FGAS (EU) No 517/2014 regulations.
If you have passed your FGAS (EC) No 842/2006 assessment you will need to update yourself on the new (EU) No 517/2014 regulations, otherwise this means that you will be working illegally, it will also put yourself and others around you in danger. (EU) No 517/2014 regulations come into effect on the 1st of January 2015.
You are not allowed to work on refrigeration systems doing, installation (including installing copper pipe), service, maintenance, recovery, commissioning or leak checking without being qualified or under continuous supervision.
You also need to be aware that your qualifications need to be recognised in the country that you are working in.
One of the requirements of the (EU) No 517/2014 regulations relates to leak check requirements which are based on the Global Warming Potential (GWP) CO2 equivalent Tonnes. This means that the threshold level for leak checking different refrigerants varies depending on the GWP of the refrigerant, not by the weight. for more information on GWP values go the the ACRIB Website.
Also more information can be found at Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
For a breakdown of the (EU) No 517/2014 regulations Gluckman Consulting have created easy to read guides specific to your sector. Most importantly they highlight the new additions, please use the following link to understand more about what has changed in your sector:Gluckman Consulting
Regulations specific to refrigeration, air conditioning and fire protection systems from DEFRA and the Environment Agency stipulate that you must:
-Use trained technicians
-Label equipment that contains Fgas
-Check for leaks as the threshold has changed
-Install leak detection equipment
-Fgases will not be able to be used to refill equipment form 2020
-Keep your records
-Recover Fgases when disposing of equipment
-Ban on new equipment
-The EU is cutting the availability of HFCs by 79% between 2015 and 2030
Further information can be found from the DEFRA and Evironment Agency website.
Finally, have you seen F-Gas Solutions free app developed by Gestimat?
It allows you to check the GWP of the refrigerant and determine the Tonne CO2 equivalent for the refrigerant charge in the system. It also helps you to stay informed about refrigerants, equipment and recommend solutions – download from iTunes Here. For more information about the app visit Climalife.