Developed by independent organisations and stakeholders with support from the Department of the Environment and Energy, the Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) has released an online, updated version of its Flammable Refrigerants Safety Guide.

This resource can help refrigeration technicians, apprentices and other stakeholders understand the range of skills and knowledge required to work safely with flammable refrigerants.

AIRAH chief executive Tony Gleeson, M.AIRAH warns that there are risks associated with using flammable low-global-warming-potential (low-GWP) synthetic and natural refrigerants.

“Many HVAC&R professionals are accustomed to working with the non-flammable refrigerants that were widely used in the past. We need to ensure that, as the use of alternative refrigerants picks up, our industry is properly equipped to work safely, efficiently and professionally with any refrigerant they encounter,” he says.

Even though over 700 people have received training at free seminars around Australia and the guide was originally published back in 2013, AIRAH saw the need for a more innovative way to deliver the information.

AIRAH’s executive manager of government relations and technical services, Phil Wilkinson, F.AIRAH says that the old method of teaching was limited and an online delivery method is more efficient and effective.

“We’ve broken the material down into ‘smoko-sized’ chunks of around 20 minutes, and users can leave it and pick it back up to make it as flexible as possible,” he says.

Along with being a time-saver, the online Flammable Refrigerants Safety Guide also incorporates audio and “test your knowledge” tasks. It has been updated to refer to Standards AS/NZS ISO 817 and AS/NZS 5149 series, which have superseded AS/NZS 1677. It also incorporates revisions to regulations that impact the application of flammable refrigerants.

AIRAH notes that the online resource is designed to raise awareness and refresh and complement existing knowledge. It is not a substitute for the detailed nationally endorsed technical training required to safely and productively work with flammable refrigerants.