The Technical Standards and Safety Authority has posted an advisory, "Electrical Approval Requirements for Equipment and Installations subject to TSSA Approval."
Fuels Safety Program reviews fuel systems and device design submissions to ensure compliance with the Technical Standards and Safety (TSS) Act and its adopted regulations, safety codes and standards. Applicable codes require that an electrical portion of the fuel system comply with the Ontario Electrical Safety Code.
To ensure that the equipment or installation is electrically safe, Fuels Safety will require evidence of an acceptable electrical approval prior to the inspection of field approvals or inspections of fuel facilities. TSSA will not pass an inspection or apply a Field Approval label if there is no evidence of electrical approval.
Please read advisory FS-268-23 for details.
Fuels Safety Program
Technical Standards and Safety Authority
The Technical Standards and Safety Authority has posted an advisory on the responsibilities of contractors and certificate holders who install and commission gaseous appliances and fuel distributors who supply fuel to those appliances at residential homes, particularly during construction. The CSA B-149.1, Natural Gas and Propane Installation, code requires that all appliances be installed and commissioned in compliance with code and manufacturer’s instructions.
Please read advisory FS-262-23 for details.
Fuels Safety Program
Technical Standards and Safety Authority
Bearings on all Dover-Turnbull counterweights with 2-to-1 roping to be assessed and monitored
The Technical Standards and Safety Authority has issued a Director’s Safety Order and an Advisory on the safety risk posed when a bearing on a 2-to-1 counterweight sheave arrangement fails.
- Director's Safety Order on Turnbull-Dover Elevator 2:1 Roped Counterweights:
This safety order requires counterweight as outlined in the Order to be located, accessed and retrofitted. Compliance timelines include ensuring that installations are assessed by August 30, 2023, and retrofitted by April 30, 2024. Please read Director's Safety Order 302/22 for details.
- Advisory on 2:1 Roped Counterweights:
This advisory, which relates to the Director's Safety Order 302/22 above, brings awareness to the maintenance and monitoring of bearings on 2:1 roped counterweights to ensure they are not presenting signs of failure. Please read Advisory 303/22 for details.
Elevating and Amusement Devices Safety Program
Technical Standards and Safety Authority
The Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) will not be launching elevator, escalator and ski lift compliance standards that were previously scheduled to go live in November 2022. The change in timeline will allow for necessary workforce training, industry education, and systems preparation, following the recent inspector strike.
The following compliance standards are affected by the launch postponement:
- Electric / Traction Elevators
- Hydraulic Elevators
- Escalator Contractors
- Escalator Owners and Operators
- Above-Surface Passenger Ropeways
- Conveyors
- Fibre or Rope Tows
- Surface Passenger Ropeways
TSSA will share more details in early 2023.
Elevator outage data will be used for public reporting and to help shape regulatory decisions
Starting July 1, 2022, owners and licensees* of elevators in residential buildings and long-term care homes are required to report elevator outages lasting 48 hours or longer via the Technical Standards and Safety Authority’s (TSSA’s) Residential Elevator Availability Portal. The reporting needs to be completed within 30 days after the day the elevator was returned to service.
The portal provides the following functions:
• View elevator outage records reported to TSSA
• Report elevator outages
• Correct elevator outage data
(*Licensee: The person in charge of the elevating device as the licence holder.)
Report Outages by Elevator Owners and Licensees
Only elevator owners and licensees can use the portal to report elevator outages lasting 48 hours or longer by entering a user ID and password, which can be created using the following information:
- Customer name and number (found on a recent TSSA invoice – see sample below)
- Installation number (found on an elevating device licence)
Sample invoice:
To report outages, click the “Login” button and select the “Report Elevator Outages” tab:
View Elevator Outage Records by Elevator Users
Anyone can view elevator outage records without logging in to the portal. Elevator users and members of the public can view elevator outage records by:
- Entering the postal code of the residential building or long-term care home where the elevator outage occurred
- Indicating the desired date range during which the elevator outage occurred
The portal does not show real-time information about elevators that are out of service. If elevator users have concerns about the reporting status of an elevator in a residential building or long-term care home that was out of service for 48 hours or longer and more than 30 days have passed since the elevator was returned to service, they are encouraged to contact the elevator owner and ask them to report the outage.
