Pursuant to sections 28 and 30 of the Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Act 2006 (“Act”) and having complied with section 33 of the Act, the Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Board (“Board”) issues the following notice to amend the Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Board (Plumbing Registration and Licensing) Notice 2016, published in the New Zealand Gazette, 27 October 2016, Issue No. 97, Notice No. 2016-gs6011.
1. Title
This notice is the Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Board (Plumbing Registration and Licensing) Plumbing Competencies Amendment Notice 2024.
2. Commencement
This notice comes into force on 29 July 2024.
3. Principal Notice
This notice amends the Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Board (Plumbing Registration and Licensing) Notice 2016 (“principal notice”).
4. Purpose
This notice replaces the certifying plumber competencies and tradesman plumber competencies in the principal notice.
5. Principal Notice Amended
(1) Paragraphs 6(2) and 6(3) of the principal notice are revoked and the following paragraphs are substituted:
“(2) The examination a person must pass in order to register as a certifying plumber is examination 9195 (“Examination 9195”) set by the Board.
(3) Examination 9195 will test an applicant’s knowledge, experience, and practical understanding in the following competencies as they relate to the design, the management of the installation of, identification, and verification of sanitary plumbing systems:
(a) Trade calculations and trade science including, but not limited to,—
(i) application of formulae
(ii) corrosion protection
(iii) density
(iv) energy transfer
(v) estimation, measurement, and calculation
(vi) hydraulic principles
(vii) laws of physics
(viii) noise transfer
(ix) thermal expansion
(x) water quality.
(b) Selection of products and materials including, but not limited to,—
(i) their applications, properties, and uses
(ii) their compatibility, testing, limitations, and commissioning procedures
(iii) alternative products or materials, approval regimes, and protection of products or materials.
(c) Tools and equipment.
(d) Jointing methods.
(e) Designs, drawings, and specifications including, but not limited to,—
(i) as-built plans
(ii) compliance documentation
(iii) materials lists
(iv) patterns
(v) plans, schematics, design calculations, and specifications.
(f) Water services including, but not limited to,—
(i) alternative water supplies
(ii) backflow prevention
(iii) domestic fire sprinkler systems
(iv) heating systems for sanitary plumbing including hot water systems, solar water heating, and alternative water heating systems
(v) hot and cold water reticulation systems
(vi) noise transmission prevention
(vii) on-site water filtration and treatment
(viii) pipe sizing
(ix) pumped systems
(x) rain water harvesting
(xi) sanitary appliances and fixtures
(xii) seismic and geostability considerations
(xiii) subsidiary systems connected to water services
(xiv) water storage systems.
(g) Foul water systems including, but not limited to,—
(i) discharge stack systems
(ii) noise transmission prevention
(iii) pumped systems
(iv) sanitary appliances and fixtures
(v) seismic and geostability considerations
(vi) sizing and venting for foul water plumbing systems;
(vii) vacuum drainage systems.
(h) Integrity of structures including, but not limited to,—
(i) coordination with other building services
(ii) fire protection
(iii) positioning and protection of services
(iv) preservation of structural integrity
(v) prevention of damage to structure including weather tightness.
(i) Efficient use of natural resources (sustainability practices) including, but not limited to,—
(i) best environmental practice
(ii) energy efficiency
(iii) water efficiency
(iv) water recycling
(v) waste minimisation.
(j) Compliance documentation including, but not limited to,—
(i) Acts
(ii) regulations
(iii) acceptable solutions and verification methods
(iv) alternative solutions
(v) standards
(vi) codes of practice
(vii) guidance
(viii) manufacturers’ instructions
(ix) the hierarchy and relationships between the forms of documentation.
(k) Health and safety including, but not limited to,—
(i) personal and public safety
(ii) site safety
(iii) electrical safety
(iv) environmental considerations in relation to personal safety
(v) environmental impacts
(vi) preparation of safety plans.
(l) Sanitary plumbing as a regulated occupation including, but not limited to,—
(i) limitations around who can do or assist in doing sanitary plumbing
(ii) requirements around carrying out sanitary plumbing
(iii) responsibilities that apply to registered practitioners
(iv) supervising people doing sanitary plumbing
(v) understanding of the regulatory environment.”
