TS EN 378-1

TS EN 378-1 is the first part of the refrigerating systems and heat pumps standard family, establishing the basic requirements, definitions, classification and selection criteria used for safety and environmental assessment. It provides the common framework that supports the rest of the series, because a sound safety approach depends first on understanding what type of system is being considered and in what installation context it operates.

System types and installation context

The scope covers stationary and mobile refrigerating systems of all sizes, including heat pumps, as well as secondary cooling or heating systems and the location of these refrigerating systems. In practical terms, this means the standard addresses not only the equipment itself, but also how the installation setting can influence hazards and environmental impact. The focus is on the safety of persons and property, together with local and global environmental considerations. Goods in storage are explicitly outside the scope.

Why the terminology and classification matter

Refrigerating systems remove heat from one place and reject it elsewhere; heat pumps apply the same thermodynamic principle for heating as well as cooling. Secondary cooling or heating systems use an intermediate circuit to transfer thermal energy rather than relying solely on the main refrigerant circuit. These distinctions matter because they shape how systems are classified, how selection criteria are applied, and which hazards need to be considered. In general technical terms, this part gives the series a shared language for safety-oriented design and assessment.

This listing is based on EN 378-1/A1 and serves as the foundational part of the broader standard family. Its value lies in setting out the conceptual structure that later parts build upon, helping designers, installers and assessors keep system type, installation location and intended use aligned in a consistent technical framework.

• Provides a common safety framework for stationary and mobile systems.
• Covers heat pumps alongside refrigerating systems.
• Treats secondary cooling and heating systems as a distinct technical category.
• Includes the location of the system as part of the assessment context.
• Addresses persons, property and environmental considerations in one foundational part.