Reporting Elevator Outages is Important
Reporting elevator outages is a regulatory requirement that seeks to enhance the availability, safety and maintenance of elevators in Ontario. Data collected from elevator outage reports will inform and shape future regulatory decisions on elevators.
The Elevator Availability webpage will be updated periodically as we launch the reporting portal. For more information, visit Frequently Asked Questions.
About TSSA
Throughout Ontario, the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) enforces provincial safety regulations and enhances public safety. TSSA regulates the safety of amusement devices, boilers and pressure vessels, elevating devices, fuels, operating engineers, and ski lifts. Its range of safety services includes public education, certification, licensing and registration, engineering design review, inspections, investigations, safety management consultation, compliance support, enforcement and prosecution activities.
TSSA is getting ready to launch compliance standards for elevators, escalators, and ski lifts. Compliance standards promote and support the safety of employees, contractors, customers, and the public by focusing the efforts of TSSA, contractors and owners on promptly addressing high-risk non-compliances.
A compliance standard is a list that clearly defines high-risk items for specific devices. Evidence-based and data-driven, they were developed by analyzing hazards and risks found through inspection and incident history, with valuable input from industry. The compliance standard identifies non-compliances where TSSA will follow-up to confirm resolution.
The compliance standard is formatted like a checklist. It is intended to drive consistency in TSSA inspections and make it easier for regulated parties to understand their responsibilities.
While compliance standards clearly identify high risks, the regulated party is responsible for addressing all non-compliances on their inspection report. TSSA’s expectation is that the contractor and owner work together to ensure that these high-risk orders are no longer present when the inspector attends the site to complete a periodic inspection.
Compliance standards will be introduced into the periodic inspection program starting November 1, 2022. TSSA has made them available online in advance to allow industry time to prepare for when these standards come into effect, and they will remain on TSSA’s website for reference.
On November 1, TSSA will be rolling out compliance standards as follows:
Elevators
Escalators
Ski lifts
- Ropeways, Conveyors
- Above-Surface Passenger Ropeway
- Surface Passenger Ropeway
- Fibre or Rope Tow
- Conveyors
Items identified as high-risk during a periodic inspection are considered showstoppers. Inspectors will issue a standard order for these items to be rectified within a specific period of time, based on the level of risk the contravention poses and the severity of the contravention’s consequences to the public. In some cases, equipment may be shut down immediately and in other cases the owner will be given a deadline to correct the non-compliance. A follow up inspection will be scheduled to ensure all high-risk non-compliances have been addressed.
Other medium- and low-risk non-compliances are categorized as safety tasks. These items will be noted on the inspection report and reassessed during the next periodic inspection. Owners and operators are responsible for addressing these safety tasks to mitigate long-term risk and remain fully compliant with safety laws. However, TSSA will not follow up on these medium- and low-risk non-compliances but plans to audit select devices to ensure safety tasks are being resolved.
New inspection reports will make it easy for customers to know what is high risk and needs to be addressed immediately, and what needs to be done as part of a regular safety management plan.
TSSA will be hosting a series of live webinars in September 2022 to provide the industry with more information about compliance standards, demonstrate how they’ll be used and answer questions. Watch for more details to come during the summer.
For more information or questions about TSSA’s new compliance standards, please contact customerservices@tssa.org.
