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ALERT - December 20, 2018

Recommending Ammonia Refrigeration Plant Exhaust Fan Design/Maintenance and Emergency Discharge Location Assessment

TORONTO, December 20, 2018

Adoption of Technical Safety BC Recommendations 12 & 16 Related to Fernie Report

The ORFA continues to monitor investigations and findings of the Fernie, BC arena refrigeration chiller failure accident that claimed three workers lives. It is acknowledged that even if the Fernie arena refrigeration plant room ventilation equipment had met current Canadian Standards Association B-52 Mechanical Refrigeration Code levels, that the same tragic outcome would have been expected. However, a lesson learned is that the system, once inspected by the governing authorities was inadequately designed and in a poor operational state for even a minor plant room leak. The ORFA continues to raise awareness of Ontario’s aging recreation infrastructure with all stakeholders. This awareness includes the age and original design of existing refrigeration plant room exhaust systems as possibly being inadequate when compared to current Codes and Regulations. To ensure worker safety, the ORFA is recommending immediate adoption of TSBC recommendations 12 & 16,

Technical Safety BC: Fernie Investigation Recommendation 12 to Arena Owners:

"Conduct an assessment and test of ventilation systems to evaluate effective internal ventilation of the mechanical room and external discharge in a manner that minimizes risk of exposure."

ORFA members who enter refrigeration plant rooms should feel confident that they are safe work environments. To confirm, ORFA recommends that all registered refrigeration unattended guarded plant owners take appropriate action with the support of qualified technicians, in confirming that refrigeration plant room ventilation systems are functioning to meet or exceed current B-52 Mechanical Refrigeration Code operational levels. Testing should be conducted using current ASHRAE exhaust fan testing guidelines or other applicable legislation (Building Code).

Current B-52 Mechanical Refrigeration Code Levels

  • Minimum flow rate of 375 cfm
  • Leak/Rupture Scenario flow rate of 3500 cfm
  • Time for 1 room air exchange (volume 7500 cubic ft.) 2.14 minutes

It is further recommended that all ORFA members ensure that:

  • The location of the refrigeration plant room fan system be assessed to ensure that ventilation performance is efficient to reduce any ammonia concentration within the room following a leak.
  • The location of the fan be assessed to ensure that it is not in a recessed area of the roof as to not prevent exhausted air from reaching the outside air-stream or positioned to have directed exhausted ammonia directed toward air inlets in the arena building.

Technical Safety BC: Fernie Investigation Recommendation 16 to Arena Owners:

"Inspect all emergency discharge piping and confirm that routing does not enter any spaces that present a risk to public safety."

  • Inspect the refrigeration plant room fan belt for the leak/ rupture fan.
  • The fan belt should be replaced every 36-months (reminder to add action to plants training and operational log).
  • In alignment with other safety device recertification requirements, a comprehensive retesting should occur no less than every 5-years.

The ORFA reminds all workers of their “Right to Know” under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. 

Further, ORFA recommends that this Alert be added to the next Joint Health and Safety Committee meeting agenda and the refrigeration plant mandatory operational and training manual as required under Section 46. of the Operating Engineers Regulation.

 
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