Looking for advice -

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Join Date: Jun 2009

Posts: 4

Don't know if this is the right place for this, but I suppose my enquiry is related to the knowledge gained on plumbing courses so here goes.

I'm a bit of a lapsed plumber. Served my apprenticeship between 1975 and 1980 and have dabbled on and off ever since.

I consider myself to have the practical skills (maybe not all) required for the job but where I definitely fall down is the theory and knowledge of current regs applicable to plumbing. As the industry seems to becoming more and more regulated this area would appear to be equally, if not more, important than practical ability.

Also the requirement to have a knowledge of health and safety hadn't crossed my mind.

Have already found a couple of good sounding books mentioned elsewhere on this site.

I am looking for suggestions for suitable reading material, either in hard copy format or on the internet. Internet would be preferable and while I agree that this website would probably answer all my questions I just haven't the time right now to peruse it all.

Not looking for gas or central heating stuff.

Any assistance would be most appreciated. Thanks.

 

look at the books daves promoting, there all very readable.

good luck
shaun

 

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Join Date: Jun 2009

Posts: 4

Hi migoplumber. Who's Dave and where will I find his books?

 

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Join Date: Jul 2007

Location: Sedgefield

Posts: 112

Ther you go mate
http://www.ukplumbersforums.co.uk/pl...-plumbers.html (Books for plumbers..)

 

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Join Date: Jun 2009

Posts: 4

Thanks for the link John t.

 

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Join Date: Mar 2009

Posts: 962

Err!

Freebies!

Download Water Regs guidance documents.

Gas Regs guidance documents.

Building Regs guidance documents.

Then anything from UK Copper board. Arrow valves info good. Loads of stuff from boiler, PVC makers and so on.

Another good site is the US Engineers Toolbox for formula's. Just convert to metric if they don't already have metric.

The problem with a books is that sometimes they are out of date. So read them then look for current Regs

The thing is of course is that it all takes time to find. To me the lot should all be on one easily accessible website free for all to read. Lets be honest employers want you to work in the game, people want your products and manufacturers want to sell you stuff and governments want you to follow regs.

The thing is, in the UK most people seem to want to sell you the information of how to do things, instead of telling you for free, and then letting you work in the game and buy the products, following the Regs.

The British Standards are so dear its mad. What are you supposed to do guess what they are? I looked up BS 6700, it costs about £380.
Madness for the individual to buy and study so we can improve standards.

Gas courses are priced in thousands, to get a few modules that would allow you to do a reasonable amount of work.

Years ago, I bought some CITB training notes about £12 a throw not bad for the time. Now they are about £80 plus.

The old BG would give you free virtually anything they had, now its measured in loads of money.

So if work standards are slipping then ask why is information so dear, for those who want it and which they perhaps need to improve their knowledge of the game?