Benefits of new compliance standards that emphasize high-risk elements
- Ensure that regulated parties understand and address high-risk items within a specified timeframe and long before a periodic inspection
- Provide a clear list of items that pose a high risk to public safety for which TSSA inspectors will follow up
- Establish a follow-up program to ensure high-risk items are addressed and made safe
- Clearly indicate when devices need to be repaired or shut down
- Clearly define the responsibilities of owners and contractors
- Clearly outline the processes and consequences associated with non-compliance
The result is that everyone involved has a clearer understanding of what constitutes a high-risk item and how to keep their equipment safe.
To legally operate a business, facility or device in Ontario, those in TSSA-regulated industries must maintain a current TSSA licence or registration. Active authorizations are necessary for TSSA to have oversight of the technical operations it regulates.
Last summer, TSSA informed authorization holders of its policy for reinstating lapsed authorizations. In an effort to help regulated parties keep their authorizations in good standing and remain compliant with safety laws, while further protecting the wellbeing of Ontarians, TSSA provides regulated parties with notice of renewal on a number of occasions using various outreach methods.
Starting May 2, 2022, TSSA will begin active outreach to former authorization holders whose authorizations expired between April 30, 2016, and April 30, 2021, to bring the operations back into compliance, if warranted, and ensure they’re performing safely.
TSSA will contact former authorization holders using a staggered timeline for each safety program area.
- Elevating Devices – Commencing May 2, 2022
- Boilers and Pressure Vessels – Commencing late July/early August 2022
- Fuels – Commencing November 1, 2022
Please note that these dates are subject to change, to maintain effective workflow management and customer service levels.
Learn more about TSSA’s Lapsed Authorizations and Historical Lapsed Authorizations Policy and get answers to frequently asked questions about fees associated with lapsed authorizations, requalification requirements, leave of absence considerations, and more.
Please contact TSSA if you have any questions about ensuring your TSSA authorizations are current.
The requirement to report extended elevator outages takes effect in July 2022
This summer, legislation is coming into effect that will include new reporting requirements for extended elevator outages in residential buildings. The new rules, which seek to enhance the availability, safety and maintenance of elevators in Ontario, will also give members of the public access to information about elevator outages via the Technical Standards and Safety Authority’s (TSSA) website.
Starting July 1, 2022, owners and licensees (the person in charge of the elevating device as the license holder) of elevators in residential buildings and long-term care homes are required to report to TSSA elevator outages lasting 48 hours or longer. The reporting needs to be completed within 30 days after the day the elevator was returned to service.
Data on elevator outages will be used for public reporting purposes and to inform and shape future regulatory decisions on elevator safety and availability. TSSA’s website is intended to show historical data of reported elevator outages that have been out of service for 48 hours or longer.
TSSA’s residential elevator availability portal will be live in the summer. The portal will be accessible without login for anyone to view elevator outage records.
A user ID and password, which will be required to report an elevator outage, can be created by using the information found on a recent TSSA invoice. Only elevator owners or licensees can report elevator outages using the portal.
Starting in July 2022, if members of the public believe that an elevator in a building has been out of service for 48 hours or longer and the outage occurred more than 30 days ago, they should contact the elevator owner and ask them to report the outage.
*An elevator outage caused by an incident must be reported via TSSA’s elevator outage portal. The incident also needs to be reported to TSSA separately as the data collected for outages and incidents are different. To report an incident involving an elevating device, please refer to the ED Incident Reporting Guidelines or Incidents Involving Floods.
Reporting Outages
Details on reporting elevator outages will be made available in the coming months. For more information on what the new rules mean to elevator owners, contractors and users, please refer to the website or read Frequently Asked Questions.
Reporting extended elevator outages is a regulatory requirement. Compliance with reporting requirements is important to avoid potential charges under the Technical Standards and Safety Act, 2000.
Background
There are almost 20,000 passenger elevators across more than 10,000 residential and institutional buildings in Ontario. As the existing stock of elevators ages and the province continues to experience rapid growth in the construction of buildings (including high-rise condominiums), stakeholders across Ontario have raised a variety of issues related to the availability of elevators, according to former Justice Douglas Cunningham’s recommendations in his 2018 report on elevator availability.
