If your business operates in the stationary refrigeration and air conditioning sector or the stationary fire protection systems and fire extinguishers containing certain fluorinated greenhouse gases, you have a legal obligation to obtain one of the new F-Gas qualifications.
Click the relevant sector below to view more information.
Stationary Refrigeration, Air-conditioning & Heat pumps
For RAC personnel, the European Commission Regulation 303/2008 refers to four different levels of certification, which allow personnel to carry out different activities. These are now described. Note that Category I covers all activities whereas the other 3 categories are more restrictive:
Category I certificate holders may carry out all refrigerant handling activities for any size of RAC systems containing HFC refrigerants. This includes leakage checking, refrigerant recovery, installation, maintenance and servicing.
Category II certificate holders may carry out refrigerant recovery, installation, maintenance and servicing, in relation to RAC systems containing less than 3 kg of fluorinated greenhouse gases (or less than 6 kg for systems that are hermetically sealed). Category II certificate holders may also carry out leak checks on any plant provided that it does not entail breaking into the refrigeration circuit containing fluorinated greenhouse gases.
Category III certificate holders may carry out refrigerant recovery in relation to RAC systems containing less than 3 kg of fluorinated greenhouse gases (or less than 6 kg for systems that are hermetically sealed).
Category IV certificate holders may carry out leak checks on any plant provided that it does not entail breaking into the refrigeration circuit containing fluorinated greenhouse gases.
Fire Protection systems and Extinguishers
How to obtain a personal certificate.
To obtain a certificate, personnel must pass a theoretical and practical examination organised by FETAC 5S0110 level 5. Commission Regulation (EC) No 304/2008 sets minimum requirements as to the practical skills and theoretical knowledge to be covered in the examination.
Certificates are issued by certification bodies designated by Member States.
Companies
To obtain a certificate for installation, maintenance or servicing activities, companies must fulfill certain requirements. As minimum conditions, Commission Regulation (EC) No 303 & 304/2008 requires that companies:
- employ certified personnel for the relevant activities in a sufficient number to cover the expected volume of activities, and
- prove that the necessary tools and procedures have been made available to the personnel engaged in those activities
Certificates are issued by certification bodies designated by Member States.
