So, where to begin? It’s important to develop a refrigerant management strategy to identify and ultimately meet the needs of your organisation. Establishing a central objective at the start of the process is key.

All relevant parties should be involved from the outset to ensure the vision and goals are clearly communicated.

Evaluate your current system and conduct a thorough audit to determine the most appropriate method of leak detection for your circumstances. It’s all too easy to go for the first system you come across that will enable you to meet the legislation. The fact is, there may be other features that could bring added benefits which may be worth considering. A robust fixed system could easily be more cost effective in the long run than a lesser alternative such as hand-held units. Taking the time at the initial stages will be well worth it down the line.

Accuracy and reliability should be the main points of consideration during the selection process. There are a number of alternative systems available and a good supplier will be able to discuss all the options.

A refrigerant management strategy should not end with the installation of equipment. An individual or team within the organisation needs to hold responsibility for analysing the data on a regular basis to identify patterns and trends. Through close observation, faulty systems or components can be identified quickly and corrected with minimum disruption. This will aid the process of containment and reduction of leaks as well as provide a strong business case for implementing effective and appropriate changes.

Lastly, the service and maintenance of equipment cannot be overlooked. To ensure you get the most from any system, you must be certain that all areas are properly covered and that a focused monitoring and reporting procedure is in place to make best use of your engineers’ time. Whichever option you go for should be compatible with any existing systems you have on site, such as the refrigeration controls system. It’s also advantageous to be able to gather data via a PC locally or via a bureau remotely. Some packages log the gas usage data and generate the records you need for compliance, making your job that much more effective and easier.