consistently higher for lead than the other three. “Although concentrations were below limits, it may be possible for lead levels to exceed 10µg/L within 42 days if leaching continued to increase at the observed rate,” the report noted.

Contamination Pb ( g/l)

3 2 1

0 0

Methven basin

Trademe basin

Trademe kitchen

WHO

water Standards are not legally enforceable, and the Ministry doesn’t monitor them. Instead it recommends the public ‘flush’ a small amount of water from their taps before drawing water for consumption. However, as the study report notes, whilst people can flush water from their taps before drinking, the leached metals will subsequently go to the wastewater treatment plant and eventually into the wider environment. The report’s authors conclude that buyers need to understand the importance of choosing good quality tapware. “Anecdotal evidence from the plumbing industry suggests that poor quality tapware can sometimes be stamped with AS/NZS 3718:2005 even though it does not comply. This suggests that some form of monitoring

Methven kitchen

may also be required in New Zealand, similar to requirements that exist in Australia.” Master Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers NZ CEO Greg Wallace agrees. “Master Plumbers has been lobbying the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment [MBIE] for a mandatory third-party verification scheme similar to WaterMark,” he says. “This report backs up our concerns that plumbing products are available in the New Zealand supply chain that put public health at risk through lead leaching into drinking water.” *The report was prepared by Jacqui Horswell, Islay Simpson and Jennifer Prosser of the School of Health Sciences at Massey University in Wellington; Brett Robinson or the Department of Chemistry at the University of Canterbury; Maria Gutierrez-Gines at the Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd in Wellington; and Louis A Tremblay of the Cawthron Institute, Nelson/School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland.

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On the tools

Master Plumbers CEO Greg Wallace (left) paid a visit to Hutt Gas and Plumbing to present Commercial Manager Scott Adin and the team with the company’s 2020 Project of the Year Award for their extensive and complex work on the National Biocontainment Laboratory.

“ONCE IN A LIFETIME”

Hutt Gas and Plumbing have spent nearly five years planning for and working on the Ministry of Primary Industry’s new National Biocontainment Laboratory for diagnosing animal diseases—and it’s earned them recognition at the 2020 New Zealand Plumbing Awards. AUTHOR: SAM DAY

33 BIOCONTAINMENT PROJECT

38 TECHNICAL THEME:

DRAINAGE & WASTE SYSTEMS

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On the tools BIOCONTAINMENT PROJECT

n a year that so far has been characterised by the outbreak of COVID-19, there has also been a positive development in the field of disease-related topics—the completion of New Zealand’s new National Biocontainment Laboratory in the Upper Hutt suburb of Wallaceville. Wallaceville has been an integral location for diagnosing animal diseases for over a century. The Southern Hemisphere’s first veterinary laboratory was built there in 1905, and since then the suburb has played host to a string of laboratories. The National Biocontainment Laboratory is the latest, and New Zealand’s only approved laboratory for containing and diagnosing serious veterinary diseases. With 17 individual lab areas, it is New Zealand’s only enhanced PC3 laboratory (PC standing for physical containment).

Technically challenging Hutt Gas and Plumbing’s work on the expansive and highly technical project has earned them the Project of the Year award at the 2020 New Zealand Plumbing Awards—

a well-deserved acknowledgement, as working on a biocontainment lab comes with distinct challenges and difficulties. The new lab boasts an array of impressive features. Negative pressure and high efficiency air filtration systems ensure that only clean air leaves the laboratory; scientists and researchers leaving the containment zone can wash off biomatter through exit showers; and the building’s earthquake protection is designed to withstand a one-in-2,500-year earthquake, sitting on 10 base isolators and 20 slider bearings.

Three years on site The laboratory is now almost ready to be used. Testing of the laboratory’s systems, which continued through the COVID-19 lockdown, included pressure tests to find

leaks, simulated failure tests in case of emergency, and tests of all decontamination equipment. These tests will complete five years of construction and development work for this state-of-the-art facility. Its design was led by American international design firm Merrick & Company, with Fletcher Construction as the main contractor for the site. Scott Adin, founding member and director of Hutt Gas and Plumbing, led the firm’s gas, plumbing and drainage team. Scott’s previous work on the original biocontainment laboratory at Wallaceville, as well as his experience working on the PC2 lab at the Institute of Environment Science and Research, made him an ideal team leader, and he remained on the site full-time for three years. The complexities of the project also meant that Hutt Gas and Plumbing’s team were upskilled on new products and technologies, including electrofusion welding systems, chemical resistant Vulcathene pipework, CPVC industrial pipes and stainless-steel drainage work.

This cross section gives an idea of the size and complexity of the work involved.

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Seismic protection was paramount, which meant the facility’s multiple water systems had to be designed around the building’s base isolators.

Safety paramount All fixtures and fittings in the labs, such as sinks, pipework and showers were custom designed and produced, as sharp edges on fittings had to be avoided to reduce the risk of harbouring organisms or penetrating rubber gloves. Every last fixture and bracket had a rubber glove run over it to ensure the glove wouldn’t tear. The lab design meant that pipework couldn’t be located in ceiling or wall cavities, so the exposed pipework had to be of very high standard, with smooth edges and a finish that could be easily cleansed and decontaminated. Protection of the scientists working in the lab also had to be taken into consideration, and complex safety systems were developed to prevent dangerous organisms from being released out of the lab and into the environment.

The lab also makes use of multiple drainage and water systems. Three drainage systems were installed, so PC2 and PC3 drainage can remain separated from noncontaminated drainage. Seven water systems have been made available, with some individual labs using multiple water systems, and an intricate installation of backflow

devices and brake tanks for protection. To work their way around the building’s base isolators and slider bearings, and to protect biocontainment during a strong earthquake, Hutt Gas and Plumbing installed a complicated system of flexible hoses that allow all plumbing connections to remain intact with a movement of +/- 900mm.

Emergency management In the event of an emergency, an individual laboratory can be valved off for containment and decontamination, with the other 16 laboratories remaining fully functional. To achieve this, around 50 valves were installed in the drainage systems alone, allowing large areas of labs to be converted from a PC2 to PC3 system for flexibility and increased safety.

A complex system of flexible hoses allow all plumbing connections to remain intact with a movement of +/- 900mm.

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On the tools BIOCONTAINMENT PROJECT

The drainage and sterilisation system is one of three drainage systems installed at the facility.

Physical containment par excellence The National Biocontainment Laboratory is used by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and Environmental Science and Research (ESR) to diagnose and thus help prevent the spread of animal diseases; to give international trade assurances about New Zealand’s animal disease status; and above all to protect public health. The laboratory testing methods in the existing lab, built in 1999, needed modernising and there was insufficient testing capacity in the event of a large biosecurity emergency. The new laboratory is New Zealand’s only enhanced PC3 laboratory. The PC (physical containment) scale runs from PC1 to PC4, with PC1 being the lowest containment level (used for safe bacteria and viruses) and PC4 being the highest. With no PC4 labs in New Zealand, the new lab is this country’s safest and most advanced for diagnosing and containing animal diseases.

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Should standard council services fail in the event of a natural disaster, water, gas and drainage systems within the lab can be easily connected to external sources, such as a rooftop 20,000 litre water tank. Contaminated material can be stored within the building through a system of tanks and pumps, and heat treatment systems, sensitive air management and fumigation treats all rubbish and wastewater, ensuring any dangerous biomatter isn’t released into the environment.

Outside the box thinking These complex challenges meant that Hutt Gas and Plumbing had to pull out all the stops whilst working on the project. Scott Adin describes working on the lab as a “once in a lifetime opportunity”, where outside the box thinking was required every day. The firm spent 12-18 months working with the Ministry of Primary Industries and Fletchers Construction on the planning phase alone, followed by nearly four years of work, which made finishing the project all the more satisfying for the whole team. The exterior of the recently completed National Biocontainment Laboratory in Wallaceville, Upper Hutt.

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Dux provides installer information on its new Connecto Trade® domestic surface water drainage product range.

oor water drainage causes water to pool and can prevent homeowners from using an area around their home. Additionally, pooling may cause damage to foundations and any exterior pipes and wires. NIWA reports on yearly rainfall in 2019 showed rainfall was above normal (120149% of normal) in western Southland and parts of Westland but below normal (5079% of normal) across Northland, Auckland and the Bay of Plenty, as well as parts of Waikato, Hawke’s Bay, the Wairarapa and Marlborough. Rainfall was near normal (80-119% of normal) for the remainder of New Zealand.* Improving domestic surface water drainage, whether that be from rainfall or even garden hoses, is easy with the new Dux Connecto Trade® range, designed in New Zealand for our climate. The channel system is made from tough, durable, lightweight UV stabilised recycled plastic and features anti-flotation feet to prevent flotation during pouring of concrete, a U-shaped design to assist with water flow rate and self-cleaning. The channels also slot directly into each other using male and female ends.

Surface water drainage, such as Dux Connecto Trade®, prevents water pooling around homes as well as damage to foundations and exterior pipes and wires.

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Figure 1: The channels and accessories slot into each other using male and female ends.

Connecto Trade® channels can be cut at 100mm intervals, so installers can size the channel length to that of the drainage project. Be sure to retain the male nodules during cutting, as this will allow the female adaptors to be used to connect other components without the need for silicone.

Figure 3: A solvent weldable bottom outlet is available for both 90mm and 100m pipe.

The range also offers a new patent pending support bracket, which supports and strengthens the join between channels while creating extra internal stability for transporting long lengths of channel, carrying the channel onsite and also during concreting. Figure 4: A new patent pending support bracket creates additional internal stability when transporting or carrying the channel as well as during concreting.

Figure 2: Channels can be cut at 100mm intervals.

With appropriate installation, the channels and grates can support a range of passenger vehicles, offering a 5-tonne vehicle load rating. The 5-tonne rating applies to all Connecto Trade® grates (standard, pedestrian, galvanised and stainless steel). The plastic grates have a new clip design to allow for easy removal for maintenance and cleaning. The range of accessories include a solvent weldable end outlet, which fits 100mm pipe (without the need for silicone) and features a ‘step down’ design to allow for a thicker concrete slab above the pipe (which will reduce cracking). In addition, a solvent weldable bottom outlet is available, which fits both 90 & 100mm pipe (without the need for silicone). A drill guide in the base of the channel makes creating the opening with a holesaw easy prior to attaching the bottom outlet.

The shape or size of a surface water channel system can have a marked effect on the velocity of the water and how much is moved. To estimate surface water runoff, there are a number of factors that need to be considered including: 1. The area of land to be serviced 2. The surface type (impervious or pervious) 3. The type of terrain (flat, hilly or gently rolling). *Source: 2019 Annual Climate Summary, niwa.co.nz

If you would like assistance on the best channel system from the Connecto Trade® range for your project, please contact dux@dux.co.nz. Visit www.connectotrade.com for more information

On the tools DRAINAGE & WASTE SYSTEMS

TECHNICAL THEME

GULLY TRAP SOLUTION An extra short PVC boss gully trap, Compakt® was developed to answer a specific industry need, as Marley explains.

arley Compakt® from the Optim® DWV range was developed and produced after a brainstorm with plumbers to find out what issues they were having on-site. One key finding was that, as designers reduced building joist heights from 280mm to 230mm to cut material costs, the space available to fit current DWV plumbing systems was also reduced, making it difficult to achieve the necessary fall. Costly and time-consuming workarounds were needed to fit traditional taller boss gully traps and/or fabricate non-PVC boss gully traps to work with PVC systems. So, Marley designed Compakt®, an extra short PVC boss gully trap with an internal siphon insert that removes the need for the separate bulky gully trap. In doing so they were able to significantly reduce the height and make it easier for

plumbers to achieve the required fall. Based directly on plumber feedback, Compakt is 20% shorter than standard PVC boss gully traps and is designed to suit the most common DWV pipe sizings within the shorter joist heights that are now common in residential and commercial builds. It has knockouts for 40mm and 50mm inlet pipes, a 65mm outlet and connects to a 100mm floor waste. Made of PVC, Compakt® integrates with the rest of Marley’s Optim® DWV range and is AS/NZS 1260 compliant. It also holds WaterMark certification. Plumbers no longer need to try to fabricate a solution to meet Code requirements in tight situations. “Compakt is a great design and saves a huge amount of effort and parts to achieve a better result,” says John Kendrick of Quix Auckland.

Removable siphon insert.

At just 199mm tall, Compakt® is the shortest boss around!

