Industry calms fears around incoming NSW licence
The mechanical services licensing saga took a different twist when NSW Good Trading despatched out an electronic mail previously this thirty day period to contractors urging them to start out applying for the new mechanical companies licence, which will come into influence on March 1, 2023.
The e-mail warned that the licence will be legally needed by people “testing and commissioning mechanical heating, cooling or ventilation systems”.
Understandably, this triggered confusion within the business, as it is not consistent with the assistance furnished by NSW Good Trading late very last calendar year, and shown on the Truthful Investing web site. Also, to receive a mechanical solutions licence, applicants would have to have a Certification III in Plumbing (Mechanical Products and services) or a Certification III in Plumbing.
Maintain relaxed and proceed screening and commissioning
Market teams involved with supporting the implementation of the new mechanical products and services licence – which includes AIRAH, AMCA Australia and RACCA – have moved to guarantee their customers that if they have an air conditioning and refrigeration licence and are executing do the job within just the scope of that licence, they need to have not apply for a mechanical products and services licence.
“We have confirmed directly with the NSW govt that the guidelines all over the new licence have not improved due to the fact their previous statement,” says AIRAH CEO Tony Gleeson, M.AIRAH.
“If you keep an air conditioning and refrigeration licence, you can keep on to do the operate under that licence with out needing a mechanical services licence. This features screening and commissioning of air conditioning units.”
Much more details is out there on the NSW Truthful Trading web site.
Open concerns for h2o remedy
Even though the new licence is not set to unduly impact HVAC&R pros, the exact can not be claimed for all those in the water therapy business.
Meetings are ongoing concerning the NSW govt and industry stakeholders to figure out exactly where the licence traces will be drawn for machines this kind of as cooling towers and chemical dosing programs.
“HVAC&R is a intricate area that runs throughout a selection of distinct skillsets,” says Gleeson. “It’s critical that marketplace is involved to assist the federal government comprehend the unique work and the units they do the job on.
“Ultimately, we are all working in direction of the similar objective – safer, a lot more sustainable, much healthier and much more helpful methods. AIRAH will proceed to depict our members and the wider HVAC&R sector, performing with other sector groups and the governing administration to attain this.”