RFABC Safety Leadership: Responsibilities & Plant Maintenance November 7, 2019
AGENDA 1. Regulatory Requirements 2. Refrigeration Maintenance Guideline 3. Engagement Session 2
Who is Technical Safety BC? Technical Safety BC is the The Safety The Railway regulatory body that administers: Standards Act Safety Act (SSA ) (RSA) If you are installing, operating, manufacturing, altering, maintaining or selling equipment in any of the technologies we regulate, you are likely within our jurisdiction.
Products and Services Technical Safety BC offers • Installation permits • Operating permits • Licensing for contractors • Certification of individuals • Education (tech talks, events) • Review & approval of product designs • Incident investigation • Inspection based on risk • Audit & enforcement
AMMONIA REFRIGERATION & PLANT REQUIREMENTS
Plant Supervision Scope Terminology and references provided in this presentation on plant supervision are applicable to refrigeration plants in public occupancies such as ice rinks and curling rinks.
Plant in Operation For the purposes of plant supervision, a plant is deemed to be in operation if any part of the refrigeration system contains refrigerant (e.g. ammonia, Freon, etc.) at a pressure greater than 15 psig, unless: • the refrigerant charge is pumped down and contained in a liquid receiver, or parts of a system designed for that purpose, • provided with over-pressure protection, and • isolated to prevent the circulation of refrigerant.
Plant Supervision / Common Requirements The regulation sets out the requirements for the supervision of refrigeration plants: • that exceed 50 kW total capacity (Group A3, B2 and B3 refrigerants). Ammonia plants fall under this category. • that exceed 200 kW total capacity (Group A1, A2, and B1 refrigerants). Freon plants fall under this category. Plants can be operated as Continuous Supervision or Risk Assessed Status.
Classification of Refrigerants REFRIGERANT CLASSIFICATIONS LOWER TO TOXICITY HIGHER TOXICITY Ethane Propane HIGHER FLAMMABILITY A3 B3 Isobutane LOWER FLAMMABILITY A2 B2 Ammonia Freon Carbon NO FLAME PROPAGATION A1 B1 Dioxide
Plant Supervision / Common Requirements Person in charge of a refrigeration plant The owner of a refrigeration plant must designate a person to be in charge of the plant that is responsible for the plant at all times that it is in operation. The owner must report incidents and hazards to Technical Safety BC. Information Bulletin IB-BP 2017: https://www.technicalsafetybc.ca/alerts/information-bulletin-incident- and-hazard-reporting-boilers-pressure-vessels-piping-and
Plant Supervision / Common Requirements The person in charge of a plant that is Continuous Supervision or Risk Assessed Status refrigeration plant is required to hold a: 4 th Class Power Engineer (PE) (or higher), or • • Refrigeration Operator (RO) certificate Note – a PE or RO are also qualified to be in charge of a shift
Plant Supervision / Common Requirements Ice Facility Operator (IFO) • can be the person in charge of a shift in a Continuous Supervision or Risk Assessed Status refrigeration plant that does not exceed 1000 kW total capacity Note – an IFO is not qualified to be the person in charge of a plant
Plant Supervision / All Plants • the person in charge of a shift shall be in the immediate vicinity of the plant premises at all times that the plant is in operation • the person in charge of a shift is not intended to be within the refrigeration machinery room at all times, but must be on-site, within the plant premises
CONTINUOUS SUPERVISION STATUS PLANTS
Plant Supervision / Continuous Means that the plant is required to be under continuous supervision at all times that the plant is in operation Supervision is not required when: • the plant is not in operation • the plant does not exceed 50 kW total capacity (Group A3, B2 and B3 refrigerants e.g. ammonia) • the plant does not exceed 200 kW total capacity (Group A1, A2, and B1 refrigerants e.g. Freon)
Plant Supervision / Continuous Person in charge of a shift A person in charge of a shift in a Continuous Supervision Status plant is required to hold a: 4 th Class Power Engineer (or • higher), • Refrigeration Operator, or • Ice Facility Operator certificate
SUPERVISION / RISK ASSESSED: RISK ASSESSED STATUS PLANTS
Supervision / Risk Assessed Section 56 of the regulation provides the requirements for a Risk Assessed Status Plant • limited to refrigeration plants up to and including 1000 kW capacity • Plant must meet additional technical specifications including remote monitoring and alarms • Provides for reduced supervision when the plant is in operation and the premises are not occupied
