TSSA Launches Online Operating Engineers Alternate Rules Path 1 Self-Assessment Tool to Help Plant Owners Make Informed Safety Decisions
TSSA is pleased to offer plant owners a new tool they can use to self assess their plant’s risk rating so they can make informed decisions about staffing levels required to mitigate risk.
The tool was created to help plant owners who are considering applying for authorization to operate under Path 1 of the Operating Engineers Alternate Rules. Introduced in November 2020, Alternate Rules are applicable to specific requirements in the Operating Engineers Regulation, including plant staffing, certification time, and electronic logbook requirements. They provide a risk-based approach to achieving safety compliance at Ontario’s plants and exist in parallel with the Operating Engineers Regulation.
Launched in February 2021, Path 1 rates plants based on a risk calculation that considers multiple variables, including a plant’s configuration, occupancy and type of exposure; the type of technology operating within a plant; as well as a plant’s power rating. A risk rating is assigned to a plant and used to determine staffing requirements (subject to the Chief Officer’s right to adjust the plant staffing requirements as necessary).
TSSA’s digital self-assessment tool provides plant owners with the option to go online and input their plant data to get an estimate of the risk rating of their plant under Path 1. Plant owners use the online tool to enter information about their plant equipment, and then the information is calculated using TSSA’s risk formula to produce an estimated plant risk rating. Plant owners can use this information for planning purposes. They are still required to follow the formal Path 1 application process.
To complete the form, users will need access to the equipment information at the plant. Once the form is completed, the results will be displayed at the top of the web page and the page is printable. Users are encouraged to keep a record of the results because none of the information entered is retained, nor is it retrievable once the web page is exited.
For more information about Path 1, please consult the Path 1 Guidelines or refer to the FAQs on Alternate Rules for Plants and Plant Registration.
Plant owners can use TSSA’s Self Assessment Tool to obtain an estimate of their plant’s risk score. Please note that use of the tool does not constitute a formal application to TSSA. For more information, please consult the Path 1 Summary of Plant Rating Calculations document.