Key Dates for those working on stationary refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump equipment (over 3kg charge size/6kg hermetic)

9 April 2007
GB ODS Qualifications Regulations 2006 No1510 require anyone handling ODS refrigerants in stationary equipment to hold either City and Guilds 2078 or CITB equivalent.
 
4 July 2007
Under EU F gas Regulation No 842/2006 operators of stationary refrigerating equipment now have to:
  • Prevent leakage - have leaks repaired as soon as possible by certified personnel and keep service and maintenance records detailing quantity and type of F gas used.
  • Carry out a regular fixed schedule of inspections for leaks for equipment with a circuit charge of 3kg or more following a standard leak checking and procedure laid down by the Commission. This includes an obligation to check repairs made within one month.
  • Where systems have a charge of over 300kg they must in addition install fixed leakage detection systems.
  • Ensure the proper recovery of F Gases by certified personnel, to ensure their recycling, reclamation or destruction
Additionally it should be noted that the placing on the market of non refillable containers of F gases has now been banned. Containers already placed on the market at that date can still be sold.
 
1 April 2008
New Products and new field assembled systems containing HFC have to  be appropriately labeled when they are first placed on the market. Instructions regarding the label format are available from F Gas Support
9th March 2009
GB F Gas and ODS Training Regulations came into force, naming the new qualifications and confirming that operatives holding an existing qualification City & Guilds 2078 or valid CITBJ01 by this date would be considered to be temporarily with an interim certificate - allowing them until July 2011 to update their qualifications to the new standard.
4 July 2009
Companies who employ operatives who undertake activity within the scope of the F Gas Regulations must have obtained a Company Certificate to continue to carry out this work.
 
1 January 2010
Under the EC (ODS) Regulation 2037/2000 No virgin HCFC can be supplied or used for servicing existing equipment
 
4 July 2011
Personnel carrying out service, maintenance, recovery or leak checking on stationary refrigeration equipment containing refrigerants covered by the F Gas Regulation must have obtained one of the updated national qualifications (C&G 2079 or CITB J01)
 
1 January 2015
Under the EC (ODS) Regulation 2037/2000 No recycled or recovered HCFC can be supplied or used to service existing equipment.  
 
Do you have more questions about the Regulations?
 
F Gas Support - UK Government have set up a free helpline to deal with individual queries about the F Gas Regulations and to provide a central resource for information, particularly for end users but also for anyone else affected by the F Gas or ODS Regulations. The following contact points are now in operation:
Telephone Helpline: 0161 874 3663   Email: Fgas-support@enviros.com   Website: www.defra.gov.uk/fgas