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INDUSTRY MATTERS
Relationship between
plumbing industry
participants
Like any working machine, the plumbing industry is a
network of different parts that must work together to
operate successfully.
By Sayed Ally, Pr Tech Eng
A disconnect between the plumber, engineer, and
appointed building inspector can be detrimental
to the success of the industry. Ultimately, this
disconnect can be attributed to the absence of what
is referred to as a ‘competent person’.
Players in the sector need
to perform the work they are
competent to fulfil.
However, it is important to distinguish between the dictionary
definition of the word, and how it is used in the industry.
A competent person is defined as an individual who is
capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards
in a working environment and has the authorisation to
eliminate them. This not only ensures that the project
can operate smoothly but upholds safety standards
throughout the works.
The reference to competence is something we often hear
within the plumbing trade and is frequently the topic of debate.
While the council will accept a Certificate of Compliance
(CoC) from a plumber registered with the Plumbing
Industry Registration Board (PIRB), the building control
officer’s role is to ensure that the installation is based on
a ‘deem to satisfy’ rating or ‘rational design’ conducted
by a competent person.
A registered competent person, such as a wet services
engineer, can conduct a rational design and is legally
required to complete the relevant South African National
Standards (SANS) forms under Part A of SANS 10400.
The building inspector’s role is to decide if the application
requires a deem to satisfy design or a rational design.
With no training or guidelines to follow, the building control
officer usually accepts CoCs irrespective of the limitations.
After drawings are submitted for approval, they must go
through the correct governing bodies depending on the
status assigned to them. If submitted as a rational design,
Form 2 in SANS 10400 is applicable and must be signed
by a professional registered member of the Engineering
Council of South Africa (ECSA), the South African Council for
the Architectural Profession (SACAP), or the South African
Council for Natural Scientific Professions (SACNSP).
May 2019 Volume 25 I Number 3
Only an ECSA registered engineer/technologist, architect
registered with the SACAP, or a scientist under the
relevant Act they comply with can legally carry out a wet
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