Responsible Refrigeration
By Barney Richardson
BARNEY RICHARDSON
Barney Richardson is the director of South African Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Contractors Association ( SARACCA ) and sits on various other boards within the HVAC industry , including the South African Qualifications and Certifications Committee for Gas ( SAQCC ) Gas .
CORRECT INFORMATION FOR
REGISTRATIONS AT SARACCA AND SAQCC GAS
Many refrigeration and air conditioning practitioners applying for registration with SAQCC Gas do not complete the application form correctly or in full .
Not completing the form places a burden on the SARACCA office which has the responsibility for assessing and verifying an application and recommending a category of registration to SAQCC Gas .
First up is the question to be answered , “ Position held in company ?” This space is sometimes left blank . Then the term artisan or electrician or refrigeration technician is written , which is good provided the supporting trade test documentation is provided . Some applicants fill this in falsely in that they do not have a trade qualification .
The block below on the application is a request for details of the applicant ’ s trade qualification , and should correlate to the applicant ’ s qualification certificate . The years of apprenticeship are important for the final assessment .
TRADE QUALIFICATIONS Trade apprenticeship or learner-ship
The trade qualification is important for the grading of applications because of the difference in skills between an artisan and a nontrade tested installer . An applicant must fill out this information if he / she has passed a trade test . The important trades that we recognise for registration in category ‘ B ’ are ;
• Refrigeration mechanic
• Electrician with experience in refrigeration
• Millwright with experience in refrigeration
Another trade that does come up is a fitter and turner in the ammonia refrigeration sector of the industry . Then there are the auto electricians and motor mechanics who work with refrigerated transport and vehicle air conditioning , these are recognised depending on the experience in refrigeration and the skills acquired in these specialist fields .
Training period From To
Year trade test certificate issued Employer during Apprenticeship / learner-ship :
Other Skills training attended and qualifications achieved
Please remember to attach all certificates of trade and other courses and qualification
EXPERIENCE Date from Date To Employer Experience and types of system worked on
www . hvacronline . co . za RACA Journal I April 2022 39