Under the requirements of the" Occupational Safety and Hazards Act - No. 85 of 1993" - Sections 43 and 44, and "Pressure Equipment Regulations, R 734, 15 Jul 09" as follows:

Regulation 17: Gas reticulation equipment and systems
'(1)	No person shall
	(a) handle, store or distribute any gas in any manner which includes the filling of a container, other than in accordance with the relevant health and safety standard incorporated into these Regulations under section 44 of the Act;
	(b) install or remove an appliance, pressure equipment or system for gas in any manner other than in accordance with the relevant safety standard incorporated into these Regulations under section 44 of the Act;
	c) install or remove a gas appliance, or a gas system or a gas reticulation system, unless such person is an authorised person; or
	(d) use pressure equipment or systems for gas in an manner other than in accordance with the relevant safety standard incorporated into these regulations under section 44 of the Act
(2)	After installation or re-installation, and before commissioning a gas system, the user shall ensure that an external inspection and a leak test are performed by an authorised person or an approved inspection authority as applicable in terms of subregulation (1 )(c).
(3)	An authorised person or an approved inspection authority shall issue a certificate of conformity after completion of a gas installation. modification. alteration or change of user or ownership in the form of Annexure 1.'

The South African Pipeline Gas Association (SAPGA) via the South African Qualifications and Certifications Committee for Gas (SAQCC-Gas) has a dispensation from the Department of Labour to become involved in the development and setting of standards, assessment and recommending qualified and competent gas practitioners in the pipeline gas industry.

Recommendations for the registration criteria have been set up in terms of this initiative and in order to enable pipeline gas installations and associated work to continue - bearing in mind that from a technical point of view, all such installations and associated work carried out from 1st August 1997 are illegal unless temporary registration has been granted - it is therefore strongly recommended that all pipeline natural gas practitioners apply for registration immediately. Refer to the definition of a Gas Practitioner

The application form should be completed as comprehensively as possible, in order for SAPGA to assess and recommend to the SAQCC-Gas to issue such registration in accordance with the requirements of the Chief Inspector of the Department of Labour.

Blanket exemption will NOT be given to either gas supply industries, or installation companies and businesses in general or as a whole.

Criteria for Natural Gas practitioners will include, but not necessarily be restricted to:-

1.	An acceptable standard of secondary education,
2.	Tertiary or technical education with reference to the pipeline gas supply industry
3.	Present and past employment with an existing gas supply or system installation company,
4.	In excess of 3 years proven experience in the industry
5.	Details and level of specific responsibility for actual installations
6.	A brief motivation from your present employer to support the application

Criteria for LPG registered domestic and commercial gas practitioners who want to work in the Natural Gas environment

1.

3 years proven experience in the gas industry with a credible track record

Complete the NG conversion (bridging) course - if not: practitioner under probation for 3 months and then

Registration after completing of the NG conversion course

Criteria for Auto Gas (CNG) practitioners will include, but not necessarily be restricted to:-

1.	An acceptable standard of secondary education,
2.	3 years experience as a motor mechanic and auto electrical  - not 'kit' specific
3.	Valid driver licence,
4.	1 year welding experience
5.	Experience in all 3 categories being carburetors, fuel injection and mixed fuel
6.	5 installations per category needs to be included in the application
7.	A brief motivation from your present employer to support the application

It would be expected that only those practitioners who are presently working in the industry and who substantially meet the necessary criteria above, will be issued with initial registration as authorised by the SAQCC-Gas on behalf of the Department of Labour.