The Office of the Auditor General. 3 Enforcement. 2 Understanding. A word from the Chair. The Office of the Auditor General s report has been released

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1 MAY Newsletter A word from the Chair The Office of the Auditor General s report has been released The Office of the Auditor General (OAG) has released its report entitled Inquiry into the Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Board: Follow-up report. The report records how the Board has moved from being the poor performing organisation it was in 2010 to an organisation that is now performing well. The following extract from the report sums it up. In 2013, we found a significantly changed and improved organisation, which had largely delivered a challenging programme of work to remedy the problems that we had found during our original inquiry. The 2010 report contained 15 recommendations to the Board. This follow up report identifies only one significant issue from these where it considers more work needs to happen and that is on exemption holders working under supervision. The Board will be giving careful consideration to this suggestion. The follow up review by the OAG began in late September 2013 and the final report was tabled in Parliament in late May. The report does not make any formal recommendations but does contain several suggestions. The significance of this is that it shows the OAG does not see the need for follow up reviews in the future. However, the Board has no intention of being complacent and thinking the job is complete. We will continue to look for ways to improve our policies and processes. Quality improvement never reaches its end. This report provides a reliable commentary on how the current Board is performing that can be considered objective and accurate. Many of you will have already read the report and for those who have not, it can be found on the home page of the Board s website at Finally, I would like to recognise the staff of the OAG for their professionalism and the way in which the review was undertaken. The process was thorough and consultative, and communication was excellent. Peter Jackson Board Chair 2 Understanding the requirements of supervision. 3 Enforcement projects and the licence statistics. Q&A s around 4 industry standards. GAS SAFETY AWARENESS Help squeeze out 5 illegal operators in your area fast.

2 Good supervision is important Understanding supervision REQUIREMENTS NEED TO BE UNDERSTOOD BY BOTH SUPERVISORS AND SUPERVISEES Good supervision is important. It makes sure people who are not qualified, or not experienced enough to work on their own, perform work competently and the necessary safety measures are implemented. A brief guide to supervision requirements Supervision of a limited certificate trainee Limited certificate trainees are trainees who are enrolled in a training agreement to complete their National Certificate and become registered. For their first year they must work in the presence (within line of sight or ear shot) of their supervisor, they cannot be left on a job on their own. The supervisor must ensure that work is carried out competently, in a safe manner and that the work is compliant. A limited certificate trainee can test and commission a system if their supervisor believes they are competent to do so. Supervision of exempted persons working under supervision Exempted persons are usually not qualified or registered and they must work in the presence (within line of sight or ear shot) of their supervisor for their first two years. This is to make sure that work is carried out competently, in a safe manner and that the work is compliant. Exempted persons working in the gasfitting trade can work on pipework and associated fittings, but they cannot work on a system that is live and they cannot test and commission a system. Supervision of a registered tradesperson in the licensed class of registration The main responsibility of a certifying tradesperson supervising registered tradespeople is to ensure they are working on jobs they are capable of doing and that the work they do is safe and compliant. If a supervisor is supervising a registered person who is not employed by them the same supervision requirements still apply. The licensing section of the Boards website: is another handy resource for a quick reference for the things you need to know about supervision. Page 02

3 Have you relicenced? National licence checks on building projects are underway Central Otago enforcement PLEASING RESULTS IN QUEENSTOWN AND WANAKA Another successful licence check in the Central Otago region has picked up an additional three illegal operators. The Board visited new domestic subdivisions and several construction sites during the enforcement project that covered both Wanaka and Queenstown. As was the case with the previous licence checks conducted this year, support was strong towards this initiative at the sites visited and the reception was positive and 2014 / 15 Relicensing update NUMBERS ARE UP IN EVERY CATEGORY FROM TRAINEES TO CERTIFIERS welcoming. Carried out over two days, the enforcement project included a stakeholder meeting in Cromwell hosted by the Central Otago Master Plumbers. Here the Board helped clarify confusion around the current certification requirements for gasfitting work. The Board also meet with the local territorial authority to raise awareness of the Board s ask for the card campaign and licence requirements. At last count (12 May) there have been 10,034 authorisations and licences renewed this licensing year to date. The number of authorisations issued is up by 14.87% compared to the same time last year. The new licensing year started on the 1st April. If you haven t relicensed yet, you are working illegally. The relicensing process is easy. You can renew online if you have an online profile set up at If not, to get one organised. You can also complete a relicensing application form that you can download from the licensing section of the website, or give the licensing team a call on to request a form to be sent out to you. Page 03

