Working in the plumbing and gas industry comes with its fair share of challenges. And while your focus might be on providing your customers with gas safety certificates or other important safety checks, you still need to consider your own well-being. Here are some of the most common health and safety risks in the plumbing and gas industry, how to avoid them, and local policies and regulations that you need to know.
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It’s the most common hazard but also the least noticeable—which is why mental health issues are so dangerous. Running a plumbing & gas business can put you under immense pressure. Between meeting customers’ standards, managing staff, and all the office work that comes with the job, stress can add up, causing burnout and mental health strain.
Here’s how you can avoid stress and burnout:
As a plumber, you can find yourself in all sorts of situations where harmful substances and materials may be lurking. Asbestos and lead pipes are two examples of harmful materials that can cause numerous health and safety risks. To avoid the dangers of coming in contact with these materials, try the following.
If the right precautions aren’t taken, certain substances can cause skin/eye irritation and burns to the skin or even the respiratory system.
It’s important to be aware of your surroundings, especially if you’re working in areas where slips, trips, and falls can occur. Try these tips to stay safe.
Fire is one of the most common and severe health and safety risks in the plumbing and gas industry. It’s extremely important to have measures in place to prevent blazes or explosions.
While the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets standards and regulations related to plumbing and gas work, be sure to check if there are any unique state or local laws in your area. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also has guidelines related to how hazardous materials should be safely used and disposed of.
Those in the UK need to follow the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, which sets guidelines for the safe installation and maintenance of gas appliances. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) enforces these regulations and ensures that gas installations are safe.
In Australia, the National Construction Code (NCC) provides safety requirements for plumbing and gas installations. The code is enforced by various state authorities, depending on where you’re located.
The Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Act 2006 sets out all the safety requirements that plumbing and gas professionals need to follow. Worksafe is another great resource you can use to double-check what’s required to meet health and safety standards onsite.
As your business grows, so does the amount of admin that needs to happen behind the scenes. Keeping track of jobs, scheduling, client information and invoicing are time-consuming and can quickly take you away from the task at hand.
Specialised plumbing and gas job management software like Tradify provides an all-in-one solution for your day-to-day processes in one streamlined hub. You’ll have everything from quoting to scheduling, job management to invoicing — all at your fingertips.
For an all-in-one fix that’ll put your day-to-day quoting, scheduling, job management and invoicing processes into one, streamlined system, Tradify is a must-have tool. Try it free for 14 days.