CL541B

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Pump stations are coming into increasing use as our towns and cities grow. Richard Ruddell of APD explains how they work and the key differences between stormwater and wastewater systems.

atural waterways flow downhill, driven by the irresistible pull of gravity. It’s the same with wastewater and stormwater. So, what happens if the wastewater sewer or stormwater drain connections for a property are uphill? Similar challenges have been around a lot longer than modern construction methods. Thousands of years ago, the first solution for moving water uphill by artificial means was devised in the form of the water screw— also known as the Archimedes screw or the Egyptian screw. This device is the oldest ‘positive displacement’ pump. Pump solutions have evolved substantially since the water screw. Along with the development of storage tanks came the opportunity to combine the two technologies to create pumping stations. Wastewater or stormwater can be collected in the storage volume of the pumping station and the pump activated to pump the wastewater or stormwater uphill to

the relevant connection point, where it will discharge to the wastewater sewer or stormwater main. Some wastewater pumping stations are designed to pump waste into a pressure sewer, where the wastewater is conveyed to the treatment plant under pressure and not by the force of gravity. As our towns and cities grow, new construction often includes building on hilly terrain, forcing the use of pumping stations to get the wastewater to the sewer and stormwater to the stormwater main. In flatter locations, as the distance to the nearest wastewater treatment plant increases with ongoing development, it may be necessary to use pressure sewer systems.

How they work Pumping stations work by collecting wastewater or stormwater in the storage volume of the pumping station. Float switches or level sensors in the pumping station send a signal to the pumping

station controller when the wastewater or stormwater reaches a predetermined level. The controller then activates the pumps to pump out the stored waste or stormwater. This means pumping stations do not continuously feed wastewater into the sewer or stormwater main. An important difference between wastewater and stormwater pumping stations is that wastewater pumping stations often pre-process the waste by grinding all the solids into a fine slurry suitable for pumping through small diameter pipes. A grinder pump would not be needed in a stormwater pumping station, as the stormwater does not contain the waste load that wastewater does. Through further controller refinements, a wastewater pumping station may be restricted to discharge the stored wastewater only between certain hours to reduce the load on the local wastewater network.

A standard APD WasteWorx stormwater solution.

A custom dual pump WasteWorx Stormwater solution from APD.

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On the tools DRAINAGE & WASTE SYSTEMS

TECHNICAL THEME

Pumping rates Another important difference between wastewater and stormwater pumping stations is the pumping rate. Residential wastewater pumping stations may provide sufficient storage volume for one to two days and then pump that out when activated by the rising level of waste. Stormwater pumping stations on the other hand may stand unused for extended periods of time. When a storm event occurs, the pumping stations may start to fill quickly and then need to pump out a steady volume of water until the storm event ends and the pumping station empties. This may all happen over a period of a few hours, leaving no opportunity for pump maintenance if the stormwater pumping station pump fails. For this reason, stormwater pumping stations often have a dual pump controller and two pumps, operating in a duty and standby cycle. In the event one of the pumps fails, the other is ready to operate, preventing the risk of flooding.

About the author: Richard Ruddell is Technical Sales Engineer at APD. Richard is an expert in APD’s WasteWorx pumping stations, whose flexible design means they can easily be adapted for wastewater and stormwater, including dual pump systems when needed. He has also gained a wealth of knowledge on Stormlite3 specifications and buried tank installations and load requirements during his time with APD. Feel free to contact Richard for any enquiries on 021 402 805; richard@apd.co.nz

WasteWorx Pumping Stations WASTEWATER OR STORMWATER REMOVAL SYSTEMS

CUSTOM ENGINEERED SOLUTIONS AVAILABLE TO SUIT YOUR SITE SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

Out of sight and built to suit your requirements. APD’s pumping station’s unique design safely removes Wastewater or Stormwater from your site with minimal maintenance requirements.

VANTAGE The new Vantage range from Greens is suitable for all pressures and features the patented FloBOOST® and RainBoost® shower technologies to ensure a shower as perfect as a good nights sleep down to 10kPa. A donation from every sale of Greens Vantage products goes towards plumbing apprenticeship scholarships . Greens Tapware - designed and engineered in NZ since 1935 – fostering the plumbing industry today for a bright future tomorrow.

For more information contact APD (09) 263 7741

www.apd.co.nz

www.greenstapware.com

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When it comes to drainage and waste system products, there are clear advantages to choosing reputable New Zealand suppliers and manufacturers. Allproof has the top 5. with 1 Compliance NZ regulations

The New Zealand Building Code (NZBC) ensures Kiwis have the highest standards of health, hygiene and safety in their properties, taking into account New Zealand’s unique weather and climate conditions and user requirements. For waste and drainage systems, the objective of NZBC Clauses E2 External Moisture and G13 Foul Water is: E2.1 to safeguard people from illness or injury that could result from external moisture entering the building G13.1 to: (a) Safeguard people from illness due to infection or contamination resulting from personal hygiene activities; and (b) Safeguard people from loss of amenity due to the presence of unpleasant odours or the accumulation of offensive matter resulting from foul water disposal. Through their accompanying compliance documents, both clauses set out expectations for the design, construction and installation of waste and drainage systems to protect buildings and occupants. These, together with relevant AS/NZS Standards, are the main resources for

the design and development of drainage products here in New Zealand, ensuring NZ manufacturers are well positioned to supply the local market with products specifically for New Zealand’s construction industry.

knowledge 2 Local for product development

Allproof has a 33-year heritage of partnerships and collaborations with top New Zealand plumbers, hydraulic engineers, architects and industry bodies, such as Master Plumbers. As a result, it is able to draw on critical feedback and insights from New Zealand’s construction and plumbing community to grow and maintain a large product portfolio. With a New Zealand-based team of over 100 tradespeople, machine operators, engineers and operations staff, the company’s ongoing product development programme is well equipped to implement this feedback, creating innovative systems for the plumbing and drainage industry in a fast-paced and challenging climate. This process means products are developed with installers in mind, helping them find solutions to the unique challenges of the New Zealand building design and construction industry, which they face on site every day.

in manufacturing 3 Investment processes

New Zealand’s plumbers and drainlayers want systems that perform to the highest standards and stand the test of time. Knowing that continuing investment is being made into production processes and controls gives installers confidence that products are fit for purpose in the work they are completing (reflecting back on the core objectives of This Jaguar and LandRover showroom called for an Allproof perimeter drain with wedge wire grate (PC180LWW) and custom supports for vehicle loading.

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Inside Allproof’s Auckland warehouse.

the NZBC and AS/NZ Standards). Allproof consistently invest in their manufacturing processes to control all aspects of product production and to maintain a high level of quality across the range. Engineers maintain and develop moulds in the company’s fleet of injection moulding machines, whilst a department of 30 fabricators use some of the industry’s most advanced technology to ensure accuracy and quality in Allproof’s stainless steel drainage products.

technical advice 4 Accessible and assistance

Easy, first-hand access to product advice and assistance is another key advantage to using NZ made. With in-depth understanding of the applicable Building Code clauses and Standards, Allproof’s NZ-based sales team of eight are able to provide in-depth technical insights and advice for the application of the company’s drainage and waste products.

On the tools DRAINAGE & WASTE SYSTEMS

TECHNICAL THEME

Allproof was established in 1987 and today has a team of over 100 tradespeople, machine operators, engineers and operations staff.

Allproof’s New Zealand-based sales team of eight provide in-person technical advice for the application of the company’s drainage and waste products.

The team has a range of skills and backgrounds, including plumbers, builders and staff who have been with the company for over 12 years. The sales team help designers select and design drainage systems specific to projects, visit sites to provide technical information and installation training and to assist with measurements where possible.

design for 5 In-house customised systems

Custom drainage system designed for a juice bottling production facility.

Commercial projects often have unique requirements that benefit from purposedesigned drainage systems. Drawing on industry and technical knowledge, Allproof’s in-house design team are able to design drainage systems that cater for project specific scenarios. This full in-

house design service is unique to Allproof and allows the company to supply customdesigned systems with high drainage performance that cater to each site’s limitations and install team requirements. The stainless steel fabrication department then manufacture these systems to the highest level of accuracy and, before being dispatched, all products must pass a Quality Assurance process from a QA dedicated team member.

About the Author: Chris Paterson is Marketing Manager at Allproof Industries. Safeguarding Kiwis is a driving force behind Allproof’s ambition to design, develop and supply high-quality, NZmade drainage products and systems that meet this country’s unique drainage and waste system requirements www.allproof.com

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LATEST MARKET OFFERINGS PLUS THIS EDITION’S FEATURED MASTER PLUMBERS RECOMMENDS PRODUCT. Consumer is designer with Kohler Components Taking its cue from the simple, minimalist lines of the Bauhaus movement, Kohler’s next-generation Components tapware collection comprises a choice of interchangeable spouts and handles in distinctly different styles—allowing the consumer to become the designer. Three spout and four handle options combine to create a quality-engineered tapware range using high-tech materials, such as ultra-smooth ceramic discs. All basin mixers and spouts have a WELS 5-star rating (6L per minute). Spout designs for basin and bath comprise: Row: modern, statuesque, angular Ribbon: Thin, flat, sinuous Tube: timeless, classic, cylindrical. Handles comprise: Rocker: sleek, single-control with a graceful, magnetic motion, this handle can be placed anywhere within range on the deck (basin applications only) Oyl: inspired by precision-tooled gauges and dials Industrial: influenced by machine valves and factory pipes Lever: slender, elegant take on classic design. All components are in polished chrome, with further finishes tipped to be added at a later date. The Kohler Components collection is available nationally. For full details, go to www.kohler.co.nz

MASTER PLUMBERS RECOMMENDS Check out this edition’s featured product from the Master Plumbers Recommends range.

Allproof Vision Series Allproof’s Vision Series shower channel kits are 100% Kiwi made. Local manufacturing within New Zealand gives Allproof the ability to provide exceptional quality and service with the added benefit of offering fully customised channels. Allproof recognise that every project is unique, which is why they have developed an industry leading custom service. This service provides designers and installers the opportunity to tailor Allproof shower channels to their exact aesthetic, performance and install requirements. The Vision series by Allproof can be adapted in a variety of ways. This includes length, outlet quantity, outlet location and offset, as well as custom finishes such as powder coating and electroplating. With an in-house team of fabricators and some of the most advanced technology at their disposal, Allproof are able to provide a swift turnaround time on custom orders.

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Custom order forms are available to download from allproof.com along with install guides and technical information. About Master Plumbers Recommends Master Plumbers Recommends shows consumers the products they can trust: for performance, quality and a manufacturer’s guarantee. View all recommended products at www.tickofapproval.co.nz

On the tools PRODUCTS

Felton launches new Plumber’s App and website Felton has launched a new Plumber’s App to make it easy for plumbers to find spare parts, products, technical information and submit warranty requests. It is free to download and does not require any registration or login. Once the products have been downloaded, they remain available offline—a useful feature for when you are out of range, or WiFi is not available. The Felton website has also been refreshed with new features, including a comprehensive ‘Our Innovations’ page (including current and past innovations with quick links to spare parts); an electronic warranty request form and an indepth FAQ section. Download the Felton Plumber’s App from Google Play or the Apple App Store, and explore the new website at www.felton.co.nz

Shower enclosure innovation Latest releases from Englefield:

Anti-slip shower trays The Slipsafe™ extra low profile shower tray offers unprecedented slip resistance, making entering, exiting and using the shower a much safer experience, especially for the younger and older generations. Made of sanitary grade anti-microbial acrylic with a textured surface, the shower tray is available in square and round shapes and in two sizes: 1000x1000mm and 900x900mm. Textured waste lids are also available.

Space-saving shower wall storage Englefield’s new side-recessed shower walls introduce indented, streamlined storage using the cavity within the bathroom wall framing—providing much needed storage without the loss of internal showering space. The shower walls come in two- and threewall configurations, sized from 900x750mm through to 1200x900mm. Made of 2mm thick Duracryl® sanitary-grade acrylic, the wall features three vertical, moulded recesses.

BATHROOM • HEATING & COOLING • PLUMBING • COMMERCIAL

Since 1961, Caleffi have been a leading Italian manufacturer of components for plumbing, heating, cooling, and renewable energy for residential and industrial systems. All Caleffi products are designed and manufactured to exacting standards and undergo rigorous testing, so the customer can be assured they are using the highest quality products. Caleffi’s expertise lies with the control of temperature, pressure and flow of water-based fluids. Their products range from control valves, balancing devices and flow switches to zone relays and heat meters. Waterware works closely with Caleffi in designing components that fit the New Zealand market and has enjoyed a long successful partnership with Caleffi for over 30 years and is the exclusive supplier of Caleffi products across New Zealand. Next time you are looking for an extensive range of quality brass products, such as tempering valves, PRV’s, balancing devices, and zone control, contact 0800 WATERWARE for Caleffi components - a brand that you can trust to get the job done.

GET ACCESS TO THE WATERWARE KNOWLEDGE BASE The Knowledge base is a place to go to see all of the tips and tricks accumulated over the last 30 years of experience selling Caleffi valves. Model selection, sizing and troubleshooting advice specific to the Caleffi family to quickly and efficiently bring you up to speed with the extensive range. All you need to do is to set up a trade login with Waterware and you will gain full access to our online Knowledge Base.

Proud partners with

For more details, go to www.englefield.co.nz nzplumber WW0178 Master Plumbers Journal ad_April_May_2020.indd 1

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Our Partners

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

GOLD PARTNERS

SILVER PARTNERS

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Master Plumbers

MEMBER BENEFITS

JOIN OUR FACEBOOK GROUP The member-only Master Plumbers Facebook Group set up during the COVID-19 lockdown is here to stay.

