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ETA Associates - Newsletter March 2011

There are three types chemicals used in refrigeration systems today – ammonia (NH3), carbon dioxide (CO2), and Freons. Ammonia is the predominant chemical, particularly in larger facilities. Carbon dioxide is a newer chemical being used in conjunction with ammonia systems – it is considered less hazardous than ammonia and also can be used for lower temperatures. Freon is used in older, typically smaller, applications, and is being phased out as it is both expensive and an environmental hazard.

Issues include Leak Detection/Ambient Monitoring, Personal Monitoring and Special Considerations as in food manucture.

Click here to see the solutions offered by ETA Associates and how we have solved this problem for our customers.

EtO is used in medical device manufacture and hospital sterilization. In 2008, EtO was determmined to be a pesticide and is thus controlled and monitored. Hospitals and health care facilities must use a single chamber process for EtO sterilization and aeration to occur in the same chamber. Facilities treating and manufacturing medical equipment and supplies and other items, the sterilization and fumigation must be performed only in vacuum or gas tight chambers.

OSHA requires three types of EtO monitoring - personnel monitoring, area monitoring and leak detection. The monitoring must be accurate to a confidence level of 95 percent to within plus or minus 25 percent for airborne concentrations of EtO at the 1 ppm TWA and to within plus or minus 35 percent for airborne concentrations of EtO at the action level of 0.5 ppm. Click here to read more.