Safety Guide for Ammonia Refrigeration In New Zealand Safety Guide for A m m o n i a Refrigeration i n N e w Z e a l a n d Gauge Refrigeration Management Ltd 413 Henderson Valley Road Auckland 0612 [email protected] +64 22 394 1865 August 16, 2018 First Edition Written by Padraic Durham Safety Guide for Ammonia Refrigeration Systems in New Zealand Copyright © Gauge Refrigeration Management 2018 Safety Guide for Ammonia Refrigeration in New Zealand Contents Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Preface ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Introduction .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 9 Main objectives ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 9 General Health and Safety .............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 10 Duty of Care ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 11 Hazard and Risk .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 11 PCBU – Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking ..................................................................................................................................................... 12 Regulations ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 12 Hazardous Substances Regulations 2017 ............................................................................................................................................................................... 13 Standards ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 13 Approved code of practice ............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 13 Safety Data Sheet ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 14 Resource Management Act ............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 14 Transportation and Storage ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 14 Ammonia Awareness .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 15 Service Personnel - Training pathway ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 15 What is Ammonia ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 16 Properties ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 17 Flammability .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 18 Eco-toxicity ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 19 Chemical segregation ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 19 Toxicity and Corrosivity .................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 20 Concentration markers ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 21 Acute Exposure Guideline Levels (AEGLs) ............................................................................................................................................................................... 22 Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (IDLH) .............................................................................................................................................................. 22 First Aid .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 23 First Aid for Eye Contact: .................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 23 First Aid for Skin Contact: ................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 23 First Aid for Inhalation: ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 23 Natural Occurrence ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 24 Phases -states ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 25 The Brief History of Ammonia ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 26 Production .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 27 Fertilizer - Fuel ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 27 Refrigerant .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 27 Refrigeration process ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 28 Saturation Point ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................