FEATURE
Like any other mechanical system, plumbing has stress
points and moving parts, so regular maintenance ensures
it continues to operate reliably. This is more distressing
in a commercial environment, where a business can
be temporarily shut down due to plumbing issues.
Take a restaurant or hospital, for example: blocked and
overflowing drains or sewerage pipes can be detrimental
to business operations. Regular maintenance could
prevent such situations, lending itself ideally to the phrase
‘prevention is better than cure’. This again refers to a
grudge purchase where preventative maintenance is not
always taken into consideration.
“However, the public often do not see value in plumbers’
competencies and base their buying decisions purely on
price,” says Steve Brown, acting executive director of the
Institute of Plumbing SA (IOPSA). “Then there are handymen
and so-called plumbers [unqualified] who will do the work
at even lower rates, further stressing the industry.”
HEALTH AND SAFETY FIRST
Every line of work comes with a degree of risk, and
plumbing is no exception. Most workplaces carry the risk
of injury or hazard. The plumbing and construction sectors
in particular, by the very nature of their environment, pose
significant occupational hazards. From the use of inferior
building materials to the presence of harmful chemicals on
site and working with incomplete or poorly built structures,
these are just some of the most common dangers against
which plumbers can protect themselves.
“There are many risks involved,” notes Mathew Jones,
owner of Mat’s Wonder Worx and Maintenance. “Bad
chemicals, such as solvents, and being in dirty roofs
where there are rodent droppings, are not great to work in.
There is also the risk of falling debris either landing on or
cutting you,” he says. On the job, prevention is better than
cure. Protective wear and equipment, such as heavy-duty
overalls, safety boots, gloves, facemasks, and goggles, will
protect a person from debris, dust, harmful chemicals, and
animal droppings, while wearing earplugs will make working
in noisy conditions far more bearable. When working with
power tools, it is essential that whoever is handling the
equipment is qualified to operate a particular piece of
machinery and that safety switches are used at all times.
It is to be common practice across all divisions of the
plumbing sector to conduct risk assessments.
Taking care to clear the area from any flammable,
unstable, or loose objects that could fall on a person, as
well as anything that could lead to potential electrocution,
are crucial as these are the types of hazards that
could lead to death. Plumbers often work in roofs and
www.plumbingafrica.co.za
51
underground, or in confined spaces with poor light and
airflow. Therefore, it is important for teams to work
together on a job to safeguard everyone.
“Aside from cost and resource implications, safety is a
major consideration in plumbing maintenance. Poor or no
maintenance can be dangerous to people or premises,”
says Maurice van Wyk, owner of Plumbing Beat. “A water
heater could explode if its temperature and pressure-relief
valves fail, and basements can flood if a sump pump burns
out and stops working. Whenever dealing with natural gas
or electricity, it is best to practice extreme caution,” he adds.
All of these situations, and similar situations, create health
risks for team members.
Health risks are always associated with exposure to
sewage, toilets, sewers, and septic tanks, as bacterial
infection is possible. Additionally, neglected gas water
heaters are sometimes a source of carbon monoxide
poisoning if not vented and maintained properly.
Brown adds, “It’s very clear, though, that if you are charging
R200 an hour, you cannot sustain your business, and based
on this rate, you would not be able to comply when it comes
to occupational health and safety standards, as well as
other necessary/compulsory requirements. The key is to
understand what your actual cost of being in business is,
and to build your rates accordingly.”
Kyle Bruch of Bruch’s Plumbing agrees that a lack of
margin is a critical factor in his business. He says he deals
with health risks, like a sewage spill, by wearing gloves.
But there is no special protective clothing when dealing
with spills, for example. “We usually just deal with it as best
possible,” he says. He adds that they typically also wear
masks when entering manholes because of the dangers of
methane gas. They also use harnesses where necessary,
but “guys take safety risks all the time”, Bruch notes.
It’s a different situation at Burgess and Partners — a
larger plumbing operation targeting corporates and upper-
income clients. “We are very strong on health and safety,”
says managing director Craig Preston. “We have our own
training centre and if the guys are working on grease traps,
for example, then they will get training on how to clean
themselves and on what protective equipment they need —
whether it’s gloves, a protective suit or goggles. The guys on
the drainage side get hepatitis injections on a regular basis.
We do our best to take all necessary precautions.”
If sewage does back up, it may contaminate carpets,
wooden floors, or even furniture exposed to the biological
organisms. These items are difficult to clean and must
usually be discarded.
Risk of electrocution by poorly
installed or uninsulated wires
are real dangers.
Continued on page 52 >>
March 2018 Volume 24 I Number 1