HVAC & Refrigeration
HVAC workers deal with electricity, refrigerants, brazing torches, rooftops, hot attics and sharp sheet metal, often on the same call.
- Construction
- Service
Photo: HVAC tech servicing a rooftop unit with the disconnect locked out
Top hazards
- Electrical shock at units and disconnects
- Refrigerant frostbite and, in enclosed spaces, oxygen displacement; newer A2L refrigerants are mildly flammable
- Burns and fires from brazing
- Falls from roofs, ladders and through ceilings in attics
- Extreme heat in attics and on roofs
- Cuts from sheet metal and fin edges; heavy equipment lifts
- Carbon monoxide from faulty furnaces
Key practices
- Lock out disconnects and verify power is off before servicing.
- Wear gloves and eye protection when handling refrigerants; ventilate enclosed areas. Get EPA Section 608 certification to handle refrigerants, and training on A2L refrigerants.
- Keep a fire extinguisher and use heat shields when brazing.
- Use fall protection near roof edges, and step only on joists in attics.
- Limit attic time in heat; take breaks and drink water.
- Use a CO meter when servicing fuel-burning appliances.
Refrigerants
- Frostbite: liquid refrigerant escaping a line can freeze skin and eyes instantly. Wear gloves and safety glasses when connecting gauges.
- Oxygen displacement: refrigerant leaking in a basement, mechanical room or pit can push out oxygen. Ventilate and use a refrigerant or oxygen monitor in enclosed spaces.
- A2L refrigerants: newer, lower-global-warming refrigerants are mildly flammable. Use tools rated for them, control ignition sources, and follow the manufacturer’s procedures.
- Heat: refrigerants exposed to flame can break down into toxic gases. Recover refrigerant before brazing.
- Cylinders: secure them upright and never heat them with a torch.
Rooftop units
Rooftop service puts techs near unprotected edges and skylights, often for short jobs where fall protection gets skipped. Under general industry rules, work within 6 feet of a roof edge needs fall protection. See Working on Roofs.
Attics
- Attics can exceed 130°F in summer. Work early, take breaks, drink water and use fans. See Heat Illness.
- Step only on joists or boards; a foot through the ceiling can mean a fall to the floor below.
- Watch for nails through the roof deck, wasps and wiring.
Service call checklist
- Disconnect locked and tagged; voltage tested dead
- Gloves and glasses for refrigerant work
- CO meter for fuel-burning equipment
- Fire extinguisher and heat shield for brazing
- Fall protection plan for roofs and ladders
- Water and break plan for attic and roof heat
Standards & references
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