IMI News

ATA adds air-conditioning route in response to new EU legislation

A new assessment in air-conditioning has been added to the Automotive Technician Accreditation (ATA) scheme to provide an opportunity for businesses and their technicians to comply with new European legislation regarding the handling of refrigerant gases which comes into force in July 2010.

Following a pilot programme by the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI), which regulates the ATA scheme, three levels applicable to mobile air-conditioning systems (MAC) have been introduced to ATA: Refrigerant Handler; Service Technician; and Diagnostic Technician.

Accreditation in this discipline includes practical assessments related to the evacuation, recharge and leak testing of a vehicle’s air-con system and the handling of refrigerant gas cylinders, as well as an on-line knowledge test. Technicians considering ATA accreditation can take a self-assessment on the ATA web-site, www.automotivetechnician.org.uk

At present, there are five centres approved by the IMI to run assessments, these are:

Delphi Lockheed Automotive, Warwick
North Lindsey College, Scunthorpe
ProAuto, Shrewsbury
S&B Training, Bristol
Training 2000, Blackburn

The IMI’s subsidiary qualifications awarding body, IMI Awards, is actively seeking more centres to carry out air-conditioning assessments and enquiries should be directed at Ian Cheetham, Head of Customer Support and Compliance at ianc@imiawards.org.uk

With over 10,800 ATA registered technicians across the UK, the IMI has recently launched a consumer campaign, ‘You know you’re OK with ATA’, to help motorists search on-line for their nearest business employing ATA registered technicians, at www.OKwithATA.com

Pictured above, Ian Gillgrass the IMI's Workforce Development Manager promoting the new route.

ENDS

Note to Editors:
All three levels of ATA air-conditioning satisfy the minimum requirements set out in EC Regulation (EC) No. 307/2008, governing the handling of refrigerant gases for mobile air-conditioning systems (MAC), effective from July 2010.