RFABCSafety Leadership:

Responsibilities & Plant MaintenanceNovember 7, 2019

1. Regulatory Requirements

2. Refrigeration Maintenance Guideline

3. Engagement Session

AGENDA

2

Who is Technical Safety BC?

Technical Safety BC is the

regulatory body that administers:The Railway Safety Act

(RSA)

The Safety Standards Act

(SSA)

If you are installing, operating,

manufacturing, altering, maintaining

or selling equipment in any of the

technologies we regulate, you are

likely within our jurisdiction.

Products and Services Technical Safety BC offers

• Installation permits

• Operating permits

• Licensing for contractors

• Certification of individuals

• Education (tech talks, events)

• Review & approval of product designs

• Incident investigation

• Inspection based on risk

• Audit & enforcement

AMMONIA

REFRIGERATION &

PLANT

REQUIREMENTS

Plant Supervision

Scope

Terminology and references provided in this presentation on

plant supervision are applicable to refrigeration plants in

public occupancies such as ice rinks and curling rinks.

Plant in Operation

For the purposes of plant supervision, a plant is deemed to be in

operation if any part of the refrigeration system contains refrigerant

(e.g. ammonia, Freon, etc.) at a pressure greater than 15 psig,

unless:

• the refrigerant charge is pumped down and contained in a liquid

receiver, or parts of a system designed for that purpose,

• provided with over-pressure protection, and

• isolated to prevent the circulation of refrigerant.

Plant Supervision / Common Requirements

The regulation sets out the requirements for the supervision of

refrigeration plants:• that exceed 50 kW total capacity (Group A3, B2 and B3 refrigerants).

Ammonia plants fall under this category.

• that exceed 200 kW total capacity (Group A1, A2, and B1 refrigerants).

Freon plants fall under this category.

Plants can be operated as Continuous Supervision or Risk Assessed

Status.

Classification of Refrigerants

REFRIGERANT CLASSIFICATIONS

LOWER TO TOXICITY HIGHER TOXICITY

HIGHER FLAMMABILITY A3 B3

LOWER FLAMMABILITY A2 B2

NO FLAME PROPAGATION A1 B1

Ethane

Propane

Isobutane

Carbon

Dioxide

Ammonia

Freon

Plant Supervision / Common Requirements

Person in charge of a refrigeration plant

The owner of a refrigeration plant must designate a person to be in

charge of the plant that is responsible for the plant at all times that it

is in operation.

The owner must report incidents and hazards to Technical Safety

BC. Information Bulletin IB-BP 2017: https://www.technicalsafetybc.ca/alerts/information-bulletin-incident-and-hazard-reporting-boilers-pressure-vessels-piping-and

Plant Supervision / Common Requirements

The person in charge of a plant that is Continuous Supervision or

Risk Assessed Status refrigeration plant is required to hold a:

• 4th Class Power Engineer (PE) (or higher), or

• Refrigeration Operator (RO) certificate

Note – a PE or RO are also qualified to be in charge of a shift

Plant Supervision / Common Requirements

Ice Facility Operator (IFO)

• can be the person in charge of a shift in a Continuous

Supervision or Risk Assessed Status refrigeration plant that does

not exceed 1000 kW total capacity

Note – an IFO is not qualified to be the person in charge of a plant

Plant Supervision / All Plants

• the person in charge of a shift shall be in the immediate

vicinity of the plant premises at all times that the plant is in

operation

• the person in charge of a shift is not intended to be within

the refrigeration machinery room at all times, but must be

on-site, within the plant premises

CONTINUOUS

SUPERVISION

STATUS PLANTS

Plant Supervision / Continuous

Means that the plant is required to be under continuous

supervision at all times that the plant is in operation

Supervision is not required when:

• the plant is not in operation

• the plant does not exceed 50 kW total capacity (Group A3, B2

and B3 refrigerants e.g. ammonia)

• the plant does not exceed 200 kW total capacity (Group A1, A2,

and B1 refrigerants e.g. Freon)

Plant Supervision / Continuous

Person in charge of a shift

A person in charge of a shift in a

Continuous Supervision Status

plant is required to hold a:

• 4th Class Power Engineer (or

higher),

• Refrigeration Operator, or

• Ice Facility Operator certificate

SUPERVISION / RISK

ASSESSED:

RISK ASSESSED

STATUS PLANTS

Supervision / Risk Assessed

Section 56 of the regulation provides the requirements for a

Risk Assessed Status Plant

• limited to refrigeration plants up to and including 1000

kW capacity

• Plant must meet additional technical specifications

including remote monitoring and alarms

• Provides for reduced supervision when the plant is in

operation and the premises are not occupied

Supervision / Risk Assessed

Supervision of a risk assessed plant is

required at all times when:

• The plant is in operation, and

• The premises are occupied (by any person)

Supervision of a risk assessed plant is not

required when:

• The plant is not in operation, or

• The plant is in operation and the premises are

unoccupied

Supervision / Risk Assessed

The person in charge of a shift for a minimum of 7 hours in any 24

hour period is required to hold a:

• 4th Class Power Engineering (or higher), or

• a Refrigeration Operator certificate

The person in charge of the remaining shifts in any 24 hour period

is required to hold a:

• PE (4th class or higher), RO, IFO, or

• a Refrigeration Safety Awareness certificate

Supervision / Risk Assessed

Refrigeration Safety Awareness Certificate

The regulation was recently amended to remove the requirement

for a RSA certificate to name the plant on the certificate.

