NEWS Sponsored by


Most read on .


.com


BESA calls for urgent review of refrigerant safety proposals www.acr-news.com/besa-calls-for-urgent-review-of- refrigerant-safety-proposals


Heat transfer fluid experts Hydratech expands into the US www.acr-news.com/heat-transfer-fluid-experts- hydratech-expands-into-the-us


Nominations for the J&E Hall Gold Medal are now open www.acr-news.com/nominations-for-the-j-e-hall- gold-medal-are-now-open


Jurin opens Bangkok RHVAC 2022 and Bangkok E&E 2022 www.acr-news.com/jurin-opens-bangkok-rhvac-2022- and-bangkok-e-e-2022


Indoor air quality is priority for new Daikin Applied AHUs www.acr-news.com/indoor-air-quality-is-priority-for- new-daikin-applied-ahus


A future saver: Elco heat pump installed at high street bank www.acr-news.com/a-future-saver-elco-heat-pump- installed-at-high-street-bank


Samsung Climate Solutions appoints new training manager www.acr-news.com/samsung-climate-solutions- appoints-new-training-manager


Carel signs a binding agreement to acquire 100% of Senva www.acr-news.com/carel-signs-a-binding-agreement- to-acquire-100-of-senva-1


4 October 2022 • www.acr-news.com Download the ACR News app today


BESA calls for urgent review of refrigerant safety proposals


T


he Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has warned that changes to the rules governing refrigerant gas could increase the


risk of accidents.


The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has warned that changes to the rules governing refrigerant gas could increase the risk of accidents. Revisions to the European F-Gas regulations, which the UK continues to apply, are expected to significantly increase the amount of flammable gas and high-pressure systems used by the refrigeration and air conditioning industry, but BESA is concerned there are not enough trained, competent people able to apply them safely. The UK’s primary competence register REFCOM, which is managed by BESA, said there would be a significant rise in the use of new or ‘alternative’ refrigerants to meet new targets set by the regulators to further reduce the amount of global warming gas available to the sector. REFCOM, which has more than 7,000 registered


firms representing over 90% of the marketplace, echoed the concerns of the European contractors’ umbrella body AREA that the proposed changes would put tremendous strain on the industry’s workforce and could lead to unqualified people working with potentially dangerous substances. “The speed of change envisioned by the


regulators will make it impossible for the industry to train up enough competent people in time to work safely with the alternatives like flammable


hydrocarbons,” said BESA’s head of technical Graeme Fox. “We are in the process of adopting the most


far-reaching regulatory change to building safety in 50 years with the passing of the Building Safety Act, yet this threatens to create a whole new safety challenge that could easily be avoided by adopting a more realistic timetable,” he added. The Association said it accepted the principle of the proposed changes to reduce the amount of greenhouse gas in circulation, but said measures must be practical both in terms of suitable equipment and the size of the competent workforce.


BESA is particularly concerned that the proposed changes will accelerate the adoption of flammable refrigerants in smaller air conditioning and heat pump solutions – many of which could be installed in homes. “This could lead to a ‘wild west’ scenario with


untrained installers working on equipment they should not be anywhere near, including carbon dioxide systems which operate under much higher pressures than many installers have experienced,” said Mr Fox.


“It could also have unintended consequences for


energy efficiency and carbon emissions.” BESA also backed AREA’s calls for tighter


regulation of alternative refrigerants by applying existing safe handling rules and by including them in the F-Gas regulation’s leak testing requirements to reduce the risk of accidents.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44