Operator Obligations
Important information and legal requirements
for handling refrigeration systems
F-Gas Regulation
according to Regulation (EC) No 573 / 2024
Special requirements apply in the European Union to the operation of systems using fluorinated refrigerants. These requirements are based on the EU F-Gas Regulation (EU) 2024/573. In Germany, this regulation is supplemented by the Chemicals and Climate Protection Ordinance (ChemKlimaschutzV).
The goal of these regulations is to prevent the release of fluorinated greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and to ensure the safe handling of refrigerants.
Operators are specifically required to:
- Conduct leak checks
- Prevent and limit refrigerant losses
- Immediately repair any detected leaks
- Document and record all activities
Engage appropriately qualified specialized contractors.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our service department.
service@daikin-fluidtechnology.de
0049 2245 6107 29
You can find further information on the subject of maintenance and repair, plant optimisation here.
If you require a leak test or are interested in our maintenance service, please contact us using our inquiry form.
In a nutshell: What do operators need to do?
✓ Know the refrigerant and charge quantity
This information can usually be found on the type plate or in the system’s technical documentation.
✓ Determine the inspection requirement
Check whether the system meets the statutory thresholds for a leak test.
✓ Adhere to inspection deadlines
The prescribed intervals range from 3 to 12 months, depending on the charge. With a suitable leak detection system, these intervals can be extended.
✓ Commission a specialist contractor
Leakage checks and other activities for which specialist knowledge or certification is required must be carried out by suitably qualified persons.
✓ Repair leaks immediately
Following a repair, a further inspection is required within the prescribed timeframe.
✓ Keep records
The prescribed records must be kept in full and retained for at least five years.
Quick check
Which refrigerant is used in my system?
↓
What charge quantity is stated on the type plate?
↓
Does the system contain substances listed in Annex I or Annex II, Group 1?
↓
Annex I ≥ 5 t CO₂e or Annex II, Group 1 ≥ 1 kg?
→ Yes: Leak check required
→ No: Generally no leak check required under Article 5(1)
↓
What is the quantity?
→ 12 / 6 / 3 months or, if leak detection is fitted, 24 / 12 / 6 months
Statutory inspections of your refrigeration systems
A statutory leak test is generally required if a system
- contains at least 5 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent of fluorinated greenhouse gases listed in Annex I of the EU F-Gas Regulation, or
- contains at least 1 kg of fluorinated greenhouse gases listed in Annex II, Group 1.
In the case of refrigerant mixtures, the individual substances contained must be taken into account. Therefore, the obligation to carry out an inspection cannot be assessed solely on the basis of the trade name of the refrigerant.
Our services
- Leak tests
- Repair or replacement
of leaking installations - Test book and test seal
- Maintenance contract
How often must a leak test be carried out?
The following minimum intervals apply to systems subject to mandatory leak testing:
Quantity | Without a leak detection system | With a leak detection system |
< 50 t CO₂e or < 10 kg Annex II Group 1 | all 12 month | all 24 month |
50 bis < 500 t CO₂e bzw. 10 bis < 100 kg Annex II Group 1 | all 6 month | all 12 month |
≥ 500 t CO₂e or ≥ 100 kg Annex II Group 1 | all 3 month | all 6 month |
The relevant quantity threshold in each case depends on the substances contained in the installation. In the case of mixtures, the various substance groups must therefore be taken into account accordingly.
Special provisions for hermetically sealed systems
Special thresholds apply to hermetically sealed systems that are labelled as such.
A leak test is generally not required if the system contains
less than 10 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent of substances listed in Annex I or
less than 2 kg of substances listed in Annex II, Group 1
For hermetically sealed systems in residential buildings, a special limit of 3 kg applies, provided the system is appropriately labelled as hermetically sealed.
Who is authorised to carry out the leak test?
Leak tests and certain work on systems containing fluorinated greenhouse gases may only be carried out by suitably qualified or certified persons.
As an operator, you should therefore ensure that the specialist contractor you engage holds the necessary qualifications.
The German ChemKlimaschutzV (Chemical Climate Protection Ordinance) expressly obliges operators to ensure that prescribed leak tests are carried out by suitably qualified persons.
Companies carrying out certain activities, such as installation, maintenance, repair or decommissioning, also require the certification prescribed for these tasks.
Our services
- Retrofitting of refrigeration systems
- Austausch von Kältemittel
- Checking and maintaining your refrigeration system for functionality and operational safety in accordance with Section 22 of the Refrigeration Ordinance
Obligation to keep records – Inspection book – 5 year minimum retention period
Operators of refrigeration systems must keep an inspection book for each system. This must be kept for at least 5 years and produced on request to the competent authority.
These include, amongst other things:
- Type and quantity of refrigerant
- Quantities filled during installation
- Quantities of refrigerant topped up
- Quantities added during maintenance or in the event of leaks
- Quantities of refrigerant recovered
- Details of the company and the person carrying out the work
- Details of leak tests and repairs carried out
What happens if a leak is detected?
Any detected leak must be repaired immediately.
Once the repair has been carried out, the system must be inspected again. This inspection may take place no earlier than 24 hours after the system has been in operation and must be carried out no later than one month after the repair.
Leckage-detection systems
A permanent leak detection system is mandatory for certain larger stationary installations.
This applies in particular from:
- 500 tonnes of CO₂-equivalent for fluorinated greenhouse gases listed in Annex I, or
- 100 kg for fluorinated greenhouse gases listed in Annex II, Group 1.
The leak detection system must be checked regularly to ensure it is functioning correctly. For the relevant stationary installations, the EU F-Gas Regulation generally requires an inspection at least every 12 months.
Preventing refrigerant leaks
In addition to European regulations, further requirements apply in Germany.
The ChemKlimaschutzV, which has been in force since 17 April 2026, limits the permissible specific refrigerant loss during normal operation for certain stationary systems.
For example, the following limit values apply to systems installed on site after 30 June 2008:
Refrigerant charge & max. specific loss per year
| < 10 kg | 3 % |
| 10 to 100 kg | 2 % |
| > 100 kg | 1 % |
Different limit values may apply to older systems in some cases. Hermetically sealed systems, where appropriately labelled, are exempt from these requirements.
Operators must also ensure access to detachable connections, insofar as this is technically feasible and reasonable.