HVAC service is a rewarding and lucrative career. Yet HVAC safety hazards do cause risks: working with electricity, chemicals, and with construction tools and equipment can cause injury if you aren’t careful or are not properly trained.
Don’t take the chance of getting sidelined by an injury. Knowing the top HVAC safety hazards, and taking steps to protect yourself, can help you minimize these risks and stay safe.
Top 5 HVAC safety hazards that lead to job-related injury
1. Poor training
As a technician, you face HVAC safety hazards on every job. You’re working around high voltage electricity. You’re handling potentially dangerous refrigerant chemicals.You’re using power tools and ladders, and climbing around on rooftops and inside crawl spaces.
If you are not properly trained on how to do these things safely, you’re putting yourself in danger.
Handling refrigerant chemicals. Refrigerants and solvents used for cleaning equipment components can be dangerous if they come into contact with skin or eyes, or if inhaled. That’s why every technician handling refrigerants must have their EPA 608 certification. In this course, you learn the rules for handling, storing, and transporting refrigerants and other potentially dangerous chemicals and substances.
Electrical safety. It’s also essential to receive formal training in electrical safety, either through your employer, a union training program, or from another qualified expert. You’ll learn the rules and procedures for working around high voltage electrical currents, which can be the most dangerous aspect of HVAC work.
Tool use and construction safety. In the past, new technicians usually joined the profession with a working knowledge of tools. That’s not always the case today. Make sure your employer trains you on proper and safe use of tools. If you do things incorrectly, or use the wrong tool for the job, you’re more likely to get injured. It’s not only power tools you need to know how to use. Improper use of ladders can lead to accidents and serious injury. This is one of the reasons that it’s so important for junior technicians to be supervised on the job.
2. Not using PPE
PPE, which stands for Personal Protective Equipment, is there to protect you. PPE includes work gloves, hard hats, safety glasses, and boots with reinforced toes to protect your feet. And in the age of COVID, face masks when appropriate or required (such as in medical facilities). In some environments, a respirator may be required.
It can be uncomfortable to wear protective gear, especially in the heat of the summer. But if you don’t, you are putting yourself at increased risk of an injury.
Here’s an article that provides the details and recommendations from the CDC about use of PPE.
3. Neglecting tools and equipment
Knowing how to use tools isn’t enough to keep you safe. You also need to have the right tools for the job, regularly check their condition, and maintain them to keep them working well.
The right tools. Using the wrong tool for the job can easily cause a serious injury. Trying to get by without a tool you need because of the cost is a decision that can backfire. In many cases, employers will provide certain tools, so it can’t hurt to ask if there is something you don’t have. But if you do have to pay for it yourself, remember that your safety is worth the expense.
Inspecting and maintaining tools. Tool condition is another problem that can cause injuries. You should regularly take the time to inspect the condition of all the tools and equipment you use, clean them if needed, and replace broken or worn items.
4. Working in extreme temperatures
Extreme heat and cold are frequently overlooked HVAC safety hazards. When working on air conditioning and heating systems, especially on rooftops and mechanical rooms, you’re often exposed to extreme temperatures, both hot and cold. You need to know how to protect yourself from heatstroke in the heat, and hypothermia or frostbite in the cold.
Tips to protect yourself from extreme heat:
- Wear lightweight clothing, and ideally a cooling head or neck wrap
- Take breaks and apply ice packs to your head and shoulders
- Drink plenty of water
- Avoid caffeine
- Don’t skip meals to avoid a drop in blood sugar.
- Eat light meals that include fruits and vegetables that replenish electrolytes
Tips to protect yourself from extreme cold:
- Wear layers of clothing, including moisture-wicking layers underneath and a waterproof layer on top
- Don’t forget a hat and waterproof boots
- Keep an eye on each other for signs of hypothermia, including slurred speech, shivering or clumsiness
- Take breaks in a heated area out of the wind
- Avoid caffeine, which raises your heart rate and can mask the signs of dangerous exposure to cold.
5. Distracted driving
As an HVAC technician, you spend a lot of time every day behind the wheel. People tend to underestimate the risks of driving since we do it so much. If you’re distracted, the risk of an accident is much higher. Here’s an article with safety tips for city driving that can help keep you safe.
HVAC safety hazards and what to expect from your employer
Job safety for HVAC is overseen by OSHA, and companies are required to make sure you are properly trained and working in safe conditions. Yet some of the biggest hazards can come from areas you control yourself, such as driving safely, using PPE, and keeping your tools and equipment in good working order. Make your safety priority and do your part to follow procedures and minimize your risk.
HVACR Career Connect NY was created to promote the exceptional quality-of-life benefits of a career in HVAC and Refrigeration service, and also to provide a clear path for getting started in the profession. In doing so, we serve as a resource for employers in the New York City metro area to find and hire smart and capable new technicians. We also serve as an educational resource to support business growth and to help service technicians succeed in their chosen profession.
Learn about technical careers in the HVAC & Refrigeration industry, how to get hired and tips to build your career.