Regulation (EU) No 517/2014 requires the various operations on F-gas equipment and systems to be carried out by specifically certified natural persons and companies.
Before entrusting their equipment to third-party companies, operators must therefore check that these companies hold appropriate certification and that the personnel they employ also hold appropriate certification.
It is therefore mandatory to use F-gas certified technical personnel and companies to carry out the following activities:
– maintenance, servicing and repair of F-gas equipment and systems
– periodic leak checks of F-gas equipment and systems
– decommissioning of F-gas equipment and systems
– supply and installation of F-gas equipment and systems
– supply and installation of F-gas leak detection systems
– Recovery, recycling and reclamation service for fluorinated greenhouse gases
– Disposal and destruction service for fluorinated greenhouse gases
All companies with personnel engaged in the installation, maintenance or repair of equipment and systems containing certain fluorinated greenhouse gases (stationary refrigeration, air-conditioning and heat pump equipment and stationary fire protection systems) must hold specific certification issued by an Accredited Certification Body (Presidential Decree (DPR) 43/2012 published in the Official Gazette).
Company certification is valid for 5 years and is mandatory for all companies working with fluorinated greenhouse gases under European Regulations 303/2008 and 304/2008.
Certifications, both for companies and for individuals, differ according to the type of activity and are divided into:
· Installation, servicing, maintenance, repair or decommissioning of equipment containing F-gases;
· Leak checks on equipment containing F-gases;
· Recovery of F-gases.