Trade associations and membership societies representing North America’s HVACR industry have come together and industry requested that federal, state, and local authorities grant ‘Essential Business Status’ to those technicians and engineers who are tasked with keeping the American people productive, healthy, and comfortable in these trying times.
The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) joined with nine other organisations, representing the HVACR and water heating equipment manufacturers, contractors, technicians, engineers, plumbers, and sheet metal contractors in stating governmental organisations grappling with travel and personal interaction restrictions designed to prevent the spread of infection.
“While citizens are coping with a variety of unforeseen and unusual restrictions, it is essential that they can maintain their HVAC and commercial refrigeration equipment,” the association leaders wrote. “Aside from providing comfort, this equipment is vital for health and safety in addition to productivity, particularly, for air filtration and food and medical supply preservation, especially, in this time of quarantine. When equipment fails, technicians must be able to repair or replace it as quickly as possible,” they added.
Organisations signing the statement included AHRI, the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA), the Heating, Air conditioning, and Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI), Air Movement and Control Association (AMCA), North American Technician Excellence (NATE), the Plumbing, Heating, Cooling Contractors National Association (PHCC), Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning Contractors National Association (SMACNA), the Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI), ASHRAE, and the Mechanical Contractors Association of America (MCAA).
