Plumbing Training School

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Workshop Modules — What You Master in 1 Month

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Week 1 Workshop Programme

• OHS Act & Plumbing Safety: Occupational Health & Safety legislation for plumbing operations — hazard identification in plumbing environments, safe use of soldering torches and blowtorches, working safely with pressure systems, manual handling of heavy pipe and fittings, confined space awareness, and mandatory PPE including safety footwear, gloves and eye protection
• Introduction to plumbing systems and materials: Overview of all plumbing systems covered in the course — water supply, drainage, hot water systems and sanitation. Introduction to materials: copper tube, CPVC, uPVC, HDPE, galvanised steel, and the correct material selection for each application
• Pipe cutting and preparation: Cutting copper, CPVC and uPVC pipe using tube cutters, hacksaws and reciprocating saws — deburring, chamfering, and preparing pipe ends for each jointing method including soldering, push-fit, compression, and threaded joints
• Pipe jointing — capillary soldering: End-feed and solder-ring capillary fittings — flux application, torch technique, correct heat distribution, solder flow and avoiding cold joints, dry joints and blow-through. Soldering elbow, tee and coupler joints on copper in multiple orientations
• Pipe jointing — compression and push-fit: Setting up and tightening compression fittings correctly — olive placement, correct torque, leak testing. Push-fit systems — inserting and releasing pipe, fitting compatibility, and using push-fit fittings in accessible and concealed locations
• Cold water supply — distribution layout: Designing and installing a simple cold water supply distribution system — mains connection, isolating valve, rising main, draw-off points, stop taps, and pipe sizing using SANS 10252 flow rate tables for a typical domestic installation
• Pipe bending and setting out: Hand bending of copper pipe using a bending spring and machine bending using a pipe bender — calculating bending allowances, forming 90° bends, offsets and sets to run pipes neatly along walls and ceilings in domestic and commercial building construction

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Week 2 Workshop Programme

• Drainage system design and pipe grading: Understanding soil, waste and vent (SVP) systems — pipe grades for self-cleansing velocity, minimum and maximum falls for horizontal waste pipes (SANS 10252 Part 2), branch connections, and the difference between single-stack and dual-stack drainage systems in residential buildings
• uPVC soil and waste pipe installation: Cutting, jointing and installing uPVC soil pipe and waste pipe using solvent cement and ring-seal push-fit joints — connecting branch junctions, bends and offsets, fitting access rodding points, and anchoring and supporting pipes at correct intervals to prevent sagging
• Underground drainage — trenching and bedding: Laying underground drainage pipe — trench depth and bedding requirements, pipe gradient checking using a spirit level and boning rods, inspection chamber installation, branch invert levels, and backfilling and compaction around buried drainage pipework
• Sanitation fixtures — toilets and cisterns: Installing close-coupled, low-level and wall-hung toilets — setting out for correct horizontal and vertical positions, connecting to soil pipe using pan connectors, fitting cisterns, internal cistern mechanisms, flush valves, and leak-testing the completed installation after commissioning
• Sanitation fixtures — basins, baths and showers: Installing hand basins, pedestal and counter-top basins, baths, and shower trays — setting out, fitting wastes and overflows, connecting waste pipes with correct fall to soil stack, sealing with silicone around fixtures, and pressure testing all connections
• Trap types and blockage prevention: P-traps, S-traps, bottle traps and running traps — understanding trap depth and seal retention, correct trap installation for each fixture, anti-syphon requirements, and the role of air admittance valves (AAVs) in preventing trap seal loss in single-stack systems
• Drain testing — hydraulic and smoke testing: Air pressure testing and water testing of completed drainage installations — plugging test points, applying test pressure and monitoring for leaks, identifying and rectifying defects before backfilling or covering, and completing test certificates for regulatory compliance

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Week 3 Workshop Programme

• Geyser installation — direct and indirect systems: Installing electric storage water heaters (geysers) — selecting the correct location, structural support requirements, drip tray and drain installation, connecting cold feed pipe with isolating valve, hot draw-off, pressure relief valve (PRV) discharge pipe, thermostat wiring connections and commissioning procedures
• Pressure relief valves and expansion vessels: Installing and setting pressure and temperature relief valves (P&T valves) on storage water heaters — correct positioning, discharge pipe requirements to drain, expansion vessel installation on sealed systems, pre-charge pressure setting and system pressurisation procedures
• Solar water heater and heat pump connections: Connecting indirect solar water heaters — primary and secondary circuits, collector connections, expansion vessels, differential thermostats and pump stations. Heat pump installation — positioning, vibration isolation, refrigerant line connections and commissioning checks
• Thermostatic mixing valves (TMVs) and scalding prevention: Installing TMVs and tempering valves on hot water outlets — healthcare and aged-care settings, temperature setting to 45°C at fixtures while storing water at 60°C to prevent Legionella. Testing and calibration of mixing valve temperature output after installation
• SANS 10252 — water supply and drainage regulations: Detailed study and workshop application of SANS 10252 Part 1 (water supply) and Part 2 (drainage) — pipe sizing, flow rates, minimum pressures, maximum velocities, protection against backflow and cross-connection, and the regulatory documents required for certificate of compliance sign-off
• Backflow prevention and cross-connection control: Understanding potable water contamination risk — installing double check valves, RPZ (reduced pressure zone) backflow preventers, air gaps and break tanks as required by SANS 10252 and local authority bylaws for different hazard level installations in commercial and industrial buildings
• Roof plumbing — gutters, downpipes and rainwater harvesting: Installing eaves gutters, rainwater downpipes, and storm water drainage — gutter sizing, fall setting, fixing to fascias, connecting to downpipes and stormwater drains. Rainwater harvesting tank connections — first-flush diverters, tank overflow and distribution to garden and toilet flushing circuits

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Week 4 — Final Assessment Programme

• Applied plumbing project — full building installation: Candidates independently install a complete plumbing system from a drawing on a mock-up building frame — marking out pipe routes, installing cold water supply, hot water system, sanitation fixtures, drainage, and all associated valves and fittings to specification and regulatory compliance
• Fault finding and diagnosis: Systematic fault diagnosis on pre-installed plumbing systems — identifying burst pipes, dripping taps, running toilets, blocked drains, pressure issues, geyser failures, and drain smell problems using logical diagnostic procedures. Completing a written fault-finding report and implementing repairs
• Leak testing and commissioning of complete installation: Hydraulic pressure testing of the completed water supply installation — connecting pressure test pump, pressurising system to 1.5× working pressure, holding for specified duration and recording results on a test certificate. Flushing and commissioning drainage to confirm gradient and flow
• Plumbing compliance documentation: Completing plumbing compliance certificates, as-installed drawings, test records, and statutory notification documents required by local authorities — understanding the plumber's legal obligations for notifiable plumbing work and the consequences of non-compliance under the Water Services Act
• Practical trade assessment — SAQA 119075: Full practical plumbing assessment aligned to SAQA US 119075 outcomes — assessed across water supply installation, drainage, hot water systems, and regulations by a qualified MERSETA assessor as Competent or Not Yet Competent
• Certificate of Competence and Recommendation Letter issued: Successful candidates receive their Certificate of Competence aligned to SAQA US 119075, plus a Recommendation Letter, both issued by Real Skills Technical FET and quality-assured by MERSETA — qualifying them as full plumbers, recognised by employers across South Africa and the region