ACR Journal

08 ❘ The Refrigerant Update LEAK CHECKING: DIRECT OR INDIRECT METHODS EC517/2014, Chapter II, Containment, Article 3(4) states: “Natural persons carrying out the tasks referred to in points (a) to (c) of Article 10(1) shall be certified in accordance with Article 10(4) and (7)…. Undertakings carrying out the installation, servicing, maintenance, repair or decommissioning of the equipment listed in points (a) to (d) of Article 4(2) shall be certified in accordance with Article 10(6) and (7)….” Article 4(2) points (a) to (d) are: stationary refrigeration, air conditioning, heat pump and fire protection equipment. Article 10(6) states: “Member states shall establish or adapt certification…. for undertakings carrying out the installation, servicing, maintenance, repair or decommissioning of the equipment listed in points (a) to (d) of Article 4(2) for other parties.” Therefore all works of the above type are considered as “in-scope” for the purpose of the regulations. The regulation does not distinguish between main contractor / sub-contractor, nor diŽerentiate between who bought the equipment. 1 | 2 1 OBJECTIVE 2 WHAT TYPE OF WORK IS ‘IN-SCOPE’ FOR CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS? The objective of this technical bulletin is to inform members of the certification requirements for any sub-contractors they use for work in the Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heat Pump sector of industry where working with fluorinated greenhouse refrigerant gases is involved or where they are installing pipework designed to contain these refrigerants. Members have a legal obligation to ensure that any sub-contractors they employ to carry out the installation or servicing of any stationary refrigeration , air conditioning or heat pump equipment (SRAC) containing, or designed to contain, fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-Gases) must be properly registered with a body such as REFCOM (or equivalent authorised EU certifying body). This guidance has been prompted by misconceptions since the introduction of the original F Gas Regulation in 2006 that there is only a requirement to hold “company F-Gas registration” where the sub-contractor is buying refrigerant or equipment. This is not the case. TB/015 TECHNICAL BULLETIN TB/045 F-GAS CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR SUB-CONTRACTORS Refcom is a BESA Group Company 1 EC842/2006, superseded by EC517/2014, commonly referred to as “the F-Gas Regulation”