The feedback and engagement with the new Master Plumbers member Facebook Group has been extremely positive, with more than 600 members and growing. Set up during the lockdown to enable members to share experiences, post comments, view resources and get answers, it has proved so popular that Master Plumbers will keep the forum open for the future.

47 MEMBER BENEFIT 48 BULLETIN 52 MEMBER PROFILE 56 MASTERLINK MESSAGES

Are you a member? Ask to join the Master Plumbers Facebook Group at www.facebook.com/MasterPlumbersNZ

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2020 New Zealand Master Plumber of the Year Huge congratulations to iPlumber Ltd in Hamilton, winner of the 2020 New Zealand Master Plumber of the Year Award, which is presented each year to a member business that shows the highest levels of professionalism and service, business acumen and drive for success. Run by Jamin Saes, iPlumber has been 10 years in business

PROUD TO BE A PLUMBER: OUR FIRST WINNER! Olivia Coleman, a Journeyman Plumber and Gasfitter at Hutt Gas and Plumbing, is our very first Proud to be a Plumber winner. Olivia says she’s proud to be a plumber because she loves working in the health industry! Olivia received her 50L Master Plumbers-branded mini fridge prize as soon as NZ moved to Alert Level 2.

Want to win? For your chance to win a mini fridge, share your reason for being proud to be a plumber, gasfitter or drainlayer. It’s simple! Post a photo or video on your public social media page Caption why you’re proud to be in our industry Use the hashtag #proudtobeaplumber Find full details at www.masterplumbers.org.nz/membership/proud/

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and in that time has taken on nine apprentices. Integrity is central to everything the company does. “If you are going to do something, do it right and do it where, when and how you said you were going to do it,” says Jamin. The team uses modern technology to streamline its operations and to ensure proactive communication, which

it says is the backbone of any successful company. In a break with tradition, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s awards were announced in an online ceremony, presented by Master Plumbers CEO Greg Wallace and New Zealand entertainer Jackie Clarke. Turn to page 20 for all the 2020 awards winners.

Master Plumbers

UPDATES

2020 Master Plumbers AGM The national Master Plumbers AGM was held via Zoom video conferencing on 26 May, and attended by Association and Branch Presidents. In his report, CEO Greg Wallace said he was proud of a 2019 result well ahead of forecast, with significant marketing activity during the year, particularly in the digital space, and major investment in the national office IT systems, which had proved to be of outstanding value during the COVID-19 lockdown. Advocacy work on the Review of Vocational Education (RoVE) during 2019 was continuing at full speed in 2020, with discussions around how the establishment of the new institute could be fast tracked. Greg’s appointment to the Construction Industry Council has also seen Master Plumbers well placed to advocate for members on the Constructions Contracts Act, particularly around retentions (see update on page 14). Chairman Craig Foley thanked Greg and his team on behalf of the Board for their work in the 2019 year and their efforts to date in 2020 to assist members during the COVID-19 pandemic, which he said had demonstrated the clear value of belonging to a membership organisation.

MASTER PLUMBERS BOARD 2020-2021 MASTER PLUMBERS WELCOMES GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR TRAINING Finance Minister Grant Robertson announced the Wellbeing Budget 2020: Rebuilding Together on 14 May, with the focus on jobs and ‘rainy day’ measures for economic recovery from COVID-19. Master Plumbers is extremely pleased to see support for businesses to retain and take on apprentices, with $1.6bn funding promised for a Trades and Apprentices Package, including financial support for businesses to retain their apprentices, fees-free apprentice training in targeted critical industries, and funding for increased enrolments in tertiary education and training. In the weeks leading up to the Budget, Master Plumbers advocated for business support for training, so this announcement was very welcome. The additional $3bn investment in infrastructure projects to boost economic recovery from COVID-19 is also pleasing and we expect some of this to flow through to our member businesses. We know that many members have successfully applied for the wage subsidy and we welcome the news that this is to be extended for a further eight-week period for those who have seen a 40 percent reduction in turnover compared to last year.

At the AGM, Master Plumbers Board Directors were confirmed for the 2020-21 term, with specific roles determined at an online Board meeting directly afterwards. They are: Craig Foley (Chairman) Dave Strong (Deputy Chairman and Masterlink Chairman) Jon Lewis (President) Grayson Allen (Vice President) John DeBernardo Martin de Gouw Dale Lovell Rod Miller

New national Master Plumbers President Jon Lewis. Jon runs The Lewis Plumbing Company in Rotorua.

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Meet the team... Get to know the Master Plumbers team with our quick Q&As each edition.

at Mico Plumbing. While most of this time was in sales or sales management roles, the last three years I managed my ‘home’ branch in Frankton, which gave me great insight into running a business from an operations perspective. 4. Can you tell us a little bit about you? I was born and bred in the timber town of Tokoroa and the majority of my best mates are still the ones I made in Tok. I also met my future wife at Tok High School! I was always looking to impress the great lady but she would always be more into her lessons (nerd!) and both our grades reflected this. We did the OE thing (great time) and then settled in Hamilton and now have two beautiful teenage daughters. 5. What’s your favourite music? I was an Eighties teenager, so my music taste has strong links to that era. I used to shake my mullet to U2, Billy Joel and Jimmy Barnes. One good thing about the lockdown was that it gave me a chance to stage a mini revival of my teenage mullet at the back of the old swede. A couple more months and I would have looked like Joe Dirt again. Bring them back I say! 6. What’s your favourite book or movie? I’m a big sports fan, so up until about a year ago I would read predominantly sport autobiographies. Then I read a John Grisham novel and now I’m hooked. During lockdown I read a thriller called Murderabilia about a serial killer in Glasgow. Highly recommend. Movies: A Few Good Men, Gladiator, Troy, Road Trip, Old School, Zoolander. 7. Where’s your favorite holiday spot? We have a permanent caravan site in the Top 10 at Waihi Beach. We’ve been going there for the best part of 10 years, making beach memories with our two girls. Its defo our little piece of paradise where all of life’s problems melt away into a pair of boardies, a sea view and a cold Heineken!

NAME: Steve Rushworth ROLE: Business Development

Manager, Master Plumbers

1. What does your day-to-day role entail? My role is threefold really. I drive membership growth, which means a lot of travel around our beautiful country talking to plumbing business owners about their businesses and where Master Plumbers can really add value. The second part is to look after our 40 Business Partners. And finally I try to engage as often as I can with our Associations and Branches. I am very lucky as I genuinely love my job, getting to meet a lot of very different and very cool people every week! 2. Where are you based for work? In Hamilton, the heart of Mooloo country, where all good locals come complete with red, yellow and black rugby jersey, Mooloo bell and more often than not a big old Log o’ Wood! 3. What’s your work background? Before joining Master Plumbers I had 15 fantastic years

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8. What’s your favourite food? Easy – pizza, thin crust. Never seafood. 9. Can you name a person who particularly inspires you? Football manager Sir Alex Ferguson. A guy with an unquenchable thirst to succeed. He took a solid Aberdeen team and made them champions (breaking a 15-year Glasgow dominance) and then took over an under-achieving Manchester United team and set about rebuilding the side along with the club’s culture. For me, Sir Alex’s best traits were his drive and perseverance (success didn’t come easily). 10. What do you enjoy doing in your spare time and why? I love most sports but I’m a football tragic and, along with my family, the love of my life is Tottenham Hotspur FC. Being a lifelong Spurs fan has taught me several valuable life lessons, like the capacity to drown constant disappointments in copious amounts of Heineken. I also still enjoy playing the game (despite constant protests from the body) and try and lace up once or twice a year for the mighty Claudelands Rovers FC!

Master Plumbers

ARE YOU OUR NEXT BEST IN BRAND WINNER? The COVID-19 lockdown largely put a stop to jumping in the van to carry out jobs—maybe the reason we don’t have a prize photo this edition… We have a $200 Prezzy Card voucher waiting to be sent to a member with some great-looking Master Plumbers branding on their vehicle or at the workplace. Send your entries to Cat Marshall by 31 July for a chance to win: cmarshall@masterplumbers.org.nz

WANT TO JOIN? Master Plumbers is here to support all businesses in the plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying industry. Members are Quality Assured and backed by the Master Plumbers Guarantee. We offer a wide range of business resources, HR & technical support, plus training and member discounts— and we advocate for our members as a collective industry voice. Get in touch to discuss our two-year membership deal!

Steve Rushworth North Island 027 839 8398 srushworth@masterplumbers.org.nz

UPDATES

STAFF CHANGES

We’re pleased to report that Luke Pirie has become Operations Manager, moving from his previous marketing role. “The Alert Level 4 lockdown was announced on my first day in the role,” says Luke. “We are now looking at what the new normal is for our industry and how our team is best placed to continue supporting our members at the highest level.” Luke replaces Margaret Dawson in the role and we thank Margaret for her hard work and dedication during her time at Master Plumbers. We have just appointed Lisa Onland to the new role of Master Plumbers Marketing and Communications Executive and will introduce Lisa to you in the next edition.

NEW MEMBERS A warm welcome to new Master Plumbers member businesses: Adler Plumbing, Auckland Caddys Drainage, Auckland Cat Plumbing, Auckland Northern Gas New Zealand, Auckland Optimum Plumbing Gas & Heating, Auckland Van Dam Plumbing 2020, Waikato

Westgate Plumbing, Waikato 100% Plumbing & Gas, Volcanic Plateau Jackson Wood Plumbing, Bay of Plenty/Coromandel OVP Plumbing & Gas, Wellington South Island Plumbing, Canterbury Plumbing Solutions Southland

Our trade deals are great. We take extra care of our tradies with special deals and exclusive products.

Sam Timlin South Island 021 433 615 stimlin@masterplumbers.org.nz Or contact 0800 502 102 membership@masterplumbers.org.nz

View all reasons at plumbingworld.co.nz/30reasons

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RICH HISTORY With 2020 marking the centenary of the Riches plumbing business in Christchurch, NZ Plumber talks to current owner Dale Riches about this fourthgeneration family firm and its secret to longevity.

amily history is very important to Dale Riches—and with good reason. Dale is a fourth generation plumber, who took the helm of the 100-year-old Christchurchbased Riches plumbing business in 2016, at the age of 26. Back in March, Dale contacted Master Plumbers to see if there was any memorabilia on his great grandfather, William Percy Riches, who was one of the earliest members of the New Zealand Master Plumbers organisation and served on the national executive from 1925-29. Dale was thrilled to receive a copy of a photograph taken at the Invercargill Conference in 1926, showing his great grandfather among the 18-strong executive. “My great grandfather, started the business in 1920, not long after he returned from three years’ fighting in the First World War, where he was shot twice,” says Dale. “Before the war he worked as a tinsmith, which had a close association with plumbing at the time.” William’s elder son, William Andrew Riches— Dale’s grandfather—began his plumbing apprenticeship with his father in 1953, having already gained hands-on plumbing experience while a prisoner-of-war. “In 1940, when he was 21, my grandfather joined the army and fought during World War Two. The following year, he was captured by the Germans and spent the next three years and 10 months of his life in the Stalag VIII-B prisoner-of-war camp. While there, he and another New Zealand prisoner were put in charge of the plumbing.” When Dale’s grandfather died in 1974, the business passed to William Andrew Riches II, Dale’s father, who had completed his plumbing apprenticeship at the firm. William’s brother Clive also became a plumber but was based in Oamaru for much of his career.

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Dale’s great-grandfather William Percy Riches set up his plumbing business on returning from the First World War.

Master Plumbers

MEMBER PROFILE

Dale’s greatgrandfather was a member of the Master Plumbers national executive. This photograph, from the 1926 annual conference in Invercargill in 1926, shows William Percy Riches standing in the middle row, second from right.

Dale is the second of William’s four sons, all of whom have chosen trades careers—Dale’s elder brother also in plumbing and his younger twin brothers in building and spouting. Dale says he briefly toyed with being a teacher, spending three “boring” months at teacher college before switching to a plumbing pre-trade course. “I’d seen my dad make good money from his career and I also thought it would make him proud for the family business to carry on.” Having served his apprenticeship with Russell Bates, one of his father’s peers, with mentoring by Andy Henderson, Dale headed out on his own after about six years, running the Riches

Dale Riches’ great grandfather, grandfather and father, all with the first name of William, in front of one of their old plumbing vans.

Business cards from over the generations, including one from Clive Riches, Dale’s uncle, who was also a plumber.

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Master Plumbers

MEMBER PROFILE

During the Second World War, Dale’s grandfather spent over three years in a German prisoner of war camp, where he and another prisoner were put in charge of the plumbing work.

plumbing business, now called Riches Brothers Plumbing, with the help of his now 73-year-old father, who does a lot of the fetching and carrying. “I like the fact that we still have clients whose parents my grandfather carried out work for,” he says. These days, the Master Plumbers member business specialises in commercial and residential maintenance plumbing, along with bathroom and kitchen renovations, which Dale often carries out with his builder brother Peter. Customers love seeing the brothers arrive together in the 1959 Standard 10 van, with its old-style Riches Brothers Plumbing signwriting. “We bought it two years ago as a Father’s Day present for our dad as it’s very similar to the van he and his father used for work,” says Dale. There is one big difference from the original van, though. “My grandfather didn’t believe in signwriting as he thought it wasn’t necessary to advertise the business if you were a good plumber,” says Dale. “We had strong family morals of trust and honesty drummed into us by our parents, particularly by our mother Christine, and I think that’s why our family business has lasted so long. The name is familiar throughout Christchurch and all the work we get is through word of mouth.”