To look at how these regulatory changes can help support having elevators that are well maintained and meet safety requirements, the Ontario government conducted consultations from July 2 to August 4, 2020 and sought input on the proposed regulatory changes under the Technical Standards and Safety Act, 2000.
Please refer to the following resources for more information:
- Elevating Devices regulation
- Auditor General of Ontario’s recommendations on improving elevator safety
About TSSA
Throughout Ontario, the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) enforces provincial safety regulations and enhances public safety. TSSA regulates the safety of amusement devices, boilers and pressure vessels, elevating devices, fuels, operating engineers, and ski lifts. Its range of safety services includes public education, certification, licensing and registration, engineering design review, inspections, investigations, safety management consultation, compliance support, enforcement and prosecution activities.
Fee adjustments lower fees for smaller propane operators
In response to stakeholder feedback, the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) has adjusted the fee categories for propane bulk plant and fill site facilities by adding more categories that better align with the different sized facilities seen in Ontario. The new fee structure outlined below, which is effective May 1, 2022, also lowers fees for smaller propane sites.
Propane customers who received renewal licence invoices dated between March 1 and March 31, 2022 for bulk plant and fill sites should ignore these invoices issued under the fee schedule ending April 30, 2022. TSSA will resend new invoices reflecting the revised propane fees.
Background
The fee adjustment for propane operators follows TSSA’s announcement of a new fee structure effective May 1, 2021.
TSSA had received feedback from propane customers relating to certain fees being charged under the new fee structure that was introduced last year. The categories that were used to determine licensing fees for bulk plants and fill sites did not take into account facilities with additional smaller tanks which, when added to the capacity of main facility tanks, had placed them into a higher category and resulted in a larger than anticipated fee increase for those customers.
In response to stakeholder feedback from the propane industry, fees were reduced for smaller facilities with a capacity of fewer than 5,000 gallons that make up approximately 90% of facilities in Ontario. TSSA has added new categories and adjusted the fees in consultation with the propane industry.
As a not-for-profit public safety regulator, TSSA charges fees on a cost-recovery basis that reflects the true cost of providing public safety services. Fixed annual fees cover safety services, including licences, permits and business registrations, plus regular inspections.
If there are questions, please contact TSSA at customerservices@tssa.org or call 1-877-682-8772.
About TSSA
Throughout Ontario, the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) enforces provincial safety regulations and enhances public safety. TSSA regulates the safety of amusement devices, boilers and pressure vessels, elevating devices, fuels, operating engineers, and ski lifts. Its range of safety services includes public education, certification, licensing and registration, engineering design review, inspections, investigations, safety management consultation, compliance support, enforcement and prosecution activities.
Beginning July 1, 2021, owners and operators of existing agricultural boilers and pressure vessels (BPVs) should report their devices to TSSA.
This news bulletin — the latest in a series of communications from TSSA — outlines the reporting process and the inspection roles of TSSA and insurers of agricultural BPV equipment and their associated piping systems when the change in safety laws comes into effect as a result of the regulatory exemption that was previously in place for this equipment being revoked.
- The June 30 news bulletin shared the link to the online reporting form.
- The June 4, 2021 communication focused on what owners and operators of existing equipment need to do to comply with safety laws when repairing, altering, upgrading and/or replacing their devices.
- The April 29, 2021 communication outlined the regulatory requirements for newly installed equipment that falls within O. Reg. 220/01.
REPORTING EQUIPMENT
Owners and operators of agricultural operations should report their BPV equipment to TSSA by completing an online form within 90 days by September 30, 2021.
TSSA will use the form to collect information on existing devices in the province and do a risk-based assessment (based on the type of device, its location and insurance coverage) to establish a priority list for scheduling first inspections over five years.
