Operating Engineers Alternate Rules

Alternate rules are provided for certain requirements in the Operating Engineers Regulation 219/01, including plant staffing, certification time requirements, and electronic log book requirements; they provide a different approach to achieving safety compliance at Ontario’s plants.

Launching in phases, alternate rules facilitate a risk-based approach to the regulation, address qualifications for Operating Engineers and include two alternative paths for plants to achieve compliance.

Registered plants will remain subject to the current regulation by default, but owners and users may opt-in to alternate rules and receive authorization from TSSA to operate under an alternate safety path.

Safety Paths

Alternate rules offer power plants two methods of achieving safety outcomes and compliance.

Path 1

Path 1 of the alternate rules uses risk ratings for different categories of Operating Engineers plants and will be available on February 22, 2021.

Staffing levels are based on a formula that considers a plant’s power rating, technology and controls, among other factors.
Plants are subject to regular TSSA inspections.

Resources:

Path 2

Path 2 of the alternate rules requires plant owners and users to customize their own site-specific Risk and Safety Management Plans, which TSSA plans to accept for review starting on November 2, 2020.

The plan must be signed by a professional engineer and a senior person responsible for site safety and the plan must provide evidence to support the plant’s ability to maintain safety, based on an acceptable risk level.
If the plant’s Risk and Safety Management Plan (RSMP) is approved by TSSA, the plant must maintain safety compliance records for review by TSSA.
Plants are subject to regular TSSA inspections and audits of RSMP related documents and records.

Resources:

Path 2 Risk and Safety Management Plan Development Guidelines

OE Alternate Rules - Certification (Release 3)

The purpose of this guideline is to provide information about TSSA’s certification requirements for operating engineers.

Certification Guideline: Operating Engineers Program

To review the Minister Order - OE Alternate Rules, please click here.

Plant Equipment List

Plant Registration

Operating Engineers Certification Changes

Alternate rules offer Operating Engineers alternative methods of meeting certification requirements, while maintaining the integrity of certification requirements. These approaches come into effect in May, 2021. Here are some of the changes that will be implemented:

Qualifying time will be represented in hours—instead of months—of job experience for more efficient calculations.
The certificate holder will have the option to pursue exams and meet the experience requirements concurrently or at their own pace.
Some experience accumulated working on regulated safety technologies, other than boilers—including compressors, refrigeration, and turbines—will be recognized as qualifying experience time.
Flexibility is considered for types of locations in which experience can be gained, including out-of-province locations and unattended plants supervised by an Operating Engineer.

For more details, please review the OE Alternative Rules Frequently Asked Questions page.

Contact(s)