www . refrigerationandaircon . co . za RACA Journal I August 2023 11
Associations
TRAINING TO TAKE CENTRE STAGE AT SARACCA AND SAQCC GAS
Written by Eamonn Ryan
RACA Journal met up with ( at-the-time ) incoming SARACCA executive director John Parry together with director of SAQCC Gas Eddie Cooke to discuss the latest strategy for the training of airconditioning and refrigeration installers and artisans .
The following article was written a while ago but scheduled for issue this month , having in the July issue announced the retirement of Barney Richardson as executive director of SARACCA and his replacement with John Parry . That has all reversed following the untimely death of incoming executive director John Parry ( see his obituary following in this issue ), with Richardson now delaying his retirement to step back into the breach .
To date , out of about 6 000 practitioners , approximately
3 000 have been registered with SAQCC Gas to work in the air-conditioning and refrigeration industry . These are the people working directly on the pressure portion of the refrigeration circuit and consequently the ones who will influence the safety of the installation most . Training is consequently vital to the industry , as is registering with relevant associations .
It ’ s worth repeating that registration is a legal requirement . The Pressure Equipment Regulation 2 specifically states that the regulations shall apply to the design , manufacture , operation , repair , modification , maintenance , inspection and testing of pressure equipment , with a design pressure equal to or greater than 50kPa , in terms of the relevant health and safety standard in the Regulations under section 44 of the OHS Act .
SAQCC Gas as a committee comprises four gas associations for 100 gases : LP gas , compressed gases , the natural gases , and the refrigerant gases . It does the registration and certification for all the gas practitioners and controls the certificates of conformity ( CoCs ) required for new installations and maintenance .
Parry says , “ CoCs are a legal requirement and anyone installing an air conditioner or gas hub without one is committing an illegal act .” Cooke adds that the association itself was formed out of a mandate that came from the Department of Labour . Within the OHS Act there ' s a specific pressure equipment regulation , which mandates any gas system to be issued with
a CoC . That means for design , installation , commissioning , maintenance , or any repairs , that system needs a CoC from a registered practitioner . That practitioner must be registered with and get training through one of the associations , depending on the gas type they work with .
All photos by © Eamonn Ryan / RACA Journal
ROUTES TO QUALIFY FOR MATRICULANTS TO GET INTO THE GAS SECTOR Parry explains that anyone interested in qualifying in air conditioning can enrol with a private training college and do an apprenticeship to become a technician through SARACCA . There are training providers in the major centres : Cape Town , Durban , Kimberley , Johannesburg , and Pretoria . This process is similar for the other associations , adds Cooke . He notes that each association has a different membership working in the different
Eddie Cook , director at SAQCC Gas ( left ) and John Parry , chairman of SAQCC Gas and director of SARACCA ( right ).
SAQCC Gas ’ Virginia Mtshali and Sindiswa Majavu .
www . refrigerationandaircon . co . za RACA Journal I August 2023 11