In the framework of the NAMA Support Project "Colombian NAMA for the domestic refrigeration sector", the Ozone Technical Unit (UTO) of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (Minambiente) and GIZ, organized a five-day training on safe servicing practices of domestic fridges containing R-600a.
From 02 to 06 December 2019, 17 service technicians of the three national producers, two evaluators and two trainers of the national training institute (SENA) participated in the training-of-trainers and got all necessary practical and theoretical skills to replicate this training. Topics included inter alia best practices for brazing and pressing, refrigerant venting procedures, repairs to electrical components, pressure testing with nitrogen.
In Colombia there are three national domestic fridge producers: CHALLENGER, HACEB and MABE. The three producers have already converted their production lines to R-600a and the project is advising them on safety related aspects during production and servicing processes. Training technicians on how to handle the natural refrigerant R-600a during servicing is key to ensure that safety measures are being implemented and no incidents occur.
The training content will be used to develop a guideline on the safe use of R-600a in the domestic refrigeration sector in Colombia and to replicate the training in six major Colombian cities. These activities will ensure that all service technicians of the three national producers will be trained and, in the end, aware of the big advantages but also the flammability of R-600a.