refrigerant regulations

Refrigerant Handling and Identification

Handle refrigerant and its cylinders safely and legally.

11 steps4 criticalLimit 10 minAlways tested

Steps

1Confirm the refrigerant from the cylinder label and the equipment before you open anything
2Critical stepWear safety glasses with side shields and gloves; add goggles where liquid could spray
3Check the cylinder for damage, a readable label, and an overdue test date; do not use a damaged or overdue cylinder
4Use a refillable DOT recovery cylinder for recovered refrigerant, never a disposable one
5Use recovery or recycling equipment certified for that refrigerant and appliance
6Use hoses, gauges and fittings made for the refrigerant and its pressure; never force a connection
7Critical stepOpen valves slowly and check the hookup as you go
8Critical stepDo not knowingly vent refrigerant, including after you recover it
9Never mix refrigerants in a system or a cylinder
10Leak test with nitrogen, using a pressure regulator and relief valve, never oxygen or compressed air; do not pressurize a system with refrigerant
11Close valves and keep the cap on when you finish; store the cylinder upright, secured, cool and out of the sun

Tips

Never knowingly release refrigerant. De minimis releases are excused only when they come from good-faith recovery or recycling and the applicable practices are followed and certified recovery equipment is used (40 CFR 82.154(a)(2)).
Pressure rating matters: higher-pressure refrigerants need hoses, gauges and tools made for them. Equipment makers publish tools specified for the refrigerant (for example, R410A-specific manifolds and hoses).
Exam recall: recovery cylinders are refillable, DOT approved, yellow and gray; disposable cylinders are never refilled; EPA lists the risks of filling a cylinder more than 80 percent full; use nitrogen, not oxygen or compressed air, for leak detection.

Going by cylinder color instead of the label.
Releasing a small amount to clear a hose or bleed a line; only good-faith releases while following the recovery rules are excused.
Recovering into a disposable cylinder or filling a cylinder past 80 percent full.
Using a hose or gauge not made for the refrigerant's pressure.

Practice this skill

Practise the sequence in the app with critical-step highlighting and a rationale for each step.

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