STS Case Studies

Star Technical Solutions provides specialist consultancy and bespoke training for a leading consumer goods company.
Their factory in the South-West of England produces a range of iconic products and is one of the largest ice cream producers in the UK. Its primary refrigeration system serves low temperature freezing process loads across the facility – a large and complex system that uses ammonia as its refrigerant.
STS has worked with the engineering team at the facility for many years, and the range of support provided has enabled the team to ensure the refrigeration plant remains energy efficient, safe and compliant.

Key to this is regulatory compliance support; including the annual preparation of a Pressure Systems Integrity Inspection report, providing the Written Schemes of Examination and their ongoing associated inspections, under the requirements of the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations (PSSR) 2000, and assessment of the refrigeration systems under the wider-ranging Provision & Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. STS also prepares the site Ammonia Hazard Assessment, to meet the requirements of the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Regulations (DSEAR) 2002 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (MHSWR) 1999. All of this work is gauged against the requirements of the refrigeration safety standard, EN378:2016 Parts 1 to 4 – Refrigeration Systems and Heat Pumps, Safety & Environmental Requirements and associated annexes.

STS’s specialist consultancy for the brand has included a range of functions, from the preparation of technical specifications, to design and installation documentation review and HAZOP studies. This enables the client to identify the best, safest and most cost-effective solutions for the ongoing upgrades and changes that the ammonia refrigeration system requires.
Finally, STS delivers training in Service Engineer competencies, involving the review and validation of facility staff relating to their role in operating and maintaining the ammonia refrigeration system.

• The training includes:
  Preparation of a multi-choice questionnaire covering the range of requirements associated with the role of Service Engineer. Topics covered included system design and operation, ammonia safety, electrics, and maintenance and repair procedures – i.e. evacuation and dehydration, pressure testing, refrigerant charging, oil draining, instrument calibration and troubleshooting.
• The STS Assessor walking the site with the facility’s Service Engineer, to confirm understanding of specific elements of plant and the nature of their operation, maintenance and repair.
• Checking and scoring of the Service Engineer’s questionnaire upon completion. Subsequent interview of the Service Engineer, using the completed questionnaire as the basis. This provides opportunities for them to expand on the written answers they had given, allowing STS to confirm more precisely the true level of understanding.
• Grading of the Service Engineer and suggesting, where appropriate, additional training that would benefit the individual.

At the end of the exercise both facility management and the individual Service Engineers have a clearer understanding of their level of competence and – just as importantly – what could be done additionally to improve their capability.

STS consultancy and training gives customers the peace of mind of knowing that they remain compliant at all times with the legal, health and safety and environmental requirements of running a complex refrigeration plant, and can often save the expense of employing a refrigeration manager. If you’d like to find out more about how STS can help with the technical aspects of your refrigeration plant, don’t hesitate to get in touch here.