The global gas industry has been in existence since the early 1800s. 1892 saw the first production of gas in South Africa. Since then, the use of gas has grown both in the domestic, commercial and industrial markets. Our local gas industry is considered established and is governed by key legislation with enforcement falling under the jurisdiction of the Department of Employment and Labour (DEL).
Any persons working on gas shall be registered with the South African Qualification and Certification Committee or SAQCC Gas. SAQCC Gas is mandated by the DEL. Persons registered with SAQCC Gas are termed, gas practitioners.
A gas practitioner is issued with a 3-year license. Initial registration and renewals both require proof of competence. This is also supported by 3 Associations in terms of training and refresher training.
The Associations are:
The Southern African Gas Association or SAGAS trains for industrial gases.
The Liquefied Petroleum Gas Association of South Africa or LPGSA trains for domestics and industrial gases.
the South African Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Contractors Association or SARACCA trains for air conditioning gases.
The Southern Africa Compressed Association (SACGA) (or 4th Association) assesses the competence of the Gas Practitioner at both the initial registration and on renewal of registration based upon documentary evidence proving competence based upon theoretical qualification, knowledge, and practical experience. The Practitioner’s registration application and the supporting documentation is assessed by the Association’s Registrations Committee, if the application is accepted, they will be approved for registration by the SAQCC Gas.
Building a Better Industry
The gas landscape is constantly evolving. Evolution rings in changes to technology, product development and practitioner techniques. Undergoing training and development prepares a practitioner for these changes and helps those registered to practice safely alongside the regulations. It is a matter of life or death for a person working in the gas industry to register and undergo training. Trained gas practitioners help build a better industry and safeguard the future of gas.
South Africa has seen its fair share of non-registered gas practitioners who have bypassed the training and development process and are, therefore, potentially, not competent to carry out the work they are doing.
Certification of Work
A registered gas practitioner will be able to issue a Certificate of Conformity or CoC. Non-registered gas practitioners will not be able to certify their work. Work undertaken by a non-registered gas practitioner will be deemed illegal.
Registration is the right thing to do. It allows gas practitioners to ensure they are deemed competent from both SAQCC Gas and their respective associations. Working on gas is a profession. Much like a health practitioner, a gas practitioner is a skilled worker. With adequate training and development, the gas practitioner will remain proficient, competent, and knowledgeable.