Associations
A BREATH OF FRESH AIR - NECESSITY , NOT LUXURY
By the South African Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Contractors Association ( SARACCA )
Picture yourself in a building with minimal windows , vents , doors and other openings . There is no movement at all in the stale and dense air . Feeling uncomfortable yet ?
Image by cookie _ studio on Freepik
While some may say you could endure this environment at home , work or in public spaces , this is not simply a bit of discomfort . It is a serious health issue for the occupants in any building .
The heating , ventilating and air-conditioning ( HVAC ) system of a building ensures the supply and removal of air naturally ( windows ) and / or mechanically to and from a space . HVAC systems are crucial to the health of building occupants in residential , commercial and industrial buildings .
These systems provide a comfortable temperature , humidity level and optimal air quality that is free from air pollutants . Air pollutants such as carbon monoxide , lead , nitrogen oxides , ground-level ozone , particle pollution and sulphur oxides can severely affect an occupant ’ s health and in serious incidents may result in death .
The Occupational Health and Safety ( OHS ) Act is one area of regulation which encourages South African employers to have HVAC systems installed on their premises which adequately protect employees and customers . For instance , an employer may not require or permit an employee to work in an environment where he or she is exposed to a minimum temperature of 6 ° C for longer than four hours , unless the employer takes reasonable measures to protect the employee against the cold . In the same vein , a person may not work in excessively high temperatures without proper air movement of fresh filtered air .
How can you make sure you are looking after the health of yourself and others when it comes to HVAC in your spaces ? SARACCA members can provide you with HVAC expertise . SARACCA upholds The National Building Regulations which specify minimum fresh air standards for various spaces , dependent on activity and occupation levels . It is also tasked with registering refrigeration and air conditioning practitioners on the SAQCC Gas register .
For ultimate peace of mind of your and others ’ wellbeing , ensure that your HVAC systems are being worked on by authorised persons . Simply go online and search the practitioners ’ details on www . saqccgas . co . za or to see their membership details .
If you are an HVAC practitioner , join SARACCA and benefit from regular communication , invaluable industry support and be kept in the loop with the latest industry standards and regulations . Keep providing high-quality and compliant services to your client by utilising SARACCA ’ s authorised training providers .
SARACCA provides a subsidy to members for the training of site staff in duct erection , refrigeration , air conditioning and project management via short courses that follow SAQA approved unit standards . SARACCA strives to keep SA healthy and safe by constantly making positive contributions to the HVAC industry ’ s reputation and standards . RACA
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RACA Journal I January 2023 www . refrigerationandaircon . co . za