November 2006
- WPG Conference
- IPHE Conference 2007
- Put pressure on government
- Safe Plumbing and Heating
- The silent killer
- Apprentice Route
- Royal Charter Petition
Another successful conference
The IPHE’s Women in Plumbing Group held another successful conference on 22nd November at the Union Jack Club, London. This is the fourth year that delegates from around the UK have packed out the Gascoigne Room.
In the morning session, Michelle Dow - Resourcing Officer Diversity, British Gas – gave a humorous talk on her experiences in the industry. She was accompanied by Jennie Dean (recently qualified) and Sadie Barber who had been with British Gas since she was 16.
Delegates had the chance to discuss a variety of topics in the interactive session, which were based on the common misconceptions of why women may not be suitable to have careers as plumbing and heating engineers. After lunch Richard Duggleby from Yellow Pages, gave a talk on promoting excellence.
Sandy Rhys Jones OBE, talked about the changing face of the industry. She told delegates that more women are taking up jobs in construction, but there is still a disparity in pay.
Tina Huelin, creator of Handy Woman Ltd, spoke of her struggle to bring up a family on her own at the same time as starting her fast growing business.
The last speaker, Baroness Fritchie DBE, was inspiring. The Baroness had also struggled to bring up a family on her own and even though she had left school without qualifications she has achieved so much through sheer determination to better herself. Today she is the recipient of honorary degrees from the Universities of York, Southampton, Oxford Brookes, St Andrews, Queen’s Belfast and The Open University and Hull University and holds Fellowships from the University of Gloucestershire and the City and Guilds.
Barbara Field, Chairwoman for the Women in Plumbing Group said: “Everyone is so energised by these conferences. It’s a great opportunity for people in the industry to find out how beneficial it is to have diversity in the workforce.”
ENDS (312 WORDS)
NOVEMBER 2006
Win your place at the IPHE Conference 2007
Delegates booking a place at the 2007 Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering’s Annual Conference will have the opportunity of entering a Prize Draw and have the cost of their weekend repaid. All bookings received by 31 January 2007 will be entered into the Draw, and the winning entry will be picked at the Gala Dinner on Saturday 2 June, 2007. All bookings received by that date will also qualify for a £20 discount – further details can be found on the application form.
The 2007 event will take place at the newly refurbished Paramount Hinckley Island Hotel, Leicester, from Friday 1 June to Sunday 3 June. The Hinckley Island Hotel boasts excellent conference facilities and space for exhibition stands. Conscious of the demands on delegates time, next year’s conference will be slightly shorter than in the past, starting at lunchtime on the Friday with the AGM in the afternoon and the opening of the traditional IPHE Conference Exhibition. The exhibition will be open from 4pm to 7pm to allow delegates plenty of time to visit stands and talk to exhibitors. There will be plenty of exhibition space available and Industrial Associates who have not already booked space are invited to do so.
Following the resounding success of the Institute’s Centenary Conference and Exhibition held in Torquay this year, the 2007 Conference continues the theme of meeting the challenges of the future. Under the theme title of ‘Directives for Innovation’, Saturday will offer delegates a programme of papers that will take a look at the opportunities and challenges available to plumbing and heating engineers based on the many new technologies, products and regulations in this sector. A line-up of influential and respected industry people have been invited to participate in what promises to be another rewarding and motivating day.
What hasn’t changed, however, is Conference will still be open to delegates’ partners and children – who now form an important part of this prestigious event. An exciting programme of social events including a ‘partners and children’ programme and the much loved Gala Dinner are being organised, so don’t miss this opportunity to once again mix business and pleasure, meet old friends and colleagues from the industry and make new ones.
Conference will also be opened up to non-members as it is important to spread the benefits of IPHE membership to a wider audience and in doing so, encourage new people to join.
Easy to get to from most parts of the UK, the Hinckley Island Hotel is situated just off the M69, within easy reach of the M6 and M1 motorways, sitting on the A5. It lies in an area steeped with history with many places of interest to visit including Warwick Castle, Twyford Zoo, and the Natural Space Centre, while the famous Birmingham Bull Ring and Mail Box shopping centres are not far away.
Secure your place now and be entered into the Prize Draw by contacting the Conference Organisers for further details: John Grear and Barbara Field, JGMM, Sunny Bank House, 56a The Fleet, Belper DE56 1NU; Email: iphe@jgmm.co.uk; Tel: (9am to 5.30pm only) 01959 575936 or 01708 472791.
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NOVEMBER 2006
Put pressure on government
The Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (IPHE) is in full support of the findings of the coalition of conservation and angling groups.
“We have been saying the same things for a long time,” said Blane Judd, Chief Executive of the IPHE. “Now that there are a number of organisations sharing and voicing the same concerns, hopefully we can take this opportunity to collaborate with these organisations and use our combined expertise to come up with the solutions.
Water is the most precious commodity we have. Pressure needs to be put on the government to put policies in place now to address these environmental issues, not a few years down the line when there are major problems.
