03 9888 2887
Australia is a country that is growing rapidly. The 2016 census, released by Australian Bureau of Statistics, found Australia’s population has grown by 8.8 per cent to 24.4 million people since the last time it was measured in 2011. If you live in Melbourne or Sydney, the city landscape scattered with cranes and construction sites is so normal you probably don’t even notice it anymore.
Rapid population growth equals rapid expansion of both the central business district and suburbs. While this exciting expansion has offered a tremendous amount of opportunity for the city, it also comes with risks in how quickly growth is occurring.
A construction site may just seem like large metal building machines and concrete blocks, but behind what is visible to the eye are hundreds of specialists, tradesman, and essential regulations. A recent concern to the Senate from Master Plumbers is how regulations are being upheld amidst such fast-moving growth. Below is a quick look at the concern, how it could impact you, and what needs to be done.
The Issue
Master Plumbers is a national plumber advocacy group, representing the majority of plumbers nationwide. The group is in charge of setting, implementing and monitoring regulations to ensure top quality, safe and reliable plumbing systems.
It has come to the Master Plumbers attention that there is a growing number of tradesmen who are willing to work outside the regulations, ignoring legal requirements and standards. Master Plumbers are losing work to those willing to ignore regulations, and the impact could be devastating to the end user.
The Impact
The CEO of Master Plumbers recently appealed to the Senate about this concern.
He emphasized the importance of plumbing for personal and commercial uses. In addition, he highlighted the impact that a failure in the regulatory system could have on a family, a business and the community. The end user of a plumbing system does not have control of who constructs the systems, but any fault in the system is a health and safety risk.
The Solution
Master Plumbers, in their appeal to the Senate, offer the following solutions to the issue:
- Retain and enhance the Watermark approval scheme
- Ensure the product supplied is the same as the product tested
- Implement point of sale controls
- Implement inspection and enforcement of installation, design, and workmanship
- Ensure mandatory follow up on installation
What can you do?
If you are involved in the construction of a new building, ensure the plumbers hired are members of Master Plumbers. If you are moving into a newly constructed building as a residential or commercial tenant, ask for information on who managed the implementation of the plumbing systems. Asking questions and ensuring systems were installed according to legal regulations may be awkward at first, but not as awkward as the plumbing system failing in the middle of a huge meeting with your biggest client!
Most of us are not involved in the construction business, so what goes into building a structure from the ground up is lost on us. Highly-experienced tradesmen, thoroughly detailed plans, and stringent regulations are necessary to ensure the final product is safe and well-constructed.
The rapid growth in Australia is posing challenges and risks for ensuring all implementation is regulated adequately. This inquiry to the Senate from the Master Plumbers provides a great example of how to avoid risk by ensuring qualified, certified tradesmen are hired to do each and every job in the construction process.
To avoid issues associated with plumbing that does not comply with regulations, you should always ensure that your plumber is fully-accredited, experienced and trusted within their field. Contact O’Shea Plumbing today for an extensive, professional range of plumbing maintenance and repair services across Melbourne.