Venting r134a???

[gash]

Seriously what are the likely repercussions to being caught venting R134A into the atmosphere (UK) also, Are they worse for 2078 c+g engineer in comparison to a average Joe with no gas handling qualification. I recently started a new job with questionable practices?


Personally I will never put my name to the above actions and never will but at the moment I need the job and need to check that I'm personally not doing anything illegal knowing its happening but not doing it myself???

Thanks for your advice in advance I prefer to be on the right side of the law that way I never have to look over my shoulder

[r.bartlett]

2078 is not enough to work with refrigerants so that person becomes an average Joe. Perhaps one who should know better but if he's working with 2078 in this industry he- or she- aren't that clever with respect..

[Rob White]

Seriously what are the likely repercussions to being caught venting R134A into the atmosphere (UK) also, Are they worse for 2078 c+g engineer in comparison to a average Joe with no gas handling qualification. I recently started a new job with questionable practices?


Personally I will never put my name to the above actions and never will but at the moment I need the job and need to check that I'm personally not doing anything illegal knowing its happening but not doing it myself???

Thanks for your advice in advance I prefer to be on the right side of the law that way I never have to look over my shoulder



You are opening a real can of worms if you report practices
but if you don't then you are complicit and therefore guilty by
association.

For starters the 2078 has now been replaced by the 2079 and
anyone who now works with Fluorinated refrigerants without the
proper F-gas qualification is already breaking the law.

Jobs are jobs and laws are laws, maybe there are not enough
resources to catch the culprits yet, but if they do get caught and
you were proved to know about said dodgy practices, you might
be held partially accountable?

Its a tough call and nobody knows what your personal circumstances
are, so nobody can criticize you for your concerns.................

Distance yourself as best you can from said practices and always
do the correct thing yourself. If they are asking you to dump refrigerant
and you do, you have no one else to blame. If they won't buy you
a recovery rig, maybe it is best to look for another job?

Not much help I'm afraid.

Regards

Rob

.

[Boss302]

The laws don't make sense to me, they sell the stuff as canned air and don't seem to mind you releasing it.

[Grizzly]

Boss.
Your point is one which troubles most, You being on the other side of the pond are exempt!
Our rules do apply however distasteful.
The truth is the Automotive industry have major exemptions within the EU, with regard to handling.
But put it into perspective, when these rules were being drafted they had to draw a line somewhere!
My feeling is watch this forum!
The rules can only get tighter.
With respect to those of us that work on systems that fall within the 2079 safe handling regs. I was told that the rules apply to each of us, and being issued with the certificate holds each one of us legally responsible!!
Think about that!
And therefore ignoring an issue is not an option, for if done so its your neck!

The rules being enforced is lacking but should improve.

Perhaps next time anyone starts sounding off about changing rules, we should all insist that the existing ones are enforced first.

Grizzly

[chilliwilly]

My advice to gash is to keep a personal record of all the jobs that he's sent to that involve recovering where they don't issue him with the right kit. If they expect him to vent or else, then he has to do what he thinks is right. I know that there are companies and individuals out there who are not f gas cat 4 minimum or Refcom registered, but still use a recovery system and pass any recycling on to a third party who's licenced.

If I was in that position of being forced into doing something against my will I would simply inform the customer that I wouldn't be able to do the job at this time due to a legal technicality and explain it further when they asked me.

I would then inform my line manager that I need a recovery unit to do the job. If they started being clever and hinting that they didn't think recovery was neccessary due to the cost of the equipment along with the after care, and suggested that I vented. I would ask him to come round and show me how I could vent without braking the law. Knowing that they would probably sack me for it, but tell me my face doesn't fit and I'm a squre peg in a round hole or some other b0ll0cks they dream up. I would then phone the environmental health and see if they could direct me to the department that deals with hazardous waste.

I would inform them that I have been sent to do a job that would involve the venting of f gas as I don't have the proper equipment to do the job properly that I have been assessed to do, as the company I work for haven't issued me with it.

Or I could also make a number of anonymous phone calls and give them a list of the sites I've been to, and suggest they call round and ask the customer if their refrigeration has received any attention, if so could they look at the bill for the break down of materials and see how much gas has been used. Eventually after the number of sites they visit, they would realise with the amount of re gases that there should be an amount of recovered or recyled gas that has been left on site or moved elsewhere. In turn probably causing concern to watch the refrigeration company in question.

If the firm that I'd worked for were to put down sundries on their bill in the place of gas, then that could almost dissmiss any evidence of gas being used, but then the customer would certainly question what the sundry charge was actually for putting them in an embarrassing situation with their customer if they haven't already queried it.

Or if I was just too desperate to be unemployed and end up at such a ruthless company, I would still make a note of the calls that I've attended and the amounts of gas used, vent under duress of being sacked and against my better judgement. Anonymously film all my moves when venting and maybe include the signage of the site I'm on and burn them onto a cd, make sure that my name can't be traced to the jobs.

Then when the time comes to leave, give a copy of the cd in the letter of notice saying watch this. Then inform them of my obvious actions, which would include sending copies to their customers letting them know they have been using rogue traders that could drag their good names through court unless they get their act together.

I have an issue where I work. The firm specialise in catering equipment, they include the servicing of refigeration when they carry out kitchen ppms. But they are neither f gas cat 4 minimum or refcom, nor are they geared up to carryout refrigeraton work. The servicing just involves a visual of the conditions of door seals and cleaning but no leak checks, there is another company contracted to do that.

What puzzles me is the customer must get two bills for servicing, one from the firm I work for and one from a legit firm for servicing? I can't beleive that they get away with it and don't understand why the customers use them for refrigeration work when they are not a professional legit refrigeration company.

I really should refuse to do any work on them by the way my service manager thinks he can treat me as no one else ever gets asked to them. The way things are going between him and me I will eventually just put on my job sheet that it needs a refigeration engineer. Even if its just a door seal or a mains lead that needs changing.