4 Strength in numbers Questions & Answers What is the role of Standards New Zealand (NZ) in the industry and how do they develop their standards? It's all about the quality and safety of trade practices Standards NZ is the operating arm of the Standards Council. They are responsible for developing and distributing industry quality and safety standards for a wide range of sectors across the country. They also work closely with standards Australia to develop joint standards (AS/NZS), and take part in developing international standards (ISO and IEC). Standards NZ rely on the expertise of committees when putting together standards. They are made up of organisations and industries that have the knowledge, and representation of interests relevant to the standards being created. The aim of these committees is to ensure standards are technically sound, fit for purpose, widely supported and recognised. Part of the process also involves consensus decision making, consultation with sectors, and consideration of public comments. They also regularly review standards to ensure they remain up-to-date and relevant. Current licence holders can view some of the relevant industry standards on-line for free. Use your Trade login on the home page of the Board s website. Do I have to comply with all standards? Compliance with standards is voluntary, unless they are cited in Acts or Regulations as a means of compliance or acceptable solutions. For example, the Building Code cites plumbing and drainage standards such as the AS/NZS 3500 series. The Gas (Safety and Measurement) Regulations cite a number of gas installation and appliance safety standards, such as AS/NZS Where does Standards NZ get revenue from? Standards NZ is a self-funded not-for-profit crown entity. Revenue for developing standards comes from contracts with sponsors plus sales of standards and other publications. How do I get hold of a standard? Go to the trade login on the Board s website ( and click on the Standards NZ logo. These are the standards covered by your licence fee that are free to view in PDF format. Hard-copy and digital (PDF) versions of these and other standards, are bought directly from Standards New Zealand. Hit the shop button at the top of the page when you log-in through the Board s website. To find other standards you may need search on the Standards NZ website ( This will identify which standards are current. You can find standards that are cited in regulations by clicking on the Search and buy standards tab on the top navigation bar of their website and select the Standards and Law tab. If a particular standard is cited in regulations, you will find a citations drop down box on the web page. Page 04

5 GAS SAFETY AWARENESS THERE S AN IPAD UP FOR GRABS! Strength in numbers The Board is partnering with the LPG Assoc, Gas Association NZ, Energy Safety and the Environmental Protection Authority to help spread the gas safety message and alert the public to the dangers of using unauthorised tradespeople through an on-line and social media campaign. This is another opportunity for practitioners and stakeholders to get on-board and spread important industry messages to consumers. There is always strength in numbers. The more individuals and influencers that get on-board the faster the message spreads throughout the on-line community. Spreading the ask for the card campaign message has proved to be an effective way to squeeze out illegal operators and alert Squeeze out illegal operators in your area. If you want campaign stickers comms@pgdb.co.nz consumers to the associated potential health and safety risks. It can be frustrating for competent, ethical and responsible tradespeople who have to work alongside the illegal operators in their community. Each month the list of practitioners grows who are backing the campaign by displaying stickers, making use of signage and advertising the value of the licence. The message is becoming widespread and the campaign is gaining momentum. Alongside distribution of promotional material to the industry the Board also takes part in media activity. Partnering with this industry gas safety campaign that supports ask for the card can only spread the message faster and expand the geographical spread of the campaign. How do I take part and when is it happening? Get the weblink SIMPLE. JUMP ON-LINE, ENTER THE COMPETITION, SHARE THE MESSAGE The consumer section of the Board s website will have all the links soon that will direct you to the Living Safely with Gas campaign when it goes live (mid June). We ll send you an alert once this happens. The key to the success of an on-line campaign is sharing the message and consumer interaction. This is easy to achieve by directing people to the safety message and facebook competition. You can also use this campaign to keep your website active over the next month. Contact comms@pgdb.co.nz for an ask for the card website image and link to direct your customers straight from your own website. Page 05