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“I’d seen my dad make good money from his career and I also thought it would make him proud for the family business to carry on.” DALE RICHES Riches Brothers Plumbing

The 1959 standard 10 van that Dale and his brother did up and gave to their dad as a Father’s Day present. Dale sometimes uses it to drive (slowly) to jobs and says it attracts smiles and waves.

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NEWS FROM THE MASTER PLUMBERS-OWNED MASTERLINK APPRENTICE MANAGEMENT COMPANY.

Wellbeing to the fore

Each quarter, our Regional Managers conduct on-site appraisals. Not only is this a great way of catching up with host businesses, it’s also a chance to track the apprentice’s study progress and to focus on a specific health and safety topic. Due to the COVID-19 alert levels, the majority of the latest appraisals have been conducted via Zoom video conferencing. The focus has been health and wellbeing—a particularly relevant topic in these times of constant change and uncertainty. Masterlink apprentices can take advantage of three free sessions with counsellor Kereama Carmody through the Master Plumbers Wellbeing on Tap programme. Kereama has also been producing short videos throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, with useful health & wellbeing tips for Masterlink apprentices. Find them on the Masterlink website under Wellbeing on Tap. Plus, Sue Kohn-Taylor of The Mental Fitness Company has been providing a series of resilience tips, available on Master Plumbers’ social media channels.

Sam Timlin is among the Masterlink Regional Managers managing to keep in touch with apprentices via Zoom video conferencing during lockdown and Alert Level 3.

For all Wellbeing on Tap resources, go to www.wellbeingontap.org.nz

Masterlink apprentices have access to three free counselling sessions with Kereama Carmody.

FUNDING TO TRAIN AND RETAIN As NZ Plumber went to print, the government’s $1.6bn Trades & Apprenticeships Training Package had just been announced as part of Budget 2020. Masterlink welcomes the funding, which sees support for trades apprentices and businesses that train at a time when it’s much needed. The details of how the funding is to be delivered were yet to come, but the package includes: No training fees for apprentices for two years from 1 July

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Financial support for employers to retain existing and train new apprentices $19m for group training schemes, such as Masterlink, to retain apprentices. “This funding shows the government recognises the value of trades apprenticeships and the importance of providing financial support for employers to be able to hold on to their apprentices,” says Master Plumbers and Masterlink CEO Greg Wallace.

Master Plumbers

MASTERLINK

OUR PLUMBING WORLD SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS Three Masterlink apprentices won $1,000 Plumbing World Scholarships at the 2020 New Zealand Plumbing Awards, which were announced via a special online ceremony in May. “Plumbing World have been investing in apprentices since our beginning 55 years ago, and we will continue to do so,” said Plumbing World Marketing Manager Sarah Vining on presenting the scholarships. “We do hope New Zealand’s plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying businesses continue to support apprentices, now more so than ever in these challenging times. Apprentices help future proof our industry and we need to ensure we have quality tradespeople coming through.” Discover all the 2020 awards winners on page 20.

MASTERLINK ON SOCIAL MEDIA

OPERATIONS MANAGER REBECCA BYRNE

Along with these pages in NZ Plumber and The Link e-newsletter each month, Masterlink hosts and apprentices can stay updated via Facebook, Linkedin and Instagram. Be sure to like and follow our social media channels to ensure you get the very latest news, photos, tips and information! www.facebook.com/masterlinknz www.linkedin.com/company/masterlink-mentoredapprenticeships/ www.instagram.com/masterlinknz/

What does your role entail? I have recently moved into this hugely varied role, which includes both financial and administrative tasks, as well as working with our CEO and external stakeholders in the advocacy space.

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS EXECUTIVE JOANNE CAINE Joanne Caine took up the new Marketing & Communications Executive role at Masterlink in early June. Joanne moves from her previous role as Communications & Marketing Advisor for Master Plumbers, where she gained good knowledge of Masterlink. “I look forward to promoting apprenticeships and our industry to a variety of audiences,” she says. Contact Joanne at: jo.caine@masterlink.co.nz 027 779 623

We are very pleased to welcome Rebecca Byrne as Operations Manager of Masterlink. Rebecca is already very familiar with the needs of our hosts and apprentices, having previously worked in a business services role for Masterlink.

What’s your background? Before joining Masterlink, I was finance manager at the Royal NZ Returned and Services’ Association for nine years. Can you tell readers a little bit about you? I grew up in Wellington, then travelled overseas. On my return to NZ, I briefly lived in Hamilton where I met my husband Matt. We settled back in Wellington, where we live with our kids and two cats. Our son is working as a building apprentice and our daughter is currently contracting with Spark. Is there someone who has particularly inspired you? My mother, who passed a few years ago. She was bipolar and taught me to see the positive in every day and always to believe that everything turns out for the best even if it doesn’t feel like it at the time. Positivity really is a power! What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? Reading and eating (preferably out). I do love a wee socialise too—nothing like family and friends to recharge emotional batteries.

Hosts and apprentices with national office queries can contact Rebecca at: rebecca.byrne@masterlink.co.nz 021 456 934

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Master Plumbers

MASTERLINK

Masterlink milestones

Masterlink is indebted to host employers across New Zealand for placing Masterlink apprentices in their businesses and providing them with the on-job training they need as part of their trades qualifications. Not only does this show commitment to personal business growth but also to a thriving future for our industry. From this edition, we acknowledge new Masterlink apprentices and those who have completed their qualifications.

QUALIFIED!

Completing qualifications this year to date are: PLUMBING Pieter Russon, Sean Stevenston, Ben McCulloch, Harrison Muir and Jarrod MacLean DRAINLAYING (INSTALLATION) Kyle Thom GASFITTING Lauren Phillips, James Wairau, Joshua Olsen, Ben DeClifford, Sean Conlan and Pieter Russon Congratulations to all!

WELCOME!

We welcome all apprentices who have started their training with Masterlink in 2020 to date: ■■ Nathaniel Madsen ■■ Janie Aldridge Cancian ■■ Daysharn Asomua-Faatili ■■ Shawn Here ■■ Glynn Norman ■■ Jordan Dibley ■■ George Wishart ■■ Kade Wilson ■■ Harrison Ballantyne ■■ Bailey Harris ■■ Cameron King ■■ Taku Dzadya ■■ Maria Contreras Huerta ■■ Prateek Singh ■■ Ethan Nicholson ■■ Bradley Thompson ■■ Liam McCathie ■■ Jordan Stratford ■■ James Tremeer ■■ Ash Jackson ■■ Caleb Foster

QUIZ TIME FUN

To keep the old grey cells ticking for apprentices who weren’t working in Alert Level 3, Mastelrink sent out a quick plumbing and gasfitting quiz (thanks to Jason Brown Plumbing for sharing it with us!). Our two winners were Louis and Didier, both from Christchurch, with each winning a local business gift voucher. Didier playing it for laughs by doing his quiz kitted out in PPE at his outdoor desk.

GET IN TOUCH

Need an apprentice in your business? Masterlink Regional Managers are here to help.

St ea St

Busi look appr

Jarrod MacLean with host Mac McCarthy at Tauranga Hardware & Plumbing.

Tania Forsyth Auckland & Northland 027 558 5441

Russell Walsh Central North Island 027 600 9929

Sam Timlin Upper South Island 021 433 615

As a M you tr get se

If you and e cover

Maste Josh Olsen with host Ash Saies at Dunedin-based Impact Roofing and Plumbing.

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Colin Kilpatrick Auckland 021 773 296

Bob McCoy Lower North Island 027 479 0075

Brendan Parker Lower South Island 021 644 560

Masterlink ““Masterlink has hasgone gonereally really well well for for us” us” Start tart earning! arning! Start tart living! living! “Masterlink “Masterlink ensures ensures a good a good match match for my for my business. business. I lookI look for for apprentices apprentices withwith a good a good attitude. attitude. As long As long as as they’re they’re willing willing to learn, to learn, I I can teach can teach themthem the skills.” the skills.” – Bruce – Bruce Trenwith Trenwith BT Plumbing, BT Plumbing, Auckland Auckland

“I like “Ithe likefact the fact thatthat therethere is someone is someone else supporting else supporting the the apprentice apprentice in the in the background, background, someone someone you can youfall canback fall back on if on if therethere are any areissues.” any issues.” – Richard – Richard Graves Graves Inside Inside Systems, Systems, Invercargill Invercargill

inesses usinesses in Oamaru in Oamaru areare king ooking forfor plumbing plumbing andand gasfitting gasfitting rentices pprentices right right now. now.

sMasterlink a Masterlink apprentice, apprentice, we we paypay youyou while while ou rain train for for a great aMore great career. career. Get Get qualified and and More of the ofsupport the support you qualified need you need and less and risk: less risk: et et set up for up life! for life! • Recruitment • Recruitment & Testing & Testing

• Mentoring • Mentoring and appraisals and appraisals uyou have have good good hands-on, hands-on, practical practical skills skills • Apprentice • Apprentice PAYEPAYE and HR and HR enjoy nd enjoy realreal job •job variety, variety, send send your your CV CV andand Block • Block Course Course arrangements arrangements over r letter letter to roger.herd@masterlink.co.nz to• roger.herd@masterlink.co.nz Health • Health & safety & safety management management

• Starter • Starter toolkit toolkit and PPE and PPE erLink.co.nz asterLink.co.nz

“Using “Using Masterlink Masterlink has has gonegone well well for us. forThey us. They offeroffer goodgood support support and and communication. communication. It takes It takes the stress the stress off you off because you because theythey do the dovetting the vetting and and pre-employment pre-employment testing.” testing.” – Aaron – Aaron Jamieson Jamieson BOP BOP Plumbing Plumbing & Gas, & Gas, Rotorua Rotorua

Too easy! Too easy! Contact Contact our team our team today today 08000800 502 102 502 102 admin@masterlink.co.nz admin@masterlink.co.nz www.masterlink.co.nz www.masterlink.co.nz

Master Plumbers

BRANCH PROFILE

PLENTY IN THE BAY With several younger members coming on board at the Bay of Plenty/Coromandel Master Plumbers Branch, there’s been fresh enthusiasm for all the activities on offer.

ntil the COVID-19 pandemic put a stop to big gatherings, members of the Bay of Plenty/Coromandel Master Plumbers had enjoyed the camaraderie of the Christmas function and annual friendly fishing contest rivalry with the Waikato Master Plumbers.

Steady stream of work President Andy Delaney says it’s been good to see new members joining up, and particularly to have Paul Knight of Tauranga firm Pipemasters as his Vice President. Despite the disruption caused by the pandemic, Andy says there’s been a good stream of plumbing and drainage work at his Tauranga business, Delaney Plumbing. The company’s focus is on new housing, light commercial, and piping and fitting out transportable homes. “We do a lot of bathrooms and kitchens and insurance work,” he says. ‘We’ is Andy on the tools with sons Nathan and Jack, and Andy’s wife Louise in the office. Louise also

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helps out with the emails to local branch members, which can take up a fair amount of time, as can the organisation of branch events.

Fishing & clay shooting Plans are already underway for the next fishing trip in February 2021 and there are hopes that the annual clay bird shooting event at Loaded NZ will still go ahead this year. The executive committee of six managed to hold their April meeting during lockdown via Zoom video conferencing and were also able to meet up in person at the pub for the following month’s meeting, as the gathering was fewer than 10. Andy, who’s 55, has been a member of Master Plumbers since the early days of starting his business 13 years ago. “Louise is from the Bay of Plenty, so we moved here from Wellington in 2005,” he says. It’s very much a family affair, with sons Nathan and Jack now fourth generation plumbers and drainlayers. The couple also have another son,

who’s a barber, and a daughter studying in Wellington. “Jack was meant to go on his OE this March, but it’s been delayed by the pandemic, which is quite good for me as we’re so busy at the moment!” says Andy.

Discussing local issues Being a Master Plumbers member has helped him in getting industry information from the national office (“everyone was really happy with the great input from Master Plumbers on COVID-19”) and in being able to call up fellow branch members to discuss local issues. “We’ve had major delays in inspections, for example, with wait times of four to five weeks to book one in,” says Andy. “The national office helped us draft up a letter to the council and mayor, voicing our concerns and providing solutions, and it did have an effect in bringing the wait down. We’d like to have the ability to self-certify all our plumbing and drainage work, but it was a start.”

Andy Delaney (centre), President of the Bay of Plenty/Coromandel Master Plumbers Branch, on site with sons Nathan (left) and Jack— fourth generation plumbers and drainlayers.

