60 ASSOCIATIONS : IOPSA / PIRB WEBINAR
Why must I register with the PIRB ? As the professional body for the sector , you are required to register ; however , the choice is still yours . If you wish to , for example , issue a CoC , work in a particular local authority who requires it , or work for an insurance / state contract , you will be required to register .
Who structured the CPD ? I have no issue with upliftment and standards , but how do you decide on the points ?
Any person / training provider / manufacturer / merchant / plumber can offer an activity that attracts CPD points . They simply apply to IOPSA for their activity and once relevant requirements are met , the points will be allocated . It will then be for that person / training provider / manufacturer / merchant / plumber to promote and sell their CPD course , and if successful , then that person / training provider / manufacturer / merchant / plumber can profit from it .
Why don ’ t the PIRB accept SAQA certificate evaluations ? I have an SAQA simply gave an evaluation ; in other words , it stated that your international qualification is equal to an X or Y qualification . It original SAQA certificate where the SAQA authorities recognised all my does not mean that you are entitled to the South African qualification ; you still need to be assessed before the qualification can master / engineer certificates in 2010 when I applied for my exceptional be bestowed upon the individual . skill green ID . They handed over those certificates just because of my high qualification and high degree of experience in the renewable energy sector , which includes my plumbing central heating state qualified engineer degrees and certificate handed over by the German Chamber and Government while I was working and studying there . The public and customers alike give no recognition or reward to those who pay their licence fees each and every year . What is the PIRB doing for me as a licensed plumber ?
What is the difference between PIRB and IOPSA ? Please visit the link at http :// pirb . co . za / questions /
I have already done my trade test . Why must I do another test with the PIRB ?
What is the difference between a PIRB CoC and a municipality CoC ? Accountability , creditability , and enforcement .
What recognition would you like to see from the public ? That they only use PIRB licensed and qualified plumbers ? The regulations for the past four decades have made it a requirement for the public to use qualified plumbers . So why are they not doing this ? Simply because there is no enforcement and accountability . This is what the PIRB has been and continue to work towards . The growth in the PIRB is showing and we are winning the battle , but we certainly have not won the war as yet . But , as an industry , we are going to .
While people may have done their trade test , they have no comprehension of the standards . As a qualified and proud plumber , it is the cornerstone of their knowledge base ( this is the same throughout the world ). The current PIRB assessment results show , even with an open-book assessment , that 65 % of people taking the assessment fail , with an average failure rate of 22 %. It is shocking that 65 % of qualified plumbers only know 22 % of what the standards say .
Why must we pay for CPD ?
For the same reason you should be paying for education . However , CPD does not have to cost you anything , because CPD is a by-product of what you do . Did you do some form of learning over the past 12 or 24 months ? If yes and if industry-related , you have done some form of continuous development or learning . If you attended this webinar , you would have obtained 0.5 CPD points . How much did that cost you other than your time ?
I have been working as a plumber for seven years ; where can I go to get Please visit the following link : http :// www . iopsa . org / How-to-become-a-plumber qualified ? Based on what do you audit a CoC ? Standards ? Yes , the standards and the local by-laws .
How has the PIRB made itself accessible to the plumber who does not own a smartphone / laptop and have access to CoC-selling merchants throughout the country ? In other words , the small guy .
How has PIRB assisted with updating plumbing rules and regulations , taking into account new technology and best practices around the world ? How much has PIRB spent ( or what proportion of the marketing budget ) on promoting PIRB to the greater public ?
We have been in the industry for over 40 years . During the past eight + years we have been working mainly in Midstream Estate , Copperleaf Estate , Waterfall Country Estate , and Steyn City . During this time ( other than when Eskom required a solar CoC for rebates ) we have only been asked for a CoC once by a building inspector . According to her , it was law that a CoC must accompany the Final Plumbing Certificate , which I verified and confirmed with the head of the building inspectors . This is of course something we agree with 100 %. So , my questions are thus : 1 ) Why is this not enforced and only required by one building inspector , and only once ? 2 ) Who regulates or checks the paperwork or that all building inspectors are consistent ?
CoCs can be purchased from any participating merchant or by contacting the PIRB directly . Those that are unable to log their CoCs online can do so by contacting the PIRB .
This is done on a continuous basis ; however , it is done via the various committees at the SABS whose responsibility it is to update the South African National Standards .
Nothing , as there is no funding to do this . Promotion and use of marketing funds of the PIRB is done on three levels : Firstly , local authorities , then commercial entities like insurers / manufacturers , and then the public . So , while it is a target area , there are no funds to allocate to public promotion at this stage . 1 ) Because they are fully competent and understand the regulator requirements . Sadly , at large we are dealing with building inspectors who are not trained properly or who are ill-equipped .
If you require further information or have any other questions , please send them to info @ pirb . co . za .
2 ) This is a difficult one but honestly speaking , based on the state of the industry , no one . This is one of the reasons PIRB has stepped up to assist the sector .
To view the recorded session of the Plumbing Industry Q & A , visit https :// www . youtube . com / watch ? time _ continue = 19 & v = nxppuHwud98 .
For further information , and to view the ins and outs of continuing professional development ( CPD ), please visit https :// www . youtube . com / watch ? v = ta2dHPnnC9I . PA
January 2018 Volume 23 I Number 11 www . plumbingafrica . co . za