New Micro-renewables Training Centre Opened

A new Micro-renewables Training Centre, which will be amongst the first in Scotland to deliver the new Scottish Qualification Authority (SQA) level 3 certificate in Environmental Technologies has been opened by Jim Mather the Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism.

The centre which is based at the offices of SELECTin Midlothian, was supported by SNIPEF, HVCA, Skills Development Scotland and Vaillant and will offer Solar. Photovoltaic and Heat Pump courses. The first training courses will be run at the beginning of October.

In a further committment to the new technologies, from this year, all plumbing, heating and electrical apprentices will undertake a core environmental technologies component as part of their SVQ qualification. this will give all new entrants some basic knowledge and skills in the new technologies and how they work in practice. Furthermore apprentices in the plumbing and heating sector will be able to choose to undertake the SVQ Level 3 Certificate in solar panel and heat pump installations in the third year of their apprenticeship which means that they will be fully trained and competent when they complete their 4 year training programme.

Jim Mather, Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism (2nd right) with SNIPEF

President Tom Galloway, Robert Burgon, SNIPEF Director, Duncan Wilson, SNIPEF

Head of Training and Alan Wilson, Chair of the Scottish Microgneration Working Group.

SNIPEF Move To New Offices

SNIPEF has now moved to new offices. We are now based at Bellevue House, 22 Hopetoun Street, Edinburgh EH7 4GH. The telephone and email adresses remain unchanged.

Click here for a map showing the location of the new offices.

Plumbing Apprentice Wins National Competition

Alan Henderson an apprentice plumber from Moray College in Elgin has won the prestigious Scottish Regional SkillPlumb Competition, which was held in Borders College, Galashiels on the 4th and 5th June 2010.

The competition, which is organised by SNIPEF, brings together apprentices from each of the Technical Colleges and Training Centres in Scotland who teach the Plumbing SVQ Level 3 Qualification.  Alan was one of 17 competitors who took part in the two-day competition.

The SkillPlumb Competition has been devised to incorporate everyday plumbing tasks which an apprentice is likely to encounter during their training. The competition consists of two workshop exercises, a copper pipework exercise and a lead bossing and forming exercise.  In addition there is also a multiple choice exam paper on aspects of plumbing and heating work. 

At the prize giving ceremony held at Borders College, SNIPEF President Tom Galloway paid tribute to the hard work of the apprentices throughout the competition. He also thanked the host college for the work they had put in to make the competition such a success.

The prizes were awarded by Tom Galloway and Robert Beagley, Regional Director of Plumb Center who had donated all of the material for the copper pipe work exercise. Robert said “Plumb Center are pleased to continue its support for this important competition. The overall quality of work has been excellent and it augurs well for the future.”  “As a company we are fully behind these apprentices who undertake a proper apprenticeship in the industry”.  

Second place in the competition was won by Ben Tattersfield representing Ayr College, whilst Alistair Aird from Adam Smith College in Kirkcaldy finished third. The best lead work trophy was awarded to Liam Mutch from Inverness College.

Both Alan and Ben will now participate in the UK National SkillPlumb Competition which will be held at the Interbuild Exhibition in the NEC Birmingham in October.

Alan Henderson with SNIPEF President, Tom Galloway, Plumb Center Regional

Director Robert Beagley and SNIPEF Vice-President, Preston Fleming.

First SNIPEF Merit Award Presented

Jack Wishart, a Director of J W Wishart Plumbing and Heating LTD, has been awarded the first ever SNIPEF (Scottish & Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers’ Federation) Merit Award.

The SNIPEF Merit Award was introduced to recognize individuals or organizations who had given exceptional service to SNIPEF and the wider plumbing industry in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

In presenting the award, Tom said “Jack Wishart has worked tirelessly for the plumbing industry over many years. He first served on the SNIPEF Council in 1980 and became SNIPEF President in 1992-93. He represented SNIPEF at meetings of the old CORGI Scottish Regional Council and was our representative at European meetings for a number of years. He has also been a regular participant in meetings of the World Plumbing Council”.

Tom added “Until recently, Jack served as Chairman of the BPEC Group of companies, a role which he undertook with considerable dedication and passion. There is absolutely no doubt that Jack Wishart, the recipient of the first ever SNIPEF Merit Award has made a real difference to the plumbing industry not just in Scotland and Northern Ireland but throughout the UK”.

Jack Wishart (l) receives his Merit Award from

Tom Galloway.

SNIPEF Conference 2010

The 2010 SNIPEF Conference was held in the Crutherland Hotel, East Kilbride. Click here to see more about the conference.

New Scottish Government backed scheme launched by SNIPEF

A new scheme which will allow professional plumbing and heating installers to self-certify drainage, heating and plumbing work, including micro-renewable installations such as solar panels, which is subject to a Building Warrant, was launched by the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change, Stewart Stevenson MSP, at the Scottish and Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers’ Federation (SNIPEF) conference which was held on Friday 21 May in East Kilbride.

Certification with the building regulations by Approved Certifiers of Design and Approved Certifiers of Construction was introduced as part of the Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (including subsequent amendments). The Scottish Ministers approved a Scheme for Certification of Construction (Drainage, Heating & Plumbing Installations) at the end of last year and at the same time, the Scottish Government’s Building Standards Division (BSD) appointed SNIPEF to run the Scheme. As well as being able to certify this type of work, members of the scheme will also be able to display a Scottish Government logo which will identify them as a member of the scheme.

Commenting on the launch, SNIPEF’s Director & Secretary Robert Burgon said “The Approved Certifier of Construction Scheme is a significant step for the Plumbing Industry in Scotland.  For the first time, properly qualified plumbers will be able to self-certify their work under a building warrant without waiting for a Local Authority inspector to inspect their work and sign off a completion certificate”. 

Robert continued “The range of work covered under the scheme which includes drainage, plumbing, heating, micro-renewables as well as a selection of electrical work is also significant as the scheme covers not only the traditional work areas of the industry such as drainage but it also encompasses the new skills the industry is learning on micro-renewables”.

SNIPEF President Tom Galloway said “SNIPEF has been working for a number of years with officials from the Scottish Building Standards Division to set up the scheme and the complex and wide ranging scope of the scheme has meant a great deal of work on both sides to ensure that we have ended up with a scheme which will benefit not only installers but also clients”.

The scheme will go live to the public in the middle of June and customers will be able to access the Building Standards website (www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Built-Environment/Building/Building-standards) and search for a list of Approved Certifiers.

SNIPEF Annual Report Issued

The 2009/10 Annual Report was approved at the recent SNIPEF Annual Conference. The report contains information on two new schemes launched by SNIPEF as well as details of the new SNIPEF offices which will become our new home from July this year. Click here to download a copy.

New SNIPEF President Elected

Mr. Tom Galloway, a Partner in the firm of T. & R. Galloway, based in Douglas, South Lanarkshire, became President of the Scottish and Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers’ Federation (SNIPEF) at its Annual Conference which was held in the MacDonald Crutherland House Hotel, East Kilbride on Friday, 21st May, 2010.

Mr. Galloway is the 8th President of SNIPEF to come from Lanarkshire. Mr. Galloway is married to Rosemary, who is also his business partner and has two sons, Bryan his elder son works within the Construction Industry and is married to Kari,  whilst Craig his younger son, is the firm’s Contracts Manager and lives with his partner, Josephine.  

He has two granddaughters, Alix and Ailee and one grandson, Abe.

World Plumbing Conference Heads for Edinburgh in 2011

Registrations and hotel bookings are now being accepted for the 9th World Plumbing Conference which will be held in Edinburgh, Scotland from 7-11 September 2011. For details please go to www.wpc2011.co.uk

Father And Son Appointed Presidents

In what is believed to be a first, a father and son have been elected to serve concurrently as Presidents of two local SNIPEF organizations.

Irvine based Bill Carson was elected President of the SNIPEF Glasgow and West of Scotland Association on 13 April whilst his son, Ian, was elected as President of the Kilmarnock Branch of the Association at their AGM on 19 April.

Bill Carson with son Ian.

Scottish Plumber's Invention Helps Saves Lives In Africa

David Osborne owner of Celsius Plumbing in Ayrshire has invented a device known as a "Jompy" which will help households in africa to use their fuel more efficiently, ultimately reducing household wood smoke and positively impacting on the environment. To read more click here.

Scottish Government Announces Launch Of Boiler Scrappage Scheme

Up to 5,000 households in Scotland will be able to claim £400 towards the cost of a new boiler, under a new boiler scrappage scheme announced by the Scottish Government. Households who have a central heating boiler which is listed as a category G rated boiler in the SEDBUK listing (www.sedbuk.com) and which convert less than 70 per cent of fuel into heat, will qualify for cashback on a new energy saving model.

From Monday 24 May 2010 households will be able to apply online or over the phone through the Scottish Government’s Energy Saving Scotland advice network. However they must use an installer who must be registered with Gas Safe (for gas installations) and a recognised industry body such as CLE or SNIPEF . Members of certain other industry schemes may also be used and details of these will be included in the scheme guidance.

Announcing details of the scheme, Housing and Communities Minister Alex Neil said: “Through the boiler scrappage scheme we will help people replace inefficient old boilers for new energy saving models and importantly, put money back in the pockets of householders. “At the same time we are providing an economic stimulus for the heating industry, supporting jobs and helping it get through this financially difficult time.”

SNIPEF Director Robert Burgon said: “The Scottish boiler scrappage scheme will be a great opportunity for many households to upgrade their inefficient heating systems which will be costing them many hundreds of pounds each year in wasted fuel costs. “Installing a new system will not only help the environment it will also help save money on their heating bills.

“Like many other industries the plumbing and heating sector has been badly hit by the recession and the scheme will prove a boost to many of our member businesses.”

The Boiler Scrappage Scheme will be run through the Energy Saving Scotland advice network – the Scottish Government’s 'one stop shop' for energy efficiency, renewables and sustainable transport advice. 

The advice network will issue vouchers as of 24 May 2010, available either by calling 0800 512 012 or through the Energy Saving Trust website.

The scheme will operate on a first come, first served basis and will last until all the funds have been allocated. Households will be able to apply over the phone or online and, if eligible, will receive a £400 voucher towards the installation of a new boiler.

The vouchers can then be redeemed for cash from the Energy Saving Trust once the boiler has been installed.

New boilers should be energy efficient models, certified under the Energy Saving Recommended scheme.

Approved Certifier of Construction Scheme Drainage, Heating and Plumbing). 

The Building (Scotland) Act 2003 introduced a new Building Standards system for Scotland that raises standards and simplifies the approval of many construction activities for the public, Verifiers (local authorities) and the industry.

The new Building Standards legislation also provided for the appointment of Approved certifiers of Design and Approved Certifiers of Construction. Properly qualified professionals can become Certifiers and have the authority to certify work for building warrant purposes.

SNIPEF has been approved by the Scottish Ministers to run the above scheme which will allows individuals (Approved Certifiers of Construction) to "self-certify" drainage,heating and plumbing work which is subject to a building warrant. Click here to see what the scheme covers and the qualifications you need to be a scheme member.

The Approved Certifier must be employed by a business (Approved Body) which is either a member of the Plumbing Industry Licensing scheme which is operated by SNIPEF or they must meet the Licensing scheme criteria.

Businesses and or organisations who wish to apply to become an Approved Body should click here to download the relevant scheme application forms.

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