From 1 November 2020 new regulations were put in place to ensure that work on medical gas systems at medical facilities is carried out by people who have the appropriate skills, experience and qualifications.
A transition period has been set up which means that from 1 October 2022, if you install and maintain medical gas systems in medical facilities, you must:
- hold a medical gas qualification including relevant units of competency
- have 2 years relevant industry experience
- have a medical gas work class on your:
- tradesperson certificate
- qualified supervisor certificate
- individual contractor licence
- company contractor licence.
From 1 March 2023, you will need a mechanical services and medical gas licence to do mechanical services work, including testing and commissioning of mechanical heating, cooling or ventilation systems.
If you do not currently have a tradesperson certificate, qualified supervisor certificate, individual contractor licence or company contractor licence, you'll need to apply for one.
There are 3 categories for medical gas work:
- medical gas fitting work
- medical gas technician work
- mechanical services and medical gas work
Medical facilities include:
- private and public hospitals
- aged care facilities
- other places where medical gas is supplied or removed such as dental surgeries and day surgeries.
Medical gases are:
- oxygen
- nitrous oxide
- helium
- nitrogen
- carbon dioxide
- medical air
- surgical tool gas
- common mixtures of the gases above
- air at a negative pressure (commonly known as suctioning)
- waste anaesthetic gas.