6 The 2014 stakeholder survey results are in Stakeholder survey MEASURING THE SATISFACTION OF TRADESPEOPLE In February, the Board completed its annual survey that measures satisfaction levels of tradespeople with the services provided by the Board. The survey carried out by the National Research Bureau, selects 401 tradespeople at random to take part. This survey also captures opinion on how the Board could continue to raise industry satisfaction levels in the service categories considered. The categories the Board surveys are; general service and communications consultation registration and licensing. This year s survey result shows the Board has continued to achieve high levels of satisfaction across the industry. The following results are a percentage of the total number of people who answered each question and the bar charts outline the percentage of satisfied tradespeople (combined total of those very and fairly satisfied). General service 31.1% of the survey respondents confirmed that they had contacted the Board in the last six months (Q1). 83.3% showed satisfaction with the overall standard of service received (Q.2E). 89.7% liked the way the Board s staff greeted them (Q.2A). 87.3% were happy with the way their needs were understood (Q,2B). 82.5% thought the accuracy of information the Board gave them was also satisfactory (Q. 2C). 85.7% liked the speed in which the Board responded (Q.2D). 89.7% 87.3% 82.5% 85.7% 83.3% Page 06

7 General communications 82.5% 91.8% Most participants (82.5%) were satisfied with the provision of information provided by the Board in % also thought the range and level of information in the Board s newsletter was satisfactory. remained as the preferred channel for communications from the Board. Consultation Of the total participants in the survey: 61% were satisfied with the level of information provided (Q.12A) 62% were happy with the timeliness of the information provided (Q.12B) 54.1%%were satisfied with how the Board communicated final decisions and their reasons for them (Q.12C). 61% 62% 54.1% Registration and licensing 2014 was the first year that continuing professional development came in to effect for plumbers and drainlayers to relicense. 66.8% of tradespeople were satisfied with the licensing or the registration process. 74.1% of those surveyed found text messages helpful to remind them of important dates, such as relicensing. 66.8% Page 07

8 Stakeholder survey cont/... CONTINUING TO RAISE SATISFACTION LEVELS Respondents provided a wide-range of feedback when asked what changes could the Board make in continuing to raise satisfaction levels across the industry. All suggestions were considered by the Board and the following actions address points raised in the survey. Service: The nature of the comments submitted for the communications section suggested their is still confusion around what the primary role of the Board is - to protect the health and safety of the public. Board actions; use every opportunity in communications to correct any misconception about the role of the Board. Describe what the role of the Board is in comparison to a membership organisation simplify and improve communications. Ensure changes to Board processes and how these effect tradespeople are well communicated. Communications: The 2014 survey showed an increase in those commenting that the Board needs to continue to lift its frequency and level of information. The preference for receiving information was . Board actions; send important information and industry alerts often by ensure information is communicated clearly and in an easy read style. Complicated issues will continue to be explained simply hold further regional public meetings continue industry engagement through enforcement projects (licence checks). Consultation: Comments in the survey identified opportunities where the Board could continue to improve how it communicates during the consultation process. Board actions; maintain campaigns advising tradespeople about consultations send out text alerts two weeks before a consultation closes continue to highlight current consultations in the Boards industry newsletter - Info Brief communicate decisions clearly and transparently through campaigns, Info Brief and the website continue with the longer submission period of 8 weeks where possible to help ensure the information is available, received and processed by a large portion of the industry. Licensing and registration: 36% of participants surveyed identified opportunities for improvement in the licensing process. The nature of most comments were around the Board s fees structure and the CPD scheme. Board actions; greater clarification to be provided around the Board s fee structure in communications continued communication around the importance of CPD being a means to assist in upholding and improving the competence of registered tradespeople continue to provide clear communication around the relicensing process through campaigns, Info Brief and the website review the licensing process and payment options each year to see if the system can be made simpler or more advanced as new technology and systems come to the market. Page 08