Contractor ’ s Corner
AVOIDING DISCIPLINARY ACTION THROUGH NON-COMPLIANCE
By SAQCC Gas
This article , based on a SAQCC Gas webinar hosted by Roy Lubbe , focuses on achieving compliance through the best refrigerant practices of the practitioner within the regulatory standards framework and disciplinary framework .
This information is made available purely to offer refrigeration practitioners awareness of the rules and regulations surrounding disciplinary action , should one do work which is substandard and out of regulation .
You must always ask yourself , are there persons who are not registered and working illegally ; are there people working outside of their scope of competence ; are there practitioners who are registered but don ' t conform to the Health and Safety standards , and of course , the Pressure Equipment Regulations . It is fairly common to come across people that are doing the wrong thing .
The other points to consider , are whether these refrigeration practitioners working in the industry are doing a disservice and an injustice to your profession and your brand as a business through inferior workmanship . If negotiating on safety is acceptable and if having a system installation which is 80 % compliant - what happens to the 20 % that doesn ' t comply . How does this look when you are wearing your safety compliance hat ?
ADDRESSING NON-CONFORMING PROCESSES The mandate of SAQCC Gas is to remedy non-conformity and when a practitioner does not want to be counselled or guided , or even follow corrective measures , then it becomes necessary to revert to the disciplinary process . Being a registered and Authorised Refrigerant Gas Practitioner is a professional competence . SAQCC Gas ’ role in the refrigeration sector is upliftment of competence – the same as the other three Gas Associations where the objective is fulfilment of the Department of Employment and Labour ' s mandate to regulate the use of various gases .
The mandated perspective of SAQCC Gas is that of doing things right and protecting the four gas associations , ensuring safe practices are followed and maintained at all times . This requires a mechanism of remedy of poor behaviour and workmanship through the promotion of good conduct .
It is unfortunate that many people don ' t want to follow standards and regulations , more so if people don ’ t want to improve and upgrade their skills . It doesn ' t help that the particular transgressing
SAQCC Gas
Functional compliance interrelationships for all businesses .
www . hvacronline . co . za RACA Journal I June 2021 55