The ANSI/IIAR Standard for Minimum System Safety Requirements for Closed-Circuit Ammonia Refrigeration Systems does a fantastic job setting the baseline requirements for existing ammonia refrigeration systems. One possible shortcoming of the standard was the absence of a formal evaluation that could help any prospective ammonia operator or service technician evaluate the system with relative ease. For example, the IIAR 6 inspection forms have made the inspection/testing/maintenance process much more standardized and the IIAR has once again released a checklist to help provide a similar level of evaluation for the IIAR 9 Standard. Named the “IIAR 9 Minimum System Safety Evaluation Checklist” the new form allows for specific and concise (if 23 pages can be considered concise) way to evaluate existing systems so that end users might know where their blind spots or shortcomings lay.
By January 1st, 2026 existing ammonia systems will be required to have a safety evaluation performed so end users may ensure their system is compliant to IIAR 9 requirements. Users will also have to continue to evaluate their system at least once every 5 years. If the evaluation were to uncover any gaps, the end user will be required to make corrections within a timely manner. Those who do not have the inspections performed or make proper corrections may be susceptible to OSHA and EPA fines or other enforcement.
As far as the contents of the checklist, they are a relatively quick peek at integral parts of the IIAR 9 codebook to see how a prospective system stacks up against the requirements. For customers with well developed PSM programs and well-maintained systems, the checklist will likely not be too difficult. This is particularly true for customers with good equipment records and maintenance logs. Customers that may lack dedicated ammonia teams, or customers with known deficiencies, might find the inspection forms more daunting. In either case, the inspection serves a vital role in evaluating compliance and seeking to improve overall safety of our facilities and the surrounding communities.
If you feel you’d like to have an evaluation performed, please reach out to Carlson and Stewart Refrigeration. We are happy to help facilities with no dedicated maintenance staff as well as those with fully functional staff that just might not have the manpower to perform a walkthrough. If the evaluation suggests it may be time for an upgrade, Carlson and Stewart Refrigeration has a 24/7 service team, design engineers, and installation teams that can help get you up and running compliantly.