A New Year and A New Fuel Code
The Technical Safety and Standards Authority (TSSA) is the delegated administrative authority that was established by the Government of Ontario to be responsible for the administration and enforcement of public safety laws in various sectors under the (Ontario) Technical Safety and Standards Act, 2000. The TSSA was established in 1997 and is a not-for-profit and self-funded organization.
The TSSA delivers public safety services on behalf of the government of Ontario in three main sectors. These sectors include:
Boilers, Pressure Vessels and Operating Engineers.
Elevating Devices, Amusement Devices and Ski Lifts.
Fuels.
The TSSA promotes and enforces public safety. One of the ways they accomplish this task is by supporting the development of regulations, codes and standards. For example, the Sixteenth Edition of the CSA B149.1 Natural Gas and Propane Installation Code is out now and comes into force on May 1st , 2021. The CSA B149.1 specifies installation requirements for various appliances, equipment, engines, turbines, and other components that utilize natural gas or propane as a fuel source.
The Sixteenth Edition of the CSA B149.1 updates a number of the requirements found in the previous edition of the Natural Gas and Propane Installation Code that was published in 2015. One particularly major change we note in the newest edition is the introduction of a new mandatory Appendix that specifies acceptance criteria for the visual inspection of welds. The CSA B149.1 now requires that the installation contractors visually inspect completed welds along 100% of the weld length on the outside surface of a pipe for imperfections.
Additional methods that the TSSA uses to protect both industry participants and the general public is to influence training institutions to correctly train, examine and certify trades people, register plants and equipment, and license devices, sites and contractors. The TSSA also conducts inspections and audits of trades people, contractors, plants, equipments, and sites for compliance with relevant codes and regulations.
Our engineers at Caskanette Udall Consulting Engineers keep up to date on the latest TSSA announcements and the CSA standards which we use frequently in our investigations. Many of the component and equipment failures that we investigate are directly a result of noncompliance with the applicable codes which is usually due to negligence of the installer or maintenance contractor.
If you encounter a loss that involves fuel burning systems, elevating devices, boilers, or any other type of specialized equipment, reach out to us to see if subrogation is an option for you.
