58 // Market
Can low-charge systems ease technician crisis? The sa fet y a nd relat ive si mpl icit y of low-charge ammonia packages could make them a better fit for an industry with a shrinking supply of qualified technicians in North America.
RIGHT Low-charge ammonia penthouse unit at Turner Dairy, Memphis, Tennessee BELOW Training session on lowcharge systems at Turner Dairy, Memphis, Tennessee
— By Elise Herron
It
is widely acknowledged that the number of technicians trained to handle natural refrigerant systems is dwindling. But the advent of small and s t a n d a r d i ze d l o w - c h a r g e a m m o n i a packaged systems, which can be use d ins tead of traditio nal massive ammonia plants or synthetic refrigerant systems, will make it easier to train and maintain enough qualified technicians. This was the contention of Mike Chapman, director of process safety management (PSM) compliance f o r S te l l a r, a n d K u r t L i e b e n d o r f e r, vice-president of Evapco, in a presentation at the Refrigerating E n g i n e e r s a n d Te c h n i c i a n s Association (RETA) conference, held in Hershey, Pa., in September. “There is a deficit of qualified technicians in our industry,” Chapman said in his presentation, entitled ‘ Lo w - c h a rg e a m m o n i a p a c ka g e s a n d safety’. “It is a technician’s market with regard to getting work.” Chapman and Liebendorfer pointed out that low - charge ammonia packaged units (coolers and chillers) are inherently safer than conventional ammonia-based refrigeration systems, which lessens the training requirement.
“Ammonia refrigeration is still, always has been, and always will be ammonia refrigeration – we’re taking the heat out of something and the result is making it cold ,” said Chapman. “But the technology by which we’re doing that is what’s changing, improving and becoming more effective and safer.”
THE RETIREMENT PROBLEM T he primar y driver of the technician shortage is that seasoned technicians are retiring , and their re place me nts are not showing up in sufficient numbers. A recent study cited by Chapman d e te r m i n e d t h a t t h e r e we r e a r o u n d 74 5 q u a l i f i e d te c h n i c i a n s fo r 4 , 5 0 0 jobs in the United States. Not only are people retiring, Chapman said, younger generations are increasingly pursuing four-year degrees over communit y college, trade, or te c h n o l o g y s c h o o l p ro g ra ms . Q u i te s i m p l y, th e re a re n ’ t as m a ny yo u n g people seeking trades careers as there once were. “ The four- year degree and advanced degree are great,” said Chapman, “but if we lose out on that trades skill development piece, then we truly have a deficit and a void in our industry.”
Accelerate Australia & NZ // Summer 2018