ACS guidance notes

Category 1, 2 and 3 application conditions

Eligibility for assessment

Category 1

Applicants in this category are regarded as experienced gas fitting operatives; they will need to provide evidence to the Assessment Centre prior to taking ACS assessments that they possess a gas fitting qualification or certificate(s) of gas safety competence issued either within or outside of the UK. The date of issue of their qualification/gas safety certificate may be greater than the normal five year validity period.

Applicants in this category who only hold limited scope certificates of gas safety competence in ACS which do not require connection to a live gas supply e.g. ICAE 1LS or ICPN 1LS, or who are not required to enter a property e.g. CMA 2LS with MET 3LS will if they intend to extend their range of gas work, present evidence of that additional gas work experience to the Assessment Centre prior to taking assessment. See evidence requirements detailed in Category 2.

Limited scope operatives holding NVQ ‘Appliance Pathway Certificates’ in metering awards 6012-12 & 6012-13 will if they intend to extend their range of gas work to include appliances, need to undertake CCN1 & appropriate appliance assessments.

*6012-12 & 6012-13 are only now equivalent to CMA1. & replaced 6012-22 & 6012-32 from August 2007

Category 2

Applicants in this category are regarded as holding a nationally recognised qualification e.g. NVQ or City & Guilds craft certificate in a trade associated with gas work, e.g. plumbing. Application conditions for this category requires that the applicant provides to the Assessment Centre evidence of their qualification and written evidence confirming that they have undertaken ‘On the Job’ gas installation and/or maintenance training and have experience of gas work that has been carried out under the direct supervision of a competent operative(s) employed by a Gas Safe Registered business. The Assessment Centre will need to be satisfied that the applicant has a sufficiency and range of gas work experience relating to the application, in accordance with the requirements below.

The Assessment Centre should ensure that a competent member of staff evaluates all evidence presented by the candidate and makes a professional judgement on its content and suitability against the areas of assessment the candidate intends to undertake.

Applicants need to provide to the Assessment Centre evidence of this Off the Job training and On the Job experience. The evidence must consist as a minimum the following:

• Name, address and the Gas Safe Registration number of the business(s) providing the training.
• The start and end dates of the Off the Job training programme.
• The start and end dates of the On the Job training programme.
• The types and sufficiency of gas work undertaken (not plumbing or other related work activities).
• The name(s) of the competent operative(s) of the business that has provided the On the Job training.

Assessment Centres if they doubt the authenticity of the information presented by the applicant must decline access to ACS assessment.

Category 3

Applicants in this category are regarded as new to the gas industry, which are not holding any national qualifications nor have any gas work experience. Application conditions for this category require that the Category 3 applicant may as an alternative to achieving a Gas Services N/SVQ either;

• Obtain employment with a Gas Safe Registered business which is willing to provide an auditable extended ‘in house’ gas training programme incorporating both On and Off the Job components with organisational support prior to the applicant taking ACS assessment.

• Undertakes a training programme which is planned, managed and organised by a training provider. This training programme will incorporate both On and Off the Job training and experience with organisational support prior to the applicant taking ACS assessment. The On the Job training component will be carried out by a registered business in accordance with a training plan and programme designed by the training provider.

Evidence of the contents of the programme detailing the Off the Job training and On the Job experience must be presented to the Assessment Centre as described in Category 2 previously.

Guidance to typical training durations for appliance training and on the job experience

The following is intended to provide further guidance to Assessment Centres on the typical training and experience durations expected to have been undertaken by Category 2 and 3 applicants.

CORE GAS SAFETY	APPLIANCE TYPE	COMBINED OFF AND ON THE JOB TRAINING DURATION
		Category 2	Category 3
CCN 1	COOKERS	8 weeks 40 days	16 weeks 80 days
CCN 1	** CENTRAL HEATING	14 weeks 70 days	28 weeks 140 days
CCN 1	SPACE HEATING	10 weeks 50 days	20 weeks 100 days
CCN 1	METERS up to U6	6 weeks 30 days	12 weeks 60 days
CCN 1	** WARM AIR (stub duct)	10 weeks 50 days	20 weeks 100 days

** The durations of these training programmes includes work activities other than just gas work

The durations take into account the inefficiencies of carrying out the right type of On the Job training. These periods are likely to be reduced where the right type of work is readily available.

For further information on pre-requisites required please contact the Centre.