Plumbers are Superheroes

'I'm just a plumber'

'Yeah I fix toilets'

'Plumbers Crack!!!' hahahaha!

'Oh yeah I play in wee and poo all day'

These are just a few of the common phases I hear plumbers say when asked about their occupation.

This got me thinking......do plumbers really believe they are 'just' plumbers. Do plumbers realise how important their work is? When we think of plumbers and their work, do we always associate them with the stereotypical picture of a man with a bum crack visible playing in wee and poo? If yes, maybe its time that we changed the stereotypical image of the plumber.

I believe Plumbers are Superheroes.

The plumber is my superhero because his work gives me to easy access to clean and safe water from various locations in my home and city. Gone are the days when water retrieval from a dam/river/well took an entire day and was often unsafe to drink.

We can easily take for granted the technical work of the plumber. A plumber's work protects the community from illnesses caused by bacterial diseases, salmonellosis, shigellosis, acute diarrhoea, viral diseases, gastroenteritis, hepatitis A, parasitic, giardiasis and hookworm infections. The plumber is a selfless hero who often puts himself at risk of exposure to diseases (abovementioned); to ultimately prevent the spread of illness to the wider community through contaminated water systems.

Ok, so plumbers don't fight fires, rescue people from car accidents or save lives in the emergency department but their work is important and it positively impacts the health of our entire community.

Next time a plumber tells you they are 'just' a plumber why not pull them up and tell them how grateful you are for the work that they do for us all.

Have a wonderful week!!

Reference: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/publications/publishing.nsf/Content/ohp-enhealth-manual-atsi-cnt-l~ohp-enhealth-manual-atsi-cnt-l-ch6~ohp-enhealth-manual-atsi-cnt-l-ch6.2