F Gas Requirements

[gwilliamson]

My apologies if this subject is being covered elsewhere on the forum.
Do we yet know the minumum requiremnets for engineers to continue to work within the law long term once the new F Gas regulations come into force?. It would appear there are a lot of conflicting reports on this, some i feel fueled by various training establishiments?.

[Argus]

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You’re right. This one’s been done to death elsewhere to the point where it’s disappearing up its own fundament.

The short answer to this question, here and now in January 2007, is that we don’t know for certain because there are no firm decisions made yet, but some folk are anticipating the game in stating that level this, that or the other is needed. They may be right.


To understand the process you need to read the Regulation itself without adding things that aren’t there (http://www.dti.gov.uk/files/file30123.pdf)

After that, DTI / DEFRA have produced a guidance document
(http://www.dti.gov.uk/files/file31943.pdf)
and FAQs
(http://www.dti.gov.uk/files/file34640.pdf).

The regulation itself is initially intended to prevent emissions of F gases and lays down certain requirements in the text. It applies across a range of products and industries, so we have to pick out the parts that apply to us in the RAC sector. At the same time it gives the 27 member states governments’ things to do and some of these are phased in over the next few years. Some of these relate to tasks on equipment where competence is needed to be demonstrated and also will need to be transferable between states in the EU.

If you are interested in training and certification, please read Article 5 carefully.

The key to understanding some of this is at the back of the guidance notes in the form of a time table outlining action dates.

The key dates at the moment are:
July 4 2007 when the Commission has to establish minimum requirements and mutual recognition for training programmes and certification.
and
4 July 2008 when the UK (and all other EU governments) has to have completed consultation on the minimum requirements under Article 5, and to have adapted or established any training programmes as needed.
(It follows that the MS governments cannot act until the Commission has made its intentions clear on minimum training and certification which it has to do by 4 July 2007)

It’s obvious that not all the EU states have the same rules in this area, some have none at all. With this in mind, the Commission produced a report looking at the level of requirements in all the (then 25) member states.
You can read it here (http://www.dti.gov.uk/files/file35195.pdf)
It’s very interesting reading. The RAC sector is toward the front and it will provide an indication as to what is going on.

There, you have as much knowledge as is available at your fingertips to inform yourself.

Best wishes.


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[Pooh]

Argus
you are spot on in what you say, however if you take what is being done with the Part L regoulations of the building regs and what feedback the people in the loop are getting from the likes of Summit Skills the lead body of our industry level 2 is looking like the minimum requirement but if we go down the lines of the gas and electrical trades level 3 will be the requirement for fridge guys to bring us in line. I should be at a meeting at the end of the month were these points will be discussed, I will raise thhese points with those at the meeting and report back.

Ian
PS As a member of the training fraternity I am net trying to drum up business but using the information I am party to keep others up to date with what is going on so at the meetings I can pitch the guy on the roads point of view.

[Brian_UK]

PS As a member of the training fraternity I am not trying to drum up business but using the information I am party to keep others up to date with what is going on so at the meetings I can pitch the guy on the roads point of view.That's OK Pooh, we know that.

If you were we would have set Tigger on you a long time ago:D

[Argus]

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It's tempting to think of joined-up certification schemes for all the emerging technology checks, including Part L etc., but on this subject the UK Govt only has to consider the requirements of the F Gas Regulations. All the others are dealt with separately.

I'm not sure what your meeting is, but perhaps you could post some pointers afterwards?

DEFRA / DTI are arranging another F Gas stakeholders meeting in London in mid February, so if there is anything in the pipeline from the commission on the issue of training and certification, we may hear of it then.

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