HETAS Training, Solid Fuel Heating, Wood Stoves, Biomass and Chimney Surveys

training introduction
future courses
HETAS Training
practical courses
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SURE FIRE Training Centre & Courses
The new centre contains specialist equipment with live appliances, chimney products and fuel displays so delegates can see and experience a wide range of equipment from different manufacturers in one location.
In a first for the wood burning and solid fuel industry Sure Fire Technical Services offer practical training for new entrants to the industry with the opportunity to install open fires and stove in a safe and supervised location rather than practicing in a customers’ home.
Future developments will include providing suitable training provisions for NVQ courses in chimney engineering and solid fuel appliance installation as well as extending the course list to become a full renewable energy training centre. With the changes to the building regulations and the Health and Safety regulations, it is difficult for a company director/manager or a self-employed tradesman to keep pace with their responsibilities.
Did you know? - Following the changes to Health & Safety law it is now the companies? responsibility to ensure they make themselves aware of the safety regulations and follow them! Statutory instrument 440 means the installer must be registered with HETAS as a competent person or ensure that building control approval is in place before any work on solid fuel chimneys, fireplaces or appliance installation is carried out! All personnel working at heights must be trained to do so before they commence work! Approved document J of the Building Regulations requires testing and reporting on chimneys prior to them being put into, or brought back into, use! In this day and age, can you afford not to ensure the safety of yourself, your employees and your customers?

date	course type	location
2012
31 Jan 1-2-3 February	H003 - Installer Dry Appliances (practical assessed) H004 – Wet Stove & Appliances (practical assessed)	Sure Fire Contact 0845 2600 166
February 10	SF6 - Working at Heights	Sure Fire Contact 0845 2600 166
February 20-21-22-23	H003 - Installer Dry Appliances (practical assessed) H004 – Wet Stove & Appliances (practical assessed)	Sure Fire Contact 0845 2600 166
February 27-28	H001 - Introduction to solid fuel H002 - Solid fuel building regulations & standards	Sure Fire Contact 0845 2600 166
February 29	SF2 - Stove Installation Course One Day	Sure Fire Contact 0845 2600 166
March 1	SF3 - Flexible stainless steel flue lining for solid fuels	Sure Fire Contact 0845 2600 166
March 2	SF1 – Open Fire Installation Course	Sure Fire Contact 0845 2600 166
March 14-15-16	H003 - Installer Dry Appliances (practical assessed)	Sure Fire Contact 0845 2600 166
March 15	SF5 - CHIMNEY CCTV SURVEYING and TESTING COURSE	Sure Fire Contact 0845 2600 166
April 2-3-4	H003 - Installer Dry Appliances (practical assessed)	Sure Fire Contact 0845 2600 166
April 23-24-25-26-27	H005BR - Wood Biomass Appliances limited scope certificate (practical assessed)	Sure Fire Contact 0845 2600 166
April 24-25-26-27	H005 - HETAS – Wood Biomass Appliances (practical assessed)	Sure Fire Contact 0845 2600 166

HETAS Solid Fuel Competent Persons Courses - These courses use training manuals that now include a greater level of information on wood burning and the 2010 issue of approved document F, G, J & L of the Building Regulations.

These courses now have to be taken at one of the HETAS approved training centers of which the Sure Fire Training Centre was the first The courses will be for a maximum of 12 delegates to ensure each delegate has the opportunity to ask questions and gain the most out of each course while enabling a wide range of delegate experience and knowledge to be present on each course. There is a HETAS provided examination and a full practical assessment on each course and the successful completion of this will be a major component in the delegates’ application for HETAS competent person’s status under the Building Regulations.

NEW ENTRANT ROUTES - Where a delegate wishes to have a change of career and has had no heating or construction background they must start with at least one of the following courses before being able to go on to the H003 or H004 courses.
H001 - Introduction to Solid Fuel - 1 day duration
£240 +vat
This course is a basic introduction to Solid Fuel Installations & Regulations. This course is targeted at the candidate who has no prior knowledge of heating or plumbing.
H002 – Solid Fuel Regulations & Standards -2 day duration
£410 +vat
This theory and awareness course is designed to introduce candidates to the processes of solid fuel installations and is targeted at show room staff, surveyors, building control officers and architects who need the regulations update; including a theory assessment and certificate which can lead to HETAS approved retail listing. Once either of these courses is completed then those who wish to go into installation work can go on to take some or all of the following courses depending on what is relevant.

