Perth plumber’s licence revoked

Thornlie man Kim Godfrey was disciplined by the Plumbers Licensing Board after a State Administrative Tribunal hearing last month.

He admitted to fraud and failure to provide general direction and control to a plumbing tradesperson.

A plumbing tradesperson must work under the supervision of a plumbing contractor, which was the position Mr Godfrey held at the time.

Mr Godfrey’s contractor’s licence was suspended for two years and he was ordered to pay the Board a $5000 fine and $975 costs.

A Building Commission statement said Mr Godfrey must now work under the lesser qualification of plumbing tradesperson for the duration of the suspension of his licence.

It said the now-suspended contractor was paid by Perkins Plumbing Contractors to supervise workers on at least 28 properties. He signed forms saying their work complied with standards, but it was revealed he had not supervised any of the work.

Plumbers Licensing Board chairman Howard Croxon said Mr Godfrey’s actions put public safety at risk.

“By signing the notices, Mr Godfrey recklessly represented that the plumbing work complied with the regulations, when he was not in a position at any time to know or even reasonably believe that this was the case.

“If plumbing work is done incorrectly it can cause the failure of plumbing equipment or systems and result in property damage, disease, injury or even death,” he said.