One of the issues that has been raised is the discharge of waste water that should be discharged into foul drains, but due to the ignorance or misunderstanding of non-professionals and DIY plumbers it is being discharged into surface water drains, which ultimately leads to the pollution of rivers, lakes and streams.
As the Professional Body for the Plumbing and Heating Industry, the IPHE believes that fining polluters alone is not the solution. This is not a preventative measure, the only way to prevent these problems from occurring is to ensure that plumbing installations are only carried out by professionals.
Perhaps the time has come for the Government to revisit the need for the Statutory Registration of Plumbers.”
ENDS (239 WORDS)
NOVEMBER 2006
How safe is your plumbing and heating system?
With yet another case of severe scalding hitting the headlines, in this case a ten month old baby with 85% burns to her body, many householders may wonder if it could happen to them. In all probability it shouldn’t, but The Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (IPHE) is urging the public to get a professional to check the heating and plumbing system on an annual basis or if they are moving into a different property.
Dale Courtman, Technical Director, said: “Unfortunately some homeowners neglect to have their boilers serviced on an annual basis, if at all, so anyone moving into the property could be inheriting an unsafe boiler. Also, the previous owners/tenants might have tried to save money by carrying out plumbing themselves that does not comply with the Water or Building Regulations.”
To find a plumber or heating engineer registered with the IPHE either visit www.iphe.org.uk or ring 01708 472791, 9am – 5pm, Monday to Friday.
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NOVEMBER 2006
The silent killer
Recent events have brought the dangers of Carbon Monoxide (CO) yet again to the forefront of the news. The saddest thing about Carbon Monoxide poisoning is that it can be avoided, many CO deaths are the result of man-made error: a lack of maintenance of appliances, or incompetent installation and servicing of appliances. The Institute of Plumbing & Heating Engineering (IPHE) has the following advice to those wishing to avoid the dangers of this deadly gas.
• Only ever use people to install/service appliances who have the correct qualifications and experience to do so. Membership of the Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering ensures your installer meets strict knowledge and competency criteria, while registration with CORGI allows him/her to work with gas. For CORGI registered professional engineers visit www.iphe.org.uk, email info@iphe.org.uk or phone 01708 463100.
• Ensure rooms holding gas appliances have adequate ventilation.
• Regular Servicing of your gas central heating system and appliances will help reduce the risk. As well as protecting against the threat of CO poisoning, yearly servicing will ensure your heating system has a longer, more fuel efficient life.
• Carbon Monoxide is odourless, tasteless and colourless. To detect it you need a good quality CO detector, preferably with an audible alarm so you can be woken if asleep. CO detectors must never be used instead of an annual service. Make sure you read all instructions carefully before installing it and as with your smoke alarm, you should ensure that the batteries do not go flat.
• Use your eyes. CO is produced by the incomplete combustion of gas by household appliances. A yellow/orange variable flame is evidence of possible Carbon Monoxide presence. A ‘healthy’ flame should be crisp, vibrant and blue. If your appliance shows signs of sooting/staining and condensation is present in the room where the appliance is installed, these could also be signs of Carbon Monoxide being present.
• Symptoms are flu-like and can include headaches, drowsiness, weakness, nausea and pains in the chest.
For more information on Carbon Monoxide please visit the IPHE website www.iphe.org.uk/health/carbon_monoxide.html. The National Grid operates the National Gas Emergency Number (0800 111 999) across Great Britain. Reports or actual escapes of CO are responded to and made safe at no charge by the relevant Gas Transporter/Emergency Service Provider responsible for the network.
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NOVEMBER 2006
Apprenticeship is the route to take
Blane Judd, Chief Executive of the Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (IPHE), responded to the government’s proposal to increase the school leaving age to 18, by urging youngsters to consider taking up an apprenticeship.
“I don’t think enough is said about the benefits of taking the apprenticeship route,” said Blane. “It means that young people can learn valuable skills that will eventually earn them a good living and they will be paid while they study. In the plumbing and heating industry there are good opportunities for further career progression. With the right experience, men and women working on the tools can go on to teach vocational skills, go into consultancy or even end up as managing director of an influential organisation.
“The job market is flooded with graduates struggling to get a job because their degrees are not relevant to the career they want. If careers officers had given them an insight into what they could achieved by going down the apprenticeship route, they might have found a brighter future.”
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NOVEMBER 2006
Members say yes!
On Saturday 4th November, the executive staff at the Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (IPHE) were given the go ahead to petition for a Royal Charter by its members.
The outcome of the postal ballot was revealed at the Extraordinary General Meeting at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole Hotel. Over 98% had voted in favour of the proposal, which if achieved would raise the profile of the IPHE and its members.
Blane Judd, chief executive, said: “I’m pleased with the overwhelming and positive response we have received from the membership. It’s obvious that they are wholeheartedly in favour of gaining chartered status and we will work hard to achieve this goal. This will take time, but with the commitment from our members and the support from other organisations in the industry we are hopeful that the Institute will become chartered in the future.”
ENDS (146 WORDS)
NOVEMBER 2006