The Technical Standards and Safety Authority has posted an advisory, "Electrical Approval Requirements for Equipment and Installations subject to TSSA Approval."
Fuels Safety Program reviews fuel systems and device design submissions to ensure compliance with the Technical Standards and Safety (TSS) Act and its adopted regulations, safety codes and standards. Applicable codes require that an electrical portion of the fuel system comply with the Ontario Electrical Safety Code.
To ensure that the equipment or installation is electrically safe, Fuels Safety will require evidence of an acceptable electrical approval prior to the inspection of field approvals or inspections of fuel facilities. TSSA will not pass an inspection or apply a Field Approval label if there is no evidence of electrical approval.
Please read advisory FS-268-23 for details.
Fuels Safety Program
Technical Standards and Safety Authority
Individual Fined $5,000 for Activating Natural-Gas Pool Heater Without Certification, Resulting in Injury to Homeowner
Toronto, ON, May 25, 2023 – Jeffrey Payne, a plumber residing in Ottawa, pled guilty last Thursday to one count of activating a natural-gas pool heater without a TSSA-issued gas technician certificate, an offense under the Technical Standards and Safety Act. The Ontario Court of Justice ordered Payne to pay a $5,000 fine, plus 25 per cent victim surcharge.
In September 2022, Payne visited an Ottawa home and completed the installation of plumbing connected to a natural-gas pool heater. The propane gas supply line had already been connected to the pool heater prior to Payne’s visit. Payne then turned on the gas supply line to the pool heater. This was the first time that the gas supply line and pool heater were activated.
Later that day after Payne left the home, the homeowner turned the pool heater off and then on again. Upon restarting the pool heater, an explosion occurred, and the homeowner sustained burns to his left hand.
“It is essential that homeowners hire only registered contractors for the installation, activation, service and inspection of all fuel-fired appliances,” said Sam Sadeghi, Statutory Director, Fuels Safety Program, TSSA. “Improper servicing of a natural-gas appliance could lead to explosions, carbon monoxide poisoning and other safety risks that can sicken, injure or even kill unsuspecting residents.”
TSSA provides direct oversight of all of Ontario’s registered fuels contractors, which means a registered contractor’s work — and the work of the contractor’s certified technicians – is subject to TSSA audits for compliance with safety requirements. The public can find all of Ontario’s registered contractors online and verify a company’s or an individual’s credentials by calling TSSA at 1-877-682-8772.
About TSSA
Throughout Ontario, the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) administers 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 authorization, engineering design review, inspections, investigations, compliance support, enforcement, and prosecution activities.
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For more information, please contact:
Alexandra Campbell
Vice President, Communications and Stakeholder Relations
Technical Standards and Safety Authority
Telephone: 416-734-6227
Email: media@tssa.org
With summer rains increasing the risk of flooding, the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) cautions Ontarians to be aware of fuels and elevator related hazards that can occur during flooding conditions. When flooding occurs, key energy infrastructures can become temporarily out of commission, tempting residents to turn to alternatives that may be unsafe.
Did you Know?
- Portable, fuel-fired appliances designed for outdoor use are never safe to use indoors – They can cause carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, fires and other harmful risks.
- Generators used outside must be situated away from open windows, doors and vents – CO produced by a generator can seep into these openings.
- CO gas can also accumulate in car ports, garages and covered patios – Never use portable, fuel-fired generators, propane BBQs and other fuel-burning outdoor appliances in these areas to prevent CO poisoning.
- Drying a basement with commercial ventilating fans can create a ‘negative pressure’ environment – This can cause CO from appliances in the home to spill back into the home, so ensure there is proper ventilation during the procedure.
- Using an elevator in a flooding building is a safety hazard – Water can accumulate in elevator shafts or adversely affect an elevator’s operation leading to entrapment or injury.
Visit TSSA.org/Seasonal-Flooding-Safety for TSSA’s full seasonal flooding safety guide. Residents and businesses unsure of how flooding conditions may affect the safeness of specific TSSA-regulated devices should contact TSSA.
Improperly Done Work Resulted in Homeowner Fainting from Carbon Monoxide Leak
March 28, 2023 – The Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) recently successfully prosecuted Zlatko Antonov of Jolanta Plumbing & Mechanical Inc. for altering exhaust venting on a natural gas boiler without holding a TSSA gas technician certificate. The improperly done work resulted in a carbon monoxide (CO) leak and injury to a homeowner.
