acs

[andyg0507]

got me acs starting tuesday, thought id be ok nerves wise but am already bricking it!

 

[fuzzy]

good luck

 

[kirkgas]

relax, listen to the instructions, READ what the question actually says, then go with your instinct and knowledge to answer the question rather than doubt yourself and waste time looking up the answer, when doing your practicals, again relax, most mistakes are made by diving in, and doing things in the wrong order

 

[REDSAW]

chinese gas-wise man once said!,

''go with the flow, and know where the toilets are''.

 

[andyg0507]

cheers lads, and redsaw the toilets will become my second home for the week, i hope they have lots of nice toilet paper and not that tracing paper stuff!!

 

[REDSAW]

haha, seriously tho, i found nipping to the toilet a lot gave a few moments to collect your thoughts and get your head straight for the next task or q;s.

 

[blayedrunner]

You will be fine, the build up is worse than the reality.

 

[quality]

cheers lads, and redsaw the toilets will become my second home for the week, i hope they have lots of nice toilet paper and not that tracing paper stuff!!

We call that paper "lift and shift" cause it always seems to lift it off and shift up the back if ya know what I mean

 

[andyg0507]

ha ha, hopefully there will be no lifting and shifting next week, but now you mention it i might take a few spare pares of undies, and my other pair of snickers.

 

[AWheating]

The practical can get to alot of people. If you show confidence and do the basics well you will be fine. I like to bullet point all the practical testing and keep them with me in my notes, even simple things like a tightness test. just knowing i have them there if my mind goes blank takes alot of the stress away.

good luck.

 

[northcarr]

just did mine last week not as bad as i thought it would be.It's easy to say but try not to worry the instructors know how you feel and will do all they can to help

 

[Spanner2k7]

relax, listen to the instructions, READ what the question actually says, then go with your instinct and knowledge to answer the question rather than doubt yourself and waste time looking up the answer, when doing your practicals, again relax, most mistakes are made by diving in, and doing things in the wrong order

I agree with that Always read the question twice, you would be amazed when you read the question and it says " When should you do this?" and its actualy reads " When should you NOT do this?"

The would not complety changes the questions.

Hope this helps

 

[lozza3k]

record all the results on a notepad. so toghtness test - Let by passed- temp stable complete - 2mb drop over 2 mins. because they will ask! and check the ecv handle falls to off. everyone i worked on was falling to on!

 

[markoverthrow]

ACS or GCS?

Attention of all Gas Engineers:

I recently discovered an article posted in the April 2011 edition of Registered Gas Engineer concerning the proposal by the Strategic Management Board to implement an alternative gas certification scheme for gas fitting operatives namely; Group Certification Scheme (GCS).

I was searching through past editions of RGE on the Gas Safe Register site for other data and stumbled upon the article.

The consultation document is available to read on the EU Skills website under the gas section and can be accessed via the consultations link on the left-hand menu of their website.

​

​

Latest Consultations

[DLMURL="http://www.euskills.co.uk/download.php?id=1221"]> An alternative route to re-certification of competence[/DLMURL]
[DLMURL="http://www.euskills.co.uk/download.php?id=1219"]> DRAFT FOR INDUSTRY COMMENT: Operational Requirements for the Nationally Accredited Group Certification Scheme for Gas Fitting Operatives[/DLMURL]
Operational Requirements Awarding Body (ORAB), Certificated Training and Assessment Organisation (CTAO), Group Certification Scheme (GCS)
Open Date:
March 2011
Closing Date:
13 May 2011
Related Documents:
[DLMURL="http://www.euskills.co.uk/download.php?id=1220"]> Comments Submission Form[/DLMURL]

(Source: Energy & Skills Website – Gas – Consultation).


What is interesting to note concerns the time duration for stakeholders to view the document, consider its proposals, consult with those they work for/with and submit their responses.

The opening date for consultation was the 15th March 2011.

The closing date for consultation is the 13th May 2011.

Approved code of practise for consultation recommends minimum of 12 weeks for consultation period and prior notification should be posted to alert stakeholders so they may familiarise themselves with its contents and permit them to take full advantage of the consultation period.

It would appear that neither the Strategic Management Board nor EU Skills have signed up to the ACoP for Consultation!

I have searched through the Registered Gas Engineer publications from April 2009 up to March 2011 and can not find any advanced notification in regard to this proposal nor how or where to gain access to the consultation document!

Furthermore;

The following organisations have no open listings upon their websites of the Strategic Management Board’s proposal to implement an alternative certification scheme or identification of access to the consultation document:-

· Gas Safe Register (GSR).
· The Institute of Gas Engineers & Managers (IGEM).
· The Chartered Institute of Plumbing & Heating Engineering (CIPHE).
· The Institute of Domestic Heating & Environmental Engineers (IDHEE).
· The Association of Plumbing & Heating Contractors (APHC).
· The Heating & Ventilating Contractors Association (HVCA).
· Trade Association Forum. (TA).
· Summit Skills.


I have just received the May 2011 edition of RGE (hard copy), yet still await receipt of the April 2011 edition???

In essence the proposal seeks to introduce a scheme for companies to undertake their own in-house gas safety re-assessments upon their workforce and not send them to ACS training centres.

This would appear to be good for all those large organisations who have the financial and logistical resources to bring this scheme on board however, whilst the consultation document clearly identifies that; GCS would be open to all, for small sole traders and one-man bands it would be prohibitive.

In addition to other issues, the consultation document does not contain an Impact Assessment!

What impact may this have?

For all those larger companies/organisations who can take the scheme on board; potentially none!

For ACS training centres; reductions in the numbers attending 5-yearly re-assessments!

For small companies and one-man operations; increased costs associated with re-assessments!

I would suggest that all those small operators undertaking work on downstream gas systems and appliances, read the consultation document.

I would also be interested to hear from anyone who has not received their April edition of Registered Gas Engineer in hard copy.

If you have difficulty in downloading the consultation document, send an email and I will forward a copy to you.

Regards

Mark


Mark Overthrow EngTech, LCGI, MCIPHE, RP RHP, MIDHEE

Senior Engineer

SAMTECH

Railway Cuttings
Ashe Farm
Thornfalcon
Taunton
Somerset
TA3 5NW

Email; [email protected]