DES PLAINES, IL — The Refrigeration Service Engineers Society (RSES) recently joined with several other industry forces to establish the AC&R Safety Coalition. According to RSES, the group was formed to address various safety issues within the air conditioning and refrigeration sectors of the HVACR industry. Other organizations participating in the coalition include Esco Institute, Ferris State University, HVAC Excellence, the Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA), and Industrial Technology Excellence (ITE).

R-410A refrigerant safety training and awareness is the coalition’s first project. RSES says that newly manufactured R-410A systems require service professionals to use different tools and equipment. The coalition’s goal is to educate technicians, contractors, and students on the proper procedures and safety measures associated with the refrigerant.

According to the coalition, the safety training program will explain why R-22 systems cannot be retrofitted to R-410A, why R-410A operates at considerably higher pressures, and why each component in the R-410A system must meet stringent demands for the newer refrigerant.

The training program will include study material and a certification exam, and is available in either self-study or seminar formats. Manuals and exams will be available to RSES chapters through RSES international headquarters.

For more information, call 847-297-6464 or go to www.rses.org (website).

Publication date: 09/09/2002