Does the Polish F-gas certification system require changes?

Certification and training

An article by Joanna Ryńska regarding the quality of the Polish F-gas certification system has appeared in the monthly magazine Rynek Instalacyjny. The publication addresses an issue that industry representatives have been discussing for years: the growing number of substandard training courses and exams, and their impact on workplace safety and the quality of services provided in the HVACR sector.

This issue is becoming particularly significant due to the implementation of EU Regulation 2024/573, which extends certification requirements to individuals working with alternative refrigerants—including flammable substances, carbon dioxide, and ammonia. When dealing with these substances, proper technical preparation is no longer merely a matter of service quality, but primarily a matter of safety.

A certificate should confirm competence

As the article highlights, the F-gas certificate is a document recognized throughout the European Union. Its purpose is to confirm that the person performing work on refrigeration equipment, air conditioning systems, heat pumps, and refrigeration units for refrigerated trucks and trailers possesses the necessary knowledge and practical skills.

However, for several years, the market has seen the presence of entities offering training and exams with a “guaranteed pass” promise—often conducted in a single day, without adequate technical facilities and without any genuine verification of the participants’ competence. This phenomenon has frequently been flagged by industry organizations and reported in trade media.

Two different training models

From the perspective of the PROZON Foundation, the certification market has clearly split into two segments. The first group consists of specialized centers with a long-standing presence in the HVACR industry; they employ experts and conduct training in compliance with technical requirements and applicable regulations. At these centers, certification is the outcome of an educational process that encompasses both theory and practice.

The second segment comprises entities that view certification primarily as a commercial venture, offering quick exams and claiming a near-100% pass rate. As the article notes, the Office of Technical Inspection (UDT) has conducted audits of some of these bodies, and a number have been removed from the register of assessment entities. The problem, however, is that current regulations do not allow for their effective elimination from the market.

Where do the estimates regarding the scale of the phenomenon come from?

Information has also surfaced in public discourse suggesting that over 80% of F-gas exams may have been conducted by entities whose examination methods raise serious concerns.

As Krzysztof Grzegorczyk, President of the PROZON Foundation, explains, these figures are not derived from the registers of the Office of Technical Inspection (UDT); rather, they are estimates based on market analysis and a survey conducted among a dozen or so established training centers that have long operated in the HVACR industry.

“The responses indicate that the combined market share of these centers regarding F-gas exams in 2025 did not exceed 20%. Based on this, we estimate that over 80% of exams were conducted by entities offering exams with a ‘guaranteed pass’ promise—often lacking the appropriate technical infrastructure and conditions for a reliable assessment of candidates’ skills. This is an estimate regarding the structure of the exam market in 2025, not official UDT data.”

New regulations offer a chance to improve quality

According to many industry representatives, the amendment to the Polish F-gas Act—which implements the requirements of EU Regulation 2024/573—presents an opportunity to streamline the certification system and raise the standard of training for technical personnel.

The new regulations will cover not only fluorinated greenhouse gases but also alternative refrigerants; furthermore, certificates issued for a seven-year period will require periodic re-verification of competence. This means that high-quality training and the genuine verification of the knowledge and skills of those working with refrigeration, air conditioning, and heat pump equipment will become increasingly important.

As Krzysztof Grzegorczyk, President of the PROZON Foundation, emphasizes, the industry has been actively working for months on solutions to curb abuses and restore the proper standing of certification.

“Between late 2024 and early 2025, the PROZON Foundation organized 14 discussion panels involving representatives from the HVACR industry and public administration. These meetings were moderated by the late Prof. Janusz Kozakiewicz, who left us with clear guidelines regarding the mechanisms that should be included in the new regulations. The goal is to minimize the possibility of certification being obtained by individuals who lack the necessary competence to work safely with refrigeration, air conditioning, and heat pump equipment. We believe that implementing these solutions will help rebuild trust in the certification system and ensure that the certificate once again serves as a genuine confirmation of knowledge and skills, rather than merely a formal document.”

For PROZON, quality matters more than the number of certificates issued.

Since the inception of its certification system, the PROZON Foundation has consistently emphasized that the goal of the training is not merely to issue a document, but to prepare specialists to work safely with F-gases and alternative refrigerants.

That is why we were the first in Poland to launch training courses preparing participants for the European A1 certificate, in compliance with the requirements of EU Regulation 2024/573. We believe that safety in the HVACR industry depends not on the number of certificates issued, but on the quality of the skills possessed by the certificate holders.

Source: https://www.rynekinstalacyjny.pl/artykul/pompy-ciepla/185369,problemy-z-polska-certyfikacja-f-gazowa