A truck driver at an underground mine in Queensland has sustained serious burns to their face, hands and chest from an explosion caused by the vehicle’s air-conditioning system, which was found to have been charged with hydrocarbon refrigerant. The incident happened on January 11 this year, while the worker was driving in the underground mine. Resources … Continue reading QLD mine truck driver injured by hydrocarbon refrigerant blast
A Flammable Refrigerants Review project being undertaken by Weir Legal & Consulting has found 143 different standards, regulations and laws relating to flammable refrigerants during a ‘stocktake’ of legal instruments that control the heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration industries across every state and territory in Australia. Presenting the research results at a recent CCN Live conference … Continue reading Need for flammables licensing highlighted by ‘stocktake’ of standards, regulations and laws
The New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment is developing new regulations that will require technicians to be licensed by WorkSafe if they work with flammable, toxic or very high operating pressure refrigerant gases in commercial and industrial refrigeration, heating or air-conditioning systems. These regulations are expected to be in place by mid-2021, with … Continue reading NZ developing new licensing regulations for flammable, toxic and high-pressure refrigerants
NEWS RELEASE For immediate release: Tuesday, November 19, 2019 Ground-breaking Australian research behind new automotive flammable refrigerants safety guide World-first study results in free guide to help automotive technicians work safely with flammable refrigerants GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA: A new guide on how to work safely on vehicles where it is known or suspected that flammable … Continue reading NEWS RELEASE: Automotive flammable refrigerants safety guide
VASA Vice-President Brett Meads delivered a talk to the Australian Road Transport Suppliers Association (ARTSA) conference about the causes and prevention of heavy vehicle fires in Sydney on August 15. Brett’s presentation provided an overview of the changes in refrigerants used in automotive AC applications, including the environmental drivers for these changes. Time was spent … Continue reading VASA VP Brett Meads outlines refrigerant risks to ARTSA Heavy Vehicle Fire conference in Sydney
A new guide on how to work safely on vehicles where it is known or suspected that flammable refrigerants may be present is now available for free download by VASA members and is essential reading. This document is the result of a groundbreaking project between Refrigerant Reclaim Australia, VASA and GHD Engineering to study the … Continue reading Groundbreaking Australian research behind new flammable refrigerants safety guide
Following the coronial inquest into a June 2014 hydrocarbon refrigerant explosion that killed 34 year-old Barry Purtell and 52 year-old Dave Lobb at the Rochester Hotel in Victoria, the state workplace health and safety authority has issued a safety alert regarding flammable refrigerants. Although evidence given at the inquest incorrectly blamed the use of an … Continue reading WorkSafe Victoria issues safety alert following fatal HC fire inquest
An investigation into a fatal August 2012 hydrocarbon refrigerant blast in Singapore has concluded, with the employer of the killed worker and their two injured colleagues fined $S150,000 ($A146,200). In a cruel irony, the workers were called to the job because Singapore authorities had issued notice of their intention to ban the use of hydrocarbon … Continue reading $150K fine for deadly Singapore HC blast
Melbourne-based Cool Dynamics Refrigeration was fined $285,000 late last year over in incident in which a 25-year-old refrigeration mechanic died when his work van exploded. The case highlighted safety issues surrounding the transportation of dangerous goods – an issue that will become all the more acute as flammable refrigerants become the norm. The company was … Continue reading Fine for transporting flammable gas in van
A Victorian Worksafe investigation is believed to be continuing after an air-conditioning unit exploded at a luxury home in the Melbourne bayside suburb of Brighton in February, causing severe burns to the tradesman working on the unit. A report in the Herald Sun newspaper said the 21-year-old was servicing the air-conditioning unit when it exploded … Continue reading A2L refrigerant not the cause of VIC accident
