ACS, have you renewed your qualifications?

It’s mid-March, which means for installers who haven’t re-assessed, in a couple of weeks time their ACS qualifications will be out of date. Hopefully, you’ve already done the appropriate training and assessment to maintain your place on the Gas Safe Register; here’s how the ACS has changed in the last five years: Goodbye CORGI, hello Gas Safe Register The biggest change is the introduction of the Gas Safe Register Towards the end of its reign CORGI was in many installers’ bad books who felt the body had lost touch with its original gas safety remit, focusing more on commercial endeavors. The introduction of the Gas Safe Register has actually led to a surge in gas engineers entering the industry ‘legally’ – many had been previously trading under the radar but decided to play by the book when CORGI stepped aside – anecdotal evidence suggests this could be between 10,000 and 15,000 individuals. New appliance modules Central Heating (CEN1) and Hot Water (WAT1) became CENWAT: As of April last year, CEN1 and WAT1 have been withdrawn, replaced by new module CENWAT – available as both initial training and reassessment. The new module covers all aspects of installation, commissioning, servicing and repair of domestic gas-fired central heating, hot water boilers and circulators, combination boilers, storage water heaters and instantaneous water heaters up to 70kW. This won’t present a great deal of change for installers undertaking their ACS, other than to complete CENWAT as a reassessment, candidates must be renewing both CEN1 and WAT1 at the same time – for installers who only hold either CEN1 or WAT1 there is an initial training CENWAT module. Introduction of Combustion Performance Analysis (CPA1): Developments in domestic gas appliance design, primarily brought about by the introduction of new technology and improvements to efficiency, has created the need for gas engineers to demonstrate their competence in carrying out combustion performance analysis using a portable electronic combustion analyser, hence the introduction of the ACS assessment, CPA1. By 1st April this year, all installers who hold the ACS appliance elements CENWAT or Space Heaters (HTR1) must also hold their Combustion Performance Analysis of Domestic Appliances (CPA1). Domestic heating engineers have until the end of March 2012 to complete their CPA1 (if they don’t already have it) – from 1st April, CCN1 will incorporate CPA1 requirements. Need gas ACS training and assessment? Click here for more information.