flammable refrigerants: - the charge size is in accordance with the room size within
which the refrigerant containing parts are installed;
• the ventilation machinery and outlets are operating adequately and are not
obstructed;
• if an indirect refrigerating circuit is being used, the secondary circuit shall be
checked for the presence of refrigerant;
• marking to the equipment continues to be visible and legible. Markings and signs
that are illegible shall be corrected;
• refrigeration pipe or components are installed in a position where they are
unlikely to be exposed to any substance which may corrode refrigerant containing
components, unless the components are constructed of materials which are
inherently resistant to being corroded or are suitably protected against being so
corroded.
1. 9 Checks to electrical devices
Repair and maintenance to electrical components shall include initial safety checks
and component inspection procedures. lf a fault exists that could compromise safety,
then no electrical supply shall be connected to the circuit until it is satisfactorily dealt
with. lf the fault cannot be corrected immediately but it is necessary to continue
operation, an adequate temporary solution shall be used. This shall be reported to the
owner of the equipment so all parties are advised. lnitial safety checks shall include:
• that capacitors are discharged: this shall be done in a safe manner to avoid
possibility of sparking;
• that there no live electrical components and wiring are exposed while charging,
recovering or purging the system;
• that there is continuity of earth bonding.
2
REPAIRS TO SEALED COMPONENTS
2.1 During repairs to sealed components, all electrical supplies shall be disconnected
from the equipment being worked upon prior to any removal of sealed covers, etc. lf
it is absolutely necessary to have an electrical supply to equipment during servicing,
then a permanently operating form of leak detection shall be located at the most
critical point to warn of a potentially hazardous situation.
2.2 Particular attention shall be paid to the following to ensure that by working
on electrical components, the casing is not altered in such a way that the level of
protection is affected. This shall include damage to cables, excessive number of
connections, terminals not made to original specification, damage to seals, incorrect
fitting of glands, etc.
Ensure that apparatus is mounted securely.
Ensure that seals or sealing materials have not degraded such that they no longer
serve the purpose of preventing the ingress of flammable atmospheres. Replacement
parts shall be in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications.
NOTE The use of silicon sealant may inhibit the effectiveness of some types of leak
detection equipment. lntrinsically safe components do not have to be isolated prior
to working on them.
3
REPAIR TO INTRINSICALLY SAFE COMPONENTS
Do not apply any permanent inductive or capacitance loads to the circuit without
ensuring that this will not exceed the permissible voltage and current permitted tor
the equipment in use.
lntrinsically safe components are the only types that can be worked on while live in
the presence of a flammable atmosphere. The test apparatus shall be at the correct
rating.
Replace components only with parts specified by the manufacturer. Other parts may
result in the ignition of refrigerant in the atmosphere from a leak.
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CABLING
Check that cabling will not be subject to wear, corrosion, excessive pressure, vibration,
sharp edges or any other adverse environmental effects. The check shall also take into
account the effects of aging or continua! vibration from sources such as compressors
or fans.
5
DETECTION OF FLAMMABLE REFRIGERANTS
Under no circumstances shall potential sources of ignition be used in the searching
for or detection of refrigerant leaks. A halide torch (or any other detector using a
naked flame} shall not be used.
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