The Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA), Ontario’s public safety regulator, wants owners, operators and insurers of boilers and pressure equipment used for agricultural purposes to be aware of an important change to safety laws that comes into effect this summer.

Following the communication in July 2020, effective July 1, 2021, all new installations of boilers, pressure vessels, fittings and piping used for agricultural purposes must comply with:

• Ontario Regulation 220/01: Boilers and Pressure Vessels, under the Technical Standards and Safety Act, 2000. This regulation applies to the design, construction, maintenance, use, operation, repair and service of boilers, pressure vessels and piping in Ontario.
• Canadian Standards Association (CSA) B51:19 Boiler, Pressure Vessel and Pressure Piping Code, a national code that promotes safe design, construction, installation, operation, inspection, and repair practices.

The following outlines TSSA’s first steps in working with the agricultural community on this change.

The exemption that was previously in place for boilers and pressure equipment used for agricultural purposes was revoked last summer due to growing safety concerns that were also highlighted by the Auditor General in her 2018 report.  

The regulation pertains to the following equipment used for agricultural purposes*

• Steam boilers
• Water boilers
• Refrigeration equipment using ammonia, carbon dioxide, Group A1 refrigerants, and all other refrigerants
• Pressure vessels
• Pressure piping

*Unless listed in the exclusions below due to the size of the equipment, lower pressure, lower temperatures, and non-hazardous liquid.

Some examples of equipment excluded from the regulation include:

• a boiler having a heating surface of 10 square feet (0.93 square metres) or less;
• a pressure vessel, fitting or piping that contains a gas, vapour or liquid at a maximum allowable working pressure of 15 psi (103 kPa) or less;
• pressure piping that forms part of the heating system in a building that is,

(i)      heated by steam at a pressure not exceeding 15 psi (103kPa), or

(ii)     heated by water at a pressure not exceeding 160 psi (1,100 kPa) and at a temperature that does not exceed 250°F (121°C);

• a pressure vessel, fitting or piping that contains liquids not more hazardous than water and that operates at a temperature of 150°F (65°C) or less and at a maximum allowable working pressure of 250 psi (1,717 kPa) or less;

See O. Reg. 220/01, s. 2 for other exclusions.

Therefore, beginning July 1, 2021, newly-installed boiler and pressure equipment that falls within the O. Reg. 220/01 must comply with the following regulatory requirements:

• Manufacturers of pressure equipment must register their designs with TSSA and the designs must meet the requirements of the applicable North American code. Once approved, a Canadian Registration Number (CRN) is issued, which must be marked on the nameplate of every boiler and pressure vessel.
• Manufacturers, fabricators, contractors, assemblers or repair organizations of pressure equipment must have a valid Certificate of Authorization.
• A TSSA BPV inspector conducts an installation inspection of all pressure equipment before it can be placed into service. Upon successful completion, TSSA issues a Certificate of Inspection (COI).
• Once the owners and operators have received a COI, the certified equipment will then be subject to periodic inspection by a qualified inspector – owners must request an inspection either from their insurer or from TSSA as appropriate prior to the expiry date on their Certificate of Inspection.

Every owner of a device is responsible for maintaining and operating their pressure equipment safely and for immediately reporting to the TSSA any incidents that cause injury, death or property damage.

There are no changes with respect to Operating Engineering practices.

TSSA fees for registration, inspection, engineering, and licensing services for new equipment will be levied using a cost recovery model according to the TSSA Boiler and Pressure Vessel Fee Schedule.  

Existing equipment

TSSA is currently developing a plan, which will be phased in over five years, to bring all currently installed boilers and pressure vessels used for agricultural purposes that fall under the regulation as of July 1, 2021, into compliance and improve the safety of these devices. As part of the plan, TSSA will be registering equipment. More details will be released shortly.

TSSA will continue to work collaboratively with agricultural partners to implement the new regulatory requirements, making sure owners, operators and insurers of pressure equipment used for agricultural purposes understand the safety regulations and what they need to do to comply.

To find more information on TSSA Boiler and Pressure Vessel regulatory requirements and answers to Frequently Asked Questions, please visit www.tssa.org. Interested parties may subscribe for updates at Agricultural Use – 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 include public education, certification, licensing and registration, engineering design review, inspections, investigations, safety management consultation, compliance support, enforcement and prosecution activities.

