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Online reporting for Ontario agricultural boilers and pressure equipment now live
July 2, 2021 By Greenhouse Canada
Source: Adobe Stock Ontario greenhouse owners and operators can now report existing agricultural boilers and pressure vessels (BPVs) online.
The Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) rolled out the new online form on their website effective July 1, when new requirements came into effect under the Technical Standards and Safety Act, 2000’s Ontario Regulation 220/01: Boilers and Pressure Vessels and the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) B51:19 Boiler, Pressure Vessel and Pressure Piping Code.
This applies to steam boilers, water boilers, pressure vessels, and refrigeration equipment using ammonia, carbon dioxide, Group A1 refrigerants, and all other refrigerants.
The deadline to submit the online form is September 30.
First announced last year, the exemption that was previously in place for agricultural BPVs was revoked last summer due to growing safety concerns. The TSSA released detailed requirements for boilers, pressure vessels (BPV), fitting and pipings used for agricultural purposes earlier this year. These requirements started July 1, 2021.
TSSA says they will use the information collected to document existing devices in the province and conduct a risk-based assessment. As well, they will “Establish a priority list for scheduling a first inspection over five years. Sites will be prioritized for a first inspection based on the type of device, its location and whether it is covered by insurance. Priority for a first inspection will be given to agricultural operations with high-risk sites.”
Operators will be notified via email one month before the first inspection date. Those wishing to reschedule the first inspection should contact inspectionscheduling@tssa.org or call 1-833-937-8772 (or 1–833–WFP-TSSA). TSSA will respond to questions sent to agriculture.bpv@tssa.org.
After September 30, any unreported sites may lead to additional costs to the owner.
TSSA says they 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.”
New installations
For new installations, 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. More information is available online and a background document here:
Manufacturers of pressure equipment must register their designs with the 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 by the manufacturer. Manufacturers, fabricators, contractors, assemblers or repair organizations of pressure equipment must have a valid Certificate of Authorization.
Existing installations
All existing, unregistered boilers and pressure vessels (BPV) that need repair, alteration, upgrading and/or replacement; as well as their associated piping systems, will be regulated come July 1. For specifics, download the bulletin here:
TSSA is currently developing a plan, which will be phased in over five years, to bring all currently installed BPVs used for agricultural purposes into compliance. The previously stated March 1 deadline for registering existing installations was amended to July 1.
With files from: TSSA
For more information on TSSA BPV regulatory requirements and answers to Frequently Asked Questions, please visit www.tssa.org. You can subscribe for updates at Agricultural Operations – Boilers and Pressure Equipment. Questions may be directed to: agriculture.bpv@tssa.org.
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