3610 NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE, No. 143 21 OCTOBER 2010

4. Licence period

The licence period is from 1 April to 31 March of the following year, provided that:

(a) a licence is issued for a maximum period of one licensing year;

(b) a licence issued after 1 April and before 31 March will expire at the end of that licence period (being 31 March).

5. Application forms

The board must provide the following forms:

(a) Application for registration as a certifying gasfitter.

(b) Application for licence as a certifying gasfitter.

Part B—Licensed Gasfitters

6. Authorised work

A licensed gasfitter, who holds a current licensed gasfitter practising licence issued by the board, may carry out gasfitting work under the supervision of a certifying gasfitter.

7. Minimum standards for registration

(1) To become a licensed gasfitter a person must have:

(a) obtained the National Certificate in gasfitting and passed the board’s three-hour examination (reference 9193); or

(b) held a limited certificate in gasfitting for a continuous period of five years, and have passed the board’s three-hour examination (reference 9193); or

(c) held a limited certificate in gasfitting under the 1976 Act for a continuous period of not less than three years, immediately followed by a two year period as a person exempt pursuant to section 21 of the Act, and have passed the board’s three-hour examination (reference 9193); or

(d) being a plumber (certifying or licensed and holding a current practising licence), passed the National Certificate third stage block course in gasfitting, and the board’s three-hour examination (reference 9193); or

(e) complied with all of the following:

(i) Hold an overseas qualification that is accepted by the board as equivalent to a New Zealand National Certificate in gasfitting under paragraph (a) above. To meet this requirement the applicant must both:

    A.  provide to the board documentary evidence of the applicant’s qualifications and assessment of those qualifications;

    B.  attend an interview with the board to verify documentation and validate experiential and technical proficiency; and

(ii)    passed the board’s three-hour examination (reference 9193); and

(iii)   passed the board’s Practical Test of Workmanship using the National Competency assessment tasks and criteria.

(2) To pass the board’s examination (reference 9193) the applicant must demonstrate the following competencies:

(a) Knowledge of accepted gasfitting trade practice, workmanship, and health and safety;

(b) knowledge of trade calculations and sciences relevant to gasfitting;

(c) knowledge of materials and their physical properties and application used in the trade;

(d) ability to draw and interpret drawings and specifications including quantifying materials for gasfitting;

(e) principles of heating and ventilation using water, air and gas;

(f) practical knowledge of all aspects of gasfitting;

(g) ability to access legislation, standards and codes of practice relating to gasfitting;

(h) knowledge of ethical considerations for the delivery of gasfitting services;

(i) knowledge of energy efficiency, conservation and environmentally considerate processes relevant to gasfitting;

(j) practical knowledge of gas appliances and their controls; and

(k) knowledge of the types, uses, characteristics, and composition of fuel gases.

8. Terms and conditions of licence

(1) Licensed gasfitters must hold a current licensed gasfitter practising licence to undertake gasfitting work, as follows:

(a) To be eligible to obtain a licence, licensed gasfitters must obtain:

(i) in the year ending 31 March 2011, a minimum of 16 continual professional development (“CPD”) points. A minimum of 8 CPD points must be technical gasfitting points and a maximum of 8 may be non-technical.

(ii)    in the year ending 31 March 2012, and each year thereafter, a minimum of 12 continual professional development (“CPD”) points. A minimum of 8 CPD points must be technical gasfitting points and a maximum of 4 may be non-technical.

(2) In the year ending 31 March 2012, and each year thereafter, those licensed gasfitters who wish also to apply for a licence as a drainlayer or plumber, and are required to attain CPD points in order to uplift the additional licence, must complete a minimum of 20 CPD points, with a minimum of 8 technical points for gasfitting and 8 technical points for the additional licence type.

(3) In the year ending 31 March 2012, and each year thereafter, those licensed gasfitters who wish also to apply for licences as a drainlayer and plumber, and are required to attain CPD points in order to uplift the additional two licences, must obtain a minimum of 24 CPD points, with a minimum of 8 technical points for each of the three licence types.

(4) CPD points can only be obtained by completing programmes of learning that are accredited by the board prior to the course being undertaken. CPD points will not be allocated for courses that have not been accredited by the board except in exceptional circumstances and at the discretion of the Registrar of the board. Carry over of excess points from a previous year may be allowed at the discretion of the board.