No, it wasn’t a ATM bombing or a terrorist attack, it was a geyser which exploded at a sport centre that severely damaged the building, see below video. During the evening neighbours of a sports complex in Pretoria were awoken by a loud explosion. On investigation they discovered that an explosion had occurred in the building. It was found that the cause of the explosion was a faulty geyser. Fortunately, nobody was injured in the incident.
Mr Gerrie Botha the Technical Manager for Gauteng at the Institute of Plumbing South Africa (IOPSA) was called to the scene. According to Botha these types of incidents occur more often than most people expect “A properly installed geyser is very safe but if it is installed incorrectly or by an unqualified plumber it can be potentially lethal. Geysers are fitted with multiple safety devices which prevent explosions but when these devices are not fitted correctly or are tampered with, that is when a geyser can become a bomb.” He further advises homeowners against using un-qualified plumbers “Qualified Plumbers have been properly trained in all the safety aspects of installing geysers, they know what they are doing. Un-qualified people just haven’t had the training, they think they know but far too often it ends in disaster. You should never let an un-qualified plumber work on your geyser.”
According to the National Building Regulations, all water heaters or geysers must by law be installed by Qualified Plumbers according to the South African National Standards SANS 10254. This Standard gives clear instructions about the required safety equipment and how it should be installed. Botha adds that “one of the main requirements of SANS 10254 is that the Plumber must issue a Certificate of Compliance (COC) from the professional body for plumbers (PIRB). The COC warrants that the plumber is licensed to install geysers and that the work is done correctly. If they aren’t giving you a PIRB certificate, you should be concerned”.
The Water Services Act 1997 (Act No. 108 of 1997) as amended on 8 June 2001 in Clause 14 states, “Every consumer installation must comply with SANS 10252: Water Supply and Drainage for Buildings and SANS 10254: The Installation of Fixed Electric Storage Water Heating Systems”. This places the responsibility on all building/homeowners to ensure that all plumbing installations, repair and maintenance be conducted by Qualified Plumbers.
The Institute of Plumbing South Africa (IOPSA) is an NPO which was established in 1989 by plumbers. Today IOPSA has evolved to be the largest plumbing body in South Africa and is the recognised voice of the South African Plumbing industry. IOPSA provides a platform to advise on the practice and principles of the plumbing industry. The Institute regularly consults and liaises with the plumbing industry, governmental and regulatory bodies for the discussion of matters affecting the plumbing industry. IOPSA is recognised and in most cases has representation on most national and international plumbing and legislative bodies.
Anybody with queries related to geyser installations or any other plumbing related matters is free to contact www.iopsa.org for more information or assistance.