Safety

1) Use at your own risk (read this first)

• You are responsible for safe work practices and compliance with law, codes, and OEM instructions.
• AI outputs can be wrong, incomplete, or unsafe if applied without verification. Always confirm against the equipment manual and applicable standards before acting.
• Only individuals with appropriate training, licenses, and certifications (e.g., EPA Section 608 for refrigerants) may perform regulated tasks. (US EPA)

2) Non‑negotiable safety baselines (HVAC/R)

These are minimum expectations before you service any equipment:

• Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) – De‑energize, isolate, and verify zero energy before servicing. Follow OSHA 29 CFR 1910.147 and your company’s LOTO program. (OSHA)
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) – Conduct a hazard assessment and use required PPE (eye/face, hand, hearing, footwear, arc‑rated clothing where applicable) per OSHA 1910 Subpart I. (eCFR,OSHA)
• Respiratory Protection (when needed) – If there’s potential exposure to harmful gases/vapors (e.g., refrigerant leaks in enclosed spaces), use a respirator under an OSHA‑compliant 1910.134 program (medical eval, fit test, training, selection). (eCFR)
• Electrical & Arc‑Flash Controls – Treat energized work as prohibited unless justified. Use qualified persons, boundaries/labeling, and arc‑rated PPE consistent with OSHA guidance and NFPA 70E practices. (OSHA)
• Walking‑Working Surfaces / Ladders – Use compliant ladders and fall‑prevention per 1910 Subpart D (e.g., 1910.23 ladder rules). (OSHA)
• Confined Spaces – If a mechanical room, pit, or plenum meets permit‑required confined space criteria, follow 1910.146 (testing, ventilation, permits, attendants) or reclassify per the standard. (OSHA)
• Refrigerants (EPA Section 608)
  • No venting. Intentional venting of ODS or non‑exempt substitutes is prohibited. Recover refrigerant and handle cylinders properly. (US EPA)
  • Certification required. Only Section 608‑certified technicians may service or purchase restricted refrigerants. (US EPA)
  • Leak‑repair duties. Owners/operators must repair appliances that exceed EPA trigger rates and may have annual reporting if losses ≥ 125% of charge (see EPA guidance). (US EPA)

3) Prohibited uses of our site & content

You agree not to use our content or tools to:

• Bypass or defeat interlocks, safeties, pressure reliefs, or OEM prescribed procedures.
• Perform energized work without meeting all qualified‑person and protective‑measure requirements. (OSHA)
• Vent refrigerant or otherwise violate environmental rules (always recover/reclaim per EPA). (US EPA)
• Enter a confined space without following the permit program or allowed alternatives in the OSHA standard. (OSHA)

4) About our AI‑assisted guidance

Our AI may summarize manuals, suggest checks, or explain error codes. It does not replace: OEM instructions, commissioning/field bulletins, or your company’s safety policies. Always verify: lockout points, wiring diagrams, purge/ventilation steps, torque specs, setpoints, and refrigerant quantities in the official documentation before acting.

5) Report a safety concern or content issue

If you see guidance that could be unsafe or non‑compliant, please tell us so we can investigate and correct it.

• Email: safety@rrrbuddy.com
• Subject: “Safety Concern – page/tool name”
• Include equipment model, link/screenshot, and what looks unsafe.

6) Standards & references (selected)

• OSHA – Control of Hazardous Energy (LOTO), 29 CFR 1910.147. (OSHA)
• OSHA – Personal Protective Equipment, 29 CFR 1910 Subpart I. (eCFR)
• OSHA – Respiratory Protection, 29 CFR 1910.134. (eCFR)
• OSHA – Walking‑Working Surfaces (incl. Ladders), 29 CFR 1910 Subpart D / § 1910.23. (OSHA)
• OSHA – Permit‑Required Confined Spaces, 29 CFR 1910.146. (OSHA)
• OSHA – Arc‑Flash hazards overview; NFPA 70E resources. (OSHA)
• EPA – Section 608 technician certification; prohibition on venting; leak‑repair requirements. (US EPA)

7) Changes

We may update this page to reflect new standards or site features. Last updated: September 9th, 2025.