Released 28/08/2024
Today the ACT Government has announced that from 11 December 2024, it will be mandatory to hold a licence to install and work on medical gas systems in the ACT.
Minister for Sustainable Building and Construction Rebecca Vassarotti said the new requirements will make sure people working on medical gas systems have the right skills to keep our community safe.
“The type of medical gas systems we are beginning to license in December this year are those you tend to find in hospitals that provide vital support to patients. These include systems that provide oxygen or nitrous oxide to patients while they’re in hospital,” Minister Vassarotti said.
“The need for this new licensing requirement for medical gas systems comes after two incidents in New South Wales where newborn babies were administered nitrous oxide instead of oxygen in a hospital, tragically resulting in one death and one serious injury.
“Simply put, once this system is in place, if someone does not have the qualifications or experience to be working on medical gas, they will not be laying a single finger on the equipment.
“These new laws are part of broader building and construction reforms and the ACT Government’s commitment to hold professionals accountable for their actions and protect the community.”
The new Medical Gases Licensing Framework introduces new licence classes for people to complete this work. From 11 December 2024, anyone doing this work will need to hold a licence as a Medical Gas Technician or Medical Gasfitter.
Applications will open on Monday 2 September 2024, so people working in the industry will have enough time to apply for their licence before it becomes mandatory in December.
The eligibility rules include mandatory qualifications and experience that align with rules in other jurisdictions such as New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland.
The new licensing requirements are part of the construction occupations licensing framework and were introduced through the Building and Construction Legislation Amendment Act 2023 passed by the Legislative Assembly in November 2023.
More information about the Medical Gases Licensing Framework, including eligibility requirements and the licence application process is available on the ACT Planning website.
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Rebecca Vassarotti, MLA | Media Releases