FIRST INSPECTION BY TSSA
Sites evaluated as high risk will be prioritized for a first inspection. TSSA will notify owners one month before the scheduled first inspection takes place. Owners who need to reschedule the first inspection can do so by contacting inspectionscheduling@tssa.org or 1-833-937-8772 (or 1-833-WFP-TSSA)
TSSA will issue a Certificate of Inspection (COI) for every boiler or pressure vessel that has completed the first inspection. The type of device will determine the validity period of the COI issued, which ranges from one to three years. The fee for the first inspection is $365 per device, and the issuance of a COI costs $96.
PERIODIC INSPECTIONS BY INSURERS OR TSSA
After completing the first inspection, periodic inspections will continue for the life of the device at set intervals as outlined in TSSA’s Code Adoption Document. Insurers should continue performing periodic inspections as they have been doing, but there is no need to submit a Record of Inspection (ROI) until the COI from the first inspection is close to expiry.
OVERVIEW OF INSPECTIONS
REPAIR INSPECTIONS
Repairs include any work that is required to restore a BPV to a safe operating condition that does not deviate from the original design.
For BPVs with Equipment Breakdown insurance: Owners or operators are advised to contact their insurer to perform the repair inspection.
For BPVs without Equipment Breakdown insurance: TSSA will perform the repair inspection.
Companies performing repairs are required to have a Certificate of Authorization from TSSA or another Canadian jurisdiction. Companies with a National Board Certificate of Authorization (“R” stamp) are also acceptable, provided all National Board requirements are included.
Before starting any repair work, owners and operators are advised to contact their local TSSA BPV inspector or insurance inspector to ensure that all technical and regulatory requirements are met.
ALTERATION INSPECTIONS
Alterations are any changes to a BPV that deviate from the original design and require design calculations that could affect pressure-containing capability. (Examples include an increase in the maximum allowable working pressure (internal or external), increasing the design temperature of pressure-retaining equipment, or adding a nozzle or piping). Alterations require an engineering review.
TSSA will perform all alteration inspections. A new COI will be issued upon completing the alteration inspection. Insurers are not to perform alteration inspections.
All alterations require design registration with the TSSA before starting the work. For more details, read Guidelines for Design Approval of Used and/or Altered BPVs.
Review the application forms and instructions for applying to report a design electronically.
Companies performing alterations are required to have a Certificate of Authorization from TSSA or another Canadian jurisdiction. Companies with a National Board Certificate of Authorization (“R” stamp) are also acceptable, if “alteration” is within their scope of work.
Before starting any alteration work, contact your local TSSA BPV inspector to determine inspection requirements.
PIPING INSPECTIONS
TSSA will perform all piping inspections not exempted within Section 2 of O. Reg. 220/01. Insurers will not perform new, repair or alteration inspections on piping systems.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Every owner of a device is responsible for maintaining and operating their pressure equipment safely and immediately reporting to the TSSA any incidents that cause injury, death or property damage. In case of an incident, report to the Spills Action Centre (open 24/7) at 1-800-268-6060 or 416-325-3000.
TSSA will continue to work with agricultural partners to implement the new regulatory requirements. We will also collaborate with insurers of agricultural BPV equipment to ensure a smooth transition from TSSA’s first inspection to periodic inspections by insurers as applicable.
For more information on TSSA BPV regulatory requirements and answers to Frequently Asked Questions, please visit www.tssa.org. Interested parties may subscribe for updates at Agricultural Operations – Boilers and Pressure Equipment. Questions may be directed to: agriculture.bpv@tssa.org.
About TSSA
Throughout Ontario, the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) enforces provincial safety regulations and enhances public safety. TSSA regulates the safety of amusement devices, boilers and pressure vessels, elevating devices, fuels, operating engineers, and ski lifts. Its range of safety services includes public education, certification, licensing and registration, engineering design review, inspections, investigations, safety management consultation, compliance support, enforcement and prosecution activities.