Refrigerant alarm monitoring

Subject

Refrigerant Monitoring SAFETY 07-02 (Rev 5/18)

Purpose

To ensure the safety of UW Facilities (UWF) personnel and to comply with applicable regulations and UWF policy.

Practice

All University employees are required to comply with occupational safety and health regulations that apply to their actions and conduct on the job. Supervisors and Managers have the additional responsibility of assuring that safe working conditions exist and requiring that employees under their supervision are aware of and adhere to safe work practices.

Employees, leads, supervisors, superintendents, and managers must comply with the UWF Refrigeration Monitoring Program. A copy of the program is linked to this Safety Practice.

References

Responsibility: Action

RoleResponsibility
Employee
  • Understand and be familiar with the Refrigerant Monitoring Program. Only enter Refrigerant Restricted Access rooms; 1. If the employee has the portable refrigerant alarm monitor training or is accompanied by a trained person. 2. Have a calibrated portable refrigerant monitor in the room during occupancy.
Those assigning work
  • Understand and be familiar with the Refrigerant Monitoring Program. Determine if the area is a refrigerant machinery room and if it requires portable refrigerant monitoring before assigning workers (at least one trained worker must be assigned to the work).
Supervisor/manager
  • Understand and be familiar with the Refrigerant Monitoring Program. Assure the Refrigerant Monitoring Program is understood and implemented by employees. Responsible for monitoring and reinforcing employees’ work practices.
Safety manager
  • Monitor UWF compliance with the Refrigerant Monitoring Program.

Rooms requiring portable monitoring

A small number of mechanical spaces have been identified on the Seattle Campus that require refrigerant alarm monitoring due to Seattle Mechanical Code. Below are three charts that list; rooms that require portable refrigerant monitoring, rooms with permanent refrigerant monitoring systems, and rooms where refrigerant systems have been revised/removed.

To enter spaces requiring a portable monitor, UWF employees must be trained on the use and operation of the portable monitor, understand and be familiar with the content of the Work plan/SOP for portable refrigerant alarm monitoring (pdf), or be accompanied by a trained and knowledgeable employee.

The list of rooms below require a portable refrigerant monitor be used when any entry is necessary. The refrigerant monitoring systems in these rooms are either not monitored by the building fire alarm system, or the refrigerant monitoring systems in place cannot be calibrated. Portable refrigerant alarm monitors are not to be lent to individuals outside of UWF. This includes contractors and facilities employees from other UW Departments.

BuildingRoomTypeWeight (lbs)Ventilation?InstalledLeak 
detection?
Monitored by fire 
alarm system?
Alder113CR410A30Yes2014YesYes
Denny131R134A121NoN/ANoNo
FoegeN020D401A1400Yes2007YesNo
Johnson100AR134A610Yes2005YesNo
Paccar172R134A1100Yes2010YesYes
William H. GatesL221R134A1250Yes2004YesNo

The following permanent restricted access signage is posted on each entry door.

Printable sign for restricted areas due to refrigerant alarms

Rooms with permanent refrigerant monitoring systems

The rooms listed below have permanent monitoring systems and they are monitored by the building fire alarm system. In normal operating status, no portable refrigerant monitor is needed to enter these spaces (*).

BuildingRoomTypeWeight (lbs)Ventilation?InstalledLeak 
detection?
Monitored by fire 
alarm system?
Burke Museum004R134A666/666Yes2018YesYes
Chemistry056DR2246.5No1995YesYes
Hitchcock638R134A5Yes2011YesYes
K Wing6R2246.5No1996YesYes
Marine Studies299R410A50No2014YesYes
Population HealthB135R410A302Yes2020YesYes
Power PlantRoom 1R134A4500Yes1970sYesYes
Power PlantRoom 2R134A4800Yes2000YesYes
Power PlantRoom 3R134A4500Yes1970sYesYes
UW Police StationG05R410A92.4No2015YesYes
UW Police StationG09R410A92.4No2015YesYes
UW Police StationG11R410A92.4No2015YesYes
UW Police StationG27R410A92.4No2015YesYes
UW Police StationG30R410A92.4No2015YesYes
UW Police Station105R410A101.4No2015YesYes
UW Police Station121DR410A92.4No2015YesYes
UW Police Station121FR410A92.4No2015YesYes
UW Police Station123DR410A92.4No2015YesYes
UW Police Station201FR410A61.5No2015YesYes
UW Police Station207R410A61.5No2015YesYes
UW Police Station209R410A59.5No2015YesYes
West CUPMainR134A3915Yes2017YesYes

(*)In the event a system component fails, or calibration is expired, a portable refrigerant monitor must be used. The following temporary sign will be placed on all doors into such spaces.

Printable sign for restricted areas due to refrigerant alarms with date

Rooms where refrigerant systems have been revised/removed

The rooms listed below have refrigerant systems that have been removed or been replaced with different systems which may be listed above. This information is provided to document changes in the various systems over time.

BuildingRoomTypeWeight (lbs)Ventilation?InstalledLeak 
detection?
Monitored by fire 
alarm system?
Academic Computing Center 
(aka Wallace Hall)
43R22/R134A90No1975YesYes
Fish Tech14R2275No1989YesYes
Fish Tech119R2250x2No1989YesYes
Fluke116R22106No1990YesYes
G WingT57R13446/46No2010YesYes
Henry Art Gallery101AR22680Yes1991YesYes
Marine Studies199R404A No2008YesYes
Mary GatesB001R2246.5No1999YesYes
MHSC C WingC104R2236No1996YesYes
MHSC G Wing ChillerT57R134A430No1988YesYes
Miller Hall414R22100No1962YesYes
Nuclear Physics Laboratory154R2260Yes1968YesYes
Purchasing & Accounting143R134A70No1981YesYes
QRC47AR404A400Yes2006YesNo