Installer courses for those in the construction industry
Courses for those in the construction or heating industry who wish to either move into the solid fuel sector or wish to formalise their existing status.
H003 - Installer Dry Appliances (practical assessed) - 3 day duration
£650 + vat
This course is targeted to candidates who have relevant work experience. They should have a knowledge & understanding of buildings and regulations and be working in the construction/heating industry. This will include both theory and practical assessment. Successful completion leads to certification, which is a requirement for HETAS installer registration.
Pre-requisites;
At least one of the following;
* Evidence of OFTEC 101 or 102
* Evidence of Gas Safe Registration – CCN1 and HTR1
* Evidence of two years of working in the domestic building trade as a
builder, bricklayer and or plumbing & heating engineer, including work
on chimneys and or solid fuel appliances.
* Portfolio of work evidence appropriate to working in the stove
installation industry together with the relevant site health and safety
requirements e.g. CSCS card

H003/4 - HETAS – Installer Wet Appliances (including H003) - 4 day duration
£880 +vat
This course is targeted to candidates who have relevant plumbing/heating work experience. This will include both theory and practical assessment. Successful completion leads to certification, which is a requirement for HETAS registration for boiler model appliances.
Pre-requisite
One of the prerequisites for H003
Plus one or more of the following;
* Evidence of OFTEC 101
* Evidence of Gas Safe Registration – CCN1 and CEN1
* Evidence of formal qualifications – for example City & Guilds NVQ 2
plumbing (including - G3 Unvented Hot Water)
* Evidence of formal qualifications – for example NVQ 3 plumbing City &
Guilds.

H004 top up – Installer Wet Appliances (practical assessed) - an additional 1 day
£270 + vat

BIOMASS COURSE
Introduction - With the increasing HETAS has provided an additional course to provide the information needed for this type of installation. The course provides background information to enable the engineer to carry out feasibility studies professionally advice the client, consider fuel type and storage options as well as design systems and installation to suit the varying site circumstances. Successful completion of this theoretical and practical course will allow a HETAS registered engineer to extend there registration categories to include Mechanically Fed appliances and form a part of their Microgeneration Certification Scheme. This course would also be important for those who may need to understand the complexities of integrating these heating systems and appliances into new and existing buildings such as Architects, Building control officers and surveyors.
H005 - HETAS – Wood Biomass Appliances (practical assessed) - 4 day duration
£750 + vat
Qualified engineers with work experience, knowledge & understanding of building structure. Design Engineers, Architects with relevant academic qualifications in the building services industry.
Pre-requisites (installers);
* HETAS H003 - Installer Dry Appliances (practical assessed)
* HETAS H004 - Installer Wet Appliances (practical assessed)
* G3 Unvented Hot Water

H005BR -Wood Biomass Appliances limited scope certificate (practical assessed)- 5 day duration
£990 + vat
This course is for those engineers who are looking to achieve the HETAS biomass course (H005) but will not be registering for the installation of wood burning, multi-fuel or open fired stoves. The extra one day at the beginning of the course ensures those engineers from other heating disciplines can gain entry to the HETAS and MCS Biomass registration without having to take the full 4 day H003+4 courses. The additional course content covers modules from H003+4 that are relevant to biomass installations and includes items from the Building Regulations sections G,J,F & L, as they relate to solid fuel appliance installations and so to biomass boilers.

All the HETAS courses run by Sure Fire Technical Services have experienced lecturers who are HETAS registered consultants and can give real life examples and provide additional information and feed back to questions.

Practical Courses ( for the beginner & experienced alike)
Appliance and liner installation courses - Practical

These courses are held in the fully independent, purpose built, Sure Fire Training Centre ensuring that it is not biased towards any single product and is intended to enable the delegate to gain experience in a safe and supervised environment before going into the field and fitting appliances in someone’s house.

It is not possible to ensure all “in the field situations” are covered but with experienced supervisors on site, additional information can be given during the day.

Each course will include a preliminary discussion of the aims and objectives of the course, the regulations that apply to the work being undertaken, the testing of the flues and on the health and safety implications of the work.

