Here and There
December 18, 2017
License renewals/reinstatements are due in the Board office by December 31, 2017. Reinstatements after January 1, 2018 have been increased to $120.00.
Other changes effective January 1, 2018 include:
1. The name of the Board is changed to State Board of Refrigeration Contractors.
2. The Board member positions to be filled by academia have been expanded to include "any accredited college or university located in this State."
3. Two new classes of licensure for refrigeration contractors are added:
a. Industrial – All persons, firms or corporation engaged in refrigeration contracting with the use of ammonia as a refrigeration gas.
b. Service – All persons, firms, or corporations engaged in the maintenance, servicing, and repairing of refrigerating machinery, equipment, devices and components.
Current commercial contractors' licenses will continue to include service and transport. Additionally, current commercial contractors will hold both a commercial and industrial license and their license number will be modified to reflect both classifications upon 2018 renewal. The 2018 $40 renewal/$75 reinstatement fee will cover both classifications.
The following fees will be charged beginning January 1, 2018:
1. Examination fee - $100;
2. Initial Licensure fee - $80;
3. Renewal fees - $80 annually;
4. Reinstatement fees - $120 annually.
Also effective January 1, the following officers have been elected to serve during 2018:
Chairman – W.D. Frye
Secretary – B.R. Cook
Treasurer – T. F. Welch
New EPA Regulations Going Into Effect
December 13, 2017
Changes will be phased in to the EPA’s Section 608 program over the next two years. CFC, HCFC, HFC and HFO reclaimed refrigerants may not be resold unless it has been reclaimed by a certified re-claimer. (No re-use of refrigerant on other units, must be turned in.)
Effective January 1, 2018, the sale of CFC, HCFC, HFC, and HFO virgin refrigerants is restricted to technicians certified under EPA Section 608 and 609. Technicians must pass, must be certified in order to maintain, service, repair or dispose of appliances containing CFC; HCFC; HFC and HFO refrigerants. (Must have 608 or 609 certification, no exceptions.)
New record keeping requirements for appliances containing 5 to 50 pounds of refrigerant become effective. Technicians or the company they work for, must keep records of: the location; date of recovery; and type of refrigerant recovered for each disposed appliance. The quantity of refrigerant by type recovered from disposed appliances in EACH CALENDAR month. In addition, the quantity of refrigerant and type, transferred for reclamation or destruction, the person to whom it was transferred and the date of the transfer. (Huge fines for non-compliance. Up to $37,500 per incident per day. Traceable by EPA.)
All requirements for the maintenance, service, repair and disposal of CFC and HCFC refrigerants are extended to HFC and HFO refrigerants. (No longer just R-12 or R-22 but R-410a and all replacements plus R-290; R-600 and R-600a HC.)
Employers must maintain Proof of Certification for Technicians. Must maintain a copy of their certification at their place of business and maintain them for three years after a certified individual leaves the employer. (Thus, if the technician works for you only one week, you have to maintain his records for 3 years.)
Wholesalers must keep invoices that indicate purchaser name, sale date and the quantity of CFC, HCFC, HFC and HFO refrigerants purchased. These records must be maintained for no less than three years. (Traceable by EPA.)
82.154 Prohibitions
- The buyer has been certified as a Type I, Type II. Type II, or Universal technician under 82.161;
- The buyer employs at least one technician who is certified as Type I, Type II, Type II, or Universal technician under 82. 161 and provides proof of such to the seller;
- The buyer has been certified in accordance with 40 CFR part 82, subpart B and the refrigerant is acceptable for use in MVACs under 40 CFR part 82, subpart G;
- The buyer employs at least one person who is certified user 40 CFR part 82, subpart B, and provides proof of such to the seller and the refrigerant is acceptable for use in the MCACs under 40 CFR part 82, subpart G. Nothing in this provision relievers persons of the requirements of 82.34(b) or 82.42(b);
- The refrigerant is sold to an appliance manufacture;
- (vi) The refrigerant is contained in an appliance with a fully assembled refrigerant circuit or an appliance component;
- (vii) The refrigerant is charged into an appliance by a certified technician or an apprentice during maintenance, service, or repair of the appliance; or
- (viii) The non-exempt substitute refrigerant is intended for use in a an MVAC and is sold in a container designed to hold tow pounds or less of refrigerant, has a unique fitting, and has a self-sealing valve.
{81 FR 82352, Nov. 18, 2016, as amended at 81 FR 86881, Dec. 1, 2016}
Board Proposes Rule Changes
July 21, 2017
The State Board of Refrigeration Examiners has filed proposed new rules, rule amendments and rule repeals for implementation on January 1, 2018 with the Rules Review Commission.
Click here for a PDF of the proposed changes.
