The requirements of many of the regulations, standards, codes of practice and guidance described here apply across the various categories listed, i.e. equipment design, system design, installation of equipment, existing systems, etc.. Where this is the case, they are repeated.
Many of the regulations used in the UK market are the UK implementation of EU directives, which continue to be applicable although the UK left the EU in 2019. Where this is the case, the associated EU regulation / directive is named.
Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 – is primary UK law for workplace health and safety, placing general duties on employers, employees, and the self-employed to ensure health, safety, and welfare are protected as far as is ‘reasonably practicable’. Key duties include conducting risk assessments, providing a safe working environment, offering training, and ensuring safe equipment and welfare provisions. It is an “enabling Act,” meaning it is the foundational law under which more specific regulations are made. The regulations listed below are legally enforceable and considered the most important in application to ammonia refrigeration and heat pump systems. They are not exhaustive.
The standards listed are those considered most generally applied to ammonia refrigeration and heat pump systems in the UK. They are not exhaustive, as they do not cover all the risks associated with designing, installing and operating ammonia refrigeration systems, e.g. fire emergency planning, heavy lifting, electricity, hazardous substances other than ammonia, confined spaces, noise, working at height, modification of the ammonia system or removal of components, etc..
In addition, equivalent alternatives to the standards listed are allowed and can be used at the discretion of those responsible for certifying the system, e.g. AD 2000-Merkblatt in place of PD 5500 as a specification for pressure vessels used in the system or DIN piping standards in place of ASME piping standards, etc..
The primary standard dealing with all ammonia refrigeration plants operated in the UK is BS EN 378:2016 Parts 1 to 4 – Refrigeration Systems and Heat Pumps, Safety & Environmental Requirements & associated annexes. The standard splits into four parts:
- Part 1: basic requirements, definitions, classification and selection criteria;
- Part 2: design, construction, testing, marking and documentation;
- Part 3: Installation site and personnel protection;
- Part 4: operation, maintenance, repair and recovery.
