Job Description:

• 1) Operates freon, carbon-dioxide, or ammonia gas-cooling systems to refrigerate rooms in establishments, such as slaughtering and meat packing plants and dairies, to air-condition buildings, or to provide refrigeration for industrial processes: Opens valves on equipment, such as compressors, pumps, and condensers to prepare system for operation and starts equipment and auxiliary machinery.

• 2) Observes temperature, pressure and ampere readings for system and equipment and adjusts controls or overrides automatic controls to obtain specified operation of equipment.

• 3) Records temperature, pressure, and other readings on logsheet at specified intervals.

• 4) Measures density of brine, using hydrometer, and adds calcium chloride to lower temperature to specified degree.

• 5) Connects hose from supply tank to compressor to replace coolant.

• 6) Makes periodic inspection of equipment and system to observe operating condition and need for repair or adjustment.

• 7) Adjusts controls to isolate and clear broken lines for repair or shuts down equipment.

• 8) May repack pumps and compressors, clean condensers, and replace worn or defective parts using hand and power tools.

• 9) When operating refrigeration or air-conditioning equipment aboard ship, may be known as Reefer Engineer and must have endorsement on Merchant Mariner's document as Refrigerating Engineer.