Close to 2,000 virtual plumbing audits have been undertaken by the Victorian Building Authority (VBA) in the past year as part of the regulator’s Plumbing Audit Program.
State Building Surveyor at VBA, Andrew Cialini said the use of virtual plumbing audits was part of a recent expansion to the capability of the Program and had enhanced its reach.
“Virtual audits have complimented the work VBA plumbing auditors do on the ground, with site visits still necessary for a range of works, including roofing, drainage and carbon monoxide testing,” Mr Cialini said.
“Virtual plumbing audits came to life at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, when the VBA sought to continue its important plumbing audit work, while balancing the safety of the community, plumbing practitioners and VBA auditors,” he said.
“The program has become a tremendous asset by cutting down on travel time and enhancing the reach of our plumbing auditors, allowing them to reach more regional areas more often.”
Mr Cialini said virtual audits accounted for about 30 per cent of the Plumbing Audit Program and 40 per cent of those had been undertaken in regional local Government areas.
The State Building Surveyor said that if work was identified as non-compliant during an audit, a practitioner would be given a rectification notice and another audit would follow within four weeks.
“Plumbing practitioners have relished the flexibility and ease of scheduling virtual audits, particularly for rectification works, commenting favourably about the convenience and efficiency of virtual audits,” he said.
“Virtual plumbing audits have allowed these rectification audits to be undertaken sooner, reducing the time that non-compliant work is outstanding,” Mr Cialini said.
