Associations
ARE YOU SURE YOU
ARE INSURED ?
By the South African Qualification and Certification Committee ( SAQCC )
Faithful payment on years of insurance premiums can prove valueless in the absence of a certificate of conformity ( CoC ).
It is a startling fact that one stands to lose hefty amounts of money that were meant to be an “ insurance ” on one ’ s assets . Insurance companies will not cough-up if you cannot present a valid CoC when making a claim . Can you afford to lose all your assets and have your insurance repudiated ?
A vast majority of South African citizens are moving towards the use of gas appliances due to the increasing cost of electricity and possible outages . However , most users are unaware of the specific regulations and safety standards with which they must comply when getting gas equipment installed at their premises . Overlooking these regulations can be detrimental in many ways .
According to the Pressure Equipment Regulations ( PER ), all natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas appliances , and equipment containing a gas should meet the specified standards to ensure safety . These regulations set out the requirements regarding the design , manufacture , operation , repair , modification , maintenance , inspection and testing of pressure equipment .
In terms of the Occupational Health and Safety Act , 1993 , the PER also requires persons handling the installation of any gas systems to undergo specific training and to be registered with the SAQCC Gas . The registered gas practitioner must issue a CoC for any equipment they install .
WHAT IS A CERTIFICATE OF CONFORMITY ? A CoC for gas installations is a legal document which must be obtained whenever a gas system is installed , modified or repaired and should be retained for possible future requirement . Only registered practitioners may issue a CoC and a complete list of these practitioners can be found on : www . saqccgas . co . za
The importance of a CoC is generally realised when it is too late .
COC AND INSURANCE Most People are oblivious to the importance of holding a CoC
for every gas installation on their properties , this includes air conditioning and refrigeration units - the importance is generally realised when it is too late .
It is usual for people to get insurance cover for their properties and assets ; however , it is a staggering truth that owners could be paying insurance premiums for years and end up receiving no cover in the occurrence of an incident or accident involving gas . Should there be no valid certificate of conformity , many insurance companies will not accept liability for costs of damage caused to property or assets .
The loss and damage suffered by an owner / user due to a gas installation for which a valid CoC has not been issued , falls entirely on the owner . Regardless of cost of reparation , the insurance will most likely not cover it .
" The majority of insurance companies would require this certificate to prove that the installation was safe and had been serviced regularly ", says Lanice Steward – managing director of Knight Frank Anne Porter . RACA ‐
Pete Linforth | Pixabay
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
“ I never dreamed about success , I worked for it .” — Estee Lauder
www . refrigerationandaircon . co . za RACA Journal I September 2022 15