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University of Wisconsin-Madison

Incidents & Accidents

"Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes" - Oscar Wilde

Incidents and accidents involving ammonia refrigeration systems can and do occur. This site contains case studies of past incidents (including near-misses) and accidents that have occurred in facilities with ammonia refrigeration systems. Presented in a quick and easy to read format, our goal is to share this information among IRC members in order to raise awareness of those factors that contributed to incidents and accidents so that the likelihood of repeat occurrences in your facilities can be minimized. We encourage you to use the case studies in the following ways:

  • Review specific case studies during in-house training, conferences, or other educational efforts.
  • Use the case study findings to determine if similar risks exist in your facilities.
  • Refer to the "lessons learned" to see how they may apply in your facility to avoid future occurrences.
  • Incorporate these incidents and accidents into your PHA processes for new or existing systems

Case Studies