Refrigerants: frostbite, bad air, and the new A2L gases
Hazard communication 5 min 29 CFR 1926.59 · 29 CFR 1926.102 · 29 CFR 1926.95
Why it matters
Liquid refrigerant can freeze skin and eyes in seconds. In a basement, crawl space, or mechanical room, a big leak can push out the air you need to breathe. Newer A2L refrigerants can also burn. Most techs know the gauges well but forget these three hazards.
The talk
Every refrigerant has a label and a safety data sheet, or SDS. Read them for the refrigerants you use, and know where the SDS is kept on the job. Liquid refrigerant boils off very cold when it escapes. If it sprays on your hand from a hose or a Schrader core, it can cause frostbite like a burn. In your eye, it can do lasting damage. Wear safety glasses or goggles and gloves made for the work any time you connect hoses, recover, charge, or braze on a system. Point hose ends and valves away from your face when you open them. If refrigerant hits your eye, flush it with water and get medical help.
Most refrigerants are heavier than air. A big leak in a basement, crawl space, pit, or small mechanical room can pool down low and push out the oxygen. You may not smell it. Workers have passed out and died this way. If a system dumps its charge in a tight space, get out and let it air out before you go back in. Use fans to move air. If the space is a confined space, follow the company permit rules. Never vent refrigerant on purpose. Recovery is required by EPA rules, and venting in a small room makes the air worse for you. Heating refrigerant with a torch can also make toxic gases, so recover first, then braze.
The new A2L refrigerants, like R-454B and R-32, are mildly flammable. That is new for many of us. Check the label and SDS. Many A2L cylinders are marked with a red band. Keep sparks, flames, and hot surfaces away from an open A2L system and from leaks. Use recovery machines, vacuum pumps, and leak detectors rated for A2L when the maker requires it. Ventilate before you braze, and make sure the system is fully recovered and purged. Store and move cylinders upright and secured, away from heat, with caps on. Do not leave cylinders in a hot truck in the sun. If you have not been trained on A2L work yet, ask before you open one of these systems.
Key points
- Read the label and SDS for each refrigerant you use.
- Liquid refrigerant can freeze skin and eyes in seconds.
- Wear eye protection and proper gloves when connecting, recovering, or charging.
- Refrigerant leaks can push out oxygen in low, tight spaces.
- Never vent refrigerant; recover it before brazing.
- A2L refrigerants are mildly flammable: keep ignition sources away.
- Keep cylinders upright, secured, capped, and away from heat.
Do this
- Point hose ends and valves away from your face.
- Leave and ventilate after a big leak in a tight space.
- Use tools rated for A2L when the maker requires it.
- Flush eyes with water and get help after a spray.
- Ask for training before working on A2L systems.
Do not do this
- Do not handle hoses and valves bare-handed.
- Do not braze on a system that still has refrigerant in it.
- Do not go back into a basement right after a big leak.
- Do not leave cylinders in a hot truck in the sun.
- Do not bring sparks or flames near an open A2L system.
Talk about it
- Which refrigerants are on this job, and where are their SDS?
- Where could a leak pool on this job, like a basement, pit, or small mechanical room?
- Who here has been trained on A2L equipment, and who still needs it?
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