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Scotland introduces Self Certification Scheme
28th May 2010
A new scheme which will allow professional plumbing and heating installers to self-certify drainage, heating and plumbing work, including micro-renewable installations such as solar panels, which is subject to a Building Warrant, has recently been launched by Scotland's Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change, Stewart Stevenson MSP, at the Scottish and Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers' Federation (SNIPEF) Conference in East Kilbride.
Certification with the building regulations by Approved Certifiers of Design and Approved Certifiers of Construction was introduced as part of the Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004. The Scottish Ministers approved a Scheme for Certification of Construction (Drainage, Heating & Plumbing Installations) at the end of last year and at the same time, the Scottish Government's Building Standards Division (BSD) appointed SNIPEF to run the Scheme. As well as being able to certify this type of work, members of the scheme will also be able to display a Scottish Government logo, which will identify them as a member of the scheme.
Commenting on the launch, SNIPEF's Director & Secretary Robert Burgon said, "The Approved Certifier of Construction Scheme is a significant step for the Plumbing Industry in Scotland. For the first time, properly qualified plumbers will be able to self-certify their work under a building warrant without waiting for a Local Authority inspector to inspect their work and sign off a completion certificate".
Robert continued, "The range of work covered under the scheme which includes drainage, plumbing, heating, micro-renewables as well as a selection of electrical work is also significant as the scheme covers not only the traditional work areas of the industry such as drainage but it also encompasses the new skills the industry is learning on micro-renewables".
SNIPEF President Tom Galloway said, "SNIPEF has been working for a number of years with officials from the Scottish Building Standards Division to set up the scheme and the complex and wide ranging scope of the scheme has meant a great deal of work on both sides to ensure that we have ended up with a scheme which will benefit not only installers but also clients".
The scheme will go live to the public in the middle of June and customers will be able to access the Scottish Government's Building Standards Division and search for a list of Approved Certifiers.
