“Before using or handling any refrigerant, personnel should be familiar with safety concerns for the specific product with which they are working.”
– RSES, Safety First When Working With Refrigerants
globalFACT is dedicated to providing education around the safe and responsible use of refrigerants. Safety and environmental stewardship are our top priorities. New-generation technology introduces new safety considerations, and we are striving to prepare the entire industry – including contractors, equipment designers, and end-users – for the safe use of these solutions.
In addition to standard safety concerns, there are two additional important components of refrigerant safety to consider:
- Toxicity
- Flammability
ASHRAE Standard 34 (Designation of Safety Classification for Refrigerants) safety classifications exist to identify a refrigerants level of toxicity and flammability. Toxicity is categorized by a capital letter (e.g., “A”), and the flammability is categorized by a number (e.g., “1”). Combining the two gives you a refrigerant “safety classification” (e.g., “A1”). The safety classifications are:
- A1: Lower Toxicity, No Flame Propagation
- A2L: Lower Toxicity, Lower Flammability
- A2: Lower Toxicity, Flammable
- A3: Lower Toxicity, Higher Flammability
- B2L: Higher Toxicity, Lower Flammability
Understanding these classifications and how to handle the refrigerants they describe is key to safety.
