The need for the achievement of high standards of combustion efficiency is universally accepted. For environmental, safety and economic reasons, it is necessary to make sure that fuel is delivered and used without waste and minimises environmental impact and that the working practices of personnel concerned with storage and combustion are kept up to date with the increasing demands of developing technology.

A Standard to Train To

OFTEC has a Code of Practice for Training. This includes all the matter that must be covered in training courses, such as safety requirements, legislation and the technical aspects of the work. All OFTEC approved training courses must meet the requirements of this Code.

Courses

Not all centres run all courses. Check before booking. Courses are designed to enable students to gain the necessary knowledge and understanding to enter the assessment process.

OFTEC Assessments are undertaken to the requirements of EN45013 and UKAS, (United Kingdom Assessment Service) via approved/accredited certification bodies.

The assessments may involve both practical and written tests administered by an assessor completely separately from any training activity. When the Assessment has been satisfactorily completed, a certificate is issued by the certification body with which registration can be applied for.

Business Registration

Technicians can only become OFTEC Registered when the business that they work in or work for has met the conditions of the Business Registration. This requires the business to hold approved insurance cover. (Nationwide gives these as part of the Training and Assessment courses).

Certification of Assessment

The courses are carried at training / assessment centres and then recommendation is issued to a certification body. There are at present four certification bodies they are CITB, BEPC, ERS and Zurich this company is a Zurich centre.

It makes no difference to the candidate or OFTEC which certification body you use, each centre has his or her own personal preference. The certification body decide to issue certificates on the recommendation of the centre, but they reserve the right to refuse.

Assessment

The assessment is carried out under the control of the certification body, if you have a complaint of the conduct of the assessment, a complaint can be made in the first instance of the centre assessment manager, if you are still dissatisfied a complaint can be made to the assessment body. ALL OFTEC certificates are modularised.