Around the Nation 1
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Aspergillus mould spores
1 AMR COMING SOON
people’s comfort, and their power bills. Our goal is to help everybody understand those differences in as easy a fashion as possible, and we’re really excited to begin telling that story.” ■
The Australian government has introduced the Mutual Recognition Amendment Bill 2021 to the House of Representatives.
3 CLOCK TICKING ON LICENCE APPLICATIONS
If it passes through parliament, it will see a new system for automatic mutual recognition (AMR) of occupational registration beginning on July 1, 2021. The legislation will allow workers with occupational licences who are registered for an occupation in their home state to carry on activities in a second state without having to pay for a second licence. The activities are carried on in the second state under automatic deemed registration.
The Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) is offering new arrangements for mechanical services workers who apply for their occupational licence ahead of the January 1, 2022 deadline. Employees who perform mechanical services work for a licensed contractor, including refrigeration and air conditioning, have until January 1, 2022 to hold the relevant occupational licence.
AMR will cover trades such as HVAC&R technicians, electricians and plumbers, as well as a raft of other licensed occupations such as teachers and property agents. States have the option to exempt a registration from being subject to AMR because of a significant risk to consumer protection, the environment, animal welfare, or the health or safety of workers or the public. Debate in parliament noted the lack of consistency in licensing across the states, particularly in the building industry. ■
“The deadline is fast approaching,” says the QBCC. “Apply early so you will have the assurance of knowing you have the required licence in time. For those who are granted their Mechanical Services Occupational or Site Supervisor licence after February 2021 and before the January 1, 2022 deadline, the QBCC will arrange for your licence to commence on January 1, 2022, so the first renewal will be January 1, 2023.”
2 COMFORTING AUSTRALIA ActronAir has launched a new website. The Australian air conditioning manufacturer says the new website is designed from the ground up to make navigation easier while incorporating tools to make air conditioning simple to understand for everyone. “For those first researching it, the world of air conditioning can be a daunting place,” says ActronAir CEO Brendan Simpson. “It’s filled with technical terms and concepts, and the differences between products and brands isn’t always clear. With our new website, we’re looking to change that. “We know we’ve got a fantastic story to tell – our unique approach in system design, technologies, controls and zoning can have a huge impact on 26
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HVAC&R Nation
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www.airah.org.au/nation
Normally, these licences will need to be renewed one year after they are issued. Under the new arrangements, employees can apply and receive their licence now, but because the licence will only begin on January 1 next year, the first renewal will be on January 1, 2023.
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Go to www.qbcc.qld.gov.au ■
4 TREATING THE HIVE Clear-Air (Aust) recently remediated a hospital HVAC system where a tape lift sample came back from the lab with 50K CFU aspergillus – a common mould that can cause infection of the respiratory system. “Aspergillus exposure is difficult to avoid,” says indoor environmental professional and IICRCcertified mould remediator at Clean-Air, David Hill. “Indoor dust contains spores and thermotolerant April–May 2021
moulds that may colonise damp or water-damaged building materials or components. HVAC systems can shed spores into a building.” Filters, in particular, are breeding grounds for mould. “Filters are a massive surface area for harbouring mould-loaded dust particles,” says Hill. “Generally, no one treats the hive. “Dust particles provide a source of nutrients for odour‑causing bacteria and mould, which rapidly grow colonies in untreated air filters. Towards the end of its working life, a typical filter is highly contaminated.” To address this, the remediation team applied a residual biocide to the filter fibres. Hill says that this controls and prevents mould and odour‑causing bacteria from colonising. The treatment migrates to dust particles making it toxic as a food source for micro-organisms. It is also designed to stay on filter fibres even under extreme airflows. Go to: www.cleanairaust.com.au ■
5 AUSSIE RULES LEGEND AT AAD Australian Airconditioning Distributors (AAD) recently opened its superstore in Bayswater in Melbourne’s north east. Located on Turbo Drive, the store features 2,200m² of warehouse space and is set on 4,000m² of land. The company says the location is ideal for servicing HVAC trades in Bayswater and surrounding areas, in anticipation of the region’s population growth over the coming years. The grand opening of the HVAC superstore was attended by suppliers, local tradespeople and AAD staff, as well as former Sydney Swans player Warwick Capper. Attendees were treated to a site tour, barbecue, raffle and celebratory drinks. The addition of the Bayswater superstore takes the total number of AAD branches to eight with Clayton, Hallam, Bayswater, Epping, Laverton, and Tullamarine servicing metropolitan Melbourne; a regional branch in Bell Park servicing greater Geelong and surrounding areas; as well as a branch in Arndell Park, NSW. ■