Following TSSA’s April 29, 2021 communication outlining the regulatory requirements for newly installed boilers and pressure equipment used for agricultural purposes that fall within the O. Reg. 220/01, this news bulletin explains what owners and operators of the following equipment need to do to comply with safety laws:  

a) Existing, unregistered boilers and pressure vessels (BPV) that need repair, alteration, upgrading and/or replacement; and

b) their associated piping systems.

Effective July 1, 2021, all repairs and alterations of BPVs, fittings and piping used for agricultural purposes must comply with Ontario Regulation 220/01: Boilers and Pressure Vessels, under the Technical Standards and Safety Act, 2000 

BOILERS AND PRESSURE VESSELS

Repairs to BPVs 

Repairs include any work that is required to restore a boiler or pressure vessel to a safe operating condition that does not deviate from the original design. If there is a deviation from the design, please refer to the “Alterations to BPVs” section below. 

Companies performing repairs are required to have a Certificate of Authorization from TSSA or another Canadian jurisdiction. These companies are listed in TSSA’s business directory. Companies with a National Board Certificate of Authorization (“R” stamp) are also acceptable, provided all National Board requirements are included.  

Repair inspection of BPVs with Mechanical Breakdown insurance 

If your BPVs are covered by Mechanical Breakdown insurance, contact your insurer to perform the repair inspection.  

Repair inspection of BPVs without Mechanical Breakdown insurance 

Before starting any repair work, contact your local TSSA BPV inspector to ensure that all technical and regulatory requirements are met. View our BPV Inspector list to find an inspector in your area.  

Alterations to BPVs 

Alterations are any changes to a boiler or pressure vessel 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) or increasing the design temperature of pressure-retaining equipment.  

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 submitting an application to register 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, provided all National Board requirements are included. 

Before starting any alteration work, contact your local TSSA BPV inspector to determine inspection requirements. View our BPV Inspector list to locate an inspector in your area. All alteration inspections must be done by TSSA.  

PIPING 

Some piping systems are exempt from TSSA registration and inspection. Please contact BPV customer service to determine whether your piping system is exempt.

Repairs to Piping 

Before repairing or fabricating any piping, contact your local TSSA BPV inspector to determine inspection requirements. View our BPV Inspector list to locate an inspector in your area.  

Companies repairing piping are required to have a Certificate of Authorization from TSSA or another Canadian jurisdiction. 

Alterations to Piping 

New piping or additions to existing piping systems require design registration and inspection. Please see the design guidelines for details and review the application forms and the instructions for submitting an application electronically.  

Companies installing piping are required to have a Certificate of Authorization from TSSA or another Canadian jurisdiction. 

Before fabricating any piping, contact your local TSSA BPV inspector to ensure that all technical and regulatory requirements are met. View our BPV Inspector list to locate an inspector in your area.  

INCIDENT REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

Incident reporting is a key part of making Ontario a safe place to work, live and play. Reporting an incident protects the public and helps industries prevent future issues. For regulated industries, reporting an incident is the law. TSSA staff conduct investigations at the site of any boiler, pressure vessel, pressure piping or fitting incidents. We also provide support to other regulatory agencies when needed.  

In case of an incident, report to the Spills Action Centre that is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week: 

Toll-free, province-wide: 1-800-268-6060  

Toronto-area: 416-325-3000  

TTY: 1-855-889-5775 

FURTHER UPDATES

TSSA is currently developing a plan, which will be phased in over five years, to bring into compliance all existing BPVs used for agricultural purposes that fall under the regulation as of July 1, 2021. The plan includes registering existing equipment through a form that will be released shortly. The information collected through the form will be used by TSSA to do a risk-based assessment and establish a priority list for scheduling inspections based on the type of device, its location and whether it is covered by insurance. More details will be available in the coming weeks when the form is released.

TSSA will continue to work collaboratively with agricultural partners to implement the new regulatory requirements, making sure that owners, operators and insurers of pressure equipment used for agricultural purposes understand the safety regulations and what they need to do to comply.

To find 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 include public education, certification, licensing and registration, engineering design review, inspections, investigations, safety management consultation, compliance support, enforcement and prosecution activities.