I assume you are speaking of IPI installations?  ESS has a sheet on their website which tells you the checks that must be carried out - there is a checklist to download that you fill in.  We come across these about three times a year sometimes more.  The biggest thing to check for is rodent damage. We download the checklist fill it in and provide the customer with a copy along with the invoice.  Obviously you take the necessary action when there is a problem, where necessary we talk them in to re-piping.  Many consumers are unaware that this "experiment" was carried out and that there home was one of the ones done in this type of piping with high pressure.

Not sure that the Federation would want to go this way and get into CPD training, but if someone would like to make a powerpoint presentation from the ESS information I would be happy (for a non-monetary acknowledgement in the course) to convert it to a format where it can be loaded onto this website and prepare the required documentation etc and have it approved by the board. Would then need to have a volunteer to mark assessments and forward the results to the Board, and maybe a smooth talking volunteer to do the voice recording if you wanted one.
Cheers
Grant

Grant - I think you may misunderstand the Federation's stance on upskilling.  They are all for upskilling that is necessary - not bullshit upskilling where sales reps get to push their products and call it upskilling.  In fact the Federation went to the PGDB and strongly suggested that it should be mandatory for all gasfitters to attend a course in person, or on line on the new gas code and regulations - they believed that his was clearly "matters necessary to.." under Section 32.   They thought all gasfitters should do a course such as this before the next licensing year - there was a clear reason for doing it as codes and regs had changed, it was in the interests of both the practitioner and the public - but the Board didn't seem interested.  Why?  Clearly because if they prescribed a course such as this they might have to fund it.  Much better to lean on suppliers to fund the courses and therefore also let them decide what is needed and create glorified sales pitches.  Let gasfitters repeat the same courses year after year after year - because of course this makes them much safer practitioners as far as the public are concerned (queue the Tui Advert about now).  So the Federation are for true upskilling - where new things are taught, or in the case of the IPI installations - where knowledge is sought.

The information on the ESS website is probably only known by older gasfitters who might have been around with the IPI systems were installed in what was another failed experiment (this time by energy companies) and they had rodent attacks on a few of the pipes, but as you can imagine with high pressure gas this was a grave concern.  Those gasfitters who are "full time" gasfitters probably come across it (in fact we've had two in the last two weeks), but generally we encourage consumers to re-pipe. 

The ESS check sheet is a must have if you come across an installation - it must be filled in we give a copy to the customer, keep one ourselves and also provide one for ESS.  They are particularly interested if there is a sign of rodents (we have only seen what may have been a rodent attack on one house next to a bush reserve).

Now we need someone computer savvy to take you up on your offer.  I would commend this type of training to all gasfitters, and I am sure the Federation would as well.  Much better than sitting for two hours and hearing how to crimp pipes (just in case you didn't know).

Hello Grant and fellow practitioners

Grant - on behalf of the Federation I would like to accept your generous offer of developing the training package.

The Federation is not a supporter of the Boards points scheme so there is no need to have it approved by the Board. It will be refreshing to have a course and information out there that is necessary for practitioners and is purely for knowledge and upskilling.

Thanks very much Grant. We look forward to seeing the final product.

Regards


Wal Gordon
wal.gordon@xtra.co.nz