10 Challenges Plumbers Have To Face

Plumbing is undoubtedly one of the noblest and most lucrative professions in Australia.

After all, you get the opportunity to help and meet new people every day, not to mention the high earning potential. Plumbing can also help you stay fit, as most plumbing jobs involve hard work and sweating.

If you love repairing and putting things together while earning a good salary, you should certainly aspire to be a plumber. However, it’s worth noting that there are many challenges that you might have to face upon choosing this profession.

We have tried explaining all the major challenges in detail in the following section to keep you informed. So, without any further ado, let’s get started.

Top 10 Challenges That Plumbers Have To Face

These are the various challenges you will most likely face as an Ipswich plumber.

1. Contact With Bodily Fluids And Solids

Perhaps, the biggest and the most disgusting challenge that plumbers have to face is that they have to deal with various bodily fluids. Their hands, clothes, shoes and even their face could come in contact with other people’s bodily solids and fluids while plugging and clearing blocked drains Ipswich wide or cutting into sewer lines.

2. Different Types Of Injuries

There is no denying that plumbing tools and equipment have become significantly powerful over the last few years for providing effective results quickly.

While this is a good thing for plumbers, this also puts them at risk of sustaining injuries such as cuts, fractures and broken bones, especially if the tool is defective. Apart from that, there is a risk of sustaining injuries due to extreme temperatures in this profession. Plumbers often have to venture out into extremely hot or cold places to fix burst pipes.

Not only that, but plumbers could also have to deal with eye injuries as they often get exposed to foreign objects and bacteria that could harm their eyes. However, eye injuries can be prevented by wearing protective glasses while working, as they could reduce the risk of exposure significantly.

3. Hearing Loss

Protecting your hearing ability is another major challenge you could face as a plumber. According to a report, 48% of plumbers reported that they suffered from hearing loss due to heavy electronic machinery, noisy pipes and banging tools. Needless to say, hearing damage can have a severe impact on both your personal and professional life.

4. Repetitive Movements

Many plumbers don’t know about this, but it is a fact that injuries can develop over time as a result of doing the same thing for prolonged periods regularly. Some of the most common injuries related to repetitive stress include:

• Muscle sprains and strains
• Back injuries affecting disks, muscles and ligaments
• Tissue damage to wrists, neck and shoulders

If the working site is designed to reduce carrying, pushing or pulling loads, then these types of injuries can easily be avoided.

5. Chances Of Tipping and Slipping

As a plumber, you will often have to walk on wet floors, increasing your chances of slipping or tipping over. The problem is that falls, trips, and slips can end up causing major injuries to your body; hence you must be extremely cautious in slippery or wet areas. You can call it an occupational hazard as it is something you can’t avoid while on the job.

6. Carrying A Large Wallet

Being plumbers ourselves, we have to admit that this annoys us the most. When on the job, you will have to carry a massive wallet to keep all your licensing cards, including:

• White card
• Blue card
• Fire rating card
• Draining and plumbing cards
• BSA

7. Odd And Irregular Working Hours

Emergency plumbers in Ipswich have no choice but to kiss their sleep goodbye! This is because such plumbing companies work round the clock to ensure they can solve their clients’ plumbing issues urgently. So, be it night or day, you will always have to be ready to hit the road.

Another thing that you must note is that sometimes there’ll be no work at all, and other times there’ll be so much work that you’ll have difficulty handling each task.

8. Working At High Heights

Another challenge that plumbers have to face is that they often have to work at high heights, leading to accidents if they are not careful enough. If your work requires staying above ground for extended periods, ensure that the weather conditions are good and you have certified harnesses. Working at heights can also be made safer by using a cherry picker or scaffolding.

9. Annoying Clients

Yes, you will have to deal with annoying clients now and then as a plumber. While some will never pay you on time, others will blame you if their fixture starts malfunctioning within the warranty period. Some clients will call you in the middle of the night to fix minor non-emergency issues.

10. Confined Spaces

Confined spaces such as pipes, sewers, storage tanks, and boilers usually don’t have safe oxygen levels. So, working for prolonged periods in such closed environments could make it highly challenging for plumbers to breathe and even give rise to breathing issues down the road.

Final Thoughts

There you have it; those were the top challenges that a burst pipe plumber has to face.

Hopefully, you have realized that plumbing jobs are not that easy and require plumbers to put up with a lot of nuisance. Note that this guide is not meant to discourage you from becoming a plumber; we just felt that you should be informed of the potential challenges in the profession.

Also, the next time you call in a plumber, be kind and treat them with the respect they deserve.

With that last bit of advice, it’s time for us to wrap up. Until next time, take care!