Since July 2021 the qualification that must be held by personnel carrying out installation, maintenance or servicing of stationary refrigeration, air conditioning or heat pump equipment (SRAC work) that contains or is designed to contain F-Gas refrigerants is FETAC or (QQI) Level 5 (Specific Purpose Certificate in Handling F-Gas Refrigerants 5S0108 in 2022 this code changed to 5N21698) an EPA exchange Certificate or Advanced Craft Certificate from QQI in Refrigeration & Air conditioning Commencement date after 2010 as City & guilds F Gas Certificates is not valid in European Union.
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 1.5 kg of fluorinated greenhouse gases (or less than 3 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 1.5 kg of fluorinated greenhouse gases (or less than 3 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.
