Licensing of plumbing apprentices and contractors’ obligations in the transition process

This announcement is for: 
PlumberTradesperson

It has come to the attention of the Plumbers Licensing Board (the Board) that in a small number of cases plumbing apprentices who have completed their apprenticeships, and obtained the appropriate qualifications to apply for a plumbing tradespersons licence are continuing to work in the industry without obtaining the required licence to do so. This results in the former apprentice effectively carrying out unlicensed plumbing work in contravention to Regulation 9 of the Plumbers Licensing and Plumbing Standards Regulations 2000 (the Plumbing Regulations). Apprentices who have successfully completed their training contract and continue to carry out plumbing work must do so under the direction and control of a Licensed plumbing contractor (LPC), and must apply to the Board for a tradesperson’s licence within two weeks of successful completion of their apprenticeship training contract.  

Additionally, LPC’s have an obligation to ensure that persons who carry out plumbing work under their general direction and control are either licensed tradespersons,  LPCs in their own right or apprentices who are still within their training contract (subject to the two week grace period from completion to submitting an application for a tradespersons licence).      

LPCs who have plumbing work carried out under their direction and control are required to keep an up to date employee register of the persons performing the work, in accordance with Regulation 25B of the Plumbing Regulations. The record must be in the approved form, be kept at the LPC’s principal place of business and made available for inspection when required by one of the Board’s compliance officers.

Penalties apply for breaches to the Plumbing Regulations.

Building and Energy
Department News
26 Aug 2019

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