• Bankstown Hospital (Pic: NSW Health)
    Bankstown Hospital (Pic: NSW Health)
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A new licensing system for mechanical services is being introduced in New South Wales.

The Building Amendment (Mechanical Services and Medical Gas Work) Bill 2020 covers medical gas licensing and will impact mechanical services workers across refrigeration, air conditioning and plumbing.

The Bill amends the Home Building Act 1989 to provide for the licensing of contractors, and the certifying of supervisors and tradespersons who carry out mechanical services including medical gas systems work.

It covers “the construction, installation, replacement, repair, alteration, maintenance, testing or commissioning of a mechanical heating, cooling or ventilation system in a building, which is associated with the heating, cooling or ventilation of that building.”

The new licence will be administered by NSW Fair Trading and was introduced in response to two tragic accidents at Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital in 2016.

Medical gases were incorrectly piped in one of the operating theatres, leading to two babies being administered nitrous oxide instead of oxygen. One of the babies died and one was left with severe brain damage.

Introducing the bill to the legislative council, opposition whip, Mark Buttigieg, said the bill is long overdue.

“It is hard to believe but there is no requirement in NSW to have a qualification to work with medical gas in both installation and maintenance. The main risks associated with medical gas work include contamination of pipelines and then the cross-connections of gas delivery outlets,” he said.

The Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC) is liaising with the NSW government seeking clarification on the scope of the licence.

ARC has also suggested reduced or no fees for ARC licence holders applying for the new licence in the first 12 months.