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HOW TO RECESSIONPROOF YOUR BUSINESS

ARE YOU PREPARED FOR WHAT’S COMING NEXT? BUSINESS COACH DANIEL FITZPATRICK OF NEXT LEVEL TRADIE SHARES 7 THINGS TO KNOW—PLUS PRACTICAL STEPS TO TAKE RIGHT NOW.

ven in the Great Depression, money was still changing hands. Less. But people were still paying their rent, buying food, getting repairs done, and more. My point is, trades will always be needed. Yes, coronavirus has sparked a chain reaction of events that is completely changing the landscape of how we all do business. No one knows how this will play out, how big the hole will be. Signs are, it’s going to be big. This will affect every single business in NZ, including yours, and sadly, some won’t survive. As we navigate the rest of the year, having a cash buffer is more important than ever. Banks are tightening up and watching their clients closely for any signs of trouble. After lockdown, some work that was previously solid is now uncertain. I’m not an economist, but I’m going to share from a ‘tradie business coach’ perspective, 7 things you should know, and be working into your plan now, while you still have time.

Business smarts

Daniel Fitzpatrick of Next Level Tradie.

63 RECESSION-PROOF YOUR BUSINESS

“WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER”

68 EMPATHY IS OK 69 EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT VARIATIONS

70 ASBESTOS

DANGERS: FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE

73 TOOLBOX TIPS 74 CYBERCRIME SHOCK

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Business smarts BUSINESS COACH

1 Downturns weed out the crop

I was talking with a seasoned tradie about this the other day. His strategy: “Don’t waste a good recession.” Sure, it’s harder to get work when times are slow. However, everyone is in the same boat. Your competitors who are doing a poor job, pricing too cheap, taking the quick buck and burning their reputation? Many of them will disappear. Ultimately leaving more room for you. The top tradies always have work. In any industry, the best are always in demand, regardless of what the market is doing. It’s a chance for you to get better, more efficient, become leaner and resilient. Systemise your operations. Sharpen yourself up for the next phase. When things bounce back, you’ll be ready to dominate, and have less competition.

2 Those who are slow to react are the worst hit

Listen up, because this one is important: You MUST be proactive with decision-making. Watch the numbers closely. Look for the early signs so you’re not surprised. Don’t rely on backlogs of work that may dry up or disappear. Make sure you are doing all you can to keep the work flowing in. If your efforts aren’t reflecting, and you need to cut overheads and possibly staff, as painful as it is, do it early. Not after you haemorrhage a heap of cash first. Identify options ahead of time. Have a Plan B for all scenarios, such as an overdraft facility or cash buffer in the bank.

3 Some of your customers will go broke

Have you ever been stung by a large bad debt? Most tradies have. That’s in the good times. It’s even more likely to happen in a downturn. I often see tradies rely too much on one or two big clients. It’s risky. As a rule of thumb your biggest client ideally wouldn’t be more than 30%-40% of your business. Assess now: If your biggest client disappeared, would you still be OK? We’ve all seen bigger companies fold and little guys get hurt. Don’t let it happen to you: Make sure you aren’t carrying late payers, and have solid terms of trade.

4 Never stop marketing

Why should you market if you have more work than you can handle? That’s now. In a downturn, things can change quickly. Assess: Is your work coming from just one source currently? It’s not a good idea to rely on only one stream to feed you jobs through. What if your biggest customer had their work dry up? Or went broke, and you had to deal with the receiver who didn’t want to pay you? What if they changed owners? Or their project manager (who dishes out the work) decided he was going to use your competition instead? This can happen (and does). Especially if word of mouth is the only way you get leads, build a larger number of sources. There are so many different and effective ways for tradies to market their services. Then even if some dry up, you will still have other streams of work. In slow times, you can also diversify into other types of jobs you can make money on. As well as specialising in what you are really good at. Do both! Spread your risk.

5 Cut the fat

This is something you should be doing at least once a year anyway. Cash is king, and you want as much of it available as you can. Reduce overheads. Work on becoming more efficient.

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Reduce debt as much as possible. In a recession, banks tighten up lending and overdrafts. Be aware of interest rate trends and your ability to pay back current debt.

6 Under-pricing leads to problems later

On some jobs, to keep the work, you might have to sharpen your pencil. Be. Very. Careful! Don’t make the mistake of assuming, if you have steady work, all will be OK. You must know at exactly what point the job is not worth doing. In hard times, lots of tradies will do anything to get (or keep) the work. They are the ones that get into trouble first. Know your margins. Quote too cheap and you will feel it down the line with tight cashflow and higher debt. That’s not sustainable. There are better ways to win work and keep your margins strong. Even when things are quiet. Even when competitors are under-cutting you.

7 What if your suppliers or bank went broke?!

Those who do not study history are doomed to repeat it. In 1992, Westpac got into serious trouble and almost went under. In the global financial crisis in 2008 the 4th largest US bank, Lehman Brothers, went bankrupt. So yeah, these things can really happen. I don’t know which banks are safer than others these days, but they’re often connected. If American banks end up in trouble again, a chain reaction to the banks downunder is likely. An experienced mortgage broker told me she’s advising clients to spread the risk by having different banks. One for your home loan, another for the business. Wise advice. Same with suppliers. Having more than one who knows you (and who you buy from regularly) is a smart move. Suppliers will be cautious of new accounts when things get tight. Get in touch with your suppliers and ask for longer payment terms. Watch their pricing—if it goes up, be sure to pass along to clients. As we know, many suppliers now run on ‘just-in-time’ ordering and don’t carry much stock. Figure out how any supply shortages affect you, so you don’t get caught short for upcoming jobs.

Let’s sum up We can’t stop the recession. But we can prepare wisely. Carving out time for strategic thinking is key. Because when the economy changes, your approach must also change. Remember, in a recession there are always opportunities. But most people are too busy scrambling or freaking out, to see them. My clients, rural builders Barney & Wendy faced a downturn in their region a few years back, and were able to thrive using these strategies. They didn’t have to lay off staff like they had in previous hard times, and came out in good shape. You can as well. However, trying to do this on your own won’t work. So build stronger connections with your network, your staff, customers, suppliers, and bank. You are going to need them. It will be a hard road and you won’t have all the answers—none of us do. So make sure you also have a mentor (someone who understands business) to talk to regularly, and work through the issues. If you already have a mentor—great. If you need one, then it’s time we had a chat.

About the author: Daniel Fitzpatrick runs Next Level Tradie. Want some personalised help to figure out what to do next? Go here now: https://nextleveltradie.co.nz/nextstep/

When the economy changes, your approach must also change.

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“We are all in this together” Andrea Lovell recalls her lockdown and Level 3 experience at Heron Plumbing—and gives her thoughts on the ‘new normal’ future.

n Monday 4 March, I was called just after 10am by the Ministry of Health and advised that I was required to go into self-isolation as one of my friends was New Zealand’s case #2 of COVID-19 and I had spent a couple of hours with her the night before. I had only just arrived at work, so very quickly sanitised my workspace, picked up all the paperwork I thought I would need to work from home, told my office staff, then left to spend the next two weeks at home. Not the way I thought my birthday was going to turn out. There were a lot of questions from staff about why Dale and the kids didn’t need to be in isolation too. I advised them I didn’t have COVID-19 and, as I was in self isolation from everyone, including my family, if I did end up getting it no one would contract it from me. Two weeks of not having to cook or drive the kids around and not hearing Dale snoring at night really wasn’t too bad and, of course, I had my daily virtual cocktails with my group of friends who were all in the same isolation situation—the Iso girls. At the start of the two weeks it all felt a bit silly, but as the cases increased, Dale and I started thinking about what would happen if we, as a country, went into lockdown.

and maintenance work were classified as essential, and learning which staff were prepared to do essential work and what additional PPE they would need. As we went into lockdown, information from the Government was still coming out. Master Plumbers were amazing, setting up a Facebook group so we could all ask questions and they could help as much as possible.

The first week was spent sifting through all this information and relaying it to staff. We found emails and a Facebook Messenger group a great way to do this. For office staff, FaceTime or Zoom (something a lot of us had never heard of before lockdown) did the job. We were also taking calls from customers and advising what work the Government classified as essential. Week two was easier—enjoying family time, walking the dogs, having game nights, lots of baking, daily FaceTime with family and my Iso group cocktails. We were fortunate, as we still had four guys working on sites and one on maintenance. However, some of the guys working on site did start asking why the other guys got to sit at home and still be paid 80%. We understood how they felt, as we could have done with a few more guys on our essential sites, but we also understood that the others were concerned for their safety, and some had families.

Into lockdown 23 March 2020: the day Jacinda Ardern told the country we would be going to Level 4 at 11:59pm on 25 March. She gave us an outline of what this would mean—and I guess we were a lot less surprised at our workplace than some. We had already had meetings with the staff about hygiene, hand washing, using sanitiser, social distancing and wiping surfaces. However, some of our staff wanted to leave work then and there to get things in place for their families. The next 48 hours were spent trying to get an understanding of what lockdown meant, applying for the wage subsidy, finding out what sites

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Emails, a Facebook Messenger group, FaceTime and Zoom were all great ways of keeping in touch with staff while working from home.

Business smarts EMPLOYER PERSPECTIVES

"Lots of baking made lockdown more bearable and I was one of the lucky ones to have yeast and flour in the house," says Andrea Lovell.

We let the guys working know how much we appreciated their work and told them they would be looked after in the future. We are looking at ways to give them something extra as a thanks—whether it been an additional week’s holiday or paying for a weekend away. The start of week three was a hard one, maybe because it was possibly the midway point, but by the middle of the week things were looking up, as there was a possible end in sight—cases were trending down. People started to talk about what their new norm would be like. At the end of week three, with the help of constantly updated and relevant information from Master Plumbers emails and Facebook page, we had put procedures and plans in place for how our company would look in Level 3.

Climbing out of Level 4 On Monday 20 April, Jacinda Ardern told the country we would be coming out of Level 4 at 11:59pm on Monday 27 April. Finally, we had a confirmed date and initial information as to what Level 3 would look like. That afternoon we had a Zoom meeting with management and administration to go over what it would mean for us, followed by another the next day with all 30 staff members. We let them

know what Level 3 would mean for them, what PPE would be required on what sorts of jobs, and about the importance of hygiene and daily contact tracing—and I followed it up with an email. Not all our staff were able to come back, as some had health issues or people in their bubble with health issues. The day started off busy, with everyone wanting jobs done that they had put off for five weeks. Some customers who we called to confirm a time for a job we had classed as non-essential in Level 4 advised us they had got another plumber to do it during lockdown. It was disappointing to know that some plumbers weren’t playing by the rules and putting us all in danger. At the time of writing, we were at the end of week two in Level 3 and I was looking forward to hearing when we would go into Level 2. I couldn’t wait to go out in person with friends and family for dinner and drinks rather than FaceTime or Zoom. Still not Level 1 but we've got there now.

Government subsidy runs out, and we will see a redundancy wave. There may also be a second wave of redundancies in October when those companies that couldn’t adapt to the new norm need to downsize or close. Unfortunately, there may even be a third wave towards the end of December, coming into Christmas, when those companies that are only just surviving realise they can’t make it through the holiday period, paying stats and accrued holiday for their staff, and feel it is easier to close their doors. I believe 2021 will be more positive and the economy will start to rebuild. We need to remember to support local to help stimulate the New Zealand economy. The biggest boost will be the reopening of borders for tourism. I hope that I am wrong in my personal views about the unfolding situation, and that the economy bounces back quickly. Above all, we need to remember to be there for each other and support each other. We are all in this together.

Thoughts for the future Not all companies will survive, but WE as people will survive. It will be hard, and we will all face challenges. I think the economy will slow down at the end of June when the

About the author: Andrea Lovell is Office Manager at Heron Plumbing in Auckland. She is Co-Director of the company with her husband Dale Lovell.

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Business smarts EMPLOYER PERSPECTIVES

EMPATHY IS OK You don’t have to ‘man up’ to be a successful leader in a male dominated industry, says Sam Tyson of Climate & Plumbing.

t’s been 10 years since I purchased Climate. At the time it was a small heating business with a team of seven, which has now grown to 26. We have extended our services to include various aspects of plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying, and have become the most prominent heating and plumbing business in Taranaki. Because the plumbing industry is especially male dominated, I was told by several of my friends and family, both men and women, that I would need to “grow some balls”, “man up” and otherwise act like a man if I was to succeed. At first, I bought into this, acting how I thought a man would as head of a business. But it wasn’t working for me. I found myself swearing more, being reactive, raising my voice and trying to shock. I felt false, uncomfortable, and did not believe in this ‘macho’ way I was acting. One of the biggest things I think women bring into business as a leader is empathy. Empathy is typically typecast as a ‘soft

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skill’, implying it’s a warm-fuzzy, weak and ineffective. Yet empathy makes others feel seen and creates a trust that provides a basis for a strong workplace culture. Love her or not, Jacinda Ardern showed the true power of empathy when 50 people were killed at two Christchurch mosques in March last year. Her demonstration of empathy gained the attention of the world. One of the ways I encourage empathy in our workplace is to start our Monday toolbox meetings by going around each team member asking them one thing they got up to on the weekend. This helps us all gain a better understanding of what’s important to them, and walk in their shoes for a bit. When Jacinda became New Zealand’s 40th Prime Minister in October 2017, with 37 of her predecessors being men, not only was she the world’s youngest female leader, she was also pregnant. Practically giving birth on the steps of Parliament, she proved it was OK to be a woman in a traditionally male role. It has taken a long time for me to be accepted as a female leader in the plumbing industry. The guys that work for me have had feedback such as, “Who does she think she is to be on the Master Plumbers Board, she’s not even a plumber.” Attending NZ

Plumbing conferences, it was assumed I was a ‘partner’ at networking events. If my husband, Lee was with me, any business questions or comments where only directed to him. While he certainly plays a role, he became very good at making it obvious I was the person to be talking to when it came to our business. It is becoming easier for females to enter into traditionally male-dominated roles and the more who do, the easier it will be to pave the way for other women. However, I believe the trick is not to think of yourself as a particular gender, but to think of yourself first and foremost as a leader and be true to yourself.

