Pursuant to sections 28 and 30 of the Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Act 2006 ("the Act"), the following notice is given.
N o t i c e
1. Title-This notice may be cited as the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board (Gasfitting Registration and Licensing) Notice 2010.
2. Commencement-This notice comes into force on 1 April 2010.
3. Gasfitting registration and licensing-Pursuant to sections 28 and 30 of the Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Act 2006, the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board ("the board") designates the classes of gasfitting registration and prescribes matters relating to gasfitting registration and licensing as set out in the Schedule of this notice.
Schedule
Gasfitting classes of registration, authorised work for each class of registration, minimum standards for registration, and terms and conditions of licensing under the Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Act 2006.
Part A-Certifying Gasfitters
1. Authorised work
(1) A certifying gasfitter, who holds a current certifying gasfitter practising licence issued by the board:
(a) may carry out gasfitting (as defined in the Act); and
(b) must be responsible for any supervision, testing and certification of the gasfitting undertaken by:
(i) licensed gasfitters;
(ii) holders of provisional licences ("provisional licensees");
(iii) trainee gasfitters who hold limited certificates to undertake gasfitting ("trainee gasfitters");
(iv) persons carrying out gasfitting pursuant to section 21 of the Act ("exempt persons").
2. Minimum standards for registration
(1) To be registered as a certifying gasfitter a person must have:
(a) held a licence as a licensed gasfitter (or as a registered gasfitter under the Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Act 1976 ("the 1976 Act")) for a continuous period of not less than two years under the supervision of a certifying gasfitter (or a craftsman gasfitter under the 1976 Act); and
(b) passed the three-hour certifying gasfitter examination (reference 9196) set by the board; and
(c) passed the three-hour certifying common examination (9194) set by the board.
(2) The certifying gasfitter examination and the certifying common examination referred to above will be set by the board so that to pass the examinations the applicant must demonstrate the following competencies:
(a) Advanced knowledge of design and verification processes, accepted workmanship practice, gasfitting techniques and the technologies employed to meet compliance requirements, including the testing of installations and materials.
(b) Advanced knowledge of trade calculations and sciences relevant to gasfitting and their application in verification processes and design of gasfitting systems.
(c) Advanced knowledge of the selection of materials, their properties and application used in the design and specification of systems.
(d) Advanced knowledge of the design of heating and ventilation systems using water, air and gas.
(e) Advanced knowledge of gasfitting systems and components.
(f) Ability to access legislation, standards and codes of practice relating to gasfitting to meet compliance requirements.
(g) Advanced knowledge of energy efficiency, conservation and environmentally considerate processes relevant to gasfitting.
(h) Advanced knowledge of building construction and how it is affected by installation of gasfitting services and appliances.
(i) Advanced knowledge of the integration of other building sectors in the construction industry.
(j) Advanced knowledge of business operations in so far as they relate to health and safety to members of the public, to the prevention of damage and property, and to ensuring the competency of persons undertaking gasfitting.
3. Terms and conditions of licence
(1) Certifying gasfitters must hold a current certifying gasfitter practising licence to undertake gasfitting work, as follows:
(a) To be eligible to obtain a licence, certifying gasfitters must obtain:
(i) in the year ending 31 March 2011, a minimum of 16 continual professional development ("CPD") points. A minimum of 8 CPD points must be technical gasfitting points and a maximum of 8 may be non-technical.
(ii) in the year ending 31 March 2012, and each year thereafter, a minimum of 12 continual professional development ("CPD") points. A minimum of 8 CPD points must be technical gasfitting points and
a maximum of 4 may be non-technical.
(2) In the year ending 31 March 2012, and each year thereafter, those certifying gasfitters who wish also to apply for a licence as a drainlayer or plumber, and are required to attain CPD points in order to uplift the additional licence, must obtain a minimum of 20 CPD points, with a minimum of 8 technical points for gasfitting and 8 technical points for the additional licence type.
(3) In the year ending 31 March 2012, and each year thereafter, those certifying gasfitters who wish also to apply for licences as a drainlayer and plumber, and are required to attain CPD points in order to uplift the additional two licences, must obtain a minimum of 24 CPD points, with a minimum of 8 technical points for each of the three licence types.
(4) CPD points can only be obtained by completing programmes of learning that are accredited by the board prior to the course being undertaken. CPD points will not be allocated for courses that have not been accredited by the board, except in exceptional circumstances and at the discretion of the Registrar of the board. Carry over of excess points from
a previous year may be allowed at the discretion of the board.
(5) At all times when undertaking gasfitting work, a certifying gasfitter must be able to produce on demand a current certifying gasfitter licence card issued by the board.
