• Monthly Archives: June 2022

Stay Safe in the Heat

When you think about the dangers of working on air conditioning equipment, you probably think about working with electricity, refrigerant, and torches. We often overlook a more obvious danger: the weather. The reason we have a job is because it is either hot or cold. It seems like every year there is tragic news involving the death of an HVAC worker found unconscious or dead in an attic due to heat stroke. These tragic deaths are totally preventable and unnecessary.

To avoid becoming a victim of heat stroke you must monitor your body’s reaction to the heat. When you are hot, sweating is good. The evaporation of sweat is your last line of defense against overheating. Sometimes sweating just isn’t enough to counteract the effects of work and hot, humid conditions. If you are sweating profusely and experiencing a rapid pulse, muscle cramps, and dizziness, you are experiencing heat exhaustion. To avoid becoming a victim of heat stroke you need to get out of the heat, hydrate, and cool off. If it is hot and you are NOT sweating, you are past heat exhaustion and entering into heat stroke. This is very dangerous, you can pass out from heat stroke. Symptoms include dry, hot skin (90+); rapid pulse (130+), headache, dizziness, and confusion. If you have these symptoms, you may be the victim of heat stroke – which is life threatening. You should get out of the heat, hydrate, and call 911. Don’t ignore what your body is telling you. If you start feeling bad while working in the heat – get to a cool place and hydrate.

The locations where HVAC techs are exposed to the most extreme heat are attics and commercial rooftops. Jobs in these locations should be scheduled for early morning to avoid the worst heat. Air movement can help in attics. On rooftops you can shield yourself from the sun using canopies or umbrellas. Keeping hydrated is critical. You should have plenty of water and sports drinks available all the time. You should avoid alcohol or caffeinated sodas because they are diuretics and can actually dehydrate you. Sorry, but you cannot keep hydrated by drinking beer.

Tools that can help you stay safe include heat stress meters and wearable health monitoring devices. Heat stress meters can help determine the effective heat index of the work area. They measure the combined effect of temperature, humidity, and mean radiant temperature to determine the effective temperature in an area where you are working. They can include an alarm that warns you if the heat index will exceed a safe level. Wearable devices can measure your body’s reaction to the work environment. While a heat stress meter measures the area, the wearable monitor measures you. One, the CORE, measures your body temperature and heart rate. Using this device you can determine how your body is handling the heat and take action when signs of heat exhaustion are indicated. Here are links for these two devices.

Heat Stress WBGT Meter-HT30 (trutechtools.com)

CORE Body Temperature Sensor

I highly recommend that you do some research to better understand how to stay safe. To that end I am including several links

Heat exhaustion – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic

Heatstroke – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic

Heat Stress Related Illness | NIOSH | CDC

OSHA Guidelines to Prevent Heat Illness | TFT Pneumatic (tft-pneumatic.com)

Beat the Heat: Identifying and Preventing Heat Stress | (3m.com)

A2L Refrigerant Standards and Regulations

The regulations regarding A2L refrigerant are found in a tapestry of Standards, Codes, and Rulings. I like to research using original documentation whenever possible. Not that I don’t trust the folks doing webinars, blogs, and videos, but when answering questions about new technology I want to be able to point to authoritative documents. So, I look for the actual standards, guidelines, and codes. I found it a bit confusing because there are so many agencies publishing many standards and regulations regarding A2L refrigerant. Furthermore, these standards often refer to each other. I have listed below some of the more important documents you should study if you like to do your own research.

ICC International Mechanical Code 2024, IAPMO Uniform Mechanical Code 2024
These completed but yet unpublished codes allow the use of A2L refrigerants in traditional HVAC systems and specify conditions for use of A2L refrigerant. They refer to AHRI Standards 15 and 34 2019 and UL 60335-2-40, 3rd edition.

Amendments to ICC International Mechanical Code 2021, IAPMO Uniform Mechanical Code 2021
Some states have passed amendments to their existing 2021 codes to allow the use of A2L refrigerants in traditional HVAC systems. Typically these amendments accomplish this by referring to AHRI Standards 15/34 2019 and UL Standard 60335-2-40, 3rd edition.

UL 60335-2-40, 3rd edition
This is the latest standard from UL for HVAC systems. It is similar to the international IEC standard with the same name and number. The provisions in it have already been in place in many other places around the world; including, Europe, Japan, and Australia. It spells out in detail how A2L refrigerant may be safely applied. It refers to ASHRAE Standards 15/34 2019.

ASHRAE Standard 15 – 2019 Safety Standard for Refrigeration Systems describes how refrigeration systems may be safely installed and operated. The 2019 edition includes specific conditions for A2L refrigeration systems.

ASHRAE Standard 34 – 2019 Designation and Classification of Refrigerants lists refrigerant safety ratings and important safety data for a long list of refrigerants, including several A2L refrigerants. Data listed in Standard 34 is used to determine specific system requirements detailed in Standard 15. Taken together, Standards 15 and 34 provide very clear guidance for application of A2L refrigerant.

ASHRAE Standard 15.2 – 2022 Safety Standard for Refrigeration Systems in Residential Applications is the low-rise residential companion to ASHRAE Standard 15. Standard 15 has historically primarily been applied to larger commercial buildings, not low-rise residential homes. Standard 15.2 describes in detail what must happen to safely use A2L refrigerant in a residential application.

EPA Final SNAP Ruling 23, April 2021
This ruling specifically allows the use of A2L refrigerants R-32, R-452B, R-454A, R-454B, R-454C, and R-457A in new residential and light commercial air conditioners and heat pumps. The rule incorporates UL 60335-2-40, 3rd edition by reference.

EPA AIM Act Final Ruling, Sept 2021
This ruling establishes the HFC allocations for the phasedown of HFC refrigerants under the AIM Act. One unexpected significant component of this ruling is a ban on disposable refrigerant cylinders beginning in 2025.

AHRI Guideline M 2020, Unique Fittings and Service Ports for Flammable Refrigerant Use specifies that service connections for systems with A2L refrigerant should be exactly the same as those used on systems with A1 refrigerant. The connection on A2L refrigerant cylinders is described as a CGA 164 connection. The CGA 164 connection is described in the CGA Standard V-1 2019 as a 1/4 inch flare with left hand threads.

CGA Standard V-1 2019 Standard for Compressed Gas Cylinder Valve Outlet and Inlet Connections introduces the CGA 164 connection. It is designed specifically for A2L refrigerant cylinders. The standard describes the CGA 14 connection as a 1/4 inch flare with left hand threads. While the CGA 164 connection is first introduced in the 2019 edition, the latest edition of the CGA V-1standard is now 2021.

UL Standard 207 Standard for Safety Refrigerant-Containing Components and Accessories, Nonelectrical covers nonelectrical, refrigerant-containing components and accessories in accordance with ASHRAE Standard 15. This standard is specifically referenced by ASHRAE Standard 15.2 when describing fittings, valves, and mechanical joints.

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