Medical gas systems deliver oxygen, medical air, nitrous oxide and suction straight to the patient. When they’re installed, altered or tested by the wrong person, the consequences can be fatal. That’s why Queensland, New South Wales and the ACT now require a specific licence for medical gas work, and why facility managers should check the licence of anyone who touches their system.
Why Licensing Was Tightened
The push for stronger licensing followed two incidents in New South Wales where newborn babies were given nitrous oxide instead of oxygen because of incorrect gas connections in hospital. One baby died and another was seriously injured. Regulators responded by making medical gas a licensed trade in its own right, separate from general plumbing or gasfitting.
Queensland: QBCC Medical Gas Licence
In Queensland, medical gas work falls under the QBCC licence class Mechanical services: medical gas. The licence covers constructing, installing, replacing, repairing, altering, maintaining, testing or commissioning a medical gas system in a building.
Note that testing and maintenance are on that list. It isn’t only the installer who needs a licence. A contractor who tests your outlets or services your system also needs to hold it.
New South Wales: Licence Required Since 1 October 2022
Since 1 October 2022, anyone doing medical gas work in NSW needs a licence, regardless of the cost of the work. NSW separates the work into two types:
- Medical gasfitting work: construction, installation, replacement, repair, alteration, maintenance, testing or commissioning of a medical gas installation.
- Medical gas technician work: commissioning, testing, verification or certification of a medical gas installation.
The same person can’t do both the gasfitting and the commissioning on the same installation. A certificate of compliance must be lodged within seven days for every job, and from 1 March 2026 certificates go through the BCNSW eCert system. Serious medical gas incidents must be reported within 24 hours.
ACT: Licensing Since 11 December 2024
The ACT introduced its own Medical Gas Technician and Medical Gasfitter licences, mandatory from 11 December 2024, with qualification and experience requirements matched to New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland.
What This Means for Your Facility
The legal obligation sits with the person doing the work, but the risk sits with you. An unlicensed contractor working on your medical gas system can leave you with unsafe outlets, invalid test records and a problem at your next accreditation survey.
Before any medical gas work starts, ask your contractor:
- What is your medical gas licence number, and which class is it?
- Is the licence held by the person doing the work on site, or only by the company?
- Will you test to AS 2896 and give us a written report for every outlet?
- In NSW, will you lodge a certificate of compliance and send us a copy?
A good contractor will have these answers ready. If they hesitate, that tells you something.
Common Warning Signs
- A general biomedical or test and tag contractor offering to “check the gas outlets while we’re here”.
- Outlet testing with no written results, or results that don’t list each outlet and gas.
- Repairs to outlets or alarms carried out by a maintenance handyman.
- No record of who last tested the system, or when.
How Nova Biomedical Can Help
Nova Biomedical holds a QBCC Mechanical services: medical gas licence in Queensland. That means the same team that tests your medical equipment can also test your medical gas outlets and systems to AS 2896, with clear written records for your accreditation file.
We work with hospitals, day surgeries, aged care facilities and clinics, and can bundle medical gas testing into a PPM contract so it’s never missed.
FAQ
Who can test medical gas outlets in Queensland?
Testing a medical gas system in Queensland is licensed work under the QBCC Mechanical services: medical gas licence class, which covers installing, repairing, maintaining, testing and commissioning medical gas systems in a building.
When did medical gas licensing start in NSW?
Licensing for medical gas work in New South Wales took effect on 1 October 2022, and applies regardless of the cost of the work.
What standard covers medical gas pipeline systems?
AS 2896 covers medical gas systems in healthcare facilities, including installation and testing of pipelines, outlets and alarms.
Does Nova Biomedical hold a medical gas licence?
Yes. Nova Biomedical holds a QBCC Mechanical services: medical gas licence in Queensland.
Check Your Medical Gas System
Not sure who last tested your medical gas outlets, or whether they were licensed? Contact Nova Biomedical and we’ll review your records and book a test.
