Plumbing Africa November 2020 | Page 23

DESIGN : DEAR MR PLUMBER
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answer questions . Then , failing a satisfactory answer , this could then be referred to a higher level such as the Review Board .
I believe that such a panel of specialists could solve many queries and provide answers for many simple questions . All of this could save time and money and help ensure that construction work does not stop and have to wait for an answer for years .
• Lack of consistency The ‘ interpretation ’ of a regulation or a rule varies from city to city , from town to town , from BCO to BCO , and from fire department to fire department .
The National Building Regulations ( NBR ) are called ‘ National ’ building regulations so that we can have common building regulations for the country and to get rid of all the local regulations , so that if you design a building in one town or city you will use the same regulations for a building in another town or city .
This has been eroded over time and in many towns and cities they have extended their ‘ local by-laws ’ to suit their interpretation of the NBR , with no concern for cost to the developer .
All the role players from the developer / owner to the BCO , professional design team , and contractor must all form a ‘ team ’ to work together in the interest of developing the country .
• ‘ Competent person ’ undefined The question of the definition of ‘ the competent person ’ has been kicked around for many years since the latest big changes were published and the Technical Committees were formally promised that if all agree to publish the changed set of NBR documents then the first thing thereafter will be to address the competent person definition . Unfortunately , nothing has happened for years .
There are many questions to be answered , questions that everybody in the building industry struggles with . We can all keep on struggling and do nothing about it , or perhaps we could hold an ‘ Indaba ’ and get together and do something .
• Water for fire protection One of the issues we struggle with is water and water for fire protection .
Water for fire protection was always the responsibility of Local Authority , but this has now become the responsibility of the developer / owner at huge costs and has been entrenched in some local bylaws and are applied by trumping other regulations of a higher level . And there is no place where you can complain or disagree as the Review Board does not exist anymore .
There are many issues to tackle in a ‘ new ’ future and a new way of working and living and I am sure this will bring with it new challenges , but also new opportunities .
The year is running out and we are thankful for what we have received and that we have survived up to now , and we hope for a new bright future even with all its challenges . PA
November 2020 Volume 26 I Number 09