Ammonia Refrigeration System Safety

Characteristics of Ammonia, Fluorochemicals, Hydrocarbons

• Physical properties
• Thermodynamic properties of ammonia
• Health effects
• Flammability considerations

Practical Overview of Systems

• System types
• High-side components
• Low-side components

Safety and Your Machinery Room 

• Emergency ventilation
• Emergency showers/eyewash
• PRVs
• Other machinery room considerations

Elements for a Successful Program

• What is PSM?
• When is compliance mandatory?
• Assessing risks
• Accident prevention

EPA Risk Management Program: Achieving Compliance and Operational Safety 

• What is it?
• When is compliance mandatory? General Applicability
• Applicability of program levels
• Prevention program (program 2 and program 3)
• Management system
• Five-year accident history
• Offsite consequence analysis
• A look at ALOHA computer program
• Risk management plan (documentation requirements)
• Review and update

EPA Risk Management Plan

• 4/1/2026  08:00am - 05:00pm
• 4/2/2026  08:00am - 05:00pm
• 4/3/2026  08:00am - 02:00pm

All times listed are Central Time Zone.

This in-person course will have an online course site from which you will access the course materials, course evaluation, and participation certificate. Details on how to access the online course site will be sent with registration confirmation.

• Program Director

  Douglas Reindl

• Kevin Daniel

  Risk Management Program NE

  Kevin started his career 23 years ago in the EPA Management Intern Program where he worked in numerous offices including, Front Office of Air and Radiation in HQ, Criminal Enforcement Division’s (CID) strategic Information Office, Herndon, VA,  Office of Transportation and Air Quality (OTAQ) in HQ, Water Enforcement Division in HQ, Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) in R9, Special Assistant to Director, Office of Air and Radiation Laboratory, UNLV in R9 and Spill Prevention Control and Counter Measures (SPCC) in R3.  After Kevin’s intern program ended, he remained in R3 and became a Risk Management Program (RMP) Coordinator/Inspector where he completed 400 RMP inspections and lead some of EPA’s most notable RMP enforcement cases including, Hershey Creamery (received first of its kind criminal guilty plea for RMP), Valero Delaware City Refinery, AL Solutions, Bayer Crop Science , Dupont Belle, and Philadelphia Energy Solutions (PES).  Since most of these cases involved fatalities, Kevin collaborated closely with Chemical Safety Board (CSB), Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA) and other federal agencies. These enforcement cases lead to Kevin receiving numerous OECA awards for excellence.  Most recently, Kevin worked in Federal Facilities Enforcement (FFEO) and is now with the Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM).   Kevin graduated from Temple University, Suma Cum Laude, with a BS in Biochemistry.  

• Nicole O'Connor

  Assistant Area Director

  Nicole O'Connor is currently the Assistant Area Director with the Madison Area OSHA Office with expertise specializing in Industrial Hygiene. Prior to joining OSHA in 2006, Mrs. O’Connor worked as a Project Manager for an environmental, health and safety consulting firm, providing occupational safety training, industrial hygiene monitoring, safety program and policy development, compliance auditing, and environmental reporting. Mrs. O’Connor received both her Bachelor of Science - Biology, and Master of Science - Occupational Safety, from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

• Douglas Reindl

  Professor

  Douglas Reindl, PhD, PE is a professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering and a Program Director at the Office of Interdisciplinary Professional Programs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He has extensive experience in mechanical systems – including industrial ammonia refrigeration systems. As the founding director of the Industrial Refrigeration Consortium, he works extensively to improve the safety, efficiency, reliability, and productivity of ammonia refrigeration infrastructure. Dr. Reindl received his BS in mechanical engineering technology from the Milwaukee School of Engineering, MS in mechanical engineering from UW–Madison, and PhD in mechanical engineering from UW–Madison. He is a registered professional engineer in the State of Wisconsin.

If you are planning to attend an Interdisciplinary Professional Programs course, payment is required at the time of registration. Below are the payment options:

Pay by Credit Card

Enroll online and pay by credit card.

• Search for the course on the website and then click on the Enroll Now button from the course webpage.
• Enter all necessary course attendee information and payment information on the course enrollment page.
• You will receive an email to confirm successful enrollment and payment.

Enroll over the phone and pay by credit card.

• Call CERC Registrations at 608-262-2451.
• Provide the registrations representative with:
  • the course name, dates, and/or course number.
  • the necessary course attendee information and payment information.
• You will receive either a mailed document or an email to confirm successful enrollment payment.

Pay by Check

Mail in a completed registration form and check payable to UW Madison.

• Fill out a registration form (found either in the back of the course brochure you received in the mail or here).
• Prepare a check, made payable to UW Madison.
• Mail the registration form and check to: CERC Registrations 21 N Park St, Ste 7101 Madison, WI 53715
• You will receive either a mailed document or an email to confirm successful enrollment and payment.

Pay by Purchase Order

• Request Purchase Order information from interpro@union.wisc.edu
  • If a fee quote is needed, contact custserv@interpro.wisc.edu first
• You will receive an invoice from UW–Madison Business Services for payment, usually within 3–5 business days

Military

If using SF-182 form, please call our registration number at 608-262-2451 or email interpro@union.wisc.edu for details and instructions.

Event Cancellation

We reserve the right to cancel a course due to insufficient enrollment or unforeseen events. If we cancel a course, participants will be notified via email or phone and will be given the option for a full refund or to transfer their registration and any fees paid to another course. We are not responsible for non-refundable plane tickets, hotel reservations, and other travel related expenses. For enrollee Course Cancellation, refer to notes on course page.

If you cannot attend, please notify us no later than one week before your course begins, and we will refund your fee. Cancellations received after this date and no-shows are subject to a $150 administrative fee. You may enroll a substitute at any time before the course starts.

This course is part of the Process Safety Management Professional Certificate. Increase your knowledge and effectiveness at managing PSM/RMP programs for your ammonia refrigerated facility, while earning a recognized credential. Course can be taken individually as well.

Attendees participating in this course will be able to earn a digital badge as evidence of the knowledge they obtained during the course. Digital badges are micro-credentials that can be earned by successfully passing a final quiz administered online after completing the course. Click here for information on digital badges.