Who is TSSA and what are CRNs?
TSSA is the Technical Standards and Safety Authority, an independent, non-government, non-profit organization. The Boiler and Pressure Vessels Safety Division of TSSA is responsible for the regulation of boilers, pressure vessels, pressure piping, fittings and hose assemblies as outlined under the CSA B51-97: Boiler, Pressure Vessel and Pressure Piping Code. Each province of Canada has a similar regulating body.
CRN stands for Canadian Registration Number. This is a number issued by TSSA to a company signifying that the hose assemblies produced by that company comply with the requirements of TSSA. The CRN number is either engraved on one of the fittings of the hose assembly or appears on a metal tag attached to the hose assembly.
What are the requirements of TSSA to issue a CRN?
Before a company is issued a CRN number, they are inspected by two separate departments of TSSA’s Boiler and Pressure Vessels Safety Division.
1. Quality, Contract & Technical Services: A representative is sent to the applicant’s premise to examine the following:
- Quality Control Manual
- Drawings, designs and calculations
- Material and records control
- Examination and inspection program
- Correction of non-conformities
- Calibration of equipment
2. Engineering: A TSSA inspector must witness a burst test of a sample assembly for each type of assembly to be covered under a CRN number. This is to insure that the assemblies meet the minimum safety factor, as established by the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA). The test results, hose specification and fitting specifications must be approved by a TSSA professional engineer. Any future request to add a different hose and/or type of coupling to the approved list requires a burst test and engineering approval.
By law, which hose assemblies must be CRN certified?
By law, hose assemblies require CRNs as outlined in CSA B51: Boiler, Pressure Vessel, and Pressure Piping Code. Hose assemblies are included under the category “D” fittings in the code. This typically includes hose assemblies associated with a boiler (i.e. steam hose), a compressor (i.e. air hose), or a pressurized tank/cylinder (i.e. oxygen hose, nitrogen hose, etc).
The following exemptions are allowed:
- Pessure vessels less than 1.5 cubic feet
- Pressure less than 15 psi
- Air hose assemblies 3/4″ I.D. and smaller
- Propane, acetylene, fuel gas assembles (these are covered by the Fuel Gas Code)
- Water hose assemblies up to 250 psi and under 150 degrees F.
- Open ended system e.g. a hose attached to a pump to discharge fluid into an open tank
It should also be noted that most hydraulic hose assemblies and pressure wash assemblies are associated only with a pump and not a pressure vessel and therefore are outside the code.
Acetake Group has supported over 50 companies with TSSA registration and application for Ontario Certificate of Authorization for:
- Power Piping B31.1
- Process Piping B31.3
- Refrigeration Piping B31.5
- Medical Gas Piping CSA Z7396.1
- High and Low Pressure Boiler Manufacturers
- Pressure Vessels Manufacturers – Division 1 & 2
- Repairand Alteration Organizations
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