Carrying out maintenance on water distribution systems and equipment

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This standard identifies the competences you need to carry out corrective maintenance activities on fresh/foul water distribution systems and equipment, in accordance with approved procedures. This will involve dismantling, removing and replacing or repairing faulty or damaged components, in line with company procedures on water distribution systems, such as mains cold water (drinkable), hot water supplies, cold down service and non-mains supplies (river, well), waste/foul and storm water supplies.

You will be expected to cover a range of maintenance activities, such as marking/labelling of components to aid the reassembly, dismantling components to the required level, checking components for serviceability, replacing `lifed' items, tightening fasteners to the required torque, setting, aligning and adjusting components, and making checks before re-connecting the supply, using appropriate techniques and procedures.

Your responsibilities will require you to comply with organisational policy and procedures for the maintenance activities undertaken, and to report any problems with these activities, or with the tools and equipment used, that you cannot personally resolve, or are outside your permitted authority, to the relevant people. You must ensure that all tools, equipment and materials used in the maintenance activities are removed from the work area on completion of the activities, and that all necessary job/task documentation is completed accurately and legibly. You will be expected to work to instructions, alone or in conjunction with others, taking personal responsibility for your own actions, and for the quality and accuracy of the work that you carry out.

Your underpinning knowledge will be sufficient to provide a sound basis for your work, and will enable you to adopt an informed approach to applying procedures for fresh water distribution equipment. You will have an understanding of dismantling and reassembly methods and procedures, and their application. You will know how the fresh water system equipment functions and the purpose of individual components, in adequate depth to provide a sound basis for carrying out any maintenance, repair or adjustment. In addition, you will have sufficient knowledge of these components to ensure that they are fit for purpose and meet the specifications, thus providing a sound basis for carrying out reassembly.

You will understand the safety precautions required when carrying out the maintenance activities, especially those for isolating the equipment. You will be required to demonstrate safe working practices throughout, and will understand your responsibility for taking the necessary safeguards to protect yourself and others in the workplace.

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1. work safely at all times, complying with health and safety and other relevant regulations, directives and guidelines
2. follow the relevant maintenance schedules to carry out the required work
3. carry out the maintenance activities within the limits of your personal authority
4. carry out the maintenance activities in the specified sequence and in an agreed time scale
5. report any instances where the maintenance activities cannot be fully met or where there are identified defects outside the planned schedule
6. complete relevant maintenance records accurately and pass them on to the appropriate person
7. dispose of waste materials in accordance with safe working practices and approved procedures

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1. the health and safety requirements of the area in which the maintenance activity is to take place
2. the isolation and lock-off procedure or permit-to-work procedure that applies
3. the specific health and safety precautions to be applied during the maintenance procedure, and their effects on others (to include the Water Regulations Advisory Scheme (WRAS), the Prevention and Control of Legionellosis, and Safe Working in Confined Spaces)
4. the hazards associated with carrying out maintenance activities on water distribution equipment and systems, and how they can be minimised
5. the importance of wearing protective clothing and other appropriate safety equipment (PPE) during the maintenance process
6. how to obtain and interpret information from job instructions and other documents needed for the maintenance activities (such as drawings, circuit and physical layouts, charts, specifications, manufacturers' manuals, history/maintenance reports, graphical electrical symbols, BS7671/IET wiring regulations)
7. the procedure for obtaining replacement parts, materials and other consumables necessary for the maintenance
8. the sequence to be adopted for the dismantling/reassembly of various types of assemblies
9. the methods and techniques used to dismantle/assemble water distribution equipment (such as release of water/pressures/force, bonding, extraction, pressing, alignment)
10. methods of checking that components are fit for purpose, how to identify defects and wear characteristics, and the need to replace `lifed' items (such as seals, gaskets, washers)
11. the basic principles of how the system functions, its operating sequence, the working purpose of individual units/components and how they interact
12. the applications of different types of pipework systems (such as copper, plastic, lead, iron and clay)
13. the different types of couplings and their fittings (such as tees, bends, branches)
14. the equipment and tools used to bend, form and thread pipework
15. the methods of treating water systems
16. the applications of the different pipework and equipment cleaning procedures (such as rod, water jet, solvents)
17. how to make adjustments to components/assemblies to ensure that they function correctly
18. how to check that tools and equipment are free from damage or defects, and are in a safe and usable condition
19. the generation of maintenance documentation and/or reports, following the maintenance activity
20. the problems associated with the maintenance activity, and how they can be overcome
21. the organisational procedure to be adopted for the safe disposal of waste of all types of materials
22. the extent of your own authority and to whom you should report if you have problems that you cannot resolve

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1. Carry out all of the following during the maintenance activity:

   1. undertake the maintenance activities to cause minimal disruption to normal working
   2. use the correct issue of maintenance documentation (such as drawings, manuals, maintenance records, schedules)
   3. adhere to procedures or systems in place for risk assessment, COSHH, personal protective equipment and other relevant safety regulations
   4. ensure the safe isolation of equipment (such as mechanical, electricity, gas, air or fluids)
   5. ensure that safe access and working arrangements have been provided for the maintenance area
   6. carry out the scheduled maintenance tasks, using appropriate techniques and procedures
   7. re-connect and return the equipment to service on completion of the maintenance activities
   8. dispose of waste items in a safe and environmentally acceptable manner
   9. leave the work area in a safe and tidy condition

2. Carry out maintenance activities on one of the following types of water systems:

   1. mains cold water (drinkable)
   2. hot water supplies
   3. cold down service
   4. waste/foul
   5. non-mains supplies
   6. storm water

3. Carry out all of the following maintenance activities:

   1. dismantling equipment to required level
   2. labelling/proof marking of components
   3. checking components for serviceability
   4. replacing all 'lifed' items (such as seals, gaskets)
   5. replacing or repairing damaged/defective components
   6. setting, aligning and adjusting components
   7. tightening fastenings to the required torque
   8. making checks before re-connecting the supply
   9. functionally testing the maintained equipment

recording the results of the maintenance activity

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reporting or taking action with regard to any defects that require immediate attention (such as replacing non-'lifed' components)

4. Maintain and/or replace six of the following water distribution components:

   1. valves
   2. couplings/connectors
   3. wet and dry risers
   4. pumps
   5. dosing plant
   6. ancillary equipment (such as sinks, toilets)
   7. macerators
   8. pipework (such as copper, steel, clay, iron, plastic)
   9. filters
   10. motors
   11. heaters
   12. pump chambers
   13. cylinders
   14. tanks
   15. gaskets and seals
   16. gauges/indicators
   17. manifolds
   18. traps
   19. sensors
   20. switches
   21. faucets
   22. control devices
   23. electrical wiring/connectors

5. Maintain water distribution systems, in accordance with one of the following:

   1. organisational guidelines and codes of practice
   2. equipment manufacturer's operation range
   3. company regulations
   4. BS, ISO and/or BSEN standards

6. Complete one of the following maintenance records, and pass it to the appropriate person:

   1. job cards
   2. permits to work/formal risk assessment
   3. maintenance log and action report
   4. company-specific documentation

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2

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2018

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Current

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Original

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Semta

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SEMEMI2-21

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Maintenance Fitter

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5223

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Engineering; manufacturing; maintenance; water distribution; fresh water system; foul water system; storm water system; mains cold water; hot water supplies

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