FITTING THOUGHT
1
Commitment to
compliance
Plumbing Africa journal is the publication serving the plumbing
design and contracting sector and has always been, and will
continue to be, committed to upholding the compulsory standards
of this country.
It has been said that plumbers protect the health of the
nation, and here we refer to all qualified plumbers through
the correct process of apprenticeships and learnerships,
who may also be registered with the Plumbing Industry
Registration Board (PIRB) and company members of the
Institute of Plumbing SA (IOPSA).
Whether a retailer, importer, wholesaler, contractor,
engineer, or quality surveyor, we all remain responsible
for ensuring that only compliant plumbing products are
specified and installed. It is through this process that we
are able to be protectors of the health and safety of our
nation and its people.
It is no secret that non-compliant products continue to reach
our shores and are sold and installed, going against the
National Building Regulations and Water Regulations, which
are compulsory standards. In other words, this is the law and
no one, no matter who, is able to transgress these laws.
Plumbing Africa would appreciate an assurance from all
readers that non-compliant products are not produced or
manufactured or imported by their organisation and that only
tested and certified products, according to the standards,
are sold.
Why do we ask this?
• Invariably those who can least afford to replace
plumbing products are the ‘victims’ of non-compliant
products.
• Such products do not have the lifespan that a compliant
product provides and can reasonably be expected from
such a product.
• Non-compliant products add little or no value to growth
of companies as their commercial lifespan is short.
• Non-compliant products, by and large, do not
contribute to water saving/conservation.
• Compliance and compliant products protect the health
and safety of people and the environment.
We are concerned at the dysfunctional state of many
municipalities, the lack of maintenance, the ageing
infrastructure, design and installations being done by
unqualified people – none of which any of us can change.
While Plumbing Africa continues to address these issues,
our articles and features will focus on what is being
installed and designed.
November 2019 Volume 25 I Number 9
We are keen to give credit where credit is due to those that
are part of the compliance body of companies. For ease of
reference we list the relevant Acts that apply, and which will
form the basis of all our articles:
Consumer Protection Act
• Section 40 – Right to fair and honest dealing –
Unconscionable conduct (non-compliance for example).
• Section 55 – Consumer’s rights to safe, good quality
goods. Sub section (d) “Comply with any applicable
standards set under the Standards Act, 1993 (Act no
29 of 1993), or any other public regulation.”
• Section 58 – Warning concerning fact and nature of
risks.
SANS
• SANS 10400 – The National Building Regulations (NBR)
Part P Drainage, and Part A – the application of the
NBR – “Every consumer installation must comply with
SANS 10252, water supply and drainage for buildings
et al, and SANS 10254 – installation, maintenance,
replacement and repair of fixed water heating systems,
or any other similar…”
• SANS 10252 consists of two parts:
• Water supply installations for buildings;
• Drainage installations for buildings.
Both apply to the whole spectrum of plumbing systems and
products such as, but not exhaustive of, pipes, fittings, traps,
taps, mixers, showers, hot water systems (geysers/solar) and
any product that is in contact with potable water.
The list of product standards is lengthy and the objective in
the pages of our magazine is to establish, from the highest
level, the commitment to compliance.
We trust all readers will appreciate the need for us to
establish and separate the compliant from non-compliant
companies. PA
Eamonn
Eamonn Ryan, Editor
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