Technical Library

Download CPD handbooks from previous years below

• 2016 CPD
• 2017 CPD
• 2018 CPD

Take a look here 

Click through to the Legislation Hub 

In this hub we keep you informed on governing legislation and important compliance documents that assist you to keep it legal.

You can also find links to the policies adopted by the Board here.

• Take a look 

The definition of an arc flash is "an undesired electric discharge that travels through the air between conductors or from a conductor to a ground."

The arc flash is a part of an arc fault, which is an example of an electrical explosion caused by a low-impedance connection that goes through the air to the ground. 

When an arc flash occurs it creates a very bright light and intense heat.

In addition, it has the potential to create an arc blast, which can cause a traumatic force that can severely injure anyone in the area or damage anything nearby.

Go to the link below, which will give employees and management an overview of what needs to be done to keep safe around areas that can be dangerous.

• Arc flash guide

The Working together on health and safety presentation provides you with the basic facts you need to know about the Health and Safety at Work Act (HSWA). It covers the main concepts at a high level.

• Watch the video here

   

Supervision guidelines

Everything you need to know it get it right

Templates are included in this download

The burden of Legionnaires’ disease in New Zealand

(LegiNZ): a national surveillance study

Summary

Background Legionnaires’ disease is under-diagnosed because of inconsistent use of diagnostic tests and uncertainty
about whom to test.

We assessed the increase in case detection following large-scale introduction of routine PCR testing of respiratory specimens in New Zealand.

Methods LegiNZ was a national surveillance study done over 1-year in which active case-finding was used to maximise the identification of cases of Legionnaires’ disease in hospitals.

Respiratory specimens from patients of any age with pneumonia, who could provide an eligible lower respiratory specimen, admitted to one of 20 participating hospitals, covering a catchment area of 96% of New Zealand’s population, were routinely tested for legionella by PCR.

Additional cases of Legionnaires’ disease in the hospital were identified through mandatory notification.

Findings Between May 21, 2015, and May 20, 2016, 5622 eligible specimens from 4862 patients were tested by PCR.

From these, 197 cases of Legionnaires’ disease were detected. An additional 41 cases were identified from notification
data, giving 238 cases requiring hospitalisation.

The overall incidence of Legionnaires’ disease cases in hospital in the study area was 5·4 per 100 000 people per year, and Legionella longbeachae was the predominant cause, found in 150 (63%) of 238 cases.

Interpretation The rate of notified disease during the study period was three-times the average over the preceding 3 years.

Active case-finding through systematic PCR testing better clarified the regional epidemiology of Legionnaires’
disease and uncovered an otherwise hidden burden of disease.

These data inform local Legionnaires’ disease testing strategies, allow targeted antibiotic therapy, and help identify outbreaks and effective prevention strategies.

The same approach might have similar benefits if applied elsewhere in the world.
Funding Health Research Council of New Zealand.

Print the full study:

The burden of Legionnaires’ disease in New Zealand download

Advance your career and earning potential by upskilling

Associated Tradesperson 

Become an Associated Tradesperson. This class of registration sits under the Electrical Workers Registration Board (EWRB).

It allows registered plumbers and/or gasfitters to do a limited amount of restricted electrical work relating to their trade.

Those that hold this registration can do maintenance and replace fittings that have an electrical rating of not more than 250 volts and 16 amperes on a limited amount of appliances.

For example, an Associated Tradesperson Plumber can replace an element in a storage water heater; an Associated Tradesperson Gasfitter can replace electrical fittings that form part of gas fired equipment; or an Associated Tradesperson Plumber/Gasfitter can do both.

Find out more at

• www.ewrb.govt.nz

Independent Qualified Person (IQP) backflow prevention

Become an IQP for testing backflow prevention devices. An IQP can test the backflow prevention devices, but only an authorised plumber can install and repair them.

Becoming an IQP allows plumbers to expand the work which they are authorised to do. Testing is required every 12 months for many backflow prevention devices.

Therefore, becoming an IQP can add a regular income stream to a business. The territorial authority (e.g. your local council) determines who can become an IQP. Generally, a territorial authority will require training in backflow prevention then registering with them.

For more information contact your local council.

Become registered in all three trades 

Become registered in all three trades (plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying). Having an extra registration vastly increases your value to a company and the work which you can do.

This can save your business and your client money by not having to outsource to other tradespeople in order to complete work that requires the different authorisations.

If you don’t have your national certificate in all three trades (plumbing, gasfitting or drainlaying) contact The Skills Organisation for information on training.

In some cases, the training for the national certificate in another trade may take as little as 2-2 ½ years.

Contact 0508 Skills (0508 754 557)

Service Agent

Becoming a service agent opens up the earning potential for a tradesperson and/or company.

Many manufacturers require people to be a service agent in order to do maintenance on their products.

A person may be legally authorised to do maintenance on some products but in many circumstances, unless they are a service agent they void the warranty on the product.

If a person or company are wanting to upskill and become a service agent they should contact the manufacturer of the products they would like to service.

The manufacturer can guide them on what they require for someone to become a service agent for them.

Advance your career and earning potential by upskilling download