About the author: Sam Tyson has been Managing Director of Climate & Plumbing since 2010. She is an active member in the industry and, with a background in strategic business development, shares he knowledge and experience gained from her award-winning business to help others obtain better results in their businesses. Sam was selected for the 2019 NZ Plumbing Merchants Future Governance Programme.

Business smarts HR ADVICE

Employment agreement variations COVID-19 HAS HIGHLIGHTED THE NEED FOR BUSINESSES TO COMMUNICATE AND CONSULT WITH EMPLOYEES WHEN MAKING ANY VARIATIONS TO INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS, AS LISA DUSTON EXPLAINS.

Who would have imagined New Zealand would ever experience a nationwide lockdown! At the time of writing, we had moved to Alert Level 1 and for our industry this meant continuing to ensure staff were working safely to avoid a return to higher alert levels. From the Master Plumbers HR support perspective, it has been an interesting time working with member businesses to ensure any changes to individual employment agreements have been managed fairly. Kiwi businesses have been fortunate to have the government wage and leave subsidies to help us get through this uncertain time and retain staff.

The lockdown highlighted how essential good communication is with employees (and each other). Everyone needed to understand the challenges business owners were facing when work sites were being shut down. Many discussions were had about having to adjust employees’ wages for a business to continue operating and retain its employees. In general, these discussions were managed well and variations to employment agreements mutually agreed between the employer and employee. However, it was concerning to hear some employers (not Master Plumber members, I hasten to add) didn’t handle the process well, making changes to employees’ terms and conditions without consultation. It must have been difficult for these employees, not

Feeling under Pressure? Don’t let your jobs get backed up. Take on an apprentice and secure the future of your business. Call Skills on 0508 SKILLS (754 557) to find out more.

knowing what was going on with their employer and suddenly receiving reduced wages. The many Master Plumbers members who had to manage this process did so well. It’s been a tough time and it was clear from members I spoke with that they wanted to do the right thing by their employees to ensure there was no undue stress on them during this period. About the author: Lisa Duston is HR Manager at Master Plumbers. Lisa offers HR advice to Master Plumbers’ members at competitive rates (first 30 minutes free). Contact Lisa on 021 245 1704 or email lduston@masterplumbers.org.nz

Wayne Thompson passed away in May, aged 66, from pleural mesothelioma— caused by inhaling asbestos fibres at some point in the course of his 50-year career in the plumbing industry. Before he died, Wayne shared his story with NZ Plumber to let others know of the dangers of working around asbestos.

started my apprenticeship in Invercargill in 1969 at age 15, on 39 cents an hour. Everything was expensive apart from fuel, which cost $5 to fill the Mini from empty.

and we lived on site in a caravan that was as long as it was wide, with no running water and a long drop. We moved into the completed house a year after we were married, so life was easy after that.

The apprentice years

Married and working life

I completed 10,000 hours in three and a half years: normal time pay for the first eight hours’ work, time and a half for the next three, then double time. Saturdays were time and a half for the first three hours, then double time, so it was worth working extra. When I look back, we were abused as apprentices. We used compressed air for drilling and jackhammers with no ear protection and no masks—all for bugger all—but there were plenty of us, as we were the baby boomers. At 20, I started building a house in my spare time and had the roof on within four months. I got married to my wife Heather

After seven years, and with a couple of kids in tow, I left the company and joined with my uncle in a partnership that lasted five years, before venturing out on my own. We built a couple of commercial workshops and added another storey to the house in our spare time before moving to Cromwell in 1986, where I continued roofing and plumbing for two years. This time we lived in an 18-foot caravan, with all the conveniences in a garden shed, while we built our new house. In 1988, I started working as a rep for Mico and loved the great people I met. The share market really hit hard on people but things started getting busy with Millbrook kicking off

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and taking up the slack, so we went to the bank to borrow some money and started building spec townhouses and plumbing on the side for a bit of cash flow. We moved to Queenstown in 2003 as, by then, our main focus was plumbing and roofing. We joined the Laser Group in 2009 and have steadily worked on that and moved to mainly maintenance, as the larger homes were taking too much of our time for poor returns.

Prostate cancer diagnosis The same year we moved, ACC were pulling out of funding hearing aids, which I qualified for, so I had to be approved by a doctor. He asked me when I last had a health check-up and I said at 15, when I applied for the army cadet force. So, he examined me and gave me blood tests. He rang me the next week for an appointment. Right, he said your cholesterol is high, but that’s not what is going to kill you.

Business smarts HEALTH & SAFETY

You Kno

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Your PSA reading is 28 and I am going to do a rectal digital examination. While I was rearranging myself, he was having a conversation with the hospital for an urgent biopsy. I asked why the hurry and he said there was no time to wait. The biopsy tests showed my Gleason Score for prostate cancer was 7. I was in for a surgical operation straight away and my prostate was removed. I was told that in another six months it would have been too late, as the cancer would have been in my bones. I developed an infection and, instead of four days in hospital, spent 13, first in Kew (now Southland) Hospital, then in Lakes District Hospital. I then had to have a blood clot in my leg removed, which meant another five days in Dunedin Hospital awaiting a spot. In the next few months I had two rebores and, since then, my older and younger brother have both had operations on theirs. There is no family history and I had no symptoms, so my advice is to get tested and maybe change your diet or lifestyle—and, from the age of 40, get a full check-up just like you would with a car.

Pleural mesothelioma is a cancer of the lung lining, caused by inhaling asbestos fibres into the lungs—including when washing contaminated clothing. It can take 20-50 years before symptoms appear Sixty people are diagnosed in NZ each year 20% of patients are still alive after 12 months; 2% after two years If it’s work related, ACC will pay a lump sum and offer other support If you have health insurance, make sure it has a trauma clause included Asbestos is still mined today and sent to developing countries where people aren’t aware of the repercussions New Zealand banned imports of all asbestos products and asbestoscontaining materials (ACM) in 2016. Their dangers have been highlighted in the past four years. Find guidance at worksafe.govt.nz/topic-andindustry/asbestos/ Silica dust from the new composite and granite benchtops is even more dangerous.

Wayne Thompson.

Pleural mesothelioma diagnosis So, life was good and ticking along nicely again. Then, after getting home one evening from club night at bowls, I went to bed and—bang—chest pains. I thought I was having a heart attack, so Heather rang for an ambulance. My heart was good but they thought I might have a chest infection. They stopped the pain and the following Monday an X-ray showed up fluid on my lungs. They drained a litre of fluid and sent me home, saying it was maybe pleurisy and would come right with time. This was November 1998. I was taking days off work and starting at lunchtime on other days, but it was not getting any better. In the meantime my PSA, which should be 0, had risen to 4, so I had a PET scan in Christchurch, which came back with cancer cells between my bladder and urethra. They referred me to oncology in Dunedin, who told me they could slow it down with radiation but not stop it. How long, I asked? Five to 10 years,

they said and I told them that was better than getting run over by a bus. We had started working on the best treatment plan when they said they wanted to do a check on my lungs with a camera to find out why I was not getting any better.

“From the age of 40, get a full check-up just like you would with a car.” WAYNE THOMPSON The following Monday night at 9.20pm I got a ring from my respiratory doctor, who had originally given me the five to 10 year prognosis. He told me I had pleural mesothelioma, meaning I had stage 4 lung cancer caused by asbestos. He said I had six to 12 if I didn’t get any treatment. That’s better than five to 10 years, I said. Months not years, he said.

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That night was the best sleep I’d had for about five months because, if you don’t know the problem, you can’t have a plan. I told Heather and the family and, as it was midwinter and I was fairly rundown, we went to Australia for a few weeks. At that stage, I couldn’t walk two flights of stairs without sitting down, and even walking on the flat was a struggle, so the trip put me back on track, as the weather was great. I came back and started chemo because very little else works. The first six shots went great and the tumours shrunk, but the results of the last scan showed they were growing again.

Encounter with asbestos I have never smoked so I was quite shocked about this lung cancer diagnosis. The only encounter with asbestos that I am aware of was when I spent 18 months doing an upgrade on wards one to six at Kew Hospital. At the time there were no warnings about it. Everything was stripped out, with all windows open and big fans blowing the dust away from corridors while we worked one ward at a time. Ceilings were cleared with a hearth shovel and bucket. They were filled with InsulFluff, which caught on fire when the heating engineers were welding,

Silica dust from the new composite and granite benchtops is even more dangerous. then replaced with Batts. We had lunch and smokos in the boiler rooms, which were covered in asbestos lagging. We also used to rasp a hole for a vent in soffit material.

What a ride After the mesothelioma prognosis I panicked and wanted everything dealt with straight away, but I survived the bus crash and have had time to sort things out sensibly. All my family and friends know, as I don’t want people avoiding me. I keep in touch and spend a lot of time having a coffee and chatting. My wife, son and daughter work with me, so daily contact with them is good. The grandchildren range from 13 to 21, and it has been good watching them grow up. Staff have been great and have stepped up so I hardly have to do anything. I need a young partner in business to take over pricing and running the day-to-day activities, but they must be peoplefocused and take the Laser brand to its full

potential. There is no better place to work. Even now I still look at the view when I wake up, smile to myself and think, “You lucky bastard.” I have never wanted to travel overseas, as the world comes to us. There is nothing wrong with skiing down the mountain in a totally worn out body, champagne in one hand, strawberries in the other and yelling, “Wahoo what a ride!” Wayne Thompson passed away on 8 May. We send our condolences to his wife Heather and their extended family. We are very grateful to Wayne for sharing his story with readers to highlight the risks associated with asbestos fibres and silica dust.

Distributed in New Zealand by

Put your name on the WorkSafe Asbestos Exposure Register: worksafe.govt.nz/notifications/ asbestos-exposure-registration/

COPPER V PRESS

HAVE YOU BEEN EXPOSED TO ASBESTOS?

STAINLESS CRIMP

orders@aqualine.co.nz (09) 837 2725 www.aqualine.co.nz

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Business smarts HEALTH & SAFETY

F E T Y AT

GUIDE

Certification of locations holding toxic and corrosive substances

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Quick tips for the team of a health & safety kind.

TOOLBOX TIPS

February 2020

UPDATED HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES GUIDE

WorkSafe has made ‘significant revisions’ to its guide on certification of locations holding toxic and corrosive substances in storage. The requirements apply when these substances are in containers, including packages, drums, transportable containers (including portable tanks) and stationary tanks.

SITE SAFE PANDEMIC READINESS REVIEW

Want to be sure your business is measuring up to the COVID-19 construction protocols? Site Safe is offering a review/ audit to give you assurance you have the right plan in place to keep your workers safe and healthy, whatever the size or complexity of the site. Site Safe is well placed to do these audits as a key player in the production of the protocols. Request a review by contacting theteam@sitesafe.org.nz or 0800 SITESAFE. Site Safe has also responded to the COVID-19 situation by developing a growing selection of online health & safety courses. Find them at www.sitesafe.org.nz/ training/our-training-courses/

Remember: Master Plumbers members can access a 10% discount on annual Site Safe membership. Details in the member log-in at www.masterplumbers.org.nz

DO YOU WORK WITH ENGINEERED STONE?

Find the updated guide at worksafe. govt.nz/topic-and-industry/hazardoussubstances/guidance/substances/ location-compliance-certificates-fortoxic-and-corrosive-substances/

If you work with engineered stone (fitting taps in engineered stone benchtops, for example), you need to ensure you are not exposed to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) dust. The Dust Diseases Taskforce is working with three government agencies to actively find and test exposed workers. If you have any concerns about accelerated silicosis, visit the website below for information and to record your details to keep in touch as updates become available.

CONSTRUCTION PROTOCOLS: ALERT LEVEL 1

worksafe.govt.nz/topic-and-industry/ dust/accelerated-silicosis-form/

Find the updated protocols at www. chasnz.org/covid19

The residential, vertical and horizontal COVID-19 construction protocols have been updated to reflect New Zealand's move to Alert Level 1. The need for physical distancing has been removed from the updated protocols but hygiene measures, contact tracing and the need for a response plan remain.

