Image by © RACA Journal www. refrigerationandaircon. co. za RACA Journal I September 2025 5
Associations
SARACCA URGES ONLINE REGISTRATION FOR COMPLIANCE IN SA
By Eamonn Ryan
The South African HVAC & R industry is making a strong push for companies to register their refrigeration practitioners online.
This initiative aims to streamline the management of
Certificates of Compliance( COCs) and ensure adherence to critical industry standards, according to David Botha, executive director of SARACCA.
Speaking at FRIGAIR 2025, Botha highlighted the significant advantages for companies in registering their practitioners through the online portal. " If you have more than one practitioner working for you, we prefer if companies go onto that online profile and register their practitioners," Botha stated. This allows companies to monitor their employees ' activities in the field, review COCs for accuracy, and ensure all work aligns with company standards. It also provides a crucial safeguard, ensuring that if company-owned COCs are used by practitioners working independently, the company retains oversight and responsibility. The industry categorises practitioners into seven distinct groups, each with specific scopes of work and limitations. Botha emphasised the importance of practitioners understanding their assigned category to avoid working outside their authorised scope.
• A1 Category: Primarily focused on safety in plant rooms, these practitioners are registered but do not issue COCs. Their registration ensures they have received the necessary training for their work environment.
• A2 Category: Authorised to issue COCs for refrigeration and cold room units up to 10 kW.
• A3 Category: Consists of pipe installers and fitters, who are not permitted to issue COCs.
• A4 Category: This is the largest category of practitioners who do not possess a formal trade test but have significant industry experience( anything from four to ten years). They are authorised to issue COCs for units up to 18 kW( 60 000 BTU units), covering common air conditioning units, condensers and console units. Botha stressed that A4 practitioners cannot issue COCs for units exceeding 18 kW,
such as larger package units.
• A5 Category: Designated for apprentices in training. They are not permitted to issue COCs until they have completed their trade test.
• B6 Category: Encompasses all qualified practitioners holding a trade certificate in air conditioning and refrigeration. These individuals can issue COCs for a broader range of work.
• B7 Category( carbon dioxide): Practitioners specialising in CO2 systems are required to be trade tested and actively working in the industry.
• B8 Category( ammonia): This category presents a unique challenge due to the lack of a formal trade test for ammonia. SARACCA currently recognises individuals with trade tests in related fields such as electricians, pipe fitters or millwrights, who have extensive experience in ammonia refrigeration. However, Botha warned that this allowance is temporary and will cease once an ammonia trade test becomes available. " Anyone else coming into the ammonia industry that hasn ' t been registered as a B8 before will not have the opportunity to register as a B8 category without a trade certificate," he clarified.
INDUSTRY CHALLENGES AND FUTURE OUTLOOK
David Botha, executive director of SARACCA.
The presentation also touched upon the need for improved integration of ventilation regulations with COCs, suggesting a more holistic approach to compliance within the industry.
Botha highlighted the significant difference between the training received in a standard electrical trade programme and the comprehensive three-year air conditioning programme, which concludes with a specialised trade test. He noted that individuals with an electrical trade background might have received little to no training in air conditioning during their
Image by © RACA Journal www. refrigerationandaircon. co. za RACA Journal I September 2025 5