Thermo King 098203, Maintenance Manual

Page: 11 / 264

9
Safety Instructions
General Precautions
• Always wear goggles or safety glasses. Refrigerant liquid and battery acid can permanently damage
the eyes.
• Never operate the unit with the discharge valve closed. Never close the compressor discharge valve
with the unit in operation.
• Keep your hands, clothing and tools clear of the fans when the refrigeration unit is running. If it is
necessary to run the refrigeration unit with covers removed, be very careful with tools or meters being
used in the area.
• Check the condition of the gauge manifold hoses. Never let the hoses come in contact with a fan
motor blade or any hot surface.
• Never apply heat to a sealed refrigeration system or container.
• Fluorocarbon refrigerants produce toxic gases in the presence of an open flame or electrical arc. The
gases are severe respiratory irritants capable of causing death.
• Firmly tighten all mounting bolts. Check each bolt for correct length for their particular application.
• Use extreme caution when drilling holes in the unit. The holes may weaken structural components.
Holes drilled into electrical wiring can cause fire or explosion. Holes drilled into the refrigeration
system may release refrigerant.
• Use caution when working around exposed coil fins. The fins can cause painful lacerations.
• Use caution when working with a refrigerant or refrigeration system in any closed or confined area
with a limited air supply (for example, a trailer, container or in the hold of a ship). Refrigerant tends to
displace air and can cause oxygen depletion. This can result in suffocation and possible death.
• Use caution and follow the manufacturer’s suggested practices when using ladders or scaffolds
.
Refrigerant Oil Precautions
Observe the following precautions when working with or around refrigerant oil:
• Do not allow refrigerant oil to contact your eyes.
• Rubber gloves are recommended when handling Polyol Ester based refrigerant oil.
• Do not allow prolonged or repeated contact with skin or clothing.
• Immediately wash all exposed skin after handling refrigerant oil.
Use the following First Aid practices if needed.
Eyes:
Immediately flush eyes with large amounts of water. Continue flushing for at least 15 minutes
while holding the eyelids open. Get prompt medical attention.
Skin:
Remove contaminated clothing. Wash thoroughly with soap and water. Get medical attention if
irritation persists.
Inhalation:
Move victim to fresh air. Restore breathing if necessary. Stay with victim until arrival of
emergency personnel.
Ingestion:
Do not induce vomiting. Contact a local poison control center or physician immediately.