Many large buildings have a refrigeration system or heat pump that regulates the temperature in the building. Most systems must undergo periodic re-inspection. As a property owner or tenant, you are responsible for ensuring that this re-inspection is carried out on time.
Why is re-inspection important?
Periodic re-inspection prevents the risk of suffocation and explosions in the event of fire. Periodic re-inspection also offers other benefits:
- Safety for people in the building
- Prevents environmental damage
- Required for insurance purposes
- Prevents fines from the Netherlands Labour Authority.
Make an appointment to have your system re-inspected
Your system must be re-inspected by a conformity assessment body (CAB). These are specialist firms designated by the government to carry out re-inspections independently. In total, nine CABs are authorised to carry out re-inspections of refrigeration systems and heat pumps. They operate throughout the Netherlands. You may choose which CAB will carry out the re-inspection of your system:
- Applus Netherlands B.V.
Make an appointment with Applus - Bureau Veritas Inspection and Certification The Netherlands B.V.
Make an appointment with Bureau Veritas - DNV Business Assurance B.V.
Make an appointment with DNV - ECH-Groep B.V.
Make an appointment with ECH - ICI4YOU B.V.
Make an appointment with ICI4YOU - Kiwa Inspecta Nederland B.V.
Make an appointment with Kiwa - LRQA Nederland B.V.
Make an appointment with LRQA - TÜV Nederland QA B.V.
Make an appointment with TÜV - Vinçotte Nederland B.V.
Make an appointment with Vinçotte
Does my system also require re-inspection?
Whether your system must undergo periodic re-inspection depends on the category into which it falls. This Pressure Equipment Directive (PED) category is determined by the type of refrigerant, the maximum pressure and the volume.
Your installer, maintenance firm or facilities manager can often see from the system logbook whether the system is subject to a re-inspection requirement. If this is not stated in the logbook, or if the logbook is missing, contact the firm responsible for maintaining the system.
But my system is already properly maintained
Maintenance is essential but does not suffice to ensure the safe operation of the system. During re-inspection, the system undergoes a thorough inspection. The inspector examines different components from those checked by the maintenance technician, such as pipework and pressure vessels.
What about the F-gas inspection?
The F-gas inspection differs from the periodic reinspection. The F-gas inspection prevents harmful gases from escaping from your system into the environment. If you have an F-gas inspection carried out, you must continue to do so. Your system may also be subject to periodic re-inspection as well. Periodic re-inspection focuses on the safe operation of the system.
Information for installation and maintenance firms
If you work for an installation or maintenance firm, customers may ask you whether their refrigeration system or heat pump must undergo re-inspection. This depends on the PED category that the system falls into. You can determine this category in several ways:
The EC declaration of conformity, the commissioning declaration and the re-inspection certificate state the PED category that the system falls into. These documents are usually kept with the system in the logbook.
If you do not know who supplied the system, this information can be found on the rating plate attached to the system.
Request an information brochure
As an installation or maintenance firm, you can help your customers by drawing their attention to the importance of re-inspection. For this purpose, the Netherlands Labour Authority and other organisations have developed an information brochure (Dutch).
Complete the request form (Dutch) and the information brochures will be sent to you free of charge.
Laws and regulations
A refrigeration system or heat pump in a work environment is regarded as work equipment. Because this type of work equipment presents a greater risk to health, additional rules apply to commissioning the system, inspections and modifications to the system.
A refrigeration system or heat pump in a work environment is regarded as work equipment. Work equipment must undergo periodic re-inspection by a specialist. This is laid down in Section 7.4 of the Working Conditions Decree (Dutch).
The Pressure Equipment (Commodities Act) Decree sets out the requirements that apply to new pressure equipment and the requirements applicable during the operational phase. The requirements governing commissioning inspections prior to putting pressure equipment into service are set out in Section 21 of the Pressure Equipment (Commodities Act) Decree (Dutch). The requirements governing re-inspection are set out in Section 22 of the Pressure Equipment (Commodities Act) Decree (Dutch).
Section 2 of the Pressure Equipment (Commodities Act) Regulation 2016 (Dutch) sets out which categories of system are subject to periodic re-inspection and whether a commissioning inspection must be carried out.