After first launching three years ago, TSSA is continuing its Fuel Oil Distributor Audit Program that will require distributors to demonstrate their compliance with the Fuel Oil regulation, O. Reg. 213/01. The Fuel Oil regulation, O. Reg. 213/01, has six primary requirements that are a distributor’s responsibilities. They are as follows:
- Initial and Periodic Inspections
- Underground Tank Registrations
- Supply to a Compliant Site
- Employees’ Certification and Compliance
- Incident Reporting
- Identification, Action as Required and Reporting of non-compliances (unacceptable conditions)
Distributors are responsible for complying with the above six primary requirements. TSSA’s audit will require the distributor to demonstrate compliance through their processes and records.
Regarding the first requirement listed above “Initial and Periodic Inspections”, if there is no process to verify distributor inspections, TSSA will now do a field verification. If TSSA does a field verification and non-compliances are found, orders will be issued to address the specific non-compliances including the following “as a person who supplies fuel to containers and tank systems, you are hereby ordered to develop a program whereby you can demonstrate that you have taken every precaution that is reasonable to ensure the inspections required by 7(1) of Ontario Regulation 213/01 (Fuel Oil) are accurate”.
Please see these advisories for further detail on the fuel oil distributor audit program:
- Introduction of TSSA’s Fuel Oil Distributor Audit Program
- Validation Programs associated with TSSA’s Fuel Oil Distributor Audit Program, Advisory FS-247-19 R2
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
Under the revised Heating Contractor Audit Program, Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) inspectors now focus on the contractor’s business operation as it pertains to the regulation(s) instead of conducting field inspections for code compliance. This allows the contractor to be responsible for regulatory compliance, including checking their fuel technicians’ work in the field.
The program will continue with enhanced processes incorporating learnings since it was first launched a few years ago.
The Propane, Gaseous and Fuel Oil Regulations have seven primary requirements that are a contractor’s responsibilities. They are as follows:
- Only install approved equipment
- Technicians shall be certified for the work
- Call for initial inspection by the distributor where fuel is being used for the first time
- Ensure employees comply with the regulation(s) by verifying employees’ work in the field
- Incident Reporting
- Identification, action as required and reporting of non-compliances (unacceptable conditions)
- Requirement to tag (pressure test tag/installation tag) equipment upon installation completion (in the Natural Gas and Propane Installation Code and the Fuel Oil Regulation)
TSSA’s audit will require the contractor to demonstrate compliance with these requirements through the contractor’s processes, procedures and records.
Regarding item 4 listed above “Ensure employees comply with the regulation(s) by verifying employees’ work in the field”, TSSA expects contractors to check their employees’ (technicians’) fuels work. The Safety Dispatch newsletter issued on August 15, 2023 indicated contractors must have a Quality Assurance Program. While this is not a requirement, it is one method to achieve compliance and is a best practice in the heating contractor industry. If there is no process to verify technicians’ work, TSSA will perform field verifications. In the event that non-compliances are found during TSSA’s verification, orders will be issued to address the non-compliances, including a directive for the contractor to develop a program to demonstrate that every reasonable precaution has been taken to ensure employees comply with O. Reg. 211/01 (Propane Storage and Handling) s. 5 or O. Reg. 212/01 (Gaseous Fuels) s. 11 or O. Reg. 213/01 (Fuel Oil) s. 5. as applicable.
Please review these advisories for further details on the Heating Contractor Audit Program:
- Revision of TSSA’s Fuels Heating Contractor Audit Program
- Validation Programs associated with TSSA’s Fuels Heating Contractor Audit Program, Advisory FS-248-20
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.
The Technical Standards and Safety Authority has posted an advisory on the responsibilities of contractors and certificate holders who install and commission gaseous appliances and fuel distributors who supply fuel to those appliances at residential homes, particularly during construction. The CSA B-149.1, Natural Gas and Propane Installation, code requires that all appliances be installed and commissioned in compliance with code and manufacturer’s instructions.
Please read advisory FS-262-23 for details.
Fuels Safety Program
Technical Standards and Safety Authority
Toronto, ON, January 30, 2023 – Zhoufeng Yu, sole director of Lucky Air Systems operating in Richmond Hill and the Greater Toronto Area, pled guilty on Friday to one count of repairing a natural gas appliance without a TSSA-issued gas technician certificate and one count of knowingly making a false statement or furnishing false information, offenses under the Technical Standards and Safety Act. The Ontario Court of Justice ordered Yu to pay a total fine of $7,000 for both counts, plus a 25 per cent victim surcharge.
Yu, who has not held a valid TSSA certificate since 2018, entered into a verbal contract with a Toronto homeowner to repair a natural gas furnace, which had previously been issued a hazard tag by Enbridge Gas. Upon completing the repairs, Yu signed the hazard tag with the name of another individual that held a valid TSSA certificate, thereby indicating under someone else’s legal authority that the hazard had been cleared.
Why Hire Qualified Workers to Perform Fuel-Related Work?
When individuals are not certified by TSSA to perform fuel-related work:
- their work on fuel-burning equipment is not subject to TSSA audits for compliance with safety requirements.
- their knowledge, competency and qualifications cannot be validated.
- they do not receive updates on safety information and training.
“Improper installation and poor work have been identified as major contributing factors to fuels- and carbon monoxide-related safety risks in people’s homes,” said Sam Sadeghi, Director, Fuels Safety, TSSA. “Hiring only those authorized by TSSA to perform fuel-related work is essential to safeguarding one’s health and wellbeing.”
TSSA reminds the public that any fuel-fired appliance should be installed, serviced and inspected by a TSSA-registered contractor. The public can verify a contractor’s authorization status online or call TSSA toll-free 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
Alexander Oleszek has recently been fined $5,000, after pleading guilty to activating a natural-gas water heater at a Hamilton townhouse without the required certification in 2018. The Ontario Court of Justice ordered Oleszek to pay the fine within two years.
Why Hire Qualified Workers to Perform Fuel-Related Work?
When individuals are not certified by TSSA to perform fuel-related work:
- their work on fuel-burning equipment is not subject to TSSA audits for compliance with safety requirements.
- their knowledge, competency and qualifications cannot be validated.
- they do not receive updates on safety information and training.
“Improper installation and poor work have been identified as major contributing factors to fuels- and carbon monoxide-related safety risks in people’s homes,” said Sam Sadeghi, Statutory Director, Fuels Safety Program, TSSA. “Hiring only those authorized by TSSA to perform fuel-related work is essential to safeguarding one’s health and wellbeing.”
If in doubt of a gas technician’s certification, contact TSSA toll-free at 1-877-682-8772, to verify the individual’s credentials.