Refrigeration compressors: EU safety standards updated

The safety of refrigeration compressors enters a new phase with the update of the harmonised European standards applicable to components used in refrigeration systems and heat pumps .

With EU Implementing Decision 2026/2015 of 4 September 2026, the European Commission published the references to EN 12693:2026 and EN IEC 60335-2-34:2023 , along with their amendments, in the Official Journal. The standards concern positive-displacement refrigeration compressors and motor-driven compressors , respectively, and strengthen several aspects related to thermal risks, vibrations, pressures, and safety testing.

The update is particularly important as the European industry transitions to low-GWP, A2L, and natural refrigerants, which may require different operating conditions and safety assessments than traditional fluids.

Compressor Safety: What's New with EN 12693:2026

EN 12693:2026 replaces the previous EN 12693:2008 , updating the safety requirements applicable to positive displacement refrigeration compressors.

Among the main changes reported are greater attention to thermal risks, specific vibration requirements, updates to electrical clearances, and changes to some test procedures. The organization of several sections of the standard and its annexes has also been revised.

Vibration is a particularly important issue for a refrigeration circuit. The stresses generated by the compressor can propagate to:

• refrigeration pipes;
• joints and fittings;
• brazed connections;
• supports;
• other components connected to the compressor.

Improper evaluation can contribute to mechanical stress and loss of circuit reliability over time.

Similarly, thermal behavior must be considered not only during ordinary operation, but also under reasonably foreseeable abnormal conditions, including those that may involve possible refrigerant releases.

Air compressors: new tests on pressure resistance too

The second standard of particular interest is EN IEC 60335-2-34:2023 , together with amendments A11:2023 and A12:2025.

The standard concerns the safety of hermetic and semi-hermetic compressors and their protection and control systems , when subjected to the most severe conditions expected during normal use.

The update strengthens the alignment of physical tests with the essential health and safety requirements of the Machinery Directive and also includes a new pressure resistance test.

Another issue concerns compressors marketed as components . In these cases, they must be accompanied by the required documentation, including assembly instructions and a declaration of incorporation, so that the component can be properly integrated into the final machine or system.

The publication of the reference as a harmonized standard is also important from a compliance perspective: the application of a harmonized standard in fact confers a presumption of conformity with the essential health and safety requirements covered by the standard itself.

A2L and R290 increase attention to safety

The updates come as the refrigeration industry is moving towards increasingly lower GWP refrigerants.

This includes both A2L refrigerants , which are characterised by reduced flammability, and A3 fluids such as propane R290 , which is increasingly present in various refrigeration applications and heat pumps.

The use of these refrigerants makes it even more important to correctly consider phenomena such as temperatures, pressures, vibrations and possible leaks.

However, compressor compliance does not automatically equate to compliance for the entire refrigeration system. The assessment must also include the system as a whole, considering circuits, refrigerant charge, components, installation, and the environmental conditions in which the equipment is used.

For this reason, EN 12693 and EN IEC 60335-2-34 may need to be applied together with other relevant technical references, including EN 378 and, for certain equipment, EN IEC 60335-2-40. The same EU Decision 2026/2015 also includes EN IEC 60335-2-40:2024 and the related A11:2024 among the updated references.

It is also important to point out that compliance with EN 12693:2026 does not in itself constitute ATEX qualification of the compressor and does not replace any assessments required by other applicable regulations.

The European framework on machinery will also change from 2027

The update comes shortly before another regulatory step .

The new rules have been harmonized within the current framework of the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC, but from 20 January 2027, EU Regulation 2023/1230 on machinery will apply, replacing the previous directive.

Manufacturers of compressors and refrigeration equipment will therefore need to simultaneously monitor the evolution of technical standards and the transition to the new legislative framework.

This topic is particularly relevant at a time when the refrigerant transition is rapidly transforming HVACR equipment. Compressor, refrigerant, and system cannot be considered separately: pressure, temperature, vibration, and fluid safety characteristics must be addressed already at the design stage.

The update of the harmonized standards goes precisely in this direction, strengthening the criteria with which components are designed and verified before being integrated into new-generation refrigeration systems.