More news on F Gas Training Deadlines - 13/3/2008
DEFRA extends the deadline for existing workers to get the new F Gas qualifications to July 2011.
The ACRIB F Gas Implementation Group has been successful in highlighting to DEFRA the need for a reasonable period of time to be allowed for compliance with the new training and certification requirements. Indications from the DEFRA stakeholder meeting held on 28th February are that these arguments have been taken on board and that the deadline now under consideration by which time the new qualifications must be obtained will be July 2011.
DEFRA confirmed at the Stakeholder meeting of 28th February that they are in the process of drafting legislation concerning the training and certification requirements. They are working closely with ACRIB on issues related to this. A draft is expected to be available for public consultation from June and the legislation likely to come in from February 2009.
A Statutory Instrument SI2008/41 came into force on 15th February this year which listed the existing C&G 2078 and CITB Refrigeration Handling as the current legal minimum qualifications to handle refrigerants covered by the F Gas Regulation until new qualification schemes become available. These are also included in the list of current qualifications acceptable for those working in the mobile (car/van) air conditioning field.
Whilst those holding existing qualifications (ie City and Guilds 2078 or CITB Refrigerant Handling) will be able to continue to work legally until 2011 employers would be well advised to ensure that their existing workers have achieved the new update qualification as soon as this becomes available. The training capacity in the UK is limited and there are approximately 30,000 individuals who will need to be reassessed to the updated qualification standard. The next few years will allow employers to spread the time and cost obligations sensibly.
ACRIB is helping industry and training providers to be prepared well in advance of the deadlines and the updates to the existing refrigerant handling qualifications are now nearing completion. ACRIB, CITB and City and Guilds together with SummitSkills have held a number of meetings with DEFRA on this matter. The updated qualifications will be available soon this summer and will be based on a practical skills test and a multiple choice theory test. The National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs or SVQs) designed for trainees are being updated to take into account the F Gas Regulation requirements.
Training providers have yet to go through a re-accreditation process to ensure that they have sufficient knowledge and equipment to deliver the new qualification. ACRIB, with the awarding bodies, is developing strict standards of assessment for the new qualifications. It is in everyone’s interest that the new qualifications have a real and lasting impact on improving skills to reduce leakage and demonstrating that our workforce has met the minimum standard as specified in the Regulation.
The ACRIB Register will be accepting the updated qualifications as evidence of competency to join the register when these are available.
DEFRA have now launched an F Gas Support Team which can take individual queries on the regulation and training issues at
Fgas-support@enviros.com, help line 0161 874 3663.
For a summary of the key dates and deadlines download the ACRIB Factsheet here.
Correct as of date of issue 13th March 2008