Directive: Temporary absence of Chief Engineer
Directive
Directive: Temporary absence of Chief Engineer
May 14, 2012
Reference Number:
D-BP 2012-03
This Directive is being issued by a provincial safety manager pursuant to section 30 of the Safety Standards Act.
General details
This Directive is being issued to owners and chief engineers of plants to provide an interpretation of temporary absence of a chief engineer to determine when a shift engineer can be appointed to be in charge of a plant in the chief engineer’s absence and when an application of a Category "B" interim power engineer's certificate of qualification must be made to permit a power engineer with a class lower than the plant classification to act as chief engineer during the chief engineer’s absence.
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Specific details
Section 44 (1) of the Power Engineers, Boiler, Pressure Vessel and Refrigeration Safety Regulation (the Regulation) stipulates that a power engineer with a certificate of qualification corresponding to or higher than the classification of the plant to be appointed as chief engineer of a plant.
A chief engineer must be present at the plant for which the chief engineer is responsible. When the chief engineer is temporarily absent from the plant, Section 70 of the Regulation requires the owner to appoint a power engineer who holds a certificate of qualification of not less than one class lower than that required for chief engineer to act as a shift engineer. A temporary absence is deemed to be a period not exceeding 96 hours.
For plants with an assistant chief engineer designated by the owner, where the chief engineer expects to be absent from the plant for a period exceeding 96 hours due to vacation, illness or other emergency, the assistant chief engineer shall be placed in charge of the plant.
If the plant does not employ an assistant chief engineer and the chief power engineer expects to be absent from the plant for a period exceeding 96 hours due to vacation, illness or other emergency, the chief power engineer or owner must appoint a power engineer, who meets the requirements for an assistant chief engineer, to be in charge of the plant during the chief engineers absence. The appointment of the power engineer and the period which the power engineer will be in charge of the plant shall be documented by the owner.
If there is no power engineer with the required certificate of qualification for the classification of the plant, the chief engineer or owner may apply for a category "B" interim power engineer's certificate of qualification for a power engineer holding a certificate of qualification one class lower than the classification of the plant.
A category "B" interim power engineer's certificate of qualification can be in effect for a period not exceeding 60 days and can be renewed once for a period not exceeding 30 days.
Ed Hurd P.Eng.
Provincial Safety Manager, Boilers
References:
Relevant legislation
Power Engineers, Boiler, Pressure Vessel & Refrigeration Safety Regulation
"assistant chief engineer" means a power engineer who
- is employed in a plant to assist the chief engineer,
- holds a certificate of qualification not less than one class lower than that required to operate the plant as the chief engineer, and
- is placed in charge of the plant when the chief engineer is absent from the plant;
Interim certificates of qualification
27 (1) A provincial safety manager may, subject to sections 28 and 29, issue an interim power engineer's certificate of qualification to a power engineer of any class.
- A provincial safety manager, may, subject to sections 28 and 29, issue a fifth or fourth class interim power engineer's certificate of qualification to an individual with qualifications that are acceptable to a provincial safety manager.
- An interim certificate of qualification issued under subsection (1) or (2) entitles the holder to perform duties for the limited period of time set out on the certificate.
Application for Category "B" interim power engineer's certificate of qualification
29 (1) The chief engineer of a plant, or, if there is no chief engineer, the owner of a plant, may apply for a category "B" interim power engineer's certificate of qualification on behalf of a power engineer who has been employed in the plant or an equivalent plant for a period of at least 12 months if there are special circumstances in the plant such as illness, extended vacations or emergencies.
(2) The power engineer referred to in subsection (1) must hold a certificate of qualification one class lower than the interim certificate applied for and the application must be approved by a provincial safety manager.
(3) A category "B" interim power engineer's certificate of qualification is in force for no more than 60 days from the date of issue.
(4) Despite subsection (3), on application by the owner or chief engineer of a plant, a category "B" interim power engineer's certificate of qualification issued to a power engineer in that plant may be renewed by a provincial safety manager once only, for a period that does not exceed 30 days.
44 (1) A plant classification referred to in this regulation requires a power engineer with a corresponding or higher class of certificate of qualification to be appointed as chief engineer of that plant.
(2) For the purposes of subsection (1), a plant is classified by the type and total capacity of the boiler or refrigeration equipment that is connected to the same header or refrigeration system, as the case may be.
(2.1) A refrigeration plant requires a refrigeration operator or a power engineer with a fourth class or higher certification of qualification to be in charge of the plant.
General requirements for person in charge of a plant
67 (1) The person in charge of a plant must hold a certificate of qualification appropriate to the work to be performed in the plant
(2) The person in charge of the plant must ensure that the plant is