SafeWork NSW have issued an alert on the potential risks associated with servicing refrigerant systems.
Their alert provides a background detailing multiple serious incidents, which resulted in workers being severely burnt when a mixture of refrigerant and compressor oil was ignited, while they were servicing air conditioning refrigerant systems.
The alert states that the refrigerant systems contained R22, which is non-flammable, however when mixed with oil, it was ignited by an oxy-acetylene torch, which was used by the workers as they were replacing the refrigerant compressor. It’s believed that residual pressure in the system caused the refrigerant and oil to be released from the pipe joint, which contained an ignition source and led to a fire.
The alert also detailed observations on oxy-acetylene torches and the hazards of residual refrigerant if proper safety measures aren’t taken, and provides a list of actions required to ensure safety and prevention of further incidents. The list of actions include: reclaiming the refrigerant before breaking into the system, ensuring the area is well ventilated, using pipe cutters or similar tools to cut the pipe, and being aware of Standards and safety requirements when using oxy-acetylene torches.
SafeWork NSW’s alert can be read in full here.
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