EE-Oz Training Standards has entered into an agreement with the federal Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) to develop training and resources to safely handle natural refrigerants.
The importation, manufacture and installation of refrigeration and air conditioning equipment incorporating natural refrigerants is expected to steadily increase in Australia with the introduction of the Refrigerant Levy and Clean Energy Future carbon pricing scheme. Hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide and ammonia can be flammable, toxic and/or operate at extreme pressures and proper installation, servicing and repair of these stationary refrigeration and air conditioning systems is an imperative.
The ElectroComms and Energy Utilities Industry Skills Council, trading as EE-Oz Training Standards, is the government’s industry skills council responsible for developing and maintaining the national qualifications and competency standard units within the national training packages for the gas, electricity supply and electrotechnology industries. This includes the air conditioning, refrigeration and building services sector.
It is intended the project will review and update learner resource manuals developed previously for hydrocarbon and carbon dioxide refrigerants plus develop new manuals for ammonia and develop additional teacher resources for hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide and ammonia, including assessment plans and practical demonstration exercises.
EE-Oz will also develop train-the-trainer programs for existing full-time and part-time refrigeration and air conditioning teachers and trainers from both public and private training organisations across Australia. Where possible, one of the existing teachers/trainers from two relevant RTOs in each state or territory will undertake the train-the-trainer program at appropriate facilities.
A natural refrigerants share portal will be established and maintained online, and EE-Oz will also investigate and coordinate other federal and state or territory funding arrangements for the delivery and assessment of natural refrigerants training programs for the up-skilling of existing workers in the safe use and servicing of stationary systems using natural refrigerants.
The project’s steering committee, made up representatives from the major industry associations, employer and employee organisations and regulators, held its first meeting last November. EE-Oz established a technical reference group for each of the natural refrigerants, made up of industry representatives who are recognised as technical experts and leaders in their field, to ensure the content of the resources meets current Australian industry practices, standards and regulatory requirements.