Three days after Antonov performed the work at a Toronto residence, the homeowner fainted, and 911 was called. When the first responders arrived and detected a high CO reading, the home was evacuated, and the homeowner was taken to the hospital in an ambulance.
Antonov has never held a TSSA certificate and had a prior conviction for working without a certificate. Given the severe danger posed by Antonov’s unauthorized work and his previous conviction, the Ontario Court of Justice ordered Antonov to pay a $30,000 fine, plus a victim surcharge, within 180 days.
“A fine of this magnitude sends a clear message to Antonov and those participating in the underground market that performing fuels work without a TSSA certificate is a serious violation of Ontario’s public safety laws and will not be tolerated,” said Sam Sadeghi, Director of TSSA’s Fuels Safety Program.
TSSA reminds the public that all gas appliance work must be performed by a TSSA-certified technician who is employed by a TSSA-registered contractor. All Ontario contractors are listed on the TSSA website.
About TSSA
Throughout Ontario, the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) administers 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 authorization, engineering design review, inspections, investigations, compliance support, enforcement, and prosecution activities.
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For more information, please contact:
Alexandra Campbell
Vice President, Communications and Stakeholder Relations
Technical Standards and Safety Authority
Telephone: 416-734-6227
Email: media@tssa.org
The Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) has entered into contractual agreements with UL Solutions and Origin and Cause to support its inspection workforce in Fuels Safety Program while the organization addresses resource vacancies and a high volume of inspection requests.
Representatives from UL Solutions and Origin and Cause who have been appointed as inspectors under the Technical Standards and Safety Act have the legal authority to perform inspections on behalf of TSSA.
They are also required to present the following proof of identification prior to conducting inspections:
- A photo identification;
- A business card; and
- A signed Letter of Appointment indicating that they are authorized by TSSA to carry out inspections
Fuels Safety Program customers with questions or concerns can contact TSSA at Fuels_technical_services@tssa.org, or call the Customer Service at Centre at 1-877-682-8772.
Fuels Safety Program
Technical Standards and Safety Authority
Individual Fined $6,000+ for Employing Unlicensed Worker to Install Natural Gas Water Heater
March 16, 2023 – Michael Daniel Hogan, sole director of Mike Hogan Plumbing and Heating Inc. in Kingston, pled guilty on Monday to one count of failing to take every reasonable precaution to ensure the company’s employees are appropriately certified to perform gas work, an offense under the Technical Standards and Safety Act. The Ontario Court of Justice ordered Hogan to pay a total fine of $6,000, plus a 25 per cent victim surcharge.
Under Hogan’s employment, an employee who has never held a T SSA certificate, licence, or registration, was dispatched to a Kingston home to install a natural gas water heater. Hogan, a TSSA-certified G2 gas technician, failed to ensure the employee was certified to perform the work he completed during the course of his employment.
Difference Between Certified Technicians and Registered Contractors
While certification refers to the legal obligation for an individual to have the necessary qualifications to perform gas work, registration describes the legal requirement that a company be registered and therefore permitted to perform gas work.
“Registered contractors are responsible for ensuring all of the technicians they hire are properly trained and certified by TSSA to perform the tasks they are assigned to code,” said Sam Sadeghi, Director of TSSA’s Fuels Safety Program. “If contractors or homeowners have any doubt of a technician’s qualifications, they are urged to call TSSA at 1-877-682-8772 to verify the validity and level of the technician’s certification.”
TSSA reminds the public to hire only registered contractors for the installation, service and inspection of a fuel-fired appliances. TSSA provides direct oversight of all of Ontario’s registered fuels contractors, which means a registered contractor’s work — and the work of the contractor’s technicians – is subject to TSSA audits for compliance with safety requirements. The public can find all of Ontario’s registered contractors online or verify a company’s or an individual’s credentials by calling TSSA directly.
About TSSA
Throughout Ontario, the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) administers 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 authorization, engineering design review, inspections, investigations, compliance support, enforcement, and prosecution activities.
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For more information, please contact:
Alexandra Campbell
Vice President, Communications and Stakeholder Relations
Technical Standards and Safety Authority
Telephone: 416-734-6227
Email: media@tssa.org