Page 222 - The City and Guilds Textbook: Plumbing Book 1 for the Level 3 Apprenticeship (9189), Level 2 Technical Certificate (8202) and Level 2 Diploma (6035)

The City & Guilds Textbook: Plumbing Book 1

Limits to personal authority

As with most trades, plumbing follows a set pattern with regard to the roles
and responsibilities of the qualified operatives. Each member of the team will
have certain expectations placed on them by the management of the company
or organisation. It follows, therefore, that the higher the qualification, the more
responsibility will be given, as described in Table 4.2.

 Table 4.2 Limits of authority by professional level
Apprentice plumber Has very little responsibility with regard to plumbing installations.
Initially under constant supervision from the plumber they work with.
As they gain experience they may work on simple installations and maintenance tasks.
Responsible for maintaining the company image with regard to timekeeping, appearance and customer care.
Their main task is learning their trade to the best of their ability.
Trained plumber Domestic plumbers qualified up to NVQ Diploma Level 2 are able to install ‘non-complex’ hot and cold
water systems, as well as domestic sanitation pipework and basic central heating pipework, only under
regular supervision.
They may also have some responsibility for improving business products and services.
Advanced plumber Domestic plumbers qualified up to NVQ Diploma Level 3 have much more responsibility than those at Level 2.
At Level 3 they will be gas qualified and may be included on the company Gas Safe registration.
They are capable of running their own jobs, taking responsibility for domestic hot and cold water, and
domestic heating installations, and working on their own initiative without supervision.
They will be able to undertake unvented hot water installations and work to the Water, Gas and Building
Regulations.
They may also have responsibility for improving business products and services, and initiating some basic
system design.
Plumbing supervisor Plumbing supervisors will have many years’ experience.
They are capable of design and installation across a broad spectrum of systems, and have knowledge of
the Regulations and British Standards.
They will have good managerial and organisational skills, and will hold at least a Level 3 in Plumbing and
sometimes a Level 5 qualification, e.g. an HNC in Building Services Engineering.
They will also have responsibility for improving business products and services, and overall responsibility
for the operatives and installations under their supervision.

Legislation and guidance information

There are many sources of information and forms of legislation that your
employer (and you, the employee) must be aware of and follow. (All relevant
health and safety legislation is covered in detail in Chapter 1, Health and safety
practices and systems). The main legislation, regulations and guidance are
summarised below.

The Equality Act 2010
The Equality Act came into force in October 2010. This Act provides a single
legal framework with clear, simplified law in order to be more effective at
tackling disadvantage and discrimination. It was implemented by the Equality
and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). The EHRC was formed on 1 October
2007 and has responsibility for the promotion and enforcement of equality and
non-discrimination laws in England, Scotland and Wales.

210

9781510416482.indb 210 29/03/19 8:56 PM