Q&A | Ammonia Rated Hoses
Question: Do I have to use an ammonia rated hose when draining or transferring ammonia from a refrigeration system?
Answer: The short answer is “ABSOLUTELY“. OSHA has been far from silent on this issue and has made it clear that ammonia rated hose must be used for any anhydrous ammonia activity that requires a hose, including but not limited to…transferring, purging, venting, draining, and moving ammonia. Here are some of the major points to keep in mind:
- Ammonia hoses must be incorporated into the overall process safety management program;
- Ammonia hoses must be designed in accordance with RAGAGEP (recognized and generally accepted good engineering practice). To learn more about RAGAGEP for ammonia hoses you would need to get a copy of Specifications for Anhydrous Ammonia Hose, Rubber Manufacturer’s Association (RMA) Publication IP-14;
- Ammonia hoses should inspected as part of the larger mechanical integrity program. Look for kinks, evidence that the hose has been driven over, soft spots, and loose covers;
- Ammonia hoses should be marked every five (5) feet with the manufacturer’s name, the words “Anhydrous Ammonia”, the working pressure, and the year of manufacture;
- Ammonia hoses must be replaced according to manufacturer’s recommendations. If this reminds you of the five (5) year replacement of pressure relief valves…then you are on the right track. Most manufacturers recommend replacing ammonia hoses on three (3) or five (5) year intervals.
- Employees must be trained to use ammonia rated hoses.
This is just a quick summary of the requirements for ammonia hoses. If you are looking for more detail, check out OSHA’s perspective on their website.