The European Committee for Standardization (CEN) has released a draft revision of the EN 378 safety standard for public enquiry. The revised standard, titled prEN 378:2025, includes significant updates across four parts, with Part 4 replaced by an ISO standard.
EN 378 defines safety requirements for the design, testing, installation, and operation of refrigeration, air conditioning, and heat pump systems. The new draft includes the following parts:
– prEN 378-1: General requirements, definitions, and charge limits
– prEN 378-2: System design, construction, and testing
– prEN 378-3: Installations
– prEN 378-5: Refrigerant data
ISO 5149-4 will replace the previous EN 378 Part 4, which covered operation, maintenance, repair, and recovery.
According to eurammon, safe integration of natural refrigerants remains essential due to their specific properties—such as the toxicity of R717 (ammonia), high pressure of R744 (CO₂), and flammability of hydrocarbons like R290, R1270, and R600a. The revised standard introduces a more flexible and risk-based approach, particularly in Part 1, which eurammon says could better support safe and cost-effective system designs using natural refrigerants.
Despite welcoming the direction of the revision, eurammon calls for further changes, especially regarding charge limits and prescriptive safety caps that may hinder broader adoption of natural refrigerants.
“Eurammon urges all members and supporters of natural refrigerants in the CEN member countries to support the revised standard by voicing expressions of approval to national standardisation committees,” the group stated.
