Cornwall Contractor Fined After TSSA Safety Investigation

Posted Thursday March 14, 2019

Posted By: Greg Kerr

Category: About TSSA,Fuels,TSSA News

Contractor prosecuted for damaging pipeline

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Toronto, ON, March 14, 2019) – Following a Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) investigation, Cornwall contractor Maylon Excavation Ltd. pled guilty to two counts of damaging a natural gas pipeline, contrary to the Oil and Gas Pipeline Systems Regulation (Ontario 210/01).

The charges were laid subsequent to a TSSA inspector’s investigation of damage to a natural gas pipeline on 5th Street in Cornwall, Ontario in December 2016, and another incident of the same nature on Beach Road, Cornwall in June 2017. On March 5, 2019, Maylon Excavation Ltd. pled guilty to two counts of damaging a pipeline; they were fined $10,000 for each, plus the mandatory 25% victim fine surcharge, for a total $25,000.

“Hitting a pipeline with pressurized gas is a significant risk to public safety,” said John Marshall, Director of TSSA’s Fuels Safety Program. “It can cause explosions, damage, injury and death. That’s why Ontario has stringent laws around pipeline safety, including rules to obtain a valid locate before breaking ground and to hand-dig within one metre of utility markings.”

TSSA reminds the public that any excavation work must comply with Ontario’s safety laws, including obtaining a valid pipeline locate from the license holder or gas utility before breaking ground and not using mechanical equipment while digging within one metre of a pipeline. Free locates can be obtained from Ontario One Call at 1-800-400-2255 or visit http://on1call.com.

Ontario Regulation 210/01 prohibits interfering with or damaging a pipeline.  Any damage and/or subsequent release of gas should be immediately reported to the Ministry of Environment’s Spills Action Centre at 1-800-268-6060 or by contacting TSSA toll-free at 1-877-682-8772.

About TSSA 

The Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) is one of Ontario’s public safety regulators mandated by the Government of Ontario to enforce provincial safety regulations and enhance public safety. Throughout       Ontario, TSSA regulates the safety of amusement devices, boilers and pressure vessels, elevating devices, fuels, operating engineers, ski lifts, and upholstered and stuffed articles. Its range of safety services include public education and consumer information, certification, licensing and registration, engineering design review, inspections, investigations, safety management consultation, and enforcement and prosecution activities. The organization’s vision is to be a valued advocate and recognized authority in public safety.

For more information, please contact: Laura Glynn, Spokesperson
Technical Standards and Safety Authority Telephone: 1-877-682-8772; Email: media@tssa.org

For more information on the Technical Standards and Safety Authority, please visit www.tssa.org.