With the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer entered into force on 1 January 2019, more and more suppliers have introduced household air-conditioners using refrigerant R32, which is the only type of mildly flammable refrigerant currently available in Hong Kong, to the local market as an alternative to those household air-conditioners using refrigerant R410A. Before purchasing such products, members of the public should pay particular attention to the installation restrictions, such as the requirements on the minimum room area and the minimum installation height, etc., as specified by the manufacturers. They may contact the agents or suppliers for further details. Installation, checking, maintenance or repair of household air-conditioners must be carried out by the agents, suppliers or technicians with experience in handling mildly flammable refrigerants.
Sub-standard installation and repair of household air-conditioners using mildly flammable refrigerant will not only have a negative impact on the product quality, but also increase the risk of refrigerant leakage and fire hazards, therefore posing danger to the users. Currently, the suppliers of household air-conditioners using mildly flammable refrigerant and recognised training institutes organise training courses on installation, checking, maintenance and repair of household air-conditioners using mildly flammable refrigerant, which can effectively enhance the safe working practices on handling mildly flammable refrigerants.
In view of the above, the Government considers that it is necessary to improve the air-conditioning and refrigeration trade’s safety standards and the technicians’ safety awareness of handling mildly flammable refrigerant of household air-conditioners, and hence launches the Voluntary Registration Scheme for Technicians Handling Mildly Flammable Refrigerant of Household Air-conditioners.
To ensure that the detailed arrangements of the registration scheme can meet the needs of the trade, the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) will consult the Government and Trade Liaison Group (GTLG) and report the development of the scheme to the GTLG on a regular basis. Members of the GTLG come from trade associations, professional institutions, training institutes and relevant Government departments.
The Registration Unit for Technicians Handling Mildly Flammable Refrigerant of Household Air-conditioners has been set up under the EMSD. It is responsible for the promotion, day-to-day management and operation of the Voluntary Registration Scheme for Technicians Handling Mildly Flammable Refrigerant of Household Air-conditioners.
The EMSD will issue circulars on matters of concern and regularly distribute the Eco-friendly Refrigerant newsletters to registered technicians. For details of the circulars issued and other publications, please click here.
For enquiries about the registration scheme, please contact the Registration Unit for Technicians Handling Mildly Flammable Refrigerant of Household Air-conditioners.
| Telephone No. | 3912 0625 |
|---|---|
| Fax No. | 2576 5945 |
| Email Address | fr.safety@emsd.gov.hk |
| Address | Electrical and Mechanical Services Department 3 Kai Shing Street, Kowloon, Hong Kong |