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home Construction and the built environment
Plumbing and domestic heating technician - Domestic air source heat pumps & solar thermal systems technician

Plumbing and domestic heating technician - Domestic air source heat pumps & solar thermal systems technician

Construction and the built environment

Level 3 - Technical Occupation

Fitting and servicing domestic water, heating and drainage systems.

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Reference: OCC0303E

Status: assignment_turned_inApproved occupation

Technical Education Products

ST0303:

Plumbing and domestic heating technician - Domestic air source heat pumps & solar thermal systems technician

(Level 3)

Approved for delivery
  • Career Starter Apprenticeship

TL0002a:

Building services engineering for construction - Plumbing and heating engineering

(Level 3)

Employers involved in creating the standard:

Merretts Heating, CME Heating, Arnald James Ltd, High Efficiency Heating (UK) Ltd, J A Brooks Mechanical Services, Fortem Ltd, Grummant HPS Ltd, JRL Group, Hinckley Plumbing & Heating Services Ltd, HOM Plumbing, H20 Plumbing & Heating Services, Sovereign Housing, Mitie and Ark ME.

Summary

This occupation is found in the building services sector of the construction industry.

Plumbing & domestic heating technicians size and select, plan and install, service, maintain and commission plumbing and domestic heating systems.

All technicians will be required to work on typical plumbing elements such as hot and cold water systems and storage, supplies to dwellings and associated pipework, above-ground pipework, connection to below-ground, sanitary pipework, fittings and furniture. Appliances and equipment can include central heating boilers, bathroom furniture, sanitary appliances, drainage and rainwater systems. Further to that, technicians will specialise in one of three areas:

Domestic gas fired hot water heating appliances technician: installation and maintenance of domestic natural gas systems and central heating and hot water appliances.

Domestic air source heat pumps & solar thermal systems technician: installation and maintenance of air source heat pumps and solar thermal hot water systems in domestic premises.

Non-domestic plumbing technician: installation and maintenance of plumbing systems in premises such as hospitals and healthcare premises, schools, high rise buildings, public buildings, industrial and commercial premises, etc.

In their daily work an employee in this occupation interacts with customers and end users, and as such require a high level of customer service. Technicians can find themselves working inside or outside a customers’ property as well as on building sites.

An employee in this occupation will be responsible for working both independently with a minimum of supervision and also as a member of a team involving close liaison and cooperation with site and line management, colleagues and other trades.

Employers involved in creating the standard:

Merretts Heating, CME Heating, Arnald James Ltd, High Efficiency Heating (UK) Ltd, J A Brooks Mechanical Services, Fortem Ltd, Grummant HPS Ltd, JRL Group, Hinckley Plumbing & Heating Services Ltd, HOM Plumbing, H20 Plumbing & Heating Services, Sovereign Housing, Mitie and Ark ME.

Typical job titles include:

Domestic heating engineer
Domestic heating installer
Plumber

Keywords:

Central Heating
Construction
Domestic Heating
Plumber
Plumbing

Knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs)

K1: The health and safety legislation, approved Codes of Practice and guidance and safe working practices applicable to work in the building services and wider construction industry.
K2: The common processes and techniques used in the installation and test of plumbing and domestic heating systems (cold water systems, hot water systems, domestic wet central heating systems, sanitation systems).
K3: The common processes and techniques used in the installation and test of rainwater systems.
K4: Scientific and mechanical principles applicable to plumbing and domestic heating systems work.
K5: The roles and responsibilities of persons within the plumbing and domestic heating systems and wider construction industry.
K6: The legislative requirements and sources of information applicable to plumbing and domestic heating systems system installation, service and repair.
K7: How to communicate with customers, suppliers, co-workers and members of the public who may come into contact with the work area.
K8: The layout features, working principles and legislative requirements of plumbing and domestic heating systems.
K9: The basic factors which influence system choice for particular applications with regard to the installation of plumbing and domestic heating systems.
K10: The installation and testing requirements applicable to plumbing and domestic heating systems and components (cold water, hot water, central heating, sanitary appliances and pipework).
K11: The installation and testing requirements applicable to rainwater systems and components.
K12: The commissioning requirements applicable to plumbing and domestic heating systems and components.
K13: The testing and commissioning requirements applicable to electrical control systems and components.
K14: The decommissioning procedures applicable to plumbing and domestic heating systems.
K15: The routine service and maintenance procedures applicable to plumbing and domestic heating systems.
K16: The fault finding, diagnosis and rectification procedures applicable to plumbing and domestic heating systems.
K17: The procedures for sizing and selecting plumbing and domestic heating systems and components to meet customer’s needs.
K18: The legislative requirements, processes and procedures of electrical supply and control systems applicable to plumbing and domestic heating systems and work including limits to operative competence.
K27: The common processes and techniques used in the installation and maintenance of air source heat pump (non-refrigerant circuits) systems.
K28: The common processes and techniques used in the installation and maintenance of solar thermal systems.
K29: The legislative requirements, approved codes of practice and guidance and sources of information applicable to the installation, service and repair of air source heat pump (non-refrigerant circuits) systems.
K30: The legislative requirements, approved codes of practice and guidance and sources of information applicable to the installation, service and repair of solar thermal systems.
K31: The installation requirements (including retrofit) applicable to air source heat pump (non-refrigerant circuits) systems and components.
K32: The installation requirements (including retrofit) applicable to solar thermal systems and components.
K33: The testing and commissioning requirements applicable to air source heat pump (non-refrigerant circuits) systems.
K34: The testing and commissioning requirements applicable to solar thermal systems.
K35: The decommissioning procedures applicable to air source heat pump (non-refrigerant circuits) systems.
K36: The decommissioning procedures applicable to solar thermal systems.
K37: The routine service and maintenance procedures applicable to air source heat pump (non-refrigerant circuits) systems.
K38: The routine service and maintenance procedures applicable to solar thermal systems.
K39: The fault finding, diagnosis and rectification procedures applicable to air source heat pump (non-refrigerant circuits) systems.
K40: The fault finding, diagnosis and rectification procedures applicable to solar thermal systems.
K41: The procedures for sizing and selecting air source heat pump (non-refrigerant circuits) systems.
K42: The procedures for sizing and selecting solar thermal systems.

S1: Operate in a safe working manner by adhering to health and safety legislation, approved codes of practice and guidance and applying safe working practices.
S2: Carry out and apply the common processes and techniques used in the installation and test of plumbing and domestic heating systems (cold water, hot water, central heating and sanitary appliances and pipework).
S3: Carry out and apply the common processes and techniques used in the installation and test of rainwater systems.
S4: Plan tasks within plumbing and domestic heating systems industry.
S5: Identify and document hazards for the plumbing and domestic heating systems work. Apply control measures.
S6: Carry out commission and handover procedures and techniques on plumbing and domestic heating systems (cold water, hot water, central heating, sanitary appliances, and rainwater).
S7: Install, test, and commission, electrical and electrical control systems applicable to plumbing and domestic heating systems.
S8: Perform routine service, maintenance, fault diagnosis and rectification procedures and techniques on the non-electrical components of plumbing and domestic heating systems.
S9: Perform routine service, maintenance, fault diagnosis and rectification procedures and techniques on electrical and electrical control systems applicable to plumbing and domestic heating systems including industry safe isolation procedures.
S10: Decommission plumbing and domestic heating systems.
S11: Decommission electrical and electrical control systems applicable to plumbing and domestic heating systems.
S12: Plan, size and select cold and hot systems to meet customer’s needs in accordance with manufacturers guidance, regulatory requirements and industry recognised standards and procedures.
S13: Plan, size and select domestic heating and rainwater systems to meet customers' needs in accordance with manufacturers' guidance, regulatory requirements and industry recognised standards and procedures.
S19: Carry out and apply the common processes and techniques used in the installation of air source heat pump (non-refrigerant circuits) systems.
S20: Carry out and apply the common processes and techniques used in the installation of solar thermal systems.
S21: Test, commission and handover air source heat pump (non-refrigerant circuits) systems.
S22: Test, commission and handover solar thermal systems.
S23: Perform routine service, maintenance, fault diagnosis and rectification procedures and techniques on air source heat pump (non-refrigerant circuits) systems.
S24: Perform routine service, maintenance, fault diagnosis and rectification procedures and techniques on solar thermal systems.
S25: Decommission (including disconnection and dismantling) air source heat pump (non-refrigerant circuits) systems.
S26: Decommission (including disconnection and dismantling) solar thermal systems.
S27: Plan, size and select air source heat pump (non-refrigerant circuits) systems.
S28: Plan, size and select solar thermal systems.

B1: Acts professionally and ethically to collaborate with colleagues and customers.
B2: Takes ownership of work within limits of own competence, knowing when to seek advice or assistance.
B3: Committed to continuous professional development.
B4: Committed to keeping up to date with industry best practice.

Duties

Duty D1

Plan core plumbing and domestic heating systems to meet customers’ needs and in accordance with manufacturers guidance, regulatory requirements and industry recognised standards and procedures.

Duty D2

Select and size core plumbing and domestic heating systems to meet customers’ needs and in accordance with manufacturers guidance, regulatory requirements and industry recognised standards and procedures.

Duty D3

Carry out preparatory work for the Installation of core plumbing and domestic heating systems.

Duty D4

Install core plumbing and domestic heating systems in accordance with design criteria, manufacturers guidance, regulatory requirements and industry recognised standards and procedures.

Duty D5

Test and commission core plumbing and domestic heating system installations in accordance with manufacturers guidance, regulatory requirements and industry recognised standards and procedures.

Duty D6

Carry out appropriate handover procedures for core plumbing and domestic heating systems to customers and or end users including the provision of written information, diagrammatic information, verbal information and demonstration regarding system operation and use.

Duty D7

Carry out routine service and maintenance procedures on core plumbing and domestic heating systems.

Duty D8

Perform fault finding, diagnosis and rectification procedures on core plumbing and domestic heating systems.

Duty D9

Decommission core plumbing and domestic heating systems.

Duty D10

Conform to all health, safety and welfare in the workplace requirements.

Duty D20

Plan environmental technology systems (air source heat pump appliances and solar thermal systems) to meet customers’ needs and in accordance with manufacturers guidance, regulatory requirements and industry recognised standards and procedures.

Duty D21

Select and size environmental technology systems (air source heat pump appliances and solar thermal systems) to meet customers’ needs and in accordance with manufacturers guidance, regulatory requirements and industry recognised standards and procedures.

Duty D22

Carry out preparatory work for the Installation of environmental technology systems (air source heat pump appliances and solar thermal systems).

Duty D23

Install environmental technology systems (air source heat pump appliances and solar thermal systems) in accordance with design criteria, manufacturers guidance, regulatory requirements and industry recognised standards and procedures.

Duty D24

Test and commission environmental technology systems (air source heat pump appliances and solar thermal systems) in accordance with manufacturers guidance, regulatory requirements and industry recognised standards and procedures.

Duty D25

Carry out appropriate handover procedures for environmental technology systems (air source heat pump appliances and solar thermal systems) to customers and or end users including the provision of written information, diagrammatic information, verbal information and demonstration regarding system operation and use.

Duty D26

Carry out routine service and maintenance procedures on environmental technology systems (air source heat pump appliances and solar thermal systems).

Duty D27

Perform fault finding, diagnosis and rectification procedures on environmental technology systems (air source heat pump appliances and solar thermal systems).

Duty D28

Decommission environmental technology systems (air source heat pump appliances and solar thermal systems).