In recent weeks, Tasmania has attracted major interest from around the country because of its licensing framework for refrigeration and air conditioning technicians and signs that arrangements may be set to change.
Tasmania’s licensing framework covers plumbing and electrical work. Refrigeration and air conditioning are included as a subclass of the plumbing licence, but it assumes that licence holders are qualified plumbers rather than qualified refrigeration and air conditioning technicians. It also only covers work on systems up to 18kW. This has left the ARC tick licence as a de facto licence for refrigeration and air conditioning technicians in Tasmania.
For the past year or so, AIRAH has been working with the ARC and other stakeholders to find a path forward for introducing a dedicated occupational licence class for refrigeration and air conditioning.
“We have met with the regulator – Consumer, Building and Occupational Services (CBOS) – and have had positive talks about the need for such a licence class, as exists in other jurisdictions,” said AIRAH’s Advocacy and Policy Manager Mark Vender. “CBOS indicated a willingness to consider proposals, provided that there was broad consensus among industry.”
To gauge the refrigeration and air conditioning industry’s desire for a dedicated licence and understand common questions and concerns, AIRAH organised two meetings on April 3 and 4 in Hobart and Launceston, respectively. These were held ahead of an industry meeting called by CBOS on April 7 to discuss licensing.
Tasmania’s HVAC&R community, including wholesalers such as Kirby, Actrol, and Reece, contractors, and tradespeople, supported the meetings. Official data suggests there may be as many as 400 refrigeration and air conditioning technicians in Tasmania; almost 100 people attended both meetings.
After a recap of the history of licensing in Tasmania, the current state of play, and the proposal for moving forward, attendees were asked if they would support a separate licence class for refrigeration and air conditioning.
“More than 95% of the people there supported the idea, with the overwhelming sentiment being that it was important to establish a licence class with refrigeration and air conditioning as a trade of its own,” said Ben Kuiper, M.AIRAH, AIRAH’s Tasmanian Division Committee Associate Director. “Some of the advantages identified were that licensed work would also be covered by insurance, and that if oversight is provided, there will likely also be a mechanism for checking compliance of work, as well as giving constructive feedback to the trade .”
At the same time, attendees noted issues that will need attention as the details of the license are developed. These include the rules around wiring work, closed-loop water systems, and automotive air conditioning.
“The group also addressed questions about licence fees and continuing professional development,” said Vender. “It was acknowledged that any scheme would have to be supported by a licence fee, although this may be offset by existing fees for restricted electrical licenses already required for refrigeration and air conditioning technicians. A new licence would almost certainly slot into Tasmania’s existing CPD system, meaning that refrigeration and air conditioning technicians would have to complete a minimum of training each licence cycle. Attendees stressed the need for effective training offerings, but agreed that ongoing training and education is important.”
AIRAH took this information to the meeting convened by CBOS on Monday. Encouragingly, other industry bodies supported the call for a separate refrigeration and air conditioning licence. AIRAH is now seeking follow-up conversations with CBOS to discuss the next steps.
On a separate matter, AIRAH responded to the CBOS consultation issued in February about whether specified electrical and refrigeration practitioners should be required to apply for a restricted class of plumbing licence to enable the installation of flexible ducting associated with refrigeration and air conditioning systems. The consultation was sent out due to a lapsed exemption for refrigeration and air conditioning technicians to do this work.
AIRAH’s position was that this work falls squarely within the scope of the refrigeration and air conditioning technician rather than the plumber. Therefore, a plumbing licence should not be required.
CBOS has subsequently advised stakeholders that until the licence arrangements relevant to the consultation letter are clarified and resolved, the Administrator of Occupational Licensing will take no enforcement/compliance action for failure to be licensed if you fall within the classes covered by the exemption. Over the next few weeks, the Administrator will identify the appropriate legal mechanism to put this commitment into effect.
