Arkansas HVACR NewsMagazine March 2024

HVACR NewsMagazine March 2024

being left with unsafe, unworking systems having to call a legit contractor to fix the mess and pay all over again. Off my stump for just a minute. The real issue of this article is to let you know that our program now has a way to file a complaint. Go to the following link and scroll way down the page: https://www.labor.arkansas.gov/labor/c ode-enforcement/hvac-r/

So, you want to Complain? Now you can. The Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing HVACR Program has a place online for you to complain all you want. What

about ? About anything. Only thing is you have to include your name and your email. After all, they have to get back to you to follow up. That is one of the things that drives me crazy about our industry-- in fact everyone. For some strange reason, we want to fuss and cuss but are unwilling to take a stand for what is right. We need to stand up for ourselves, our industry, and our community. I hear it all the time, “You should see the sor ry level of work that is going on and nobody does anything. ” “Why don’t we do something about all the unlicensed yahoos out there? ” Of cour se they seldom use a polite word like yahoos. Usually it is a bit more colorful. I suggest that they contact the state or local inspector and you know what the most common answer is, “Well, I won’t do that. I just don ’t do that.” Well crimin y, who else is going to tell? Are we not complicit if we see a wrong and do not call it out? I understand why an 8 th grader doesn ’t want to be a tattletale; but, we are grown and have a responsibility to our community--to protect them when they are being taken advantage of. Many

You can also click on the box. There it is!

Remember you have to scroll way down to find it. Wow! Thanks to our Department, we can now notify the appropriate folks of the “crap” that is going on. Please excu se the coarse language but that is what it is. This is an amazing step forward. Now, we don ’ t have enough inspectors so don ’ t expect an immediate solution but a solution will come. The good part of this is that the complaint filer has to identify themselves. That will prevent your competitor from filing a frivolous complaint about you. Checks and balances are a good thing. I trust that this will improve the quality of work and will weed out those that don’t know what they are doing. Let ’ s hope so. A big thanks to our program for taking a leadership role for the benefit of our industry. Somebody say AMEN!