(2) Paragraphs 11(2) and 11(3) of the principal notice are revoked and the following paragraphs are substituted:
“(2) The examination a person must pass in order to register as a tradesman plumber is examination 9192 (“Examination 9192”) set by the Board.
(3) Examination 9192 will test an applicant’s knowledge, experience, and practical understanding in the following competencies as they relate to the installation, identification, testing, commissioning, fault-finding, and maintenance of sanitary plumbing systems:
(a) Trade calculations and trade sciences including, but not limited to,—
(i) application of formulae
(ii) corrosion protection
(iii) density
(iv) energy transfer
(v) estimation, measurement, and calculation
(vi) hydraulic principles
(vii) laws of physics
(viii) noise transfer
(ix) thermal expansion
(x) water quality.
(b) Use and limitations of products and materials including, but not limited to,—
(i) acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS)
(ii) asbestos
(iii) brass/bronze
(iv) cast iron (grey cast iron)
(v) composite pipe including multilayer (MLP)
(vi) copper
(vii) copper alloy
(viii) cross-linked polyethylene (PE-X)
(ix) ductile steel
(x) fibreglass
(xi) galvanised steel
(xii) glass
(xiii) lead
(xiv) mild steel
(xv) polybutylene (PB)
(xvi) polyethylene (PE)
(xvii) polypropylene (PP)
(xviii) polyvinylchloride (PVC);
(xix) sheet metal
(xx) stainless steel.
(c) Tools and equipment.
(d) Jointing methods.
(e) Drawings and specifications including, but not limited to,—
(i) as-built plans
(ii) materials lists
(iii) patterns
(iv) plans, schematics, and specifications.
(f) Water services including, but not limited to,—
(i) alternative water supplies
(ii) backflow prevention
(iii) domestic fire sprinkler systems
(iv) heating systems for sanitary plumbing including hot water systems, solar water heating, and alternative water heating systems
(v) hot and cold water reticulation systems
(vi) noise transmission prevention
(vii) on-site water filtration and treatment
(viii) pipe sizing
(ix) pumped systems
(x) rain water harvesting
(xi) sanitary appliances and fixtures
(xii) seismic and geostability considerations
(xiii) subsidiary systems connected to water services
(xiv) water storage systems.
(g) Foul water systems including, but not limited to,—
(i) alternative foul water disposal systems
(ii) discharge stack systems
(iii) noise transmission prevention
(iv) pumped systems
(v) sanitary appliances and fixtures
(vi) sizing and venting for foul water systems.
(h) Integrity of structures including, but not limited to,—
(i) coordination with other building services
(ii) fire protection
(iii) positioning and protection of services
(iv) preservation of structural integrity
(v) prevention of damage to structure, including weather tightness.
(i) Efficient use of natural resources (sustainability practices) including, but not limited to,—
(i) best environmental practice
(ii) energy efficiency
(iii) water efficiency
(iv) water recycling
(v) waste minimisation.
(j) Compliance documentation including, but not limited to,—
(i) Acts
(ii) regulations
(iii) acceptable solutions and verification methods
(iv) alternative solutions
(v) standards
(vi) codes of practice
(vii) guidance
(viii) manufacturers’ instructions
(ix) the hierarchy and relationships between the forms of documentation.
(k) Health and safety including, but not limited to,—
(i) personal and public safety
(ii) site safety
(iii) electrical safety
(iv) environmental considerations in relation to personal safety
(v) environmental impacts
(vi) preparation of safety plans.
(l) Sanitary plumbing as a regulated occupation including, but not limited to,—
(i) limitations around who can do or assist in doing sanitary plumbing
(ii) requirements around carrying out sanitary plumbing
(iii) responsibilities that apply to registered practitioners
(iv) understanding of regulatory environment.”
Issued at Wellington this 1st day of July 2024.
ALEYNA MARY HALL, Registrar, Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Board.
Explanatory Note
This note is for explanatory purposes only.
This notice changes the competencies in the principal notice that a person must have in order to register as a certifying or tradesman plumber.
In prescribing the matters set out in this notice the Board has:
- been guided by the principles in section 32 of the Act
- consulted in accordance with section 33(1) of the Act
- sought the approval of the Minister in accordance with section 34(1) of the Act.
This notice is administered by the Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Board.