Page 8 - Climate Control News Magazine Feb 2021

Editorial
Climate Control News
EDITOR
Sandra Rossi Ph: (02) 9213 8277 sandrarossi@yaffa.com.au
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Too hot to handle
AT A TIME WHEN
THE REFRIGERATION
AND AIR
CONDITIONING
INDUSTRY ACROSS
THE GLOBE IS
DEBATING SAFETY ISSUES A TECHNICIAN HAS DIED WHILE WORKING IN A CHILLER PLANT.
Sandra Rossi – Editor
IN ADDITION TO the death of the 35-year-old technician, six other people were injured when an air conditioner compressor exploded at the United Arab Emirates (UAE) consular section (visa office) in Dhaka’s Gulshan 2 area.
The technician was undertaking repair work on the rooftop of the 14-storey Empori Financial Cen- tre building when the incident happened.
Sadly it was just one of a number of news stories that crossed my desk last week dealing with acci- dents in our industry.
Locally, a mine worker in North Queensland was injured while driving a truck. The vehicle air condi- tioner exploded and the worker suffered serious burns (turn to page 12 for the full story).
The increased use of flammable refrigerants has ignited a safety debate about the level of training provided to refrigeration and air conditioning technicians.
Industry groups across the globe are calling for mandatory training and tougher licensing regimes. While the United States is set to review licens- ing, the European Union is examining certification
for A2L refrigerants.
Here in Australia licensing has been at the fore-
front of industry debate for almost a decade. It is a subject that industry has been unable to resolve.
Here we are in 2021 still searching for a safe solu- tion, one where the entire industry can reach agreement on the best way forward.
Maybe the Treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, can re- solve this stalemate.
He has committed to a national framework for occupational licensing to overcome the current situation where no two states are the same.
Achieving this will take a few cool heads willing to prove it is a problem that is not too hot to handle.
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