(6) Where testing for certification is necessary to meet the requirements of the regulations under the Gas Act 1992, the certifying gasfitter is responsible for testing and certification of the gasfitting work carried out by licensed gasfitters, provisional licensed gasfitters, limited certificate trainee gasfitters and persons exempt pursuant to section 21 of the Act, working under his supervision. Where work is undertaken by exempt persons pursuant to section 21 of the Act, the certifying gasfitter must test and certify the work.
(7) A certifying gasfitter must ensure that gasfitting undertaken by persons under the supervision of that certifying gasfitter (which may include licensed gasfitters, provisional licensees, trainee gasfitters and exempt persons):
(a) is performed competently;
(b) is the subject of appropriate safety measures; and
(c) complies with the requirements of the relevant regulations, including those regulations made pursuant to the Gas Act 1992.
(8) A certifying gasfitter must ensure that all persons under supervision:
(a) are competent to perform the tasks they undertake;
(b) are adequately supervised or overseen (as applicable);
(c) comply with the relevant regulations, including the regulations made pursuant to the Gas Act 1992;
(d) with respect to an exempt person and a trainee gasfitter, can produce on demand a current identification card issued by the board; and
(e) with respect to an exempt person, does not undertake gasfitting work while connected to a gas supply.
(9) A certifying gasfitter must ensure that, during the first year of holding a limited certificate, a trainee gasfitter is, at all times, working in the presence of the supervising certifying gasfitter, or a licensed gasfitter who is supervised by the same certifying gasfitter.
(10) A certifying gasfitter must ensure that, during the first two years of working under an exemption pursuant to section 21
of the Act, the exempt person is, at all times, working in the presence of the certifying gasfitter supervising them, or
a licensed gasfitter who is supervised by the same certifying gasfitter, or a person authorised pursuant to section 20(1)(b) of the Act.
(11) A certifying gasfitter must notify the board of the name, address and telephone number of every exempt person under supervision prior to the exempt person first carrying out any gasfitting work under the certifying gasfitter’s supervision and on or before 1 April each year.
(12) A certifying gasfitter must pay a fee, as prescribed by the board, in respect of notified exempt persons under supervision.
(13) A certifying gasfitter who ceases to supervise a person previously supervised by that certifying gasfitter, must notify the board of this fact, in writing. Until such notification is received, the certifying gasfitter remains responsible for any gasfitting work undertaken by that supervised person.
4. Licence period
The licence period is from 1 April to 31 March of the following year, provided that:
(a) a licence is issued for a maximum period of one licensing year;
(b) a licence issued after 1 April and before 31 March will expire at the end of that licence period (being 31 March).
5. Application forms
The board must provide the following forms:
(a) Application for registration as a certifying gasfitter.
(b) Application for licence as a certifying gasfitter.
Part B-Licensed Gasfitters
6. Authorised work
A licensed gasfitter, who holds a current licensed gasfitter practising licence issued by the board, may carry out gasfitting work under the supervision of a certifying gasfitter.
7. Minimum standards for registration
(1) To become a licensed gasfitter a person must have:
(a) obtained the National Certificate in gasfitting and passed the board’s three-hour examination (reference 9193); or
(b) held a limited certificate in gasfitting for a continuous period of five years, and have passed the board’s three-hour examination (reference 9193); or
(c) held a limited certificate in gasfitting under the 1976 Act for a continuous period of not less than three years, immediately followed by a two year period as a person exempt pursuant to section 21 of the Act, and have passed the board’s three-hour examination (reference 9193); or
(d) being a plumber (certifying or licensed and holding a current practising licence), passed the National Certificate third stage block course in gasfitting, and the board’s three-hour examination (reference 9193); or
(e) complied with all of the following:
(i) Hold an overseas qualification that is accepted by the board as equivalent to a New Zealand National Certificate in gasfitting under paragraph (a) above. To meet this requirement the applicant must both:
A. provide to the board documentary evidence of the applicant’s qualifications and assessment of those qualifications;
B. attend an interview with the board to verify documentation and validate experiential and technical proficiency; and
(ii) passed the board’s three-hour examination (reference 9193); and
(iii) passed the board’s Practical Test of Workmanship using the National Competency assessment tasks and criteria.
