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VASA calls for tougher enforcement to prevent hydrocarbon refrigerant retrofits from injuring and killing yet more people in Australasia 

VASA is saddened by the news that a truck driver at an underground mine in Queensland has sustained serious burns to their face, hands and chest from an explosion caused by the vehicle’s air-conditioning system being unlawfully charged with highly flammable non-standard hydrocarbon refrigerant. 

According to an incident report published by Resources Safety & Health Queensland (RSHQ)the force of the blast dislodged some of the windows of the truck's cabin and these were blown clear of the truck”. 

As Australasia’s peak body representing the automotive air-conditioning, electrical and thermal management sector, VASA has been warning and campaigning about the dangers of hydrocarbon refrigerant retrofits (replacing the original non-flammable refrigerant with highly flammable hydrocarbon products) for more than two decades. 

In that time there have been numerous serious injuries and deaths that would have been avoided if the air-conditioning and refrigeration systems had been using the correct non-flammable refrigerant or properly re-engineered with the necessary safeguards to mitigate the risk of using flammable refrigerant. 

Today VASA reiterates its position that hydrocarbon refrigerants must only be used in equipment and systems that were either originally designed for them or have been adequately converted to minimise the risk of leaks and ignition sources. 

VASA also notes that re-engineering an existing automotive system for hydrocarbon refrigerants is likely to be cost-prohibitive. In addition, the repair and service of equipment and systems containing hydrocarbon refrigerant requires specific working practices to ensure safety. 

VASA President Ian Stangroome said: “It is deeply concerning that this incident has occurred at an underground mining operation, a working environment requiring maintenance of the very highest of safety standards and yet this unfortunate situation still arose. 

“It is particularly discouraging that this happened in Queensland, which is the only jurisdiction in Australia to impose specific controls over the use of hydrocarbon refrigerants. 

While VASA applauds the Queensland Government for having numerous measures in place to prevent improper use of highly flammable hydrocarbon refrigerants, it seems that in this case the enforcement aspect has been lacking.” 

The RSHQ’s initial findings into the recent Queensland incident are that the air-conditioning system was “charged with a refrigerant containing propane and isobutane (hydrocarbon) instead of compliance with the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) requirement which stipulates the use of R134a refrigerant”. 

It also reports that the truck’s air-conditioning system “was not certified for the use of the hydrocarbon refrigerant” and that the service personnel who maintained and charged the truck’s air-conditioning system did not hold the requisite Queensland Gas Work Licenses for working with hydrocarbon refrigerant. 

Despite the extra precautions taken in Queensland, federal legislation means it is still possible for any unlicensed person to obtain hydrocarbon refrigerant and the necessary tools to set up shop without having to undergo the auditing requirements that apply to licensed air-conditioning and refrigeration businesses,” said Mr Stangroome. 

 

However, it seems unlikely that a mining company would use an unlicensed backyard or DIY outfit for its vehicle maintenance. I can only imagine that perhaps a breach of trust has taken place between the mining company and its contractors or employees, in order for vehicle to be sent underground after it has been illegally retrofitted to hydrocarbon refrigerants. 

 

Mr Stangroome added that those who sold hydrocarbon refrigerants to an ignorant marketplace and promoted them as a safe and compatible direct replacement for the product with which a vehicle or piece of equipment left the factory held a large portion of the responsibility for incidents such as this. 

 

Governments and industry need to do a better job of making people clear on their legal responsibilities, and what is or is not safe,” he said. 

 

“VASA has been warning about the consequences of hydrocarbon retrofits for years and often it seems we are a lone voice in the wilderness – it can be difficult to gain broader industry support on this topic but we will persevere until common sense prevails and the repetition of these incidents cease.” 

 

It is not yet known what the source of ignition was in this latest incident, but the RSHQ investigation so far has concluded that “the release of hydrocarbon refrigerant from the AC into the cab created an explosive atmosphere”. 

 

The source of ignition may never be identified. A report into a 2014 truck explosion in Perth that was caused by the presence of hydrocarbon refrigerants stated that a mixture of propane and air requires just 0.2 millijoules to ignite, which is less than the spark energy from a person’s fingertips when getting out of a vehicle on a cold day. 

 

RSHQ refers to a similar incident in 2014 “when a drill operator in a coal mine suffered burns to the face, hands and torso in an explosion after hydrocarbon refrigerant leaked from the AC system and ignited”. 

 

Other serious hydrocarbon refrigerant incidents recorded around Australia have resulted in two deaths (the Rochester Hotel explosion in regional Victoria) and three serious injuries (a truck explosion in Perth and a major fire at a hydrocarbon refrigerant warehouse in Melbourne). In New Zealand, the 2008 Tamahere Coolstore incident killed one firefighter and injured seven others when non-standard propane-based refrigerant ignited and caused an explosion. 

 

“Personally, and on behalf of VASA, I extend sympathy to the victim and their family who will now have to endure recovery from serious burns as well as potentially long-term physical, emotional and financial impacts,” said Ian Stangroome. 

 

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