10.3 Compliance Checklist and Best Practices

10.3 Compliance Checklist and Best Practices

This section summarizes the key compliance requirements every EPA 608 certified technician should follow in their daily work. Use this as a practical reference.

Technician Compliance Checklist

Before Starting Any Refrigerant Work:

• Verify your EPA 608 certification covers the equipment type
• Identify the refrigerant in the system (nameplate, identifier)
• Ensure recovery/recycling equipment is certified and in good working order
• Have proper PPE available (safety glasses, gloves, at minimum)
• Have appropriate recovery cylinders (DOT-approved, not expired, not overfilled)

During Service:

• Recover refrigerant before opening any system
• Never vent any regulated refrigerant intentionally
• Use nitrogen (with regulator) for pressure testing — never oxygen or compressed air
• Change oil only at 5 psig or below
• Charge zeotropic blends as liquid only
• Never mix different refrigerants

After Service:

• Verify recovery to required evacuation levels
• Properly seal any access points created during service
• Update the equipment label if refrigerant type was changed
• Document all refrigerant additions and removals
• Properly store and label all recovery cylinders

For Equipment Disposal:

• Recover all refrigerant before any disposal activity
• Document the recovery (date, type, amount)
• Retain records for at least 3 years

Recordkeeping Summary

2026 Regulatory Landscape Summary

As of 2026, the regulatory landscape includes overlapping requirements from multiple sources:

Common Exam Mistakes to Avoid

1. Confusing "phaseout" with "phasedown" — CFCs/HCFCs are phased OUT (eliminated); HFCs are phased DOWN (reduced, not eliminated)
2. Forgetting that certification never expires — EPA 608 certification is good for life
3. Mixing up recovery percentages — 90% (compressor running) vs. 80% (not running) for small appliances
4. Confusing recycled vs. reclaimed — recycled stays with same owner; reclaimed can be sold
5. Getting pressure units wrong — know the difference between psig, psia, in. Hg vacuum, and mm Hg absolute
6. Forgetting November 15, 1993 — the key date for equipment manufacturing and recovery standards
7. Mixing up leak rate triggers — 10% comfort, 20% commercial, 30% industrial

For the Exam: Three years is the universal recordkeeping requirement. Certification never expires. Know the difference between phaseout (CFC/HCFC) and phasedown (HFC). Remember all the key numbers: 80%/90%, 4-inch vacuum, 25 mm Hg, 15 psig rupture disc, $44,539 penalty, 125% chronic leak rate.