This course, and the installation carried out on it, may be used to form a part of the delegates portfolio or detailed work CV of relevant experience when applying to a competent persons registration scheme, a certificate of compliance will be issued to enable proof to be provided in this portfolio.

PSE Requirements - The delegate will be required to bring safety shoes or boots, gloves and goggles.

SF1 - Open Fire - £200 +vat
In this instance, the installation of a British Standard fire back and fire surround is carried out in one of the two chimneys and fireplace recess that have been constructed in the training centre. This not only gets the delegate used to handling the materials and equipment but also enables them to gain insight into the mixes used and the work involved The work will be carried out in teams of two (though up to four delegates can be on each course.
Additional discussions will take place regarding the other types of open fires on the market to extend the delegates knowledge and experience.
SF2 - Freestanding Stoves - £200 +vat
There are a number of stoves on site, any of which can be installed either top outlet or rear outlet, and can be fitted into one of the two chimneys built on site with the intention of assessing the chimney suitability for any of the appliances chosen to fit.
NOTE: This course does not cover the lining of flues with flexible stainless steel liners, as this is a separate course.

SF3 - Flexible stainless steel flue lining for solid fuels - £250 +vat - REQUIRED WORKING AT HEIGHTS CERTIFICATE
This is the first time in the UK that a practical course on the subject will include the actual installation of the flue lining into a brick chimney. This course will include looking at varying makes of flue liner and their installation instructions to assess the variations that exist.
The delegates will install a 5 m length of lining into a brick chimney that has been constructed with a corbelled offset. The front of the chimney has been left exposed to enable the installer to see if any damage has been done during the installation and the final lining will be tested with a pressure tester to ensure its full compliance.
This course, and the installation carried out on it, may be used to form a part of the delegates portfolio or detailed work CV of relevant experience when applying to a competent persons registration scheme, a certificate of compliance will be issued to enable proof to be provided in this portfolio.

Other Related Courses
SF4 - Factory Made Metal Chimney Course - £180 +vat
This course is held in the fully independent, purpose built, Sure Fire Training Centre ensuring that it is not biased towards any single product, it is intended to enable the delegate to assess all products and their installation instructions in relation to Building Regulations and the new standards. In recent times the original British Standards for the manufacture and installation of this type of chimney have been withdrawn and replaced by new European Normative Standards. BS 4543 – 1990 (1996) part 2 has been replaced by BS EN 1856-1:2003 (this is regarding the manufacture and testing of the chimney) while the British Standard on the installation of these chimneys - BS 7566 – 1992 parts 1-4 have been replaced with the new BS EN 15287-1:2007 Chimney – Design installation and commissioning of chimneys - for non-room sealed heating appliances.
These new standards change the way we consider this type of chimney and this new course is designed to inform the delegate of the changes, give advice on their implementation and some practical design exercises. In the new training centre there are chimney and chimney components that allow a demonstration of the principles as well as enable the delegate to identify possible faults and improvements.

SF5 - CHIMNEY CCTV SURVEYING and TESTING COURSE - £180 + vat * View subjects covered
Wohler is Germanys No1 producer of chimney testing, surveying and maintenance equipment and it is now available in the UK. Mick Waumsley has put together this course for those who use this or any other CCTV equipment to survey chimneys or who are considering adding this to the services they offer.
The course covers all types of surveying from a simple visual examination through to full certification testing and covers all the issues from insurance to equipment. The delegate will be asked to study some CCTV tapes of actual chimneys and identify the faults (or lack of them) and decide whether they would pass or fail the chimney based on what they see. In addition the equipment will be used on one of the chimneys in the new training centre. This is intended as a practical course but in a clean and warm environment!!

SF6 - Working at Heights - £200 +vat
Since May 2005 anyone that works off ground must have a ticket to say they have been trained to do so and can use all the equipment they need safely. With this in mind Sure Fire Technical Services have teamed up with Ability International (a major supplier of ladder, scaffold and harnesses etc.) to provide a full training course that is geared to those engineers who work at heights.
The course covers:
Ladders and steps
Tower scaffold
Roof access platforms.
Specialist chimney access platforms
Fall arrest equipment.
The company provide a full range of equipment to see and use on the day and with the new facilities, which includes a full 8 m eaves height, this can all be done indoors.
PSE Requirements- The delegate will be required to bring safety shoes or boots, gloves and goggles.