Get on the list to pre-order your copy of the newly updated Ammonia Refrigeration Manual

The Ammonia Refrigeration Manual has been newly upgraded through the hard work of the IIAR Compliance Guideline Committee.  

Overview of the Ammonia Refrigeration Management (ARM) Program  

The Ammonia Refrigeration Management (ARM) Program is a voluntary program designed to help facilities manage their ammonia refrigeration systems in a safe and responsible manner. It is meant to be used by facilities that operate relatively small ammonia refrigeration systems within industrial occupancy as defined by the building code and are not covered by the: Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Process Safety Management (PSM) Standard (29 CFR 1910.119); the Environmental Protection Agency’s (USEPA) Risk Management Program (RMP) Regulation (40 CFR Part 68); or any state-specific PSM or RMP requirements such as in New Jersey, Delaware and California.

Typically facilities are not subject to PSM and RMP requirements if their ammonia charge is less than 10,000 lbs. However, facilities are subject to both OSHA and EPA’s General Duty Clause.

OSHA’s General Duty Clause is set forth in section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (“OSH Act”). It requires an employer to “furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees.” A hazard is “recognized” only if the employer knew that the particular condition or practice constituted a “recognized hazard,” or that the ammonia refrigeration industry as a whole recognized that particular condition or practice as hazardous.

Section 112(r)(l) of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 contains the text for USEPA’s General Duty Clause. USEPA’s General Duty Clause applies to the “owners and operators of stationary sources producing, processing, handling or storing” regulated substances or other extremely hazardous substances such as anhydrous ammonia. Facilities subject to the USEPA’s General Duty Clause have the following three duties:

Identify and assess hazards of releases of extremely hazardous substances

Design and maintain a safe facility to prevent those releases

Minimize the consequences of those releases

The ARM Program is designed to provide facilities the following benefits:

Safety: Ensures that the refrigeration system is not susceptible to damage and to minimize the number and severity of ammonia-related incidents that could impact employees, community, and/ or environment

Reliability: Improves the operation and efficiency of the ammonia refrigeration system resulting in less downtime and lower operating costs

Regulatory: Provides documentation that facilities are complying with USEPA’s General Duty Clause requirements (Section 112(r)(l) of the Clean Air Act) and with the General Duty Clause in section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (29 U.S.C. § 654(a)(1)) 

How it works:

IIAR has broken the Ammonia Refrigeration Management Program into two separate documents.  The first document is considered the Ammonia Refrigeration Management Program Guideline.  It provides an outline of the program and gives a detailed purpose and explanation for each component of the program and why it is necessary.  The second document is considered the Ammonia Refrigeration Management Program Guidelines Templates.  It includes templates created to be used in your facility for compliance as well as instructions on how to develop your documentation per the program guidelines. 

You may purchase both together or each separately.  The choice is up to you!  Only the Ammonia Refrigeration Program Guidelines Templates come with downloadable templates that you can use to create documentation at your facility.

The ARM Program contains twelve suggested elements that facilities should consider including in their program. The twelve elements were drawn from two sources: 1) IIAR’s Guidance Documents and 2) EPAs General Duty Clause Guidance. Note that the guidelines contained in these elements may not be useful or appropriate for every facility since there is a wide range of facilities and a wide range of acceptable ways to manage your ammonia refrigeration system in a safe and responsible manner. Facilities are encouraged to use their professional judgment as they manage their ammonia refrigeration system in a safe and responsible manner.

1. A Management System
2. Refrigeration System Documentation
3. Hazard Review Procedures 
4. Operating Procedures
5. A Preventive Maintenance Program
6. A Training Program 
7. Self Audit 
8. Incident Investigation Program
9. A Contractor Program
10. An Emergency Response/Action Program
11. Hazard Assessment (Release Modeling)
12. Managing Change Program