FACE MASK ADVICE

WorkSafe has warned that extra demand for face masks has resulted in some noncompliant respiratory protective equipment (RPE) entering the market, which may give workers the false impression that they are protected. Find advice on how to check if RPE is compliant at https://worksafe.govt.nz/about-us/newsand-media/non-compliant-respiratory-protective-equipment-on-the-market/

Plumbing World and Mico have good stocks of compliant face masks. During the COVID-19 Alert Levels, our industry should wear these when dealing with elderly customers or those with underlying health conditions. As the COVID-19 virus may remain active in human waste, you should also wear face masks and other PPE when doing any work that involves wastewater or human waste. nzplumber

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Cybercrime shock Today’s small to medium businesses are a prime target for cybercriminals, as one Nelson plumbing company discovered first-hand.

he ability to resolve a cyber breach can be the difference between a hard-working small company going under or surviving to tell the tale. Chris Downey of Tuffnell Plumbing Drainage & Gas in Nelson is one of the lucky ones, having worked with law enforcement and his insurer to remedy a damaging cyber breach scenario, so he and his staff could move on as quickly as possible. Chris still thinks about the stress he was under in the immediate wake of the phishing attack which struck his Nelsonbased business last year. “The impact for me personally was huge. I had many sleepless nights and, when I did manage to get some sleep, I’d inevitably dream about the whole thing: it was a nightmare I couldn’t get out of my head,” he says.

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Chris and his 18 staff could never have predicted their company would be the target for cybercriminals. But that is precisely what happened when hackers sent a phishing email to the company’s offices advising their admin staff a password reset was required for their Microsoft Outlook accounts. “Unfortunately, we inadvertently welcomed them in,” Chris says of the breach.

Stressful situation Despite acting quickly and informing police, the company lawyer, the Citizens Advice Bureau and insurance broker Crombie Lockwood, the breach resulted in $80,000 essentially disappearing from Tuffnell Plumbing Drainage & Gas accounts in an instant. “It was tough because it really affected me and created a lot of stress on my marriage:

Leanne Cook of Crombie Lockwood worked with Chris Downey to help remedy a damaging cyber breach at his Nelson plumbing, gas and drainage firm.

my wife and I were living the same nightmare,” says Chris. “I didn’t want to make it seem like money is all I think about, but sadly for a business of our size that sort of money is the key to keeping us afloat.” Crombie Lockwood Group Broking Manager Leanne Cook remembers working with Chris in the days immediately following the breach. The stress he was under was immediately palpable. “When Chris told me the figure involved, I could hear it in the tone of his voice,” she recalls. “I could tell at that time he was feeling very much under pressure. “Unfortunately, we’re seeing this more and more. We had another client recently who walked into work on a Monday and their system had just shut down. They went to their back-up data and their back-up was completely gone.

Business smarts CYBER SECURITY

“All of a sudden, this business didn’t have access to any of their client data at all. And they weren’t insured against this situation, which is a really hard thing to hear from a broker’s perspective.” Chris didn’t have cyber insurance at the time either.

liability insurance, indemnity insurance, vehicle cover—“the nitty-gritty stuff”. “But cyber insurance didn’t really rate. I thought, well, we won’t need that. But of course, a breach of your email system or your devices can happen to anyone. You need it from the outset; I can’t stress that enough.”

Cyber insurance

IT security training

“We have lots of conversations with our clients around cyber insurance but sadly many of them don’t feel they need it,” says Leanne. “A business owner will often say, ‘No, that’s an add-on I can do without.’ But Chris’ example is very real scenario—$80,000 disappearing in an instant could kill any business. And cybercriminals are targeting tradespeople more and more these days; businesses which have large funds passing through accounts and, potentially, people who aren’t as computer savvy managing those transfers.” Chris says that when he established the company two years ago, he felt he had a robust insurance policy as an operator in his field, making sure his cover included public

Moving forward from the incident, Chris’ staff have gone through IT security training. The company has also established a twostage authentication process on all its devices in an attempt to better secure its information, while all company devices undergo monthly health checks. “Our staff, as you can imagine, felt a strong sense of guilt about what happened, after inadvertently letting the hacker in. The situation was brought about by simple human innocence,” he says. The operational oversight opened his eyes, not only to ensuring the right insurance cover is in place, but to the potential weak points of internal systems and processes. “Better staff training is important,” says Leanne. “Many smaller businesses rely on parttime admin personnel who might not be in the office regularly, or simply don’t possess the same level of digital literacy and caution that others in the business might have, because it isn’t their prime focus.

“$80,000 disappearing in an instant could kill any business” LEANNE COOK Crombie Lockwood Group Broking Manager

“Business owners should think about staff training in a cybersecurity context. There are so many opportunities for systems to be breached, purely because a staff member might not be correctly versed in what to look out for. Knowing the pressure that Chris and others are placed under in this unfortunate situation, to have some peace of mind with cyber insurance in the background is something we can’t stress to our clients enough.”

About the author: This article first appeared in Crombie Lockwood's Sure magazine. Crombie Lockwood has your insurance needs sorted. As a Master Plumber you’ll receive comprehensive cover, low excess and a competitive premium. Find out more: Vaughan Bridges on 027 886 1568 or vaughan. bridges@crombielockwood.co.nz

Calling all outdoor adventure seekers! Want the untamed wilderness of the West Coast as your backyard, low cost housing and a stress-free, laidback lifestyle? Plumb Duck are seeking a suitably qualified Plumber and/or Drainlayer to join our Westport team, in the tropical north West Coast. The ideal applicant will have experience across all areas and will share our strong family, community and customer driven values. Favourable terms and conditions will be offered to the right person, including an allowance for relocation. Please phone the General Manager Andy on 0272304888 or email andy@plumbduck.co.nz for more information or to apply.

The cost to place a classified advertisement is $60+GST for Master Plumbers members; $100+GST for non-members. Email advertising@masterplumbers.org.nz

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Career starters

Brent Ewing working on drainage at a Wanaka home.

“NEVER THOUGHT I’D BE A PLUMBER”

From snowboard instructor and hospitality worker to 2020 James Douglas Medallion winner for his outstanding start as a qualified plumber and gasfitter, 43-year-old Brent Ewing has an awesome career ahead, as NZ Plumber discovers.

“NEVER THOUGHT I’D BE A PLUMBER”

I COULD BE… A PLUMBING DESIGNER

80 IN CONTROL OF YOUR MONEY?

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rent Ewing was 38 when he started his Masterlink plumbing and gasfitting apprenticeship at McIvor Plumbers and Gasfitters Wanaka. “I had previously worked in hospitality and also spent 11 years at Cardrona as a snowboard instructor and on the events crew,” explains Brent. “Most recently, I had been living in Australia with my wife Lucy, where I was doing roadworks.”

The birth of the first of their three sons had them both hankering for a return to New Zealand, specifically Lucy’s home town of Wanaka, where Brent had also lived for the past 20 years.

A chance encounter Whilst doing some landscaping irrigation work, Brent had a chance encounter with one of the McIvor plumbing team that

Career starters REAL LIVES

was to lead to a whole new career. “He mentioned that they were flat out busy, and I said I’d be keen to do some labouring work if they needed anyone. “Two weeks later Stu McIvor called me, and it went from there. I never thought I’d be a plumber in a million years, but it’s worked out brilliantly and it’s awesome.” Stu approached the Master Plumbersowned Masterlink group training scheme to get Brent a placement in his business, with Regional Managers Roger Herd and now Brendan Parker providing the mentoring support during the apprenticeship. “The whole process was really easy,” says Brent. “I just turned up to work and would get an email telling me when to be at my next SIT block course and where my accommodation was. It took all the hassle out of it.”

Work, study & fatherhood At 43, Brent is now a fully qualified tradesperson, having completed his Tradesman Plumbing and Gasfitting registration exams last year. With three young boys aged eight, five and three, preparing for the exams wasn’t all plain sailing. “For six to eight weeks straight, I got up at 4.30am to study before going to work and then again at night, when we’d got the kids to bed,” he says. His efforts paid off, achieving high pass marks in both exams, and earning him the nationwide 2020 James Douglas Medallion award, presented each year since 1948 to an outstanding newly qualified tradesperson in our industry, who has sat and passed their registrations exams in the previous year. “The win is absolutely fantastic and I’m very proud of Brent,” says Stu. “His work ethic is beyond reproach and he is an integral part of the team. I’m very happy that he’s been recognised by his peers with this award—I can’t speak highly enough of him.”

From novice to project lead Brent will be the first to admit that the early days of his plumbing career were daunting. “For the first little while, you sit in meetings and don’t understand a word anyone is talking about. But you get there, slowly but surely. All the guys I did my apprenticeship under were good at giving me advice—and a bit of ribbing—and there was always someone a phone call away.” A year and a half into his apprenticeship, Brent says he was put in a van, given a set of plans and told to go and figure the job out. It was an awesome moment, he says, and since then he’s gone on to work on some major projects, including taking the lead

Brent with Stu McIvor (left) receiving his National Certificate and Masterlink Certificate of Completion from Masterlink RM Brendan Parker.

on the 15-month Albert Town business park plumbing and gasfitting refurbishment project, which has seen the development of a 4 Square, fish and chip shop, bakery, laundry, backpackers and pub on the site of the old Albert Town Tavern.

front and centre, and having experienced a back injury himself while at work, he takes a proactive approach to ensuring that every project is undertaken in the safest way possible.

Getting amongst it

These days, it’s Brent’s turn to supervise apprentices at the firm and they appreciate his patience and positive outlook. “I don’t know what I would have done without his guidance,” says apprentice Kayla Young. “He goes above and beyond to make sure I understand processes in front of me.” Stu says he gave Brent a piece of advice when he started that applies to anyone thinking of taking up a plumbing career as a mature apprentice. “If you really want something, start small and the big picture will come clear in a short space of time.” Brent has plans to sit his Certifying registration exams later this year as well as getting his drainlaying ticket. With the James Douglas Medallion $500 cash prize plus Career Development Scholarship worth $2,500 from Skills to help with his career progression, the big picture is most definitely coming clear.

He says his approach is always to strive to do the best job he can and to get it right first time. With all the years in hospitality and snow sports behind him, he has no problem relating to people and enjoys the professional collaboration with contractors, engineers, suppliers, builders and other trades on site. The company does a lot of work on new high-end homes in the region and Brent says he’s got to meet some real characters and awesome people through his work. “Like many plumbers, I love the variety of the job. In any one day, you’ll be doing three of four very different jobs, and there’ll also be several different aspects within each job.” He is also pretty hot on the workplace health and safety side of things. Having worked in Australia, where it’s always

The big picture

An early morning photo of the copper underslab pipework for Albert Town’s new Pembroke Patisserie in the process of being triple lagged before going back in the slab.

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A look at what hydraulic consultants and REVIT 3D modellers do— and how they’re involved in the construction process. AUTHOR: PETER DOWNEY

ike plumbers, hydraulic consultants are in short supply. A hydraulic consultant designs plumbing systems. One of their roles is to be part of the professional design team on a building project, meeting with the client’s other consultants who advise on matters such as acoustics, traffic, architecture, cost, and civil, structural and mechanical engineering.

it’s mostly looking up a few tables and charts and making sure things can fit in the available area. It’s also about remembering the good plumbing disciplines you learnt as an apprentice. During the design stage, you will have many discussions with your professional design peers, the network utility operators (water, gas, sewerage, stormwater) and your chosen suppliers.

Project meetings

Your finished design should clearly show the general route you intend any pipe to travel, its diameter and location relative to the structure and other services. It should indicate the quality of pipe and fittings and nominate any specific suppliers. The consultant’s drawing is schematic only—it’s NOT a plumbing shop drawing. Shop drawings are specific and show, amongst other things, invert levels, penetration locations, invert and size, coordination with other services, expansion joint location and seismic bracketing details. They are a separate activity by the successful plumbing trade contractor to confirm the consultant’s vision can work.

These meetings create (and safeguard) the design to ensure the various disciplines can work within the architect’s vision, the client’s budget and the available timeframe. The hydraulic consultant outlines the plumbing vision for the building, defines their needs and spatial requirements… and then fights to defend their space! Out of the meeting comes a firmed-up vision of how the plumbing system will work. It’s then the hydraulic consultant’s job to ‘engineer’ the system and document it in a way that can be accurately tendered and passed to the successful plumbing trade contractor. Though I say ‘engineer’,

3D plumbing design workflow

The finished design

Plumbing designer: Hand-sketches diagram of building’s plumbing system

Drafter: Reproduces diagram in detail using 2D drawing software

REVIT modeller: Draws detailed pipework design in ‘actual’ 3D building model, ready for successful plumbing contractor at building consent/tender stage

The plumbing system design process starts with a hand-sketched diagram by the hydraulic consultant.

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The draftsperson uses the sketch to create a detailed diagram with 2D drawing software.

Plumbing contractor: Develops 3D model with detailed plumbing shop drawing.

