Events and Exhibitions
SARACCA’S FIRST VIRTUAL
NATIONAL JOINT-BRANCH MEETING
By Benjamin Brits
The South African Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Contractors
Association (SARACCA) held their first national meeting through the digital
platform Zoom on 6 August 2020.
Forty members participated in the meeting with John Parry,
SARACCA president opening the meeting and welcoming
members and sharing a few words, whereafter, regional chairmen
Dean Munsamy (KZN), Hennie Basson (WC) and Simon Mthethwa
(GP), also offered greetings and welcomed fellow members.
During the course of the dialogue, new members were
welcomed as well as the re-accepted members. Various points
were also brought forward through particular challenges the
members were experiencing that included the impact of Covid-19
on business in terms of payment and contract delays, handling
and the disposal of refrigerants which has become extremely
costly, and delays in the trade-test accreditation of learners at the
MERSETA level.
As has been the order of events in the past, members were
invited to rather engage in further e-mail correspondences about
their business outlooks due to the practicality of the subject
matter being discussed and handled in the particular ‘virtual
forum’, as there were a significant amount of attendees who may
wish to give their input.
Members were also reminded about the assistance SARACCA
offers to its members in good standing (paid up) in regards to
external training for staff that includes any technical training, site
installations, sheet work, gas installation, working at height, fall
protection, and first aid. The list of qualifying training is available
from SARACCA and is only available for students who complete
and pass the training. SARACCA will pay 50% of these costs given
all the prerequisites are in place.
Notably, an opportunity was taken up by KZN chair Munsamy
in acknowledgement of the upcoming holiday recognising
women in both society and their various roles in the business
environment that was greatly applauded by the members.
Michael Young, was the guest speaker for the meeting and
offered his research and suggestions for the management of
air quality related to covid-19 through his presentation: ‘How
Covid-19 may define how future HVAC systems are maintained’,
that is based on the implementation of the ASHRAE guidelines
related to the pandemic and subsequent recommended actions.
All images by RACA Journal
The order of events for the national meeting.
Michael Young’s presentation included system configurations and
details related to the spread of viruses in droplet and aerosol form.
Young’s presentation included substantial details about how
viruses are typically spread and how engineers and contractors
can play a role in the elements in their control that include
airflows and ventilation, maintenance of the RH percentage and
filtration methods. He also discussed in detail UVC lamps and
dead zones, various filter configurations and a portable HVAC
device he was involved in developing for a hospital.
Parry ended off the meeting with thanks to attending
members and noted the next meeting will take place in
October 2020 and asked members to start their considerations
for the upcoming changes in chair and vice chair-positions.
The virtual meeting and presentation was recorded and is
available by request from SARACCA. RACA
www.hvacronline.co.za RACA Journal I October 2020 13