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June 2018

How much is in the system?

One reason is compliance with federal safety and risk-management regulations. If the system is over the threshold quantity of 10,000 pounds, then it is subject to both the OSHA Process Safety Management (PSM) program and the EPA Risk Management Program (RMP). Additionally, some states may have more stringent program levels.

June 2018

Putting more Action in your Emergency Action Plan

In an emergency situation, every minute counts, and having a plan in place allows first responders and public safety officials to contain most threats before they grow into an unmanageable problem. During the Las Vegas Safety Day event, the Ammonia Safety and Training Institute, the Las Vegas Hazmat Team and others, including Michael Winburn, vice president of operations at Shetakis, which operates a cold storage facility in Las Vegas, came together to demonstrate how advanced planning can save critical time.

June 2018

IIAR Advances Regulatory Reform Proposals

President Trump has made regulatory reform a high priority for his administration. Trump has signed several executive orders on regulatory reform and task forces have been established at regulatory agencies to identify opportunities for regulatory relief.

June 2018

IIAR Remembers: Jim Wright

A longtime member of IIAR, two-term board member, friend and mentor to many in industrial refrigeration, Jim Wright was known for his tireless passion for a job well done, and his warm, generous spirit, which he shared freely with friends and colleagues.

June 2018

Best Practices in Managing an OSHA NEP or EPA GDC Inspection

In a recent OSHA Directive, CPL 03- 00-021, effective January 17, 2017, OSHA added EPA Level 1 and Level 2 processes to the Programmed Inspection and NEP selection criteria. This directive also provided some criteria on how facilities are targeted for an NEP inspection:

Education/Training

President’s Message by Dave Rule

Business as usual is a term that has never applied well to industrial refrigeration. Our economic sector is constantly changing to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving supply chain, as we examine in this month’s cover story. Regulatory change, new technology and equipment development has propelled us into ever broader markets and applications for natural refrigerants.

September 2018

Chairman’s Message by Mike Lynch

In this issue of the Condenser, you’ll find several stories focused on new regulatory changes, code updates and the work of our many IIAR committees to keep the standards, education, and outreach efforts of our industry current and relevant.

FRESH &Fast: HOW NEW CONSUMER EXPECTATIONS HAVE STOKED RECORD COLD STORAGE DEMAND

Occupancy rates at cold-storage facilities are at an all-time high, said Corey Rosenbusch, president of the Global Cold Chain Alliance. “There is denitely growing demand,” he said. “The industry feels like we’re in a good position right now with supply and demand, but there is pressure for more space.

September 2018

IIAR Standards Suite Gets Update

IIAR is working on changes to many of IIAR’s suite of standards. In a conversation with the Condenser, Standards Committee Chair Bob Czarnecki discussed each individual standard, providing detailed updates on the work being done. Here, the changes under consideration are outlined, organized by standard.

September 2018

Trade Groups, Lawmakers Speak Out in Support of the Kigali Amendment

Trade Groups, Lawmakers Speak Out in Support of the Kigali Amendment Several groups are focusing on advancing the Kigali amendment to the Montreal Protocol, which calls for a worldwide phase-down in the production and consumption of hydrofluorocarbons. The Kigali amendment, if ratified, establishes multiple legally binding schedules for participating countries to cap and phase-down the use of HFCs in favor of alternatives with lower global warming potential.

September 2018

Federal, State Programs Open Opportunity for Natural Refrigerants

Interest in natural refrigerants is continuing to increase, and several federal and state projects, led in particular by California legislation and agencies, are investing significant amounts of money into research and development programs designed to advance technology that could increase natural refrigerant use.

September 2018

IIAR Updates PSM/RMP

Project safety management and risk management plans are the subject of a recent IIAR publication update. IIAR has updated its PSM/ RMP manual, a compilation of all relevant Occupational Health and Safety Administration and Environmental Protection Agency requirements that would concern end users of ammonia refrigeration systems over 10,000 pounds.

September 2018

Latin American Countries Draft IIAR-Informed National Standards

The refrigeration industry in Latin America is critical to the regional and global economy, and thanks to an increasing awareness of environmental issues, government leaders are partnering with local chapters of IIAR to use their standards in drafting national regulations for the industry.

September 2018

Market-Driven Energy Efficiency

Building a facility and then retrotting it to be more energy efficient has been a practice used in the refrigeration industry for years; however, some forwardthinking companies are planning for efficient facilities from the start, and as costs come down, more organizations are willing to spend more upfront to see returns in the long-term.

September 2018

Estate Planning: Key Documents You Need

A durable power of attorney (DPOA) can help protect your property in the event you become physically unable or mentally incompetent to handle financial matters. If no one is ready to look after your financial affairs when you can’t, your property may be wasted, abused, or lost.

September 2018

Adding and Removing Oil

One of the important maintenance tasks in the operation of a refrigeration system is adding and removing oil. Oil is necessary in systems as a lubricant and, or, a sealant. Knowing how to identify and deal with the oil balance in a system is very important. Improper balance can have multiple effects on system operation.

Government Relations

Appeals Court Vacates Trump Rule Delaying RMP Changes

A federal appeals court in August vacated a delay in Obama-era changes to the Environmental Protection Agency’s Risk Management Program (RMP) that would add compliance requirements to regulated facilities. Shortly after taking office, the Trump Administration issued a series of delays to the effective date of the RMP amendments, resulting in a final effective date of February 19, 2019.

September 2018

The 2018 and 2021 Codes Where We Are & Where We Are Headed

The 2018 editions of the International, Uniform and NFPA codes that affect the ammonia refrigeration industry, including the International Mechanical Code (IMC), International Fire Code (IFC), International Building Code (IBC), Uniform Mechanical Code (UMC) and NFPA Fire Code (NFPA 1) are now published and are pending adoption in many jurisdictions in the United States.

Education/Training

President’s Message by Dave Rule

This issue of the Condenser is all about operations. As you can see from our cover, one of the most important factors in that equation is geographical location. The regional and local operating environments define the business and regulatory landscape across the country. And that definition, in turn, determines how we uphold our high standards for safety and efficiency. The role that the regulatory framework plays in our industry, and even more importantly, how we respond to and inform it, is a central focus for IIAR.

THE LOCATION LANDSCAPE

The cost of real estate, an available workforce and proximity to transportation dictate where businesses build industrial refrigeration facilities, and those factors are more important than ever in recent years. As rising demand spurs cold chain growth, clear winner (and loser) locations are emerging from the patchwork of regional U.S. regulatory and business environments. Increasingly, those environments are taking center stage in decisions to build a facility or what refrigerant to use.