The amendments were made to the scope of work to match the qualifications and endorsements held by a licensee. For example, the amendment will ensure that a person who performs work on fire sprinkler systems must hold a licence that has appropriate qualifications or endorsements for this work.
From 31 March 2022, the scope of work for the above class will be restricted unless the licensee holds a relevant Plumbing and Drainage Act 2018 (PD Act) licence or other prescribed qualification.
The current scope of work for the fire protection–water-based system–install and maintain–commercial and industry includes:
- install and maintain commercial and industrial fire sprinkler systems install and maintain fire hydrant systems, with or without pumps
- install and maintain fire hose reels, with or without pumps
- install fire collars if the installation is incidental to the above work.
For licensees who cannot demonstrate they hold the relevant PD Act licence or prescribed qualifications by 31 March 2022, the scope of work for this class will be limited to:
- install and maintain fire hydrant systems, with or without pumps
- install and maintain fire hose reels, with or without pumps
- install fire collars if the installation is incidental to the above work.
From 31 March 2022, licensees must ensure they only carry out work within their scope that applies to them.
Do I need to act to retain my scope of work?
It’s important to consider that a PD Act licence is required to personally perform or supervise regulated plumbing work, including the installation and maintenance of water-based fire protection systems.
To help licensees and consumers to identify which scope of work applies, the QBCC will note licence scope restrictions on the licensee register.
No further action will be required by licensees who already hold the PD Act licence unless otherwise contacted by the QBCC directly.
Licensees who transitioned to this class from the former Part 26 Sprinkler and suppression systems (reticulated water-based)—install and maintain—restricted to commercial or industrial type licence, are not affected by these changes, and will also retain a full scope of work.
What do I need to do to retain my scope of work?
To retain the full scope of work from 31 March 2022, licence class holders must demonstrate that they hold at least one of the following:
Relevant Plumbing and Drainage Act 2018 licences
- current restricted water plumber—fire protection (commercial and industrial) licence
- current plumbers licence with a fire protection – commercial and industrial endorsement
- current provisional plumbers licence with a fire protection – commercial and industrial endorsement.
Prescribed qualifications
- Certificate III in Fire Protection (CPC32813)
- a technical qualification currently prescribed for the part 26 fire protection—water-based fire system stream—install and maintain—restricted to commercial and industrial types licence. This can be a Certificate III in Fire Protection (CPC32820), including the below units of competency:
- Conduct basic functional testing of water-based fire-suppression systems CPCPFS3040
- Conduct functional water flow testing CPCPFS3043
- Read and interpret plans and specifications CPCCBC4012
- Carry out work-based risk control processes CPCPCM4011
- Estimate and cost work CPCPCM4012
- Prepare simple drawings CPCPCM3024
- Establish legal and risk management requirements of new business ventures BSBESB402
- Plan finances for new business ventures BSBESB403
- Research and develop business plans BSBESB401
- Commission fire system pumpsets CPCPFS4023
- Commission fire sprinkler systems CPCPFS4027.
For company licensees, the scope of work for company licence will be the same as the scope that applies to their nominee.
Licensees who continue the full scope of work on the basis they hold the prescribed technical qualifications, should provide a copy of the prescribed qualification to the QBCC as soon as possible (unless the qualification was provided after 1 May 2021, in which case this does not apply).
Visit the fire protection resources page of the QBCC website for the relevant application forms. If you have any questions about this change, call us on 139 333.