High front guttering advisory committee report - NSW Fair Trading ...

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Plumbing Code of Australia into a single Code guiding building construction across Australia, there will be some linkage between the regulatory framework for plumbing and roof plumbing. In adding to the dynamics of the above context, the Master Plumbers Association advocate the proposition that roof plumbers and plumbers should be included within the one occupational stream, plumbing and drainage, under the proposed National Occupational Licensing System (NOLS), being developed by the Council Of Australian Governments (COAG). However it is the view of the Committee that whilst plumbers should have easy licensing access to roof plumbing markets, it is largely a work package that is unattended by them – feedback from a number of sources presenting to the committee stated that there was an under supply of licensed people and this is because many licensees prefer to work in other areas of plumbing specialty which provide higher pay than gutter and downpipe installation. One large manufacturer drew attention to the inadequacy of specific training in guttering installation as part of the initial and ongoing licensing requirements for roof plumbers. The company noted that the current roof plumbing course in NSW includes only ten hours on guttering and drew attention to the introduction of a six month course in roof fascia and guttering in Queensland and the development of a 16 week course for gutter fascia installation in Western Australia as a joint initiative between government, industry and TAFE. The same company expressed concern that there appear to be too many unlicensed tradespersons installing guttering in the marketplace. To address this, they have approached government institutions to fund such a course which would focus purely on fascia, gutter and downpipes. The problem with the current situation is that roof plumbers cover a broader scope of works than this, and as a result, many have found it more profitable to specialise in the area of sheet metal roofing installations and less profitable to specialise purely in fascia, gutter and downpipe installation. The abovementioned manufacturer therefore advocates shorter training and a more specialised licence purely for fascia, gutter and downpipe installation. In adding to the above discussion, figures available from NSW Fair Trading show that in June 2009 there was a total of 17,233 licences for plumber and roof plumber, 304 for plumber, 1902 for roof plumber, 1634 for water plumber and 17,791 for drainer. Despite the majority of joint plumbing and roof plumbing licences, the committee was advised that it is likely that NOLS will maintain the current separation between roof plumbing within the building and construction stream and plumbing within the stream of plumbing and drainage. If this separation is maintained it is imperative that plumbing and roof plumbing licence holders receive up to date information with compliance requirements in relation to both roof plumbing and plumbing. The Committee concurs with the importance of ensuring that quality, relevant, contemporary and cost effective training in guttering installation is readily available for persons preparing to meet initial licensing requirements in roof plumbing and as part of the continuous improvement requirements for ongoing licence holders. The Committee supports the development of joint initiatives between industry and training providers to provide such training and to meet current and future skills needs and that this should be coordinated with licensing requirements to ensure licensing requirements do not impede the supply of appropriately qualified trades people to the market. Calculations relating to the Deemed to Satisfy options discussed earlier in this report (including AS3500.3/3500.5) are not as simple as may be first thought, and there is concern that 31
there is insufficient knowledge in this area at trade level. Of note, this includes knowledge of the BCA performance requirements and the need arising from this report concerning a more measured approach to overflow management when using high fronted guttering. 16 NSW Fair Trading Complaint Handling NSW Fair Trading has been in a difficult position in dealing with complaints about high fronted guttering. For instance, the BCA provides the basis for assessing whether or not work is defective, in accordance with the NSW Home Building Act 1989. Up until early 2009 the “Acceptable Construction Practice” section of the BCA extended legitimacy to slots as being a major, if not the sole, appropriate measure for dealing with overflow from high fronted gutter installations. Following on from Ministerial and NSW Fair Trading interest in early 2008 in high fronted guttering and the adequacy of overflow measures that may accompany their installation, the BCA downgraded the status of slots as an adequate overflow measure. Given the status afforded to slots within the BCA as an overflow measure, it has been difficult to take decisive corrective action against builders, roof plumbers and plumbers, so NSW Fair Trading has relied on mediation to resolve such complaints. 17 Conclusions and Recommendations Concerning High fronted guttering and Associated Overflow Measures As an overriding conclusion, there is no evidence of a systemic problem concerning high fronted guttering given the sources of information available and presented to the Committee, and using BCA performance requirements as the basis for assessment. In making these deliberations, it proved difficult to deal with high fronted guttering as one homogenous category as the likes of replacement gutters are often fixed differently to fascias compared to the combination guttering and metal fascia components commonly used in new home construction. In terms of overflow management as required for high fronted guttering, there is to some extent a lack of fit between the performance requirements of the BCA and the Deemed to Satisfy options. Designers and installers have not necessarily been provided with appropriately predictable and objective methods for addressing overflow regarding high fronted guttering, thus proving compliance has not been easy to accurately address (especially the performance requirement that water should not enter the dwelling based on the 100 year ARI). There is also general concern by the Committee of an apparent lack of understanding and adherence in the industry concerning the use of Deemed to Satisfy solutions – mainly the calculation methods involved in specifying the gutter size and number of downpipes to suit the roof area for a given 20 year ARI. Though evidence here is limited (refer to Section 07.3 on Operation Flow), there is concern about a lack of downpipes. Whilst such problems affect the compliance of all guttering systems trying to meet Deemed to Satisfy compliance, it is clear that high fronted guttering is more sensitive to the effects of such problems due to the ramifications that a lack of downpipe drainage has on overflow entry into a building. To an unknown extent, informal overflow mechanisms that are not normally counted in overflow 32
Page 1 and 2: High Front Guttering Advisory Commi
Page 3 and 4: Mr Warwick Neilley Warwick has exte
Page 5 and 6: Executive Summary High fronted gutt
Page 7 and 8: overflow rates for their preferred
Page 9 and 10: 1 Background The following includes
Page 11 and 12: were received including six from ma
Page 13 and 14: from the tidal “head” to preven
Page 15 and 16: The performance requirement that wa
Page 17 and 18: them has confused rather than clari
Page 19 and 20: Inspectors advised that all homes e
Page 21 and 22: the public about risk mitigation st
Page 23 and 24: downpipes and downpipe location req
Page 25 and 26: location of the downpipe along the
Page 27 and 28: Gutter capacity based on ARI HIGH F
Page 29 and 30: strengthening the roles and respons
Page 31: 15 Training, Licensing and Associat
Page 35 and 36: Slots Conclusion: Slots for overflo
Page 37 and 38: AS3500 that have a bearing on the i
Page 39 and 40: 1.7 The consultation outlined above
Page 41 and 42: Government and Regulatory bodies:
Page 43 and 44: The fact that both the BCA and the
Page 45 and 46: greywater diversion to be carried o
Page 47 and 48: Appendix D - Chronology of changes
Page 49 and 50: BCA Date of adoption in NSW BCA 96
Page 51 and 52: BCA Date of adoption in NSW BCA 200
Page 53: Published by NSW Fair Trading © St

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