High front guttering advisory committee report - NSW Fair Trading ...
High front guttering advisory committee report - NSW Fair Trading ... High front guttering advisory committee report - NSW Fair Trading ...
12. That NSW Fair Trading, NSW TAFE, manufacturers and industry bodies also develop appropriate training programs for existing licence holders including top up training to meet any perceived knowledge gap and continuous education and training programs. 13. That NSW Fair Trading undertake an audit of the extent to which installers hold appropriate licences, and take appropriate enforcement action on unlicensed installers. 14. That NSW Fair Trading take on the role of issuing direct advice to all relevant licence holders of changes made to the BCA (and National Construction Code in the near future) and AS3500 that have a bearing on the installation of gutters and downpipes, and that contract holders be required to acknowledge that they have received such direct advice as part of maintaining their status as a licensed contactor in NSW. 7
1 Background The following includes paraphrased points from the “Terms of Reference” contained in Appendix A. • High fronted guttering systems have been supplied and fitted on a widespread basis across Australia for almost 20 years. The BCA provides a legislated basis for setting minimum mandatory levels of guttering performance. The BCA provides different methods of providing appropriate building solutions that comply with performance requirements. Deemed to Satisfy options include the BCA’s own Acceptable Construction Practices and Australian Standard AS3500. Both options state the need for guttering systems to adequately manage overflow from gutters. • In 2008, claims were made by a building practitioner that high fronted guttering design and installation methods, in widespread use throughout NSW, did not meet BCA requirements. Concerns were particularly raised about the adequacy of slots in high fronted guttering as the single, appropriate overflow measure. • NSW Fair Trading is of the view that slots in high fronted guttering are only one of a range of measures advised in the BCA and in AS3500 for dealing appropriately with overflow. Overflow systems must be designed and installed in compliance with meeting BCA performance requirements. • Nevertheless in response to the claims made in 2008, NSW Fair Trading convened a forum with all major industry stakeholders, insurers, manufacturers and government agencies. The forum concluded that there was no evidence at hand to suggest that high fronted guttering was a systemic failure issue in NSW i.e. the forum did not uncover any evidence to suggest that the installation of high fronted guttering was creating widespread overflow problems leading to water ingress into residential buildings in either NSW or elsewhere in Australia. • Notwithstanding, the forum did conclude that an amendment to the BCA was required to remove its existing advice on “slotted guttering”. The forum was of the view that the existing reference to slotted guttering in the BCA may mislead building practitioners into believing that slotted gutters on their own would satisfy the BCA’s performance requirements. NSW Fair Trading made a representation to the Australian Building Codes Board that this matter be addressed. • In addition to holding the forum, NSW Fair Trading and other NSW agencies implemented the following measures: o in conjunction with the Master Plumbers Association of NSW produced a circular to remind roof plumbers about the codes and standards for installing gutters; o placed installation guidelines with example diagrams from AS3500 on its website; o wrote to over 150 councils across NSW reminding them of the need for council certifiers to check guttering against the codes and standards and inviting them to forward the details of any cases where it was believed that property damage has occurred due to inadequate gutters; o consulted with builders and tradespersons at trade seminars during 2008-2009; o discussed the issue with regulators from other States and Territories; and 8
- 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: overflow rates for their preferred
- 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 and 32: 15 Training, Licensing and Associat
- Page 33 and 34: there is insufficient knowledge in
- 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
12. That <strong>NSW</strong> <strong>Fair</strong> <strong>Trading</strong>, <strong>NSW</strong> TAFE, manufacturers and industry bodies also develop<br />
appropriate training programs for existing licence holders including top up training to meet<br />
any perceived knowledge gap and continuous education and training programs.<br />
13. That <strong>NSW</strong> <strong>Fair</strong> <strong>Trading</strong> undertake an audit of the extent to which installers hold<br />
appropriate licences, and take appropriate enforcement action on unlicensed installers.<br />
14. That <strong>NSW</strong> <strong>Fair</strong> <strong>Trading</strong> take on the role of issuing direct advice to all relevant licence<br />
holders of changes made to the BCA (and National Construction Code in the near future)<br />
and AS3500 that have a bearing on the installation of gutters and downpipes, and that<br />
contract holders be required to acknowledge that they have received such direct advice as<br />
part of maintaining their status as a licensed contactor in <strong>NSW</strong>.<br />
7
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