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New Unit Standards for Polyethylene Pipelines Training
By Jonathan Mackey, Manager NZWETA. NZWETA is a joint venture between the New Zealand Water & Wastes Association and Opus International Consultants Ltd. Jonathan is also the Work Group Manager training at Opus Environmental Training Centre.
Polyethylene, also known as PE, was discovered in the 1930s and was first made commercially in the late 1940s. PE water supply pipes have now been used for more than 50 years.
PE pipes were introduced in New Zealand in the 1970s but were of older grade low density (LDPE) pipes which offered either strength or toughness but not both, earning them a poor performance reputation.
Modern high performance grades such as medium density (MDPE) PE80 and PE100 pipes are now used widely in the industry and offer many performance benefits, including corrosion resistance; toughness, tolerance to handling; flexibility; long service life (often claimed to be 100 years or more) and reasonable service history (25 years).
Installation – what is the industry doing about it?
The biggest risk to variability of pipeline performance is often the handling, jointing and installation of pipes. While pipelines are designed in offices and manufactured in factories, one of the most important parts of installing a pipeline - joining all the parts together - takes place in sites that are often wet, dusty or muddy and exposed to weather.
The importance of good installation practices has been recognised by the industry, which has approached Water Industry Training Organisation to produce PE jointing and welding unit standards specific to the water industry. This represents a significant step up on current PE welding training, as welders will now have their competency recognised by the attainment of unit standards on the New Zealand National Qualification Framework.
A key change is that competency now includes a greater emphasis on practical experience under real site conditions, with trainees required to provide evidence of welds and joint tests.
The industry will recognise welding competency by the attainment of unit standards, and keeping of ongoing welding records to prove regular and recent welding experience.
Future refresher courses will allow welders to keep up to date with changes in technology and industry best practice, often with the support of manufactures and suppliers.
Training provider
New Zealand Water & Environment Training Academy (NZWETA) will be delivering training courses with the support of NZWWA and Water Industry Training Organisation.
NZWETA trainers will be current welding operators who still complete hundreds of welds monthly. They will be geographically based, to keep class sizes down and to ensure that, while trainers will teach best practice, they will also be familiar with local conditions and the problems and issues of local contractors, welders and asset owners.
Neil Warner is our first trainer. Neil is a director of his own PE welding company Polyweld Contracting Ltd. With 10 years’ experience as a PE welder, Neil says he has become a trainer for NZWETA as he “enjoys the contact with likeminded professionals, and wants to give new and existing welders, and others, such as engineers, the benefit of my accumulated experience“. He has also been part of the development of the training material to ensure that the information is current and relevant to this industry.
Training to the new qualifications will start in August. It will initially be a local qualification until the proposed unit standards are formally registered by NZQA.
Each two-day course cover theory and practical for butt fusion, electrofusion, socket and saddle fusion, and mechanical fittings. Final attainment of the unit standards will be achieved once welding records have been submitted for assessment.
The titles of the unit standards being delivered in the course programme are:
Course ID |
Course Title |
P1 |
Prepare for, and carry out, jointing of polyethylene pipes up to 250mm diameter by butt fusion welding |
P2 |
Prepare for, and carry out, jointing of polyethylene pipes greater than 280mm diameter by butt fusion welding |
P3 |
Prepare for, and carry out, jointing of polyethylene pipes up to 250mm diameter, and fittings, by electrofusion |
P4 |
Prepare for, and carry out, jointing of polyethylene pipes greater than 280mm diameter, and fittings, by electrofusion |
P5 |
Install compression fittings, flanges, and backing ring |
P6 |
Describe polyethylene welding, mechanical joints, repairs to pipelines, and tapping systems |
Training to the new qualifications will start in August. It will initially be a local qualification until the proposed unit standards are formally registered by NZQA.
People who complete all of the course requirements successfully before the NZQA registration is complete will be issued an interim certificate that can be used to prove competence as soon as the formal unit standards are available.
Visit the NZWETA web site www.nzweta.org.nz for the programme of courses and enrolment information. If your regular contact for PE Welding training is with NZWWA they will refer you to the new courses underway in August.
By Jonathan Mackey, Manager NZWETA. NZWETA is a joint venture between the New Zealand Water & Wastes Association and Opus International Consultants Ltd. Jonathan is also the work group Manager training at Opus Environmental Training Centre
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