Contractor ’ s Corner
THE IMPORTANCE OF
GOOD WORKMANSHIP
By SARACCA
Members are encouraged to ensure that they adhere to guidelines providing the best possible services and promote good engineering practice and workmanship .
The South African Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Contractors
Association ( SARACCA ) is an accredited member association of SAQCC Gas . Members of SAQCC Gas are regulated members of the refrigeration and air conditioning industry .
Good workmanship is defined by Jacques Claassen of Embassy Air , a member of SARACCA , as , “ The provision of a service or goods which complies with industry quality standards as set by the applicable governing body .”
With the above definition in mind , it reminds one that good workmanship goes hand in hand with meticulousness and it is imperative to ensure that safety and quality remain paramount . Not adhering to the standards thus becomes unethical and is a safety hazard for all those involved or at risk of being exposed to the service .
Commercial Director of Aire-ZA Dean Munsamy ’ s definition of workmanship extends to the satisfaction of clients reflecting the standard of workmanship . His definition of workmanship is , “ Quality work done with neatness and skill . Where the material and equipment are manufactured and installed as per its designed purpose . Quality work always compliments the engineering of said work . Clients are happy with quality work , knowing that good money has been invested .”
For good workmanship to exist there must be a way to ensure consistency as well as an understanding of the implication of its importance . To provide bad workmanship is to not adhere to industry standards .
Munsamy continues to express the integral role the heating , ventilation , and air conditioning or the HVAC industry plays in the South African economy . The industry is applicable to all contexts , from work to leisure . In relation to corporate , the emergence of the work from home business model , which has become a necessity during the Covid-19 pandemic , has shown the transcendence of the industry .
Wherever one may find themselves , the industry is omnipresent and necessary to protect the interests of many from a micro to a macro perspective .
“ The HVAC industry is a big and important part of the South African economy in the way of comfort and food . It employs many people – unskilled , semi-skilled , skilled and professionals ,” continues Munsamy . " It is a satisfying career to design , create , manufacture , service and maintain HVAC systems . Provides rewarding income to staff at any level . It offers accredited and trade-tested skill for those that study and put in the time . Great career opportunities exist both nationally and internationally . It is also a regulated industry implementing standards in OSHACT & PER and SARACCA has been a great association in the furtherance of the HVAC industry in South Africa .”
The industry allows for citizens with different skills , many entry points and opportunities to promote good workmanship to the best of their capacity within their field .
Claassen reflects on tools and insight that he has gained from being a member of SARACCA as the following :
• The importance of providing training and upliftment to staff which would previously not have had access to the good quality training .
• Industry norms regarding contract management .
• To use the SARACCA classification for duct manufacturing , which is approved by the SABS on a daily basis .
SARACCA is the regulation authority which promotes and assists members to strive for and achieve good workmanship . The prioritisation of industry standards results in the promotion , safe use and maintenance of all components at all stages of installation and continued use .
SARACCA is an association of contractors who have individually and jointly agreed to a set of governing standards whilst operating in free competition against each other . The common aim is to continually strive to improve the image and standards of the industry and the association provides a forum for this purpose .
In July 2009 , the Department of Labour published the ‘ Pressure Equipment Regulations ’ as part of the Occupational Health and Safety Act Number 85 of 1993 . The South African Qualification and Certification Committee for Gas ( SAQCC Gas ) has been accredited by the Department of Labour to register ‘ Authorised Persons ’. SARACCA , as a member of that committee , is tasked with registering refrigeration and air conditioning practitioners . RACA
www . hvacronline . co . za RACA Journal I August 2021 49