§82.38. Approved independent standards testing organizations. — Inbound Citations

(a) Approved independent standards testing organization means any organization which has applied for and received approval from the Administrator pursuant to § 82.38.

(1) Refrigerant recycling equipment must be certified by the Administrator or an independent standards testing organization approved by the Administrator under § 82.38 to meet the following standard:

(a) Any technician training and certification program may apply for approval, in accordance with the provisions of this paragraph, by submitting to the Administrator at the address in § 82.38(a) verification that the program meets all of the following standards:

(1) Each program must provide adequate training, through one or more of the following means: on-the-job training, training through self-study of instructional material, or on-site training involving instructors, videos or a hands-on demonstration.

(2) The certification tests must adequately and sufficiently cover the following:

(i) The standards established for the service and repair of MVACs and MVAC-like appliances as set forth in § 82.36(a) and appendices A, B, C, D, E, and F to this subpart. These standards relate to the recommended service procedures for the containment of refrigerant, extraction equipment, extraction and recycle equipment, and the standard of purity for refrigerant in motor vehicle air conditioners.

(ii) Anticipated future technological developments, such as the introduction of HFC-134a in new motor vehicle air conditioners.

(iii) The environmental consequences of refrigerant release and the adverse effects of stratospheric ozone layer depletion.

(3) Completed tests must be graded by an entity or individual who receives no benefit based on the outcome of testing; a fee may be charged for grading. Sufficient measures must be taken at the test site to ensure that tests are completed honestly by each technician. Each test must provide a means of verifying the identification of the individual taking the test. Programs are encouraged to make provisions for non-English speaking technicians by providing tests in other languages or allowing the use of a translator when taking the test. If a translator is used, the certificate received must indicate that translator assistance was required.

(4) Each certification program must offer individual proof of certification, such as a certificate, wallet-sized card, or display card, upon successful completion of the test. Each certification program must provide a unique number for each certified technician.