As was highlighted in the last newsletter, in 2018 Ontario’s Provincial Auditor General conducted an audit of the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) and new CEO Bonnie Rose and her team are moving to transform the agency from an enforcement-centric entity to one that will more proactively work with its regulated communities to promote safe practices and increase compliance.
Further evidence of this transformation was seen with an October 8th announcement that, for the first time ever, TSSA will offer a voluntary Compliance Support Program to all operators and owners regulated by TSSA. Specific to HRAI and its members, this includes contractors working with boilers and pressure vessels and propane facilities.
According to TSSA, using data analytics which demonstrates that an organization requires Compliance Support, they will select those who require/qualify for Compliance Support to improve their risk status. The focus will be on high risk organizations.
Importantly for HRAI’s members, this new, voluntary Compliance Support Program will work with contractors, operators, and owners to educate them in order that they better understand how to improve compliance with safety standards. This is a key element in TSSA’s move towards becoming an Outcomes Based Regulator with a risk-based regulatory approach rather than strictly enforcement-centric.
According to TSSA, a key component of this change will be the use of existing data and analytics to identify organizations that most need the help and education regarding compliance and to identify devices with higher safety risks. In discussions with TSSA, HRAI has indicated support for changes such as this and stressed the need for increased collaboration with the HVACR sector and with contractors in particular.
The voluntary Compliance Support Program will be focused on assisting owners and operators to meet their obligations with minimal impact on their businesses while continuing to achieve safe outcomes and, where possible, reduce unnecessary regulatory burden. Education and collaboration with the industry, HRAI believes, is the best way to improve compliance with safety standards.
To find out more about TSSA’s new voluntary Compliance Support Program, contact:
AJ Kadirgamar, Director of Shared Services
Phone 1-877-682-TSSA (8772)
Email: akadirgamar@tssa.org
Read TSSA’s media release here: https://www.tssa.org/modules/news/index.aspx?newsId=758c9cc5-df32-4074-9bc6-adfc56c6521a
HRAI members are encouraged to sign up to receive TSSA’s e-newsletter to stay up to date: https://www.tssa.org/en/index.aspx
Read the Auditor General’s full report here: http://www.auditor.on.ca/en/content/annualreports/arreports/en18/v1_313en18.pdf
For more information about Ontario issues, contact Dorothy McCabe at 1-800-267-2231 ext. 274 or e-mail: dmccabe@hrai.ca.