Supervision / Risk Assessed Supervision of a risk assessed plant is required at all times when: • The plant is in operation, and • The premises are occupied (by any person) Supervision of a risk assessed plant is not required when: • The plant is not in operation, or • The plant is in operation and the premises are unoccupied
Supervision / Risk Assessed The person in charge of a shift for a minimum of 7 hours in any 24 hour period is required to hold a: 4 th Class Power Engineering (or higher), or • • a Refrigeration Operator certificate The person in charge of the remaining shifts in any 24 hour period is required to hold a: PE (4 th class or higher), RO, IFO, or • • a Refrigeration Safety Awareness certificate
Supervision / Risk Assessed Refrigeration Safety Awareness Certificate The regulation was recently amended to remove the requirement for a RSA certificate to name the plant on the certificate. However, it is now the responsibility of the owner of the plant to ensure that the RSA certificate holder is trained in the safety procedures for that specific plant prior to being assigned to the shift schedule
MAINTENANCE GUIDELINES
Ammonia Refrigeration Incidents • Upward incident trend • 39 injuries • 3 fatalities • Two area evacuations • One state of emergency • 75% of incidents caused by: • Equipment Failure • Inadequate procedure
Fernie Memorial Arena – Multiple Areas of Failure Unclear Hazards Roles and Risk Competing Employee Priorities Turnover FERNIE OCTOBER 17, 2017 3 Fatalities 95 Residents Maintenance Knowledge programs & Expertise
WHY SHOULD YOU CARE?
Why should you care? 1 2 Well being of your Cost of an incident people • Incidents can cause • Financial loss injuries, or even death • Productivity loss • Complying and • Legal costs following safety • High internal turnover procedures leads to: • Employee confidence • Less downtime • Healthier workplace
Why should you care? 3 4 It’s good for your Your legal responsibility business • Installation permit • Positive reputation • Licensed contractors • Hiring & certified individuals • Longevity and • Asset Owners reliability of equipment • Qualified individuals • Reduces risks of shutdowns • New designs, newly • Reduces built equipment legal/regulatory issues • Reporting and costs
Summary of responsibilities Maintenance Requirements: • Act and Regulation • CSA B51 o in-service inspection must be performed to determine the condition and fitness to continue to operate safely of pressure vessels, piping and fittings in a refrigeration system • CSA B52 o owner must maintain the refrigeration system to preserve the operating efficiencies, equipment integrity, personal protection and protection of the building and natural environments • NBIC, Part 2
Maintenance Strategies and Practice Strategy Description Inspections, repairs, replacements Corrective carried out following detection of anomalies. Inspections, repairs and Preventative replacements are scheduled at pre- determined intervals. Regularly assess condition and repair Predictive or replace prior to estimated failure. Analyze failure modes and customize Reliability inspections, repairs and Centered replacements based upon desired reliability.
PURPOSE OF MAINTENANCE GUIDELINE Provide guidance and basic information for the development of a maintenance and inspection program and operational procedures
Guideline Objectives • Provide support to industry in response to the report’s recommendations • Provide direction and guidance to owners, contractors, training providers & operators • Improve the management and oversight of: o maintenance programs o inspection o operational emergency procedures
Industry Standards and Guidelines Limited resources (specific to ammonia refrigeration systems) • standards • guidance • information Refining and Petrochemical API: • RP 571 (Damage Mechanisms Affecting Fixed Equipment in the Refining Industry) • RP 574 (Inspection Practices for Piping System Components) Goal of proposed guidelines is to fill this gap
Ammonia Refrigeration Maintenance Guideline Plant Equipment Integrity Planning in 3 parts: 1. Main Body and general information: Equipment Integrity Management Program 2. Appendix A: Sample of an integrity management manual 3. Appendix B: Damage mechanisms and inspection approaches
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