A public hearing will be held on September 13, 2017 at 2PM in the Board Office (1027 US Hwy 70 W., Suite 221, Garner, NC 27529). Public comments will be accepted until October 16, 2017 and may be mailed to:
Barbara Hines, SBRE
1027 US Hwy. 70 W.
Suite 221
Garner, NC 27529
NC Sales and Use Tax Notice
July 6, 2017
The NC Sales and Use Tax Division published the following notice regarding repair, maintenance, and installation services. Page three of the notice contains a section on Commercial Refrigeration Equipment. The Board is drawing attention to the notice, but cannot offer legal advice.
2017 Notice
June 16, 2017
Senate Bill 131, Regulatory Reform Act of 2016-2017, was signed into law by Governor Cooper on May 4, 2017.
This bill includes amendments as follows to Article 5, Section 87, Board of Refrigeration Examiners:
- The name of the Board is changed to State Board of Refrigeration Contractors.
- The Board member positions to be filled by academia have been expanded to include "any accredited college or university located in this State."
- Two new classes of licensure for refrigeration contractors were added:
- Industrial – All persons, firms or corporation engaged in refrigeration contracting with the use of ammonia as a refrigeration gas.
- Service – All persons, firms, or corporations engaged in the maintenance, servicing, and repairing of refrigerating machinery, equipment, devices and components.
Current commercial contractors' licenses will continue to include service and transport. Additionally, current commercial contractors will hold both a commercial and industrial license and their license number will be modified to reflect both classifications upon 2018 renewal. The 2018 $40 renewal/$75 reinstatement fee will cover both classifications
- Fees: The Board has been authorized to charge the following fees beginning in 2018:
- An examination fee of $100 was established;
- Initial Licensure fee will be $80;
- Renewal fees will increase to $80 annually;
- Reinstatement fees will increase to $160 annually.
These changes are effective January 1, 2018 and will apply to all fees collected after that date.
Board News
June 9, 2016
As of June 1st, the board office has been relocated from its former address of 889 US Hwy 70 W, Garner, NC, 27529. The new office is located in Hartwell Plaza. The office's new physical address is:
1027 US 70 Hwy W, Suite 221
Garner, NC 27529
Spring 2016 Legislative Update
March, 11 2016
In 2013, at the direction of the General Assembly, the Program Evaluation Division (PED) staff conducted an analysis of our state’s approximately 55 occupational licensing boards. The report recommended to the Joint Legislative Administrative Oversight Committee (APO), that the General Assembly consider abolishing 12 licensing boards and consolidating 10 licensing boards. Unfortunately, the Refrigeration Licensing Board is one of the 12 recommended for further study of its continued existence. Since the release of the report, throughout 2014 and 2015, the Occupational Licensing Board Subcommittee of the APO has held meetings and occasionally heard presentations by occupational licensing representatives and other interested parties on the report’s recommendations.
There have been several APO and Subcommittee meetings in 2016. State statutes bar the use of-board funds to “promote or oppose” legislation, but, like other boards, the Refrigeration Board and its licensees can, as citizens, answer questions, correct is information and assist policy makers to make better informed decisions about these important matters.
As the Subcommittees’ agendas and focus evolves over the coming months, licensed refrigeration contractors who are aware of this review believe it is important for other license holders to contact legislators, especially any they may personally know, to answer any questions they might have of about the importance to the public of continuing to require licensure of refrigeration contractors who work with materials and equipment which can be harmful if not properly handled. It is imperative that our legislators understand the potential harm to the public if the Board is eliminated.
Points for discussion could include:
Board Member Retires
March 4, 2016
The board would like to give a huge thank you to Leonard Lynch for his many years of service and significant contributions to the Refrigeration Industry. Mr. Lynch served on the board from 2012 to 2015 under Governors Beverly Purdue and Patrick McCrory.
Board Chairman Zeke Smith (right) presents former board member
Leonard Lynch with a certificate of appreciation.
Refrigeration Up-Date 2016
February 19, 2016
The board would like to thank everyone who came out to Winston-Salem for making Refrigeration Up-date 2016 a success. Registrants were able to meet and network with industry experts and leading vendors from all across North Carolina who were there to showcase their latest products and services.
The board would especially like to thank all of the exhibitors that make the show possible:
ACR Supply
Air Oasis
Baker Distributing
C.C. Dickson
Cannon Marketing
Chemours
Cooper-Atkins
Engineering Equipment Sales
E. V. Dunbar
Hillpheonix
Hudson Technologies
Inficon
Intermatic/Grasslin
Mueller
NC DOL OSH Division
NDL
Rectorseal Corp
RefPlus
Steve Lee & Associates
Spectronics
Sporlan Valve, Division of Parker
Triad One Enterprises, Inc.
True Food Service Equipment
United Refrigeration
Arcoaire
Bally
Bosch Water Source Heat Pump
Daikin
IRP, NRP and PSG
Manitowoc
Testo
Thermal Zone
Trenton