Page 25 - Plumbheat Magazine

Partnership will cover the whole of the UK and be led by employers from the plumbing and heating industry; the PHSP has taken over responsibility for the skills needs
of the industry following the closure of SummitSkills and this was the launch of its Business Plan.
Another PHSP UK event is planned for later in the year where a wide range of stakeholders will be invited to discuss how we can work collaboratively for the benefit of the plumbing industry.
Office Bearers Meeting – Edinburgh, 21 July
Meeting with the SNIPEF Office Bearers to update them on current activities, financial performance and various issues the team are involved with. This includes planning activities for 2017/2018, pensions, skills shortages and apprentice training.
Meeting With Vanessa Ingram, VI Pensions Law – Edinburgh, 27 July Meeting with Vanessa to discuss ongoing issues associated with the Industry Pension Scheme and in particular SNIPEF’s views on the recent Employer Bulletin which was issued by Plumbing Pensions UK Ltd to paticipating employers.
Regional Training Officers – Edinburgh, 2 August
There are currently five Regional Training Officers employed by SNIPEF Training Services Ltd who meet with and carry out regular reviews of apprentices undergoing training. June is always a busy time for
the Officers trying to ensure that those
in their 3rd year have completed all the training modules and enrolling new students wishing to undertake a Plumbing and Domestic Heating Apprenticeship. Contracts need to be agreed with colleges ahead of the academic year and quality standards adhered to ensure funding from Skills Development Scotland.
Shirley Williamson, Technical Officer
I attended the SEC Group Health and Safety Forum at the end of May where the key speaker was Kathryn Sinclair
of Healthy Working Lives. Kathryn
gave a thought-provoking and timely presentation on mental health and wellbeing. Kathryn will be visiting all first year apprentices in NHS Lothian to help increase awareness and get the message across that support is available for everyone who needs it. Training is also available for all employers who should see this area of wellbeing as just as important as any other physical health issue.
In June I delivered an ACCS refresher course and was pleased to see that the Certifiers are finding the Scheme an important factor in increasing business. Having the Scottish Government logo on the company van and headed paper is well worth the time and effort of attending the course. We are bringing the course to Aberdeen in October and I’m sure it will be well attended by those who are able to become Certifiers for the first time.
July saw the publication of the
latest Scottish Water Quality Report from the DWQR covering 2016. With 99.91% satisfactory water samples from consumers’ taps I’m sure performance in this respect can be viewed as a success over the year. There were 13 failed samples for lead (out of 1501) and as the cause for most lead found in domestic properties is pipework and fittings there is an opportunity for SNIPEF members
to help the DWQR with its project to reduce exposure to lead. We are still working with Scottish Water on this and a publication is due soon, so watch this space!
Martyn Raine, Technical Officer
Over the last three months I have organised and carried out a number Approved Certifier of Construction
Audits and Plumbing Industry Licensing Scheme Audits in Leven, Kirkcaldy, Perth, Dunbar and Edinburgh & surrounding areas.
I attended a Water Safe Board Meeting in Westminster, London at the beginning of July to discuss the current industry issues.
I have answered various technical enquiries for membership ranging from Legionella risk assessments on domestic systems, locations of appliance in and around fire escapes, Public Liability Insurance, training requirements
for Solar Thermal Hot Water and
water pressure supplied from Water Undertakers.
SNIPEF is currently working on producing a Sector Worker Scheme which will provide a register of recognised Installer of Point of Use Water Coolers, Commercial Catering Equipment and External Water Services. The Schemes will be hosted on the SNIPEF and WaterSafe websites under the heading “Water Support Services.
I have delivered Approved Certifier of Construction training for initial and refresher training, I have also delivered the BPEC Water Byelaws training, and both courses are proving popular due to plumbing companies wanting to be members of the Approved Certifier of Construction Scheme.
I attended the ‘Devil is in the
Detail’ Workshop facilitated by Local Authority Building Standards Scotland in conjunction with the Federation of Master Builders, the workshop tackled issues with non-compliance and allowed industry experts to feed back their thoughts on how non-compliance can be dealt with. There were also presentations from other industry experts on training, contractual law and Building Standards.
I have also been looking at the possibilities of creating and delivering
a distance learning system that will allow firms from around the country
to complete relevant training from distance and have some meetings with companies who provide this type of service in the coming weeks. As well
as that I have also been looking into options for creating digital paper work that can be used in connection with the Plumbing Industry Licensing Scheme, again I have meetings with companies who can provide this type of service. •
www.snipef.org
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