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 .
CERTIFICATES OF CONFORMITY VIA APP
This article continues on from the previous column dealing with CoCs via the online App .
Supplied
The online app can be downloaded from the Play Store using a tablet or smart phone . Search for the SAQCC Gas CoC and proceed with installation . You will be asked if you are registered in Safe Handling of Refrigerant Gas . If you are not , you as the refrigeration or air conditioning installer or maintenance practitioner will have to undergo the safe handling of refrigerants training course and assessment . Once the certificate is given to you , apply for registration as an authorised refrigerant gas practitioner with SAQCC Gas .
Registration is achieved by applying with submission of the application form and all supporting documentation through SARACCA . SARACCA is responsible for refrigeration and air conditioning registrations within SAQCC Gas . Be sure to provide all information requested – note : an incomplete form will just cause a delay in the process .
The issuing of Certificate of Conformity ( CoC ) by refrigeration and air conditioning practitioners has been dismally poor when compared to those issued by the Liquid Petroleum Gas Practitioners over the past months .
CoCs issued by each SAQCC Gas association : March 22 – October 2022 .
The active refrigeration and air conditioning practitioners on the SAQCC Gas database vs practitioners registered on the CoC app as of October 2022 are shown below .
Data related to active practoitioners versus issues App CoCs .
You will notice the refrigeration and air conditioning registered practitioners are not issuing CoCs to the same extent as LP gas practitioners . With 3296 active refrigerant gas practitioners and only 648 using the CoC App is in stark contrast to the LP gas practitioners .
The vast difference above the SARACCA name is not a good reflection of the industry . The South African Gas Association ( SAGA ) dealing with natural gas , with only 205 practitioners on the APP are issuing 1297 CoCs for the same period highlights the poor performance and non-compliance by refrigeration and air conditioning practitioners .
Those practitioners who are not up to speed with the CoC App must get connected and issue certificates , whether asked by the client or not , to comply with the requirements of the Pressure Equipment Regulations . Practitioners should take responsibility to inform their client of the CoC requirement and issue a CoC after a new installation or repair or general maintenance .
The SAQCC Gas has a mandated role from the Department of Employment and Labour to register gas practitioners and unfortunately also discipline practitioners who transgress the SAQCC Gas Code of Conduct . Matters of transgression are not always pleasant to deal with but necessary considering the effect of the transgression of the Code of Good Practice which each practitioner signs . Poor workmanship and failure to follow standards leads to property and equipment damage , and especially , endangering people ’ s lives . RACA
www . refrigerationandaircon . co . za RACA Journal I January 2023 45