Handling Ammonia Refrigerant in the Workplace
On October 17, 2017, an ammonia leak was detected in the refrigeration mechanical room attached to an ice-hockey rink in the City of Fernie in British Columbia, Canada. Three fatalities were reported inside the refrigeration mechanical room due to ammonia exposure. An investigation of the incident by the Technical Safety BC regulators concluded that the leak was due to corrosion in the chiller system that caused a rapid release of ammonia into the enclosed room.