BEARERS of a Construction Skills' CITB J01 certificate valid on March 9, 2009 which has since expired or is due to expire, can now use the qualification as an interim personnel certificate until July 3, 2011, the European Commission has ruled.
Following the UK government's request, the EC agreed has to recognise those with a CITB J01 certificate valid on March 9 as meeting the requirements for the issue of an interim F-Gas certificate. Those with a CITB J01 certificate that expired before March 9, 2009 cannot be issued with an interim certificate.

CITB Constructionskills JO1 offers training and assessment for operatives who wish to carry out the removal/recharging and leak testing of refrigerants safely within systems. The J01 certificate is valid for five years and is equivalent to the City & Guilds 2078 qualification which does not require renewal. The EC ruling sees CITB JO1 recognised as an interim certificate until July 3, 2011 just as the City & Guilds 2078 certificate is.

From July 4, 2011 the bearers of these certificates will need to have upgraded to full certificates ('CITB- J11' or 'City & Guilds 2079' certificates.

Graeme Fox, a Dundee-based RAC contractor who is a director at AREA (Air Conditioning & Refrigeration European Contractors' Association) said: 'Why wait until July 4, 2011 to see real change? Those with expired J01s should be training up to get J11 certificates now. In 2011, they will need to have J11'.

The AREA director added: 'I have worked with others in Europe and they are open to suggestions from the UK. There is nothing to stop the UK going above and beyond F-gas regulations, that is what other EU countries have done. If industry wants it, why can't the UK government implement it? I put that question to Peter Mandelson a few months ago and am still waiting for a reply'.

For an interim company certificate engineers working on equipment over 3kg charge size must hold a City & Guilds 2078 or 2079 or CITB J01 or J11-14.

To apply for a company certificate contact one of the following approved F-gas certification bodies:

Refcom at www.refcom.org.uk or call 01768 860409.

Bureau Veritas at www.bureauveritas.co.uk/fgas or call 0207 661 0726 email: fgas.mail@uk.bureauveritas.com

Quidos at http://fgasregister.com or call 01225 318400.