However, it is now the responsibility of the owner of the plant to

ensure that the RSA certificate holder is trained in the safety

procedures for that specific plant prior to being assigned to the

shift schedule

MAINTENANCE

GUIDELINES

Ammonia Refrigeration Incidents

• Upward incident trend

• 39 injuries

• 3 fatalities

• Two area evacuations

• One state of emergency

• 75% of incidents caused by:

• Equipment Failure

• Inadequate procedure

Fernie Memorial Arena – Multiple Areas of Failure

Employee Turnover

FERNIEOCTOBER 17, 2017

3 Fatalities

95 Residents

Knowledge & Expertise

Unclear Roles

Competing Priorities

Maintenance programs

Hazards and Risk

WHY SHOULD YOU

CARE?

Why should you care?

Cost of an incidentWell being of your

people

1

• Financial loss

• Productivity loss

• Legal costs

• High internal turnover

• Incidents can cause

injuries, or even death

• Complying and

following safety

procedures leads to:

•Employee confidence

•Less downtime

•Healthier workplace

2

Why should you care?

Your legal

responsibility

It’s good for your

business

3

• Installation permit

• Licensed contractors

& certified individuals

• Asset Owners

• Qualified individuals

• New designs, newly

built equipment

• Reporting

• Positive reputation

• Hiring

• Longevity and

reliability of equipment

• Reduces risks of

shutdowns

• Reduces

legal/regulatory issues

and costs

4

Summary of responsibilities

Maintenance Requirements:

• Act and Regulation

• CSA B51

o in-service inspection must be performed to determine the condition and fitness to continue to operate safely of pressure vessels, piping and fittings in a refrigeration system

• CSA B52

o owner must maintain the refrigeration system to preserve the operating efficiencies, equipment integrity, personal protection and protection of the building and natural environments

• NBIC, Part 2

Maintenance Strategies and Practice

Strategy DescriptionCorrective Inspections, repairs, replacements

carried out following detection of anomalies.

Preventative Inspections, repairs and replacements are scheduled at pre-determined intervals.

Predictive Regularly assess condition and repair or replace prior to estimated failure.

Reliability Centered

Analyze failure modes and customize inspections, repairs and replacements based upon desired reliability.

PURPOSE OF

MAINTENANCE

GUIDELINE

Provide guidance and basic information for the development of a maintenance and inspection program and operational procedures

Guideline Objectives

• Provide support to industry in response to the report’s recommendations

• Provide direction and guidance to owners, contractors, training providers & operators

• Improve the management and oversight of:o maintenance programs

o inspection

o operational emergency procedures

Industry Standards and Guidelines

Limited resources (specific to ammonia refrigeration systems)• standards

• guidance

• information

Refining and Petrochemical API:

• RP 571 (Damage Mechanisms Affecting Fixed Equipment in the Refining Industry)

• RP 574 (Inspection Practices for Piping System Components)

Goal of proposed guidelines is to fill this gap

Ammonia Refrigeration Maintenance Guideline

1. Main Body and general information: Equipment Integrity Management Program

2. Appendix A: Sample of an integrity management manual

3. Appendix B: Damage mechanisms and inspection approaches

Plant Equipment Integrity Planning in 3 parts:

Ammonia Refrigeration Maintenance Guideline

• Scope

• Definitions

• Owners responsibilities

• Equipment integrity management program requirements

• Mandatory codes and regulations

Main Body and General Information:

Ammonia Refrigeration Maintenance Guideline

• Statement of authority and responsibility

• Manual control

• Training and competency

• Document and records admin

• Procedures

• Installation, repair and alteration methods

• Materials

Equipment Integrity Management Program Requirements:

Ammonia Refrigeration Maintenance Guideline

• Corrosion

• Erosion

• Cavitation

• Damages specific to certain refrigeration equipment: Piping, Compressors, Condensers, Heat exchangers, …

Appendix A: Sample of an integrity management manualAppendix B: Damage mechanisms and inspection approaches

ENGAGEMENT

SESSION

Technical Safety BC would like your input:

1. What steps has your organization taken in the last 2 years to improve

maintenance practices and ongoing operations?

2. What were some of the challenges faced during the implementation of those

improvements? What’s your top tip to share with others?

3. What do you need from Technical Safety BC?

Every table reports back with a 3 - 5 minute summary

PROVIDING FEEDBACK

38

Group Discussions

• The maintenance guideline consultation is closed but you can

provide input by email

• A feedback summary will be posted by the end of the year

• Next steps will be posted on Technical Safety BC’s website

Questions?

Please contact us at engage@technicalsafetybc.ca

Thank you for inviting us today

NEXT STEPS

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QUESTIONS?

THANK YOU