(2) To pass the board’s examination (reference 9193) the applicant must demonstrate the following competencies:
(a) Knowledge of accepted gasfitting trade practice, workmanship, and health and safety;
(b) knowledge of trade calculations and sciences relevant to gasfitting;
(c) knowledge of materials and their physical properties and application used in the trade;
(d) ability to draw and interpret drawings and specifications including quantifying materials for gasfitting;
(e) principles of heating and ventilation using water, air and gas;
(f) practical knowledge of all aspects of gasfitting;
(g) ability to access legislation, standards and codes of practice relating to gasfitting;
(h) knowledge of ethical considerations for the delivery of gasfitting services;
(i) knowledge of energy efficiency, conservation and environmentally considerate processes relevant to gasfitting;
(j) practical knowledge of gas appliances and their controls; and
(k) knowledge of the types, uses, characteristics, and composition of fuel gases.
8. Terms and conditions of licence
(1) Licensed gasfitters must hold a current licensed gasfitter practising licence to undertake gasfitting work, as follows:
(a) To be eligible to obtain a licence, licensed gasfitters must obtain:
(i) in the year ending 31 March 2011, a minimum of 16 continual professional development ("CPD") points. A minimum of 8 CPD points must be technical gasfitting points and a maximum of 8 may be non-technical.
(ii) in the year ending 31 March 2012, and each year thereafter, a minimum of 12 continual professional development ("CPD") points. A minimum of 8 CPD points must be technical gasfitting points and a maximum of 4 may be non-technical.
(2) In the year ending 31 March 2012, and each year thereafter, those licensed gasfitters who wish also to apply for a licence as a drainlayer or plumber, and are required to attain CPD points in order to uplift the additional licence, must complete a minimum of 20 CPD points, with a minimum of 8 technical points for gasfitting and 8 technical points for the additional licence type.
(3) In the year ending 31 March 2012, and each year thereafter, those licensed gasfitters who wish also to apply for licences as a drainlayer and plumber, and are required to attain CPD points in order to uplift the additional two licences, must obtain a minimum of 24 CPD points, with a minimum of 8 technical points for each of the three licence types.
(4) CPD points can only be obtained by completing programmes of learning that are accredited by the board prior to the course being undertaken. CPD points will not be allocated for courses that have not been accredited by the board except in exceptional circumstances and at the discretion of the Registrar of the board. Carry over of excess points from a previous year may be allowed at the discretion of the board.
(5) At all times when undertaking gasfitting work, licensed gasfitters must be able to produce, on demand, a current licensed gasfitter licence card issued by the board.
(6) A licensed gasfitter may test gasfitting work under the supervision of a certifying gasfitter.
(7) A licensed gasfitter must work at all times under the supervision of a certifying gasfitter, without having to be in the presence of that person.
(8) A licensed gasfitter does not have the authority to certify that gasfitting work meets the requirements of any regulation made under relevant legislation (the Act, the Building Act 2004 and the Gas Act 1992).
(9) A licensed gasfitter is authorised to oversee limited certificate trainee gasfitters and persons exempt pursuant to section 21 of the Act, but such persons must be supervised by the same certifying gasfitter.
(10) A licensed gasfitter must ensure that when overseeing a trainee gasfitter in the first year of a trainee holding a limited certificate, the trainee gasfitter works at all times in the presence of that licensed gasfitter who is supervised by the same certifying gasfitter. However, at all times the certifying gasfitter is the person responsible for supervision.
(11) A licensed gasfitter must ensure that when overseeing an exempt person in the first two years of working under an exemption issued pursuant to section 21 of the Act, the exempt person works at all times in the presence of that licensed gasfitter who is supervised by the same certifying gasfitter, or a person authorised pursuant to section 20(1)(b) of the Act. However, at all times the certifying gasfitter is the person responsible for supervision.
9. Licence period
The licence period is from 1 April to 31 March of the following year, provided that:
(a) a licence is issued for a maximum of one year;
(b) a licence issued after 1 April and before 31 March will expire at the end of that licence period year (being
31 March).
10. Application forms
The board must provide the following forms:
(a) Application for registration as a licensed gasfitter.
(b) Application for a licence as a licensed gasfitter.
11. Glossary of terms
(1) Where the term "supervision" is used it refers to "supervision" as defined in section 4 of the Act.
(2) Where the terms "test" or "testing" are used they refer to tests required to comply with the regulations under the Building Act 2004 and the Gas Act 1992.
(3) Where the terms "oversight" or "oversee" are used they refer to the definition specified by the board.
12. Transitional provision
Courses completed before 1 April 2010 may be allocated CPD points at the discretion of the Registrar of the board.
Dated at Wellington this 24th day of March 2010.
KERN U’REN, Registrar, Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board.
*This notice, published in the New Zealand Gazette, 25 March 2010, No. 32, page 940, is being republished in full as it was not tabled in Parliament within the appropriate time limit.