News, Views & Activities Recent News! The SAQCC Gas Chairman, Roy Lubbe, has recently addressed some of the Member Associations on an overview of the SAQCC Gas and its disciplinary process. In particular, he addressed the LPGSASA Regional Work Shops in Gauteng, Cape Town and KZN. Mr Lubbe also addressed a joint meeting of SARACCA and SAIRAC in Durban on the 16th of August at the Westville Club. Further joint meetings are scheduled to be held in Johannesburg and Cape Town later in the year. The pertinent topics covered include: • Why have a disciplinary process and Codes of Good Practice and Conduct? • Rules governing the process • The Mandate and compliance with the OHS Act and the PER • Areas of responsibility of a gas practitioner • The procedure for a disciplinary hearing • The criminal aspect of being non registered and working illegally • And ‘Safety Isn’t Negotiable’ Registration of Authorised Gas Practitioners continues in all associations. However, there are still many persons in all fields of gas applications who have not registered and are operating contrary to the OHS Act and relevant regulations. This is particularly apparent in the refrigeration and air conditioning industries but mainly in the room and car air conditioning sectors, where some installers either don’t see the need to comply or don’t want to go through the training and competence assessment. The Code of Good Practice is the practitioner’s written commitment to work within the gas industry’s code and to behave responsibly at all times. The issuing of Certificates of Conformity (CoC) also applies. The CoC, in essence, is a statutory requirement from the PER to be issued on completion of all safe and compliant gas installations. This practice is also not being followed by all persons working in the gas industry – a serious offence indeed! It is the duty of a registered gas practitioner to maintain personal integrity, report unsafe practices including work done by non registered practitioners and at all times to comply with the OHS Act and regulations as well as the SANS codes and standards In support of the drive by the SAQCC Gas to eradicate the gas industry of non registered persons, the Department of Labour is initially providing twenty Labour Inspectors, country-wide, to visit businesses as well as gas system installations on site to check for conformity to regulations and standards.  To those conforming to the requirements, thank you.  To those who are not, be warned! September 2011