Career starters JOB OPTIONS

BIM: LEVELS OF DEVELOPMENT In Building Information Modelling (BIM) philosophy, the model is a living thing. During its contractual life, it travels as one continually improving model from the design group to the construction group and onto the facilities management group. There is a general lack of understanding of how the BIM model’s life is supposed to develop. Many builders and project managers think they can move all the knowledge and skill associated with building and installing something to the design team, simply because the model can be made to reflect that. In my opinion, the contractual reality must remain as it is. Designers design, installers install. They are two different skill sets. To assist the industry in understanding a BIM model’s progressive development phases, Levels of Development (LOD) have been created. LODs range from 0 to 500 and beyond. From a plumbing perspective, the hydraulic consultant develops a model to a LOD of 300, at around the building consent/tender phase.

An LOD 300 model shows the pipes sitting in the space, with some zone coordination only. It’s not a fully coordinated model at this stage. In line with traditional practice, this LOD shows the design intent, and gives the consenting authority and tendering parties enough information to adequately fulfil their roles. Once consent is granted and the successful tenderer found, that tenderer inherits the model and continues to develop its content. A plumbing shop drawing model is around LOD 350. It can take many thousands of dollars to develop a model from LOD 300 to LOD 350—and many tens of thousands to carry the model through to LOD 500. A building such as a large, urban hospital should expect plumbing REVIT development costs to be in the vicinity of hundreds of thousands of dollars. The point here being: for any plumbing firm asked to tender a project with BIM, allow plenty of money for the works.

Designer vs drafter

The REVIT modeller takes things to the next stage, using 3D modelling software to present every detail of the plumbing system in the ‘actual’ space, and in relation to other services and structures.

Traditionally, consultants’ drawings have been a 2D representation of the pipework system, created with the likes of Autodesk AUTOCAD software. The consultant handsketches their thoughts onto paper, then passes them to the draftsperson, who uses the software to reproduce them faithfully in a way any plumber can easily understand. In my experience, the designer and drafter are two different people. The designers in my office are all ex-plumbers, who want their inherent plumbing expertise built into my designs. The designer must know his trade—with all its peculiarities and costs-to-install—and be abreast of latest trends. It generally takes around five years for a plumber to become a competent hydraulic consultant. The drafters in my office are ex-architects and engineers— disciplined people with the patience to sit behind a computer all day and faithfully reproduce drawings to a consistently high standard. Designers must know how the drawing process works but generally don’t have the discipline to be consistently accurate in the field. Drafters, on the other hand, don’t tend to like confrontational conversations with builders or architects, and prefer to sit quietly doing the job of making a beautiful drawing.

Emergence of 3D software Recently, we have seen the advent of 3D software packages in the workplace, along with Building Information Modelling (BIM). The software in the ascent is Autodesk REVIT and it has completely transformed the way we approach the design presentation. We can now draw in the ‘actual’ space— for example, a piece of pipe in the exact position it can be installed. Everyone with access to the 3D model can learn everything about that pipe: its diameter, height, grade, manufacture, colour and relation to other services or structures. The reality is we don’t need drawings any more. But wait… that’s moving too fast. The industry is highly geared toward drawings, so continue to expect paper.

REVIT modeller role Creating a drawing from REVIT is now a three-person process. You still need the designer to create the vision and collaborate with their professional peers, and you still need the drafter to create the detailed finished drawing. But with REVIT software comes a need for someone in the office who truly wants to understand what this incredibly complex piece of software can do. They must understand how pipes look and work, and how they go together when installed—because what these pipes look like in the model should be what they look like installed. It’s a skill set ideally suited to a plumber who wants to move on from ‘just’ plumbing. A REVIT Modeller, when onto their game, can command up to $150,000 per year.

About the author: Peter Downey is a director at Aucklandbased Hydraulic Services Consultants NZ Ltd (HSCNZ Ltd). Peter has been involved in the design side of the plumbing industry since 1992 and was the driving force behind the introduction of Australian Standard plumbing rules into New Zealand. He also developed the domestic fire sprinkler standard and teaches plumbing design and estimating and tendering to the plumbing trade. HSCNZ Ltd is looking to employ additional Hydraulic Consultants and Revit Modellers, or people to train into each role. If you are interested, contact Peter Downey or Guru Singh Sokhi at HSCNZ Ltd to arrange an interview.

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Career starters BUDGETING ADVICE

Are you in control of your money? Take the power over your money and your future will thank you for it. Here are some tips to help.

AUTHOR: SUE KOHN-TAYLOR It’s common for money to have too much power over our life—whether it’s spending more than we have, not having enough, or frittering it away with no savings or investment plan. A lack of basic financial education leaves many adults clueless about how to manage their money, apply for credit, or get and stay out of debt. It’s one of life’s great freedoms to manage and feel in control of your money, especially during uncertain times. The most important thing is to ask for advice and support—and take action. Do any of these sound familiar? You regularly go to the shops and don’t know if you have enough money in your account to pay for your purchases You avoid checking your bank account regularly because it’s scary—or just not of interest Your idea of a savings plan is just that: an idea that never happens You wish you had a weekly budget, with money put aside for bills and food etc You regularly get surprised by bills you weren’t expecting or had forgotten about. If so, perhaps it’s time to take the power back over your money! Once you recognise you have the ability to change your financial picture, clean it up and make it new, then you can take action. The solution starts with you. 080

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4 KEY TIPS

Get more knowledge: Watch videos, read articles, get some books, talk to a financial adviser at a bank (it’s FREE). There are plenty of online resources to help you get smarter with money. The government’s Sorted website is a good source of money management tips and tools: sorted.org.nz Tell your money where to go: Do you get to the end of the month and wonder where the money went? The key is a budget—a simple plan. A budget doesn’t hold you back; it sets you free. You must have intention and purpose behind every single dollar you bring into the household and how you spend it. Without a budget, don’t expect to win with your finances. Plan ahead for your food shop: Food shopping is a big outgoing we all have. Plan your meals for the week and only buy what you need to avoid unnecessary spends on supermarket trips. Buying lunch or a takeout coffee every day at work adds up quickly: 1 coffee a day

($4.50) for 5 days x 45 weeks = $1,012.50. Lunch and morning tea 5 days a week = $3,400 approx. That’s over $4,000 spent on food and coffee a year—about $88 per week! Crazy. Closely manage your debt: Ditch using the credit card. There’s such a disconnect between making purchases and actually paying for them that you hardly even realise you’re spending money. You don’t feel the pain the way you would with cash, which is why it’s easy to overspend. People tend to think credit cards are for buying things they can’t afford, using them to artificially extend their purchasing power. Late credit card payments can set you back hundreds of dollars over a year. It can even see your card cancelled at a time you might need it as a last resort. Keep your credit card hidden away and rely on cash. It takes much more effort to get cash, so it will naturally slow your spending and make you think twice about buying something you don’t have money for!

About the author: Sue Kohn-Taylor is the passionate founder of The Mental Fitness Company (theMentalFitnessCompany.com), a regular on TV, column writer and speaker. She dedicates her time to teaching people how to build their mental fitness and resilience to enable them to lead a rewarding career and fulfilling personal life. Sue works with Master Plumbers to help develop resources for the Wellbeing on Tap programme. Resources include personal finance tips. Find them all at www.wellbeingontap.org.nz

LOOK OUT FOR THE TICK OF APPROVAL

We put each and every Master Plumbers Recommends plumbing product to the test, assessing all aspects, such as ensuring replacement parts are readily accessible, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re easy to install and they look great. Of course it goes without saying that they also come with a solid manufacturerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guarantee. Once it ticks all those boxes, it gets our tick of approval.

To find out more call 0800 502 102 or visit tickofapproval.co.nz

And finally...

10 MINUTES WITH... Damian Houghton We catch up with Damian Houghton of Rapid Plumbing and Gas in Hamilton to talk about his Three Fat Pigs Brewing Company.

ell us a bit about your plumbing business. I’ve run Rapid Plumbing and Gas in Hamilton for three years now. It’s just me at the moment but I’m planning to grow the business. I do a lot of heating and gas, maintenance and new housing. I was in the UK for three years and did a lot of central heating boiler maintenance there. It would be good to see more people understanding the benefits of whole house heating here in NZ. You also have a beer brewing company? Yes, me and my business partner have a small contract brewery called Three Fat Pigs, which supplies the local market. How did Three Fat Pigs start? When I lived in London, I had a mate (also a plumber) who brewed his own beer. When I came back to NZ in 2008, I started playing with home brewing in my flat and it gradually grew into something more substantial. Craft beer was just taking off in the UK as I left and kicked off here in about 2010, so the brewery evolved from that. What beers do you sell? We have four different beers: Rifle Ranger IPA, Red Riding Hood red ale, Pots of Pils pilsner and our flagship stout, Roasted and Toasted. We also have Catalyst pale ale for people who don’t want anything too hop challenging.

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DODGY PLUMBING

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10 MINUTES WITH….

What’s your personal favourite? Rifle Ranger, which evolved into a commercial beer from a home brew. I lived on Rifle Range Road at the time, which is how it got its name. We don’t contract the hops, so the taste can change from season to season. Where are they available? Hamilton Beer and Wine stocks all our

beers, as does the Beer Cellar online store. Texas Pete’s BBQ restaurant in town has our beers, and the Isobar in Raglan, which is owned by my business partner. We’ve also just picked up the Backyard Bar and Eatery in Whatawhata. We’re only small as we both have day jobs, so it’s a bit of fun on the side. How do you find the time? It’s a balance. I used to work for someone else, so I’d spend a couple of hours on it after work. Now I own my own business and my wife and I have a two-year-old daughter, so I want time to relax and spend with them. But I’m always one for a challenge and some fun. How long does a brew take? A home brew takes about four to five hours of work—crushing the grains, putting them in the mash tun, boiling, cooling and fermenting. You leave the brew to ferment for a week and then condition the beer for another couple of weeks before drinking. Every brew has different characteristics, depending on what grains, yeast and base malt you use—and how much of each. What’s the secret to a good brew? Practice. I’ve made a lot of beer. I’ve also drunk a lot of beer, which is not a problem for most plumbers. The more you brew, the more you know what you’re looking for. Lastly, why did you choose a plumbing career? My dad pushed me into it as it’s a good career and helps people out. My older brother was a builder and is now a QS and my younger brother is a sparkie. I enjoy the variety of plumbing and gas. There’s not much I won’t have a go at—I’ll give everything a good shot.

And finally... ON THE SIDE

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#22

Owned by Kiwi plumbers like you. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a co-operative, owned by Kiwi plumbers and our profits stay in NZ.

View all reasons at plumbingworld.co.nz/30reasons

And finally... DODGY PLUMBING

Sinking under sink Thanks to Dale Lovell of Heron Plumbing for this photo. “You wonder at what point did they realise there was a problem,” says Dale.

Sent in a photo and haven’t seen it yet? Please bear with us as we work our way through all the entries!

Too close “Went to a job to do a quote for gas hot water to find aircon installed next to gas meter,” says Damian Houghton of Rapid Plumbing and Gas. “Gas has been turned off by supplier and customer advised to get sort asap.”

The pipeline of dodgy plumbing, gas and drainage flows on….

Googled it “I don’t even know where to start with this DIY HWC install,” says Chris Herbert. “I was called in for an unrelated issue but pointed out the faults. Homeowner said he had done it himself with Google and [a big box retail store].”

Plumb ugly “Found this plumbing abseiling in Auckland,” says Darren Yates. “It is clearly some dodgy plumbing.” nzplumber

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And finally... DODGY PLUMBING

Accident waiting to happen “Got a call from a client who went through a 9kg gas bottle for her hob in a day, so could I check for any leaks. Found this little sweetie,” says Craig Ferguson of Riverside Plumbing and Gas. “The flexi between the regulator and copper pipe supplying house had a split and was leaking gas right beside the heat pump unit. Once I fitted new bottle for testing, I could smell the gas

straight away, and soapy water test went off like a kid’s bubble machine. “Owners went through two gas bottles in three days, and heat pump unit was going when I got to site. Also found second bottle hose was passing gas, as client only ever had one bottle at a time connected. “Isolated system and relocated gas bottle to a compliant position a safe distance away. It’s hard to say who got in first, but bottle position has been modified, and no one has any idea who did the flexi hose and bottle bracket alteration.”

Stack ’em high

Overflowing with praise “Best cistern overflow I’ve seen in a while,” says Jered Chapman of Canterbury Certified Gas and Plumbing, who sent in this photo.

Just passing through “Our Plumbing Manager Jed Smith took this photo of an LPG gas pipe ‘passing through to the other side’ of a doorway,” says Chris Downey at Tuffnell Plumbing, Drainage & Gas.

Thanks to Drain Works for sending this one in. “Found this at a property in Takanini Auckland while checking out a drainage job.”

Not so handy This photo of a ‘handyman’ installation of the hot water feed from a cylinder was sent in by South Wairarapa District Council Building Officer Stan Bossom. “That’s not the worst part though… there is a wetback in this installation with a measured temperature at the tap of 84°C! Note the absence of a crimp on one of the joints. ‘Frank Spencer Plumbing’ or ‘Rent a Roughie Unlimited’?”

Send your dodgy photos to the Ed: bsellers@masterplumbers.org.nz. The bigger the file, the larger we can show it on the page. 086

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