Visiting South Africa and attending the second annual GCCA African Cold Chain Conference on 2-4 August in Cape Town were Bengie Branham , current national president of the US-based Refrigerating Engineers Technicians Association ( RETA ), and Jim Barron RETA executive director .
INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN
ASSOCIATIONS
RETA : sharing expertise with Africa Written by Eamonn Ryan
Visiting South Africa and attending the second annual GCCA African Cold Chain Conference on 2-4 August in Cape Town were Bengie Branham , current national president of the US-based Refrigerating Engineers Technicians Association ( RETA ), and Jim Barron RETA executive director .
One of his main takeaways from the event , says Branham , was the recognition of the struggles faced by the industry in this part of the world . “ However , it was also evident that there is a great deal of passion and dedication among professionals who are committed to providing excellent products and services , while looking for ways to cut costs .”
He described one of the key factors contributing to these struggles as being the infrastructure failures . “ Many organisations in Africa are seeking to expand their energy capabilities and engage in intercontinental trade , but the lack of reliable infrastructure poses significant challenges . This is particularly disheartening considering the vast amount of resources and opportunities available on the continent . Unfortunately , high unemployment rates and other barriers prevent this potential from being fully realised .”
RETA is a US-based training organisation aiming to upgrade the expertise of already qualified operators and management in industrial refrigeration . It is a non-profit organisation that relies on membership support to fulfil its goals . Barron notes that during the conference , local industry leaders recognised the importance of addressing the skills gap in Africa . It is crucial to provide training and education to individuals entering the field to ensure that they have the necessary skills and knowledge .
“ To tackle this issue , RETA advocates for skilled professionals to take on the role of educators . By having experienced individuals teach others , the knowledge base can be enhanced , resulting in betterprepared technicians . It is essential to establish proper training materials and certification programmes to ensure that the necessary knowledge is transferred effectively to the next generation of professionals . By implementing these measures , accidents can be reduced , and the overall quality of work in the industry can be improved ,” says Barron .
RETA was invited out by Gerhard Koch , and Andrew Perks at the IIAR conference held in the US in March , which is one of RETA ’ s coalition partners in industrial refrigeration . Branham says : “ RETA prepares individuals to operate and use refrigeration systems , ranging from small to large systems . They receive our certifications , which are the gold standard ISO and NAB accredited . We are the only organisation in the world with that accreditation , making us that gold standard . Our sister organisation focuses on compliance and proper building of the system , as well as the engineering component . They provide guidance for the industry , and we respond based on their engineering .
“ Regarding standards in the US , we comply with two government agencies , OSHA and EPA which both recognise us as the standard for training industrial
All photos by © Eamonn Ryan | Cold Link Africa
Bengie Branham , current national president of the US-based Refrigerating Engineers Technicians Association ( RETA ), and Jim Barron RETA executive director .
refrigeration technicians . The reason we ' re here is because we see the headlines and news feeds regarding incidents involving anhydrous ammonia , CO 2 and even Freon . These incidents have significant effects and costs on individuals , their families , and the organisations they work for . We believe that we should not limit our efforts to the US ; it should be addressed worldwide . While systems may be designed differently in various countries , our common goal is to have a better way of life , take pride in
By having experienced individuals teach others , the knowledge base can be enhanced , resulting in betterprepared technicians .
COLD LINK AFRICA • September 2023 www . coldlinkafrica . co . za 13