Haryana BSEH Senior Secondary NSQF Plumbing key terms

Special clothing and gear worn to reduce injury risk on site, such as helmets, safety goggles, gloves, ear plugs and steel-toe boots. In plumbing work it also includes respirators for solvent vapour and knee pads for floor-level tasks.

The controlled procedure for entering and working inside tanks, manholes, sumps or trenches with limited openings and poor ventilation. It requires atmospheric testing, a standby person, ventilation and a rescue plan before anyone goes in.

Precautions taken when using oxy-acetylene flames or electric arcs, including flashback arrestors, fire blankets, hot-work permits, ventilation and clearing combustibles. Plumbers use these precautions when cutting or brazing pipes and when repairing metal fixtures.

A written authorisation issued before any flame, spark or grinding operation, listing the area, time, fire watch and extinguishing equipment. It protects occupants and workers where soldering, brazing or cutting occurs near combustible building materials.

Practices for handling lead, lead-based solder and lead pipes so that fumes and dust are not inhaled or carried home. Controls include local exhaust ventilation, respirators, gloves, washing facilities and safe disposal of contaminated waste.

An adjustable hand tool with serrated jaws that grips round pipe surfaces for turning or holding. The jaws are set so that pulling force tightens the grip, and the tool is used on galvanised and black steel pipe assemblies.

A wrench that uses a fabric or rubber strap instead of toothed jaws to turn polished or plated pipe and fittings without scratching. It is preferred for chrome-finished fixture parts and plastic pipe where jaw marks are unacceptable.

A long, slim wrench with a pivoting jaw that reaches the nuts behind a wash basin or water closet where a normal spanner cannot fit. It is used to tighten or loosen tap tail nuts and supply connections.

A heavy clamping device bolted to a bench or tripod that holds pipe firmly while it is cut, threaded or reamed. The jaws are shaped to grip round sections without crushing thin walls.

A clamping tool in which a chain wraps around the pipe and is tightened against a frame, holding large or irregularly shaped pipe securely. It is commonly used on site where a bench vice cannot be carried.

A cutting die with internal threads, held in a ratchet handle called a die stock, used to cut external screw threads on steel pipe ends. Dies are sized to standard pipe thread dimensions and are lubricated during cutting.

A helical ridge cut on a pipe end so that it can be joined to a matching threaded fitting. BSP and NPT are two common standards that differ in thread angle and form, so parts from one standard do not seal reliably with the other.

A thin tape, usually PTFE, wrapped around male pipe threads to fill the small gaps between mating threads and prevent leakage. It is wound in the direction of thread rotation so that it is not unwound during tightening.

A three-part threaded or flanged fitting that lets a pipe run be disconnected without cutting or unscrewing adjacent lengths. It has two end pieces and a central nut that draws the sealing faces together.

A joint that seals by compressing a soft ring, called an olive or ferrule, between a nut and a fitting body onto the pipe surface. It needs no threading or soldering and is common on copper and plastic small-bore supply lines.

A permanent joint for certain plastic pipes made by applying solvent cement that softens both surfaces so they fuse together. The pipe end is squared, cleaned, primed and pushed fully into the socket, then held until it sets.

A close-coiled spring slipped over or inside a small plastic or copper pipe to support the walls while the pipe is bent by hand. It prevents kinking and is withdrawn after the bend is formed.

A tool or machine that forms a controlled curve in pipe by pulling or pushing it around a former of the required radius. Correct use avoids flattening and thinning of the pipe wall at the bend.

Fixing pipe to the building structure with clips or brackets at intervals close enough to carry the weight and stop vibration or sag. Spacing depends on pipe material, diameter and whether the run is horizontal or vertical.

A tank that stores water for a building, fitted with a float-operated valve that closes the inlet when the water reaches a set level. Correct sizing, overflow and venting keep supply steady and prevent contamination or flooding.

A physical separation between a water outlet and the highest possible level of contaminated water, plus devices that stop water flowing backwards into the supply. These measures protect drinking water from siphonage and cross-connection.

A loud knocking or banging in pipework caused by a sudden change in flow, such as a tap closing quickly, which sends a pressure wave through the line. Arrestors, slower-closing valves and proper clipping reduce it.

A trapped pocket of air that stops or reduces water flow in a pipe, often after draining or poor filling. It is cleared by venting high points, opening taps progressively or using air-release valves.

The depth of water held in a trap bend that blocks sewer gases from entering a building. It must be maintained by correct design and venting, because evaporation or siphonage destroys the seal.

Fixture traps shaped as a U-bend or a compact cylinder that hold water to seal out drain odours. The P-trap is used where space allows; the bottle trap is a shallow alternative for exposed basins.

Waste pipe carries used water from sinks, basins and baths, while soil pipe carries sewage from water closets. Both discharge to the drainage system, but soil pipes need larger diameters and stricter venting.

The vertical soil stack carries sewage down to the drain, and the vent stack runs upward beside it to admit air and relieve pressure. Together they protect trap seals from siphonage and allow gases to escape above roof level.

A pipe that connects the drainage system to outside air so that pressure stays balanced when water flows. It prevents the partial vacuum that would otherwise suck the water out of fixture traps.

A valve that controls water flow at a fixture; a mixer combines hot and cold supplies into one outlet. Installation requires correct supply orientation, sealing washers and secure fixing to the fixture surface.

A sanitary fixture for human waste, flushed either by a cistern or by a pressure flush valve connected to the supply. Correct setting of flush volume, inlet and outlet connections prevents continuous running and leakage.

A three-dimensional style of drawing that shows pipe runs on three axes at fixed angles, making rises, drops and branch directions easy to read. It is widely used for supply and drainage layouts in building services.

The ratio that relates a drawing measurement to real size, together with standard graphic signs for pipes, valves, fittings and fixtures. Reading both correctly is essential before measuring or ordering material from a plan.

An itemised list of materials and work with quantities, descriptions and rates, prepared from drawings and specifications. It forms the basis for tendering, material take-off and payment in plumbing contracts.

The process of counting and measuring every pipe length, fitting, fixture and accessory needed for a job from the drawings. Accurate take-off prevents both shortages that delay work and surplus stock that raises cost.

A check in which a completed pipe section is filled with water or air at a set pressure and observed for loss or visible seepage. It proves joints are sound before the system is covered, tiled or handed over.

Drainage checks that introduce coloured water or non-toxic smoke into a pipe run to reveal where it leaks or where fumes escape. They locate defects in buried or concealed drainage without major dismantling.

A planned timetable of inspections, cleaning, tightening and part replacement for plumbing installations. It reduces emergency breakdowns, extends equipment life and keeps records that support warranty and safety compliance.

A written instruction that authorises a repair or installation, recording the location, task, materials used, time and signature of completion. It links site work to costing and gives the customer a record of what was done.

An estimate is an informed prediction of likely cost, while a quotation is a firm offer to do the work at a stated price. Knowing the difference prevents disputes when actual material or labour costs change.

Daily habits that protect a plumber's health, such as washing hands before eating, keeping cuts covered, cleaning tools and changing out of contaminated work clothes. These practices limit skin infection and the spread of disease from drains.