Licensing Requirements
Please note that information provided here is intended to be used as a guide only and may not be comprehensive or current. Users must contact regulators in their jurisdiction for up-to-date licensing information.
A number of occupations covered by the competencies and qualifications for the Fire Protection Equipment Sector are subject to occupational licensing requirements under the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989 and the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Regulations 1995 (as amended in 2005).
Under Australian laws to protect the environment, the use of ozone depletng substances and synthetic greenhouse gases is regulated. The new national licensing system which came into effect on 1 May 2005, enables businesses and technicians to operate throughout Australia using a single licence or authorisation with one set of consistent standards.
Fire Protection Association Australia (FPA Australia) is the industry board responsible for administering the licensing system for the fire protection industry across Australia. FPA Australia operates as a service provider under contract to the Australian Government to issue licenses, trading authorisations and Halon Special Permits through the Fire Protection Industry (ODS & SCG) Board, raise industry awareness, report to Government on industry performance, and undertake compliance audits. It also has a significant role in fire safety education, both delivery and design. FPA Australia members come from all aspects of fire protection – firefighters, fire services operators, building owners and insurers, building designers and surveyors, building legislators and fire educators.
Licensing Line News is Australia's leading source of information on occupational licensing. The website provides the latest news and information on occupational licensing and regulatory matters which impact on training and assessment.
For the latest licensing news click here: www.licensinglinenews.com
Licences
Any person who handles ozone depleting or synthetic greenhouse gas extinguishing agents listed in the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989 where there is a risk of emission requires the appropriate national Extinguishing Agent Handling Licence (EAHL). Any technicians who, for example, install or decommission systems are required to have a licence. Working with extinguishing agents in an activity where a discharge of the agent is possible as a consequence of the work being performed requires the appropriate licence.
The Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989 allows for three types of EAHL. These are:
- Trainee EAHL
- Experienced persons EAHL
- Qualified persons EAHL
Trainee EAHL
The Trainee Licence authorises a trainee to work under the supervision of a qualified person who holds the appropriate Extinguishing Agent Handling Licence. There are no prerequisites for a trainee licence but one unit of competency (CPPFES2043A Prevent ozone depleting substance and synthetic greenhouse gas emissions) must be completed within 12 months of obtaining a trainee licence or it will not be renewed.
Experienced Persons EAHL
There are six different categories of Experienced Persons Licence. These are:
- Portable Fire Extinguisher Maintenance Licence
- Fixed System Installation and Decommissioning Licence
- Fixed System Testing and Maintenance Licence
- Recovery, Reclamation, Fill and Recycling Licence
- Warehouse Maintenance Licence
- Control Systems Installation, Commissioning and Decommissioning
Before applying for an Experienced Persons EAHL, one unit of competency (CPPFES2043A Prevent ozone depleting substance and synthetic greenhouse gas emissions) must be completed. To obtain this competency, knowledge of which extinguishing agents are ozone depleting substances and synthetic greenhouse gases must be demonstrated. An understanding of relevant legislation, the ozone layer and greenhouse effect and the entitlements of each category of licence must also be demonstrated.
Qualified Persons EAHL
Once an Experienced Persons Licence has been issued, the candidate has 12 months to complete all units of competency within that category of licence, in order to obtain a Qualified Persons Licence. Five of the six licence categories are based on the Extinguishing Agent Handling Licence Skill Sets shown on the Introduction to the FPE Sector webpage. These skill sets are:
- Portable Fire Extinguisher Maintenance Licence Skill Set
- Fixed System Installation and Decommissioning Licence Skill Set
- Fixed System Testing and Maintenance Licence Skill Set
- Recovery, Reclamation, Fill and Recycling Licence Skill Set
- Warehouse Maintenance Licence Skill Set
To view these skill sets including information on their intended audience and units of competency within each, click HERE.
For information on how to apply for licenses, click
HERE
.
Authorisations and Permits
Trading Authorisation
Any person or company involved in buying, storing and/or selling extinguishing agents (other than halon) must hold an Extinguishing Agent Trading Authorisation. The maximum period of authorisation is 24 months. This authority is required to undertake the following activities:
- buy/sell/possess agent in bulk or
- fill/recover agent.
A Trading Authorisation is not required by a purchaser of fire protection extinguishers or system cylinders already charged with an extinguishing agent listed in the Act.
Halon Special Permit
Any person or company possessing halon that is for use in fire protection equipment must hold a Halon Special Permit. This permit is valid for a maximum periof of 12 months. It should be noted than anyone 'holding' halon extinguishing agents must have a current halon special permit. For example, even if there is an exemption for having halon in your fire protection system - as is the case in certain aviation, defence and maritime applications - a halon special permit is still required for any halon held and not fitted into the system approved under the exemption in the Regulations. That is, if you hold 'top up' stocks of halon extinguishing agents, then a halon special permit is requried to do so,
For information on how to apply for authorisations and permits, click HERE.
FPA Australia Fact Sheets
A number of fact sheets have been prepared to assist in clarifying specific items related to the operation of the fire protection industry licensing system. They can be downloaded from the FPA Australia website. Current fact sheets are listed below:
- Fact Sheet 1 - Ozone Depleting & Synthetic Greenhouse Gases Used in Fire Protection (PDF 42KB)
- Fact Sheet 2 - Duties of the System Owner and Others for Prevention of ODS & SGG Emissions (PDF 38KB)
- Fact Sheet 3 - Requesting Permission to Discharge a Controlled Extinguishing Agent (PDF 47KB)
- Fact Sheet 4 - Notifying of a Discharge of a Controlled Extinguishing Agent (PDF 46KB)
FPA Australia Contact Details
Fire Protection Industry (ODS & SGG) Board
Fire Protection Association Australia
PO Box 1049
Box Hill VIC 3128
Telephone: 1300 731 922 (outside Victoria)
03 9890 1544 (inside Victoria)
Website: www.fpaa.com.au