Associations
SARACCA GP MEETING
EMPHASISES NEED OF
REGISTERING
Compiled by Ntsako Khosa
SARACCA held the Gauteng branch meeting at the Johannesburg Country
Club in Woodmead.
ennie Basson, chairman of SARACCA Western Cape
presented on the accreditation of skills development
training providers and a guide to registration.
Basson focused specifically on the safe handling of refrigerants
and pressure equipment regulations. “The Department of
Labour has mandated SAQCC Gas with the responsibility of
registering and maintaining a data base of ‘Authorised Persons’
for handling and working with gases under pressure. SARACCA
is an accredited Association member of SAQCC Gas with the
responsibility to review and process applications for registration
as Authorised Refrigerant Gas Practitioners in the refrigeration
and air conditioning industry.
“As a signatory Country to the Montreal Protocol, South Africa
has the obligation to abide by the requirements as set out by the
Montreal Protocol and its amendments to ensure that all persons
handling refrigerants are trained in the safe use and understand
the requirements and responsibilities regarding the phase-out of
banned refrigerants (CFCs) and the phase-out of HFCs”.
Accreditation is awarded to providers who offer outcomes-
based learning programmes aligned to the NQF registered
standards, unit standards (which will be phased out by 2023)
and qualifications. Accreditation may be seen as unnecessary
in the field, however, Basson states that this must be seen as
an audit process of the provider’s quality system and the learning
programme which will be offered. It ensures that learning and
assessments result in a nationally recognised formal qualification.
“All Skills Development Providers (SDPs) of which the core
business is the training of learners for the refrigeration and air
conditioning industry in South Africa will be accredited, except
where the SDP is a TVET College, which has the facilities to train
multiple trades on one campus,” he explained.
There are steps to be followed in order to be accredited.
Basson detailed these stating that the SDP must be accredited by
the relevant Quality Council For Trades and Occupations (QCTO),
which is SAQA registered for qualifications and individual unit
www.hvacronline.co.za
H
The updated Handbook
gives a comprehensive
guide on how a
Practitioner should
handle refrigerants.
standards to offer institutional training. The accreditation must
be valid for the period of three years on renewals and one year
for probationary accreditation. He reminded attendees that the
refrigeration and air conditioning industry skills development are
facilitated by merSETA, meaning that the SDP must adhere to
the requirements thereof.
There are two types of Accreditation, probationary and full.
“Probationary accreditation by SARACCA is valid for a period of
one year. Assessment shall be conducted by SARACCA to ensure
the minimum requirements are met by the SDP, on which a
motivation shall be submitted to SARACCA's national executive
committee (NEC) for approval. The accreditation by SARACCA is
valid for a period of five years. An application for reaccreditation
must be submitted to the office of SARACCA to ensure that
the application is approved before the renewal date,” he said.
Continued on page 23
RACA Journal I May 2020
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