PHAM NEWS | DECEMBER/JANUARY 2025 6 News Review


SkillPLUMB UK gold winner


takes a bow


David Bateman-Smith of South West College NI and Ashley McFarland Plumbing & Heating has been named the SkillPLUMB 2024 UK Champion and gold medal winner. The 19-year-old plumbing student impressed the judges following an extremely close event, held at Oldham College as part of the WorldSkills UK National Finals. Silver medals were awarded to


Shaun Wilcox of Moray College UHI and Moray Council, Elliot Julian of Cornwall College and Nicholls Plumbing & Heating, and Jackson Gill of New College Durham and CGE Yorkshire Ltd. Tied for third place and each


receiving a bronze medal were Jack Fenton (Belfast Metropolitan College/Ian Reid Heating), Samuel Page (Suffolk New College/Whitwell Services) and Dillon Newton (Cornwall College/Justin Eyre P&H).


Paws-itive awareness of carbon monoxide


Gold medal winner David had


already competed in the 2023 SkillPLUMB final and received a Highly Commended mention; he returned this year to win the Northern Ireland heat and ultimately take the top spot at the UK final last week. Across two and a half days, competitors had to tackle a complex plumbing installation task and, in a first for this year, demonstrate low carbon knowledge in a new heat pump task developed in collaboration with Ideal Heating. The SkillPLUMB final was one of


50 WorldSkills UK national finals being held last week across Greater Manchester. Competitors from all events gathered at WorldSkills UK Medal Ceremony at the Bridgewater Hall in central Manchester. SkillPLUMB is organised by


industry charity BPEC and is part of the WorldSkills UK competition framework. The event has Ideal Heating as its headline sponsor and is also supported Muller Europe, DeWalt, APHC, JIB-PMES, SNIPEF, Monument Tools, Water Safe and CIPHE.


In recognition of Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week (18–24 November), the Gas Safe Register partnered with the RSPCA to educate pet owners about gas safety and the warning signs of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Pets, often left in confined spaces, are particularly vulnerable to CO exposure and may show symptoms before humans. Recent research reveals


that many UK pet owners are unaware of critical signs of CO poisoning. Nearly 74% did not recognise that red gums, ears, or lips can indicate poisoning in pets. Additionally, 79% were unaware that irritability and 61% did not recognise breathing difficulties as potential symptoms. Commenting on the research, RSPCA Chief Vet Caroline Allen, says:


“We are urging the public to brush up on the symptoms of CO poisoning in pets, which can include drowsiness, vomiting, being unstable, reddened gums and unusual or unexplained changes in behaviour. If you see any of these symptoms or are at all concerned about your pet, we’d urge you to urgently ventilate the space, seek fresh air and speak to your vet.”


Quick response to Legionella


Complaints about plumbing are up


Recent data from Citizens Advice and Tradefix Direct has revealed a significant rise in complaints related to home maintenance and improvements across England, with plumbing issues ranked as a significant concern. Between 1 January and 3o October, 2024, there were 1,327 complaints specifically about plumbing services, making it the fifth most common type of grievance in this category. Citizens Advice recorded a total of 22,509 complaints


regarding home maintenance during the same period. Complaints about roofing, roof sealing, and chimney repairs ranked highest, increasing by 24% from 3,502 in 2023 to 4,330 in 2024. Insulation-related complaints also surged, more than doubling from 565 to 1,155. The South East was identified as the region with


the highest number of complaints, totaling 4,068, while the North East reported the fewest, with 1,235 complaints. The South West experienced the largest percentage increase in complaints compared to 2023 figures, rising 6% from 2,753 to 2,918. Commenting on the findings, founder of Tradefix


Direct Paul Kershaw says: “Whilst the vast majority of home and renovation jobs will be carried out by reputable tradespeople, dealing with a cowboy installer can cause stress levels to soar, as a result of poor works carried out or being left in a financially worse-off position, so it’s crucial to minimise risk where you can.” ◼ phamnews.co.uk/125/05


Amid rising concern about the increasing risk of Legionella around the world, plumbers in the UK are being called on to take a more proactive approach to reducing the risk. The Legionella testing company Hydrosense warns that climate change and warmer temperatures are creating ideal breeding conditions for Legionella bacteria. The UK sees an estimated 4,000-6,000 cases of Legionnaires’ disease annually, with a fatality rate of 7-12%. Hydrosense advocates for a faster, more


accurate approach to detecting Legionella pneumophila, the primary cause of Legionnaires’ disease. Traditional lab culture tests take 7-10 days for results, during which time Legionella can double, increasing exposure risks for businesses and the public. Additionally, water samples can be damaged in transit, leading to false negatives. To address this issue, Hydrosense has


developed a testing kit designed for quick, on-site water testing, delivering accurate


Health takes a backseat for many


results in just 25 minutes without requiring specialised training. Greg Rankin, CEO at Hydrosense,


comments: “By moving away from the reliance on traditional lab methods, which take up to two weeks to provide results and ignore some dangerous forms of Legionella bacteria, to more holistic testing regimes that incorporate methods that are much faster, and better at detecting even non-culturable bacteria, we have a real opportunity to reduce exposure and protect lives.” ◼ phamnews.co.uk/125/04


Marking a decade of growth in UK


South Korean manufacturer Navien is marking a decade since it first entered the UK heating market in 2014. In that time Navien UK has become a key player, known for its range of heating appliances and advanced technologies tailored for UK installers and customers. The company launched its NCB CE boiler, recognised for its performance, and has since expanded to include the NCB ON Combi boiler range and the LCB700 Blue Flame Combi Boiler, designed for rural efficiency. Additionally, Navien supports installers through training and


resources, and has introduced the Navien Choice Plus reward programme to incentivise engagement with its products. Carl Park, MD of Navien UK,


says: “When we first entered the UK heating sector, we had a vision to provide high quality, efficient and environmentally conscious heating and hot water solutions. Today, we are proud to have done


just that while expanding our product offering, introducing cutting-edge technologies and building lasting relationships with our partners and installers across the sector.” ◼ phamnews.co.uk/125/06


Tradespeople are risking their health by missing vi tal appointments due to work commitments, according to a new research report from Jewson, the builders’ merchant. A quarter of the people surveyed said they’ve actively skipped appointments or worry about booking a GP appointment, because they find it hard to take time off work. Despite 87% saying they’re able to do their job better if they feel fitter, 40% said they struggle to find time to exercise, with 26% saying they don’t do any physical activity outside of working hours, and 29% saying their job makes it hard to eat a healthy diet. While 87% said they know it’s important to take care of their mental health, 40% said they find it hard to relax and unwind. View the Jewson Trade Trends


Report using the reader link below. ◼ phamnews.co.uk/125/07


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