Responsible Refrigeration Article 61
Renewal of registration. The requirement in the Pressure Equipment Regulations that only authorised persons who are registered with SAQCC Gas may work on systems under pressure is very real and a legal requirement in the OHS Act. Based on the latest registration numbers the progress in new registrations has been…
Responsible Refrigeration Article 60
This month I deviate again from refrigeration requirements for compliance to meet skills training and registration with SAQCC Gas. To follow on from last month’s discussion I recently read an article regarding a complaint that air conditioning causes illness through colds and hay fever. One point made is that and…
Responsible Refrigeration Article 59
While I have been writing about being responsible when working on refrigeration systems and being registered as an Authorised Refrigeration Gas Practitioner we have ignored the quality of the air in a home, shop or office. Far too often when a room air conditioner is installed the user assumes that…
Responsible Refrigeration Article 58
Recently there have been discussions and planning by the Department of Higher Education to increase the capacity of the so called TVET colleges to address the skills shortage. The intention is to cover a wide spectrum of work trades. With regard to refrigeration and air conditioning there are serious challenges…
Responsible Refrigeration Article 49
The registering of air conditioning and refrigeration installers and artisans is a process managed by SARACCA and SAQCC Gas. To date only approximately 2400 practitioners have been registered out of an estimated 6000 to 7000 people working in the air conditioning and refrigeration industry. I addition there are a large…
Responsible Refrigeration Article 48
Many registered Practitioners are often faced with a dilemma when called out to an installation whether it be a refrigeration plant or refrigeration associated with air conditioning. The plant is in a poor state and at some point in its life has been ‘butchered’ making it seriously compromised. The inspection…
Responsible Refrigeration Article 39
We all wonder where the refrigeration and air conditioning industry is going with regard to the Phase-out of refrigerant gases. After regulations on ozone depleting CFC’s and HCFC’s, alternative refrigerants such as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) have seen new resistance due to Global Warming. In October 2016 the Kigali Amendment to the…
Responsible Refrigeration Article 42
Based on the latest registration numbers the progress in new registrations is encouraging, but the rate of renewals over the months of February March and April is disappointing. Out of 300 possible forecast of renewals only 77 practitioners have renewed their registration with SAQCC Gas. While the total number of…
Responsible Refrigeration Article 41
Certificates of Conformity (CoC) are an essential part of the Pressure Equipment Regulations. There is an onus on a registered practitioner to issue a CoC for new installations, repairs and maintenance of a refrigeration system or air conditioning unit. The Regulations also require a Certificate of Manufacture where pressure vessels…
Responsible Refrigeration Article 40
A user of refrigeration and air conditioning has duties and responsibilities to ensure that the pressure equipment is operated and maintained within its design and operating parameters under Regulation 6 of the Pressure Equipment Regulations. A refrigeration system forming part of an air conditioning plant or unit is regarded as…