Boilers, Pressure Vessels, and Refrigeration
State of Safety 2025
Yearly Trends: Boilers, Pressure Vessels, and Refrigeration
We oversee the design, construction, installation, and operation of boilers, pressure vessels, and refrigeration plants, as well as pressure piping systems, fittings and refrigeration equipment throughout British Columbia.
In 2025, we received 50 incidents in the boilers, pressure vessels, and refrigeration technology, 24 of which were ranked as “minor” or “insignificant.” However, we continued to see incidents related to ammonia release ranked fifth in the Top 5 Safety Risks in 2025. The ranking of our Top 5 Safety Risks is based on the likelihood of an incident taking place, as well as the severity of consequences such as injury or damage following an incident.
50
Incidents reported to us in 2025
7
Injuries reported to us in 2025
5,790
Assessments completed in 2025
Ammonia Release in Food Processing Facility in Surrey
In December 2025, an ammonia release occurred at an industrial food processing facility located in Surrey. There was a control system failure at the facility which caused the refrigeration compressor to not shut down, which caused pressure in the system to build up until it activated one of the system’s overpressure safety relief valves.
Large amounts of ammonia were released into the atmosphere until the refrigeration compressor was manually shut down by disconnecting the power. The office building and production facility were evacuated, and first responders quickly shut down the area immediately surrounding the building. Two people were injured: one person tripped and fell while evacuating the building, and one person was exposed to the ammonia gas and experienced irritation.
Learn About This Incident
Incidents
Fifty incidents were reported to us in 2025, a 16% decrease over the previous year. Of these 50 incidents, zero were ranked as “severe,” two were ranked as “major,” seven were ranked as “moderate,” 14 were ranked as “minor,” and ten were ranked as “insignificant.” Seventeen incidents were ranked as “under assessment” as they were still under investigation at the time the data was analyzed.
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Injuries
Seven injuries were reported in the boilers, pressure vessels, and refrigeration technology in 2025, compared to 14 injuries reported in 2024. Of these injuries, five were ranked as “minor,” one was ranked as “insignificant,” and one was ranked major.
We receive injury reports and descriptions from operators or first responders at the time of, or immediately following, the incident. Injuries may develop after the initial reports were made to us, and the long-term effects of a resultant injury may not be recorded as part of our investigation.
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Permits
In 2025, we issued 1,515 installation permits, a 9% increase compared to 2024. The year also saw 71,214 active operating permits in the boiler, pressure vessels, and refrigeration technology. This represented a 6.5% increase in operating permits compared to 2024.
Installation Permits Issued by Year
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Active Operating Permits by Year
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Assessments
Our safety officers completed a total of 5,790 assessments of boiler, pressure vessel, and refrigeration equipment in 2025. Of this total, 4,236 were in-person, physical inspections and 1,554 were remote inspections.
The results of in-person assessments included: 3,115 "passed" and 1,121 "failed." The results of remote assessments included: 1,329 "passed" and 225 "failed."
Learn more about how we define these assessment outcomes.
Physical Inspections Completed by Pass, Failed
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Remote Inspections Completed by Pass, Failed
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