Technical Standards and Safety Act, 2000
The Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) is required to enforce the Technical Standards and Safety Act and regulations in Ontario throughout the Lifecycle of the Boilers and Pressure Vessels (BPV) in Ontario. BPVs are equipment that produce and distribute hot water, steam, compressed air and other compressed liquids, refrigerants and gases. The program ensures safety throughout the lifecycle of the boilers and pressure vessels. Starting from the Design, Manufacturing, Installation, Operation and Maintenance until the end-of-life when the products are decommissioned.
The TSSA verify the safety of the pressurized equipment is registered by conducting the required engineering reviews and examinations, then periodic inspections are conducted by licensed inspectors by authority. Corresponding to the documentation provided by the Technical and Safety Act, 2000 (Act), there are two BPV regulations that are followed. The Boilers and Pressure Vessels regulation (O. Reg. 220/01) and the Operating Engineers regulation (O. Reg. 219/01). The (O. Reg. 220/01) is the major focus of this article. The regulation consists of the interpretation and applications, operating and general requirements for compliance, inspections and miscellaneous.
For the interpretations and applications of the regulation, the key terms are clearly identified, such as “alteration” means any change in the item described on the original manufacturer’s data report that requires a change of design calculations or otherwise affects the pressure-containing capability of a boiler or pressure vessel. Other interpretation of other terms are also included in greater details, such as “boiler”, “Certificate of inspections” and the “code adoption document” known as CAD. For the applications, the regulations categorized the types of BPVs that the TSSA standardize and inspect. For example, O. Reg. 220/1 applied to the design, construction, maintenance, use, operation, repair and service of boilers, pressure vessels and piping. In the meantime, it does not apply to a boiler that is used in connection with a hot liquid heating system that has no valves or other obstructions to free circulation between the boiler and an expansion tank that is vented freely to the atmosphere. The attached links below provide further details to the other types of BPVs that do not apply to the regulation.
General requirements for compliance are mentioned thoroughly in detail as well in terms of the operating that include the design requirements, requirements for certification of inspection, operation of the boiler, etc. The requirements for certification of inspection highlighted the process by directly mentioning that the director has to issue the certificate. “ . (1) No person shall operate or use or permit a boiler, pressure vessel, fitting or piping to be operated or used unless the director has issued a current certificate of inspection to the owner or operator stating that the boiler, pressure vessel, fitting or piping, as the case may be, has passed an inspection. O. Reg. 420/17, s. 4.”. The act has also mentioned the reporting requirements in clear order. The responsibilities of the director, owner and operators are also mentioned in regards to the general and periodic inspections in addition to the process of applying to the certificate of inspection. In this section, the unacceptable condition was also stated. “unacceptable condition” with respect to a boiler, pressure vessel, fitting or piping, means a boiler, pressure vessel, fitting or piping where:
(a) It is being used in an unsafe manner,
(b) There is any deterioration that is likely to impair its safe operation,
(c) An alteration to it has not been registered and inspected in accordance with section 7, or
(d) The condition of the relief valves or piping is likely to impair its safe operation. O. Reg. 420/17, s. 8.
However, if the BPVs, fitting or piping were inspected by the inspector and satisfied that it can no longer be used safely or operated, the inspector should seal it with a seal label after condemning it and reporting the situation to the director. The inspector in this case has to take possession of the certificate of inspection that is issued as well. The act continues with details about the certificate of competency for periodic inspections, duties of insurers for periodic inspections and the authorization of third party inspection providers.
Welding and brazing were also covered in the act and their requirements were mentioned in details. Starting from the procedures followed by the professionals in the manufacturer, welders duties and other requirements that also include the confidentiality of certain information.