Health and sanitation
23
Defining a plumber
By
Andrew Camphausen
The Oxford English Dictionary’ s definition of a plumber is a person who fits and repairs the pipes, fittings, and other apparatus of water supply, sanitation, or heating systems.
This definition is so vague that it leans towards stating that anyone who has a bit of knowledge can do this job.
Job? Is this a job or a trade?
Are people sitting on the side of a road, near to a hardware store with a pipe wrench in their hands, plumbers?
According to the Michigan Department of Technology, a plumber is a tradesperson who specialises in installing and maintaining systems for potable( drinking) water, sewage and drainage in plumbing systems.
The history of plumbing dates from the Roman Empire. The word plumbum originates from the Latin word for lead, which we now recognise as‘ plumber’. Roman roofs used lead in their drain pipes and some roofs were also covered with lead. In medieval times, anyone who worked with lead were referred to as plumbers.
In the United Kingdom and Australia, aspirant plumbers are required to pass level 2 and 3 vocational requirements or a generally accepted four-year apprenticeship with a further minimum of two years( six years in total) and a further curricular requirement as a benchmark for licensing.
In Canada, licencing requirements differ by province, but an Interprovincial Program Guide maintains training standards across the entire country. The United States is the only exception where there is no federal law establishing licences for plumbers.
In South Africa, it takes a person an average of three years to become a qualified plumber. The law on water is regulated by the Department of Water Affairs. This regulation includes water supply and drainage for all buildings, which encompasses installation, replacement, and repair of electrical geysers or any other similar substituting re-enactment or amendment. This is for all consumer installations.
Our Consumer Protection Act does not only protect the consumer but also the tradesperson, provided the tradesperson is qualified in his / her trade.
The PIRB is fast becoming a force to be reckoned with. It has been successful in attaining a COC( Certificate of Compliance) for all plumbing jobs exceeding R1 500. This will include the product, labour, and profit. IOPSA is a non-profit body that uplifts the plumber in all aspects, which can include mitigation with a consumer.
So, again, is a person sitting on the side of the road, holding up a sign saying‘ PLUMBER’ really a plumber? Is this person not diluting the plumbing industry by charging what they like? I realise that everyone needs to eat, but is this person not taking your bread off the table? Does this person protect the health and the welfare of the nation as their top priority?
Food for thought? PA
Andrew Camphausen
Andrew( Andy) Camphausen has been in the building / plumbing industry for over 20 years. During his six years in the Free State, he was nominated and served as the vice-chairman of IOPSA Free State. He was offered a Regional Management position at Cobra Watertech, which is still his employer today. In 2011, Andy was promoted to National Channel Manager of the Commercial Sector, where he was transferred to the head office in Bryanston, Gauteng.
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www. plumbingafrica. co. za September 2017 Volume 23 I Number 7