Health and Safety Advice for Plumbers

Health and Safety is a big issue in the plumbing and heating business. Many plumbing and
heating contractors are finding that more and more health and safety concerns are making
themselves known, and current legislation demands you to take your responsibilities seriously.

At APHC Ltd, we can help you by providing members with the right advice on any health and
safety issue – exactly when you need it.

There are various issues that you might need advice with. This includes:

 Exposure to hazardous substances such as lead or asbestos.

 Exposure to biohazards, including raw sewage.
 Exposure to electrics.
 Exposure to noise.
 Working at heights.
 Slips, trips and falls on wet surfaces.
 Working in awkward positions that could injure your back.
 Working alone for long periods of time.
 Burns from the release of hot water or steam.
 Stress.
 Reporting hazards/accidents.

It is important that any plumber or heating contractor has the right support and training for the
job. APHC Ltd. can help by providing advice through our technical helpline and factsheets.
APHC Ltd. also offer discounted training courses aimed specifically at your industry.

Whether you are concerned about an inspection or if it is simply general day to day issues that
you need advice for, you can trust in APHC Ltd. to help you. Find our more about advice and
support for plumbers.

Safety Hazards of Being a Plumber

 By admin
 Bathroom Plumbing

Plumbers fit and repair pipes, fittings, and other apparatus of water supply, sanitation and heating
systems and ensure that all our water problems are taken care of. However, they face several
hardships in the process..
Some of these are as follows –

Hearing loss – Loud electronic machinery, banging tools and your occasional extremely noisy
pipes will all add up. For many plumbers, this can unfortunately spell hearing loss.

Prevention: It may be a great idea to bring earplugs to the job.

Eye injuries – Flying particles, sparks, chemicals, falling objects, the chance of pipes bursting or
even water flowing at high speeds can enter the eye and damage it..

Prevention: Having proper, protective eyewear on every job, no matter if you anticipate debris
or not asit is a great help in keeping your peepers in place and working perfectly.

Hand tool injuries – Plumbers utilize a variety of tools to fix our faulty plumbing fixtures.
Sometimes, these tools themselves can cause harm to the user..

Prevention: Perform hand movements with a straight wrist and use proper body posture. This
will hopefully avoid hitting a finger with your hammer accidently.

Flammable and electric situations – There are plenty of moving partss attached to the
plumbing, and some of these parts are powered by gas or electricity. Plumbers must be cautious
when working on flammable or electrical parts.

Prevention: The proper protective gear is necessary. Be sure gas lines and power is shut off
when it needs to be, gloves are on and caution is used whenever you encounter flammable or
electric situations.

Slips and falls – Many plumbing tasks are carried out at heights: these include working on roofs,
installing or repairing gutters and downpipes, accessing roof cavities through manholes.

Prevention: Use fall protection devices such as temporary work platforms or scaffolding. Use a
fall injury prevention system such as an industrial safety net or a safety harness.

Hazardous Substances and Dangerous Goods – Chemicals used to carry out work, or present
in the work environment if not managed carefully can be dangerous.

 Fluxes (solder)
 Lead (cumulative poison, serious long-term health effects)
 Hydrochloric acid
 Adhesives

Prevention: Providing appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) i.e. respirators and

facemasks, overalls and gloves will all increase protection.

Biological hazards – Health effects of exposure to sewage include tetanus, Leptospirosis,

hepatitis A, and parasites. Microbes in raw sewage can enter the body through the nose or mouth,
particularly if a person drinks contaminated water or by hand-to-mouth transmission, inhaling
dust and open wounds.

Prevention: Wear appropriate PPE and wear goggles if a hose is used, as safety glasses will not
protect against splashing. Employers should make sure that workers have been vaccinated
against tetanus and diphtheria. Vaccination for hepatitis A is also available.

The employer must explain each task before a plumber can start working on it.The plumber must
be provided with instruction, training and supervision. He/she must know the first aid and
emergency arrangements too, so if anything goes wrong he/she will know what to do.