WBBSE Madhyamik Vocational Plumbing key terms

A rubber cup on a wooden or plastic handle, pressed over a drain opening and pushed down and up to shift a blockage using water pressure. Used on sinks, basins and WC pans before any dismantling.

A flexible steel cable, hand-cranked or motorised, fed into a waste pipe to break or pull out obstructions beyond the reach of a force cup. Available in drum and closet types for different pipe sizes.

An adjustable wrench with serrated jaws and a self-tightening grip, used to turn pipes and large nuts. Jaws must face the direction of rotation so the teeth bite and the handle is pulled, not pushed.

A wrench whose toothed chain wraps a pipe and grips it by friction, used on large-diameter or finished pipes where jaw teeth would leave marks. Common for cast iron soil pipe and chrome-plated tube.

A bench-mounted clamping device with hinged jaws that holds pipe firmly while it is cut, threaded or filed. Correct clamping prevents the pipe spinning and protects the operator from burrs and sharp cut ends.

A tool with a hardened cutting wheel and adjustable rollers that scores and severs pipe as it is rotated around it. The burr formed inside must be reamed out before jointing to keep the bore clear.

A holding frame with hardened threading dies that cuts external screw threads on mild steel pipe. Dies are marked with the thread size, and cutting oil plus a quarter-turn back-release are needed for clean threads.

A tapered tool rotated inside a freshly cut pipe end to remove the internal burr and restore the full bore. Reaming protects flow and prevents turbulence and scale build-up at the joint.

The finishing operation of removing sharp metal or plastic edges left by cutting or drilling. On plastic pipe a deburring tool or knife scrapes the inner and outer edge square so solvent cement and rings seat properly.

The clothing and gear worn to reduce injury risk on site, such as safety helmet, goggles, gloves, safety footwear, ear protection and dust mask. It is the last line of defence after eliminating or isolating the hazard.

A written authorisation issued before a hazardous task, recording the work, its hazards, the controls and the person in charge. It must be signed off and closed when the job ends so isolation and safe conditions are verified.

Entering an enclosed or poorly ventilated space such as a manhole, septic tank or sump where toxic gas, low oxygen or flooding may exist. Requires gas testing, forced ventilation, a standby person and rescue arrangements before entry.

The safety procedure of isolating an energy source, applying a personal lock and attaching a warning tag so equipment cannot be started while someone works on it. Only the person who applied the lock removes it.

A valve fitted so that part of a water or heating system can be shut off for repair without draining the whole installation. It should be accessible, labelled and exercised periodically so it does not seize.

A valve with a sliding wedge that opens or closes the flow path with minimal resistance when fully open. It is used for on/off isolation, not throttling, because a partly open gate erodes and chatters.

A quarter-turn valve with a drilled sphere that gives quick, tight shut-off and is reliable after long periods unused. It suits isolation duties but is not intended for fine flow regulation.

A small screw-down valve, usually brass, fitted on the incoming service pipe or at a fixture supply to shut water off. The main stopcock must be found and labelled so occupants can isolate in an emergency.

A valve opened and closed by a floating arm in a cistern, maintaining a set water level. Correct adjustment prevents overflow, and a worn washer causes constant trickling and water waste.

A tank that stores water at atmospheric pressure, either feeding outlets by gravity or flushing a WC. It needs an inlet float valve, an overflow or warning pipe, and a lid to keep out dust and insects.

A pipe that safely discharges water from a cistern or tank if the inlet valve fails, usually to an outside wall where the flow is visible. Its diameter must be at least that of the inlet and it must not connect directly to a drain.

The depth of water held in a trap bend that blocks foul air from passing into the building. It is measured between the dip tube or outlet and the crown weir, and is lost by evaporation or siphonage.

A trap shaped like the letter P that retains a water seal and connects a fixture outlet to the discharge pipe. It may be a tubular pattern with a cleaning eye or a bottle trap for exposed basins.

A vent pipe connected to the discharge side of a trap or to the soil branch to equalise pressure and stop the trap seal being sucked out. It is essential where discharge stacks are long or fixtures are grouped.

A pipe open to atmosphere that carries fresh air into the drainage system and releases foul air above roof level. It protects trap seals from siphonage and allows sewer gases to escape safely.

A smaller drainage pipe that carries discharge from one or more fixtures into the main soil or waste stack or drain. It must fall towards the stack and be sized so that flow does not back up.

The pipe that carries sewage containing faecal matter from water closets to the drain, as distinct from a waste pipe carrying sullage only. It is normally the largest vertical pipe in the building.

A pipe that carries sullage, that is, waste water free of faecal solids, from sinks, basins, baths and showers to the drainage system. It must be trapped at the fixture and graded towards the drain.

An access chamber on a drain or sewer allowing inspection, rodding and clearing of blockages. It has a removable cover, a benched channel and, where required, step irons, and is a confined space for entry purposes.

A shallow access point on a drain, usually with a sealed cover, placed at changes of direction, junctions and intervals along the run. It is smaller than a manhole and is not intended for a person to enter.

A capped opening at the upstream end or at a bend of a drain through which rods can be pushed to clear a blockage. It must be sealed watertight when not in use to prevent leakage and smells.

A trapped fitting at ground level that receives waste water from a yard, pavement or fixture and discharges it to the drain. A grating keeps out leaves and debris, and the seal stops drain air escaping.

A joint made on plastic pipe by applying solvent cement that softens both surfaces so they fuse as the spigot is pushed into the socket. The pipe must be cut square, deburred, cleaned and held still while it sets.

A mechanical joint in which a pipe end is pushed past a rubber ring into a socket, sealing by compression without tools or heat. The pipe must be cut square, marked to insertion depth and free of burrs.

A brass or plastic fitting that seals a pipe by tightening a nut onto a soft ring, usually an olive, against a seat. It is demountable and needs only spanners, but over-tightening can split the olive or distort the pipe.

A thin white tape wrapped around male screw threads to lubricate the joint and fill the spiral gap, preventing leaks. It is wound in the direction of thread engagement, typically two or three turns, not over the first thread.

A device fitted on the service pipe that measures the volume of water supplied to a premises for billing and leak checking. Comparing readings when all outlets are closed helps confirm hidden leakage.

The process of finding where water escapes from a system, using meter readings, pressure tests, visual tracing of damp patches, listening with a stethoscope or acoustic device, and isolating sections in turn.

A test in which a pipe system is filled and pressurised, usually with water or air, then watched to see whether the pressure holds. It proves joints are sound before the work is covered or handed over.

An itemised schedule listing work items with descriptions and quantities, priced by the contractor to form the tender or contract sum. It allows fair comparison of bids and is the basis for interim payments.

The process of measuring quantities of pipes, fittings, fixtures and labour from drawings and specifications for estimating. Accurate take-off with waste allowance prevents under-pricing and material shortages on site.

A calculated forecast of the cost of a plumbing job, built from measured quantities, current material rates, labour hours and overheads. It is prepared before work starts and is not the same as a final bill.

A pictorial drawing in which pipe runs are shown on three axes at 30 degrees to the horizontal, giving a three-dimensional view. Plumbers use single-line isometrics to plan and record pipe routes clearly.

Orthographic views that show a layout from above and from the side respectively, drawn to scale with dimensions and symbols. Together they define positions of fixtures, pipe routes and levels for installation work.

Scheduled inspection, cleaning and servicing carried out before faults develop, such as descaling, checking valves and testing alarms. It reduces breakdowns, extends asset life and lowers emergency repair costs.

The transferable abilities employers expect alongside trade skill, including communication, teamwork, punctuality, problem-solving, numeracy and safe working. They are assessed in vocational training and shown through behaviour at work.

The activity of identifying a need, organising resources and taking financial risk to run a plumbing business or service. It requires costing, marketing, record keeping and awareness of registration and tax obligations.

A written offer stating the price, scope, materials, timeline and validity for proposed work, sent to a customer before starting. It protects both parties by defining what is included and what is extra.

A practical assignment in which a candidate plans, installs and tests a plumbing assembly such as a fixture with trap and supply, then records methods, measurements and results for assessment against given criteria.