Plumbing Connection Spring 2016

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3 8 PLUMBING CONNECTION SPRING 2016
NON-CONFORMING AND NON-
COMPLYING PRODUCTS
T he issue of non-conforming building products
continues to gain media and industry attention
following a number of high profile events such as
the Docklands apartment fire and the Infinity cables recall.
Managing the issue of non-conforming building products
will require the efforts of all parties to the building and
procurement process, including plumbers.
This article will focus on two related issues; non-
conforming products, which are products that do not
perform as claimed by the manufacturer and non-compliant
products which can be considered otherwise compliant
products that are used incorrectly.
Put simply, non-conforming products relate to
quality, non-compliant products relate to context.
The increasing range of new and innovative
products available for sale makes it vital that
plumbers understand the National Construction
Code - Plumbing Code of Australia pathways used
to ensure product compliance.
NON-CONFORMING BUILDING PRODUCTS
As stated by the recently released
Building Ministers’ Forum Senior
Officers Group consultation report1,
non-conforming products are
‘products and materials that claim
to be something they are not; do not
meet required standards for their
intended use; or are marketed or
supplied with the intent to deceive
those who use them’. Thus, the
key question for plumbers is how
do you know that product claims
are valid and that they meet the
minimum acceptable standards?
The rules for product
compliance are found within
Part A2 of the Plumbing Code of
Australia - Acceptance of Design
and Construction. For those products
listed on the WaterMark Schedule of
Products, certification must be provided
in accordance with the WaterMark Certification Scheme.
Further information on the schedule and scheme can
be found on the ABCB website:
Product-Certification/WaterMark-Certification-Scheme.
For all other plumbing products, compliance must be
demonstrated under the Part A2.2 Evidence of Suitability
framework. Put simply, the Evidence of Suitability rules
offer manufacturers and suppliers of plumbing products
three conformity assessment pathways that can be used
individually, or in combination, to demonstrate product
compliance. Briefly, these options are:
∫ A report from a registered testing agency. Registered
testing agencies test facilities and labs that are
accredited by the National Association of Testing
Authorities to test a range of building products and
systems.
∫ A current certificate from a professional engineer
or other person suitably qualified to certify that the
product or system complies with the requirements of
the Plumbing Code of Australia.
∫ Any other form of documentary evidence
that demonstrates product compliance
with the Plumbing Code of Australia.
∫ It is also critical that the
documentation provided by the supplier
contains enough information to allow
you to accurately assess the products
suitability for the intended use. As a
guide, information supplied by the
testing or certification body should
include; specific contact and
registration details, the date of the
test or certification, identification
of any standards or codes relied
upon, the results of any test and
any limitations on the use of the
product.
The important point to
remember is that either WaterMark
certification or the Evidence of
Suitability options are the only valid product
compliance pathways listed under the
DARRYL O’BRIEN DIFFERENTIATES BETWEEN THE EVER PRESENT ISSUES OF NON-CONFORMING AND NON-
COMPLIANT MATERIALS AND WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE DECIDING WHETHER OR NOT TO PURCHASE AND/
OR INSTALL EITHER.
NON-CONFORMING PRODUCT