Around the Nation 1
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Peter Wesener, Shawnee Zinga, Pedro Kunzel, Jessica Lane, Gregory Wetherall, Jeremy Jouen, Troy Connors, Jarrad Mappas (L-R)
1 PENALTY FOR DISPOSABLE CYLINDERS
Female fridgies were well represented. Of the nine awards, three were won by women.
A Victorian auto mechanic has been fined after it was discovered he possessed 26 illegal disposable cylinders of the synthetic greenhouse gas R134a.
Stage 2 block: Pedro Kunzel
Stage 1 block: Shawnee Zinga Stage 1 flexi: Kyle Sikacek Stage 2 flexi: Rhiannon Barr Stage 3 block: Troy Connors
According to the Department of the Environment and Energy, inspectors executed a search warrant on the mechanic’s business in April last year. During the search, they identified and seized approximately $2,500 of R134a. This was forfeited to the Commonwealth for destruction.
Stage 3 flexi: Jeremy Jouen Split system installer: Bart Pini Capstone: Gregory Wetherall Refrigeration Achievement Award: Jessica Lane ■
The mechanic was issued with two infringement notices for possessing refrigerant without a permit and storing refrigerant in disposable cylinders. These are offences under the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Regulations 1995. Disposable cylinders containing scheduled substances such as R134a are banned in Australia.
3 BRAND-NEW HQ Kirby and Beijer Ref Australia have committed to a 10-year lease on a new $48 million purpose-built industrial property at Altitude, Bankstown Airport, NSW. Bankstown Airport is a prime location for the business, due to its close proximity to the M5 and M7 motorways and local amenities.
“The cylinders were originally designed to be used for servicing and commissioning of refrigeration and air conditioning equipment,” says the Department. “However, they cannot be refilled, which means a residual ‘heel’ of gas can remain in the containers. This remaining gas can enter the atmosphere once disposal of the cylinder occurs.”
The new 22,000m² manufacturing and distribution centre, on Tower Rd, Bankstown Airport, will be situated on a 40,000m² site. It will include 1,400m² of office space for both businesses’ Australian headquarters.
The mechanic has paid the infringement notices and has now obtained the appropriate permits to possess scheduled substances for use in refrigeration equipment. ■
“This new facility will help us to deliver our business strategies and objectives in Australia, acting as our main manufacturing facility, distribution centre and corporate headquarters,” says Paul Campbell, Director of Operations at Kirby.
2 RIDGY-DIDGE FRIDGIES
The new development is intended to enhance the service offer to customers and allow for greater operational efficiencies by consolidating the workplace into a single building with sustainable practices.
Late last year TAFE Queensland Skillstech held its annual student awards night at the Bracken Ridge campus. The awards were well supported by industry, including AIRAH, which donated a set of ARAC manuals for one of the winners and goodie bags for everyone who received an award. The awards recognise not only academic achievement, but also how students cooperate and get involved. As refrigeration and air conditioning teacher Neal Kidman, M.AIRAH, says, a big part of the criteria is, “Would you employ this person in your business?” 26
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Key features of the new distribution centre include a 5 star Green Star design, which will incorporate a 250kW solar panel installation and a 50,000L rainwater harvesting system. The new facility is expected to be operational by November 2020. Go to www.kirbyhvacr.com.au ■
February 2020
4 CAPITAL COMPETITION Ryan Hanns has won the regional WorldSkills competition for ACT’s Refrigeration and Air Conditioning apprentices. “It is incredibly humbling to win this award and compete against the very best in the state,” says Hanns. “I love my apprenticeship and take great pride in it. To be recognised at a state level is a significant achievement. I’m looking forward to competing on the national stage in 2020.” Adrian Anderson from Grosvenor Engineering Group was one of the judges, and says the contestants displayed exception talent. “It was clear that they had a strong sense of their work which enabled them to visualise tasks, structure and thoughts with the working knowledge they have gained from their apprenticeship,” he says. “The apprentices of today hold the future wellbeing of our industry for tomorrow.” According to Lesa Cockburn, teacher at the Canberra Institute of Technology, the competition is useful for both students and future employers. It gives competitors the opportunity to showcase their skills, while employers can witness first-hand the skill level of future tradespeople. Winners of the WorldSkills regional competitions will compete at the national competition at ARBS in May 2020. Go to www.worldskills.org.au ■
5 ADVICE ON AUTO AIRCON Ground-breaking Australian research has led to a free guide to help automotive technicians work safely with flammable refrigerants. Refrigerant Reclaim Australia (RRA), automotive thermal and electrical trade association VASA and GHD Engineering worked together to study the management of health and safety risks associated with the use of flammable gases, including refrigerants, in an automotive workshop environment. This has become an issue not only because of the emergence of A2L (mild flammability) refrigerants,
