RSES Safety Practices & Regulatory Compliance 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under EPA Section 608, what is the maximum penalty per day for knowingly venting refrigerants into the atmosphere?
- $5,000
- $10,000
- $25,000
- $44,539 (Correct answer)
Correct answer: $44,539
EPA can assess civil penalties up to $44,539 per day per violation for knowingly venting refrigerants (adjusted for inflation).
Question 2: Which safety standard governs the safe use of refrigerants in refrigerating systems in the United States?
- ASHRAE 15 (Correct answer)
- ASHRAE 34
- OSHA 1910.119
- EPA 40 CFR Part 82
Correct answer: ASHRAE 15
ASHRAE Standard 15 (Safety Standard for Refrigeration Systems) governs the safe design, construction, installation, and operation of refrigerating systems.
Question 3: What does the term 'de minimis' release mean in the context of EPA refrigerant regulations?
- Any release under 5 lbs is automatically exempt
- Releases that are considered insignificant and unavoidable during good-faith repair (Correct answer)
- Releases occurring only during equipment disposal
- Releases from systems under 50 lbs charge
Correct answer: Releases that are considered insignificant and unavoidable during good-faith repair
De minimis releases are those considered insignificant and unavoidable during proper service procedures, such as small amounts released when connecting/disconnecting hoses.
Question 4: Which type of fire extinguisher is most appropriate for a refrigerant fire involving electrical equipment?
- Class A (water)
- Class B (CO2 or dry chemical)
- Class C (CO2 or dry chemical) (Correct answer)
- Class D (dry powder)
Correct answer: Class C (CO2 or dry chemical)
Class C extinguishers (CO2 or dry chemical) are required for electrical fires; using water would create electrocution hazard.
Question 5: A technician working on a rooftop unit notices oil accumulating around a Schrader valve. What is the FIRST action to take?
- Immediately replace the Schrader core with a recovery machine connected (Correct answer)
- Continue working and note it in the service report
- Add refrigerant to compensate for the loss
- Cap the valve and leave it for the next service call
Correct answer: Immediately replace the Schrader core with a recovery machine connected
A leaking Schrader valve must be repaired immediately; the core should be replaced with a recovery machine connected to prevent refrigerant release.
Question 6: What does OSHA's Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) standard require before a technician opens a refrigeration system for repair?
- Only turn off the main disconnect switch
- Isolate all energy sources and verify zero-energy state before work begins (Correct answer)
- Notify the building owner in writing
- Wear insulated gloves rated for 600V
Correct answer: Isolate all energy sources and verify zero-energy state before work begins
LOTO (29 CFR 1910.147) requires isolating all hazardous energy sources—electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic—and verifying zero energy before servicing equipment.
Question 7: When is a refrigerant safety data sheet (SDS) required to be accessible to technicians?
- Only during initial training
- Only when handling more than 50 lbs of refrigerant
- At all times when refrigerants are present in the workplace (Correct answer)
- Only during transportation of cylinders
Correct answer: At all times when refrigerants are present in the workplace
OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200) requires SDS documents to be readily accessible whenever hazardous chemicals, including refrigerants, are present.
RSES Safety Practices & Regulatory Compliance 2
Under EPA Section 608, what is the maximum penalty per day for knowingly venting refrigerants into the atmosphere?