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Plumber and Gasfitter - Working conditions

Kaiwhakarerewai/Kaiwhakarerekorohū

Working Conditions

Plumbers and gasfitters work in:
  • homes
  • commercial and industrial buildings
  • schools and hospitals
  • other buildings that are under construction, being altered or renovated.
Conditions may be dirty, smelly, wet and messy.

 

Josh Boyce

"If the weather is nice and sunny you're outside doing something like digging drains. If it's horrible, raining or yuck conditions you're normally inside working under cover."

Josh Boyce - Plumber and Gasfitter

 

Equipment

Equipment plumbers and gasfitters may use includes:
  • pipes and fittings
  • welding equipment for joining pipes
  • electrical equipment such as pipe-threading machines
  • drainage machinery to clear drains
  • hand tools such as crescents or adjustable wrenches
  • power tools such as drills
  • safety equipment that may include steel-capped boots, earmuffs, safety glasses and overalls
  • a vehicle, usually a van.
A plumber's tool box showing a range of tools used in the trade

A plumber's tool box and commonly used tools

Plumber Josh Boyce loading tools into a van

Plumbers and gasfitters typically use vans so they can carry all their work gear

 

Hours

Plumbers and gasfitters work regular hours, but may be required to work evenings and weekends or be on call.

 

Contact with people

Plumbers and gasfitters work independently and in teams.

They have contact with:

  • customers
  • property managers
  • other tradespeople such as builders and electricians
  • plumbing and gasfitting suppliers or inspectors
  • other professionals such as engineers and architects.

They may also supervise an assistant or apprentice.

 

Josh Boyce

"You meet a whole lot of people from different trades – builders, electricians, painters, plasterers – and then you've got the customers as well. So you build relationships with all sorts of different people."

Josh Boyce - Plumber and Gasfitter

 
Previous page - How to get into the job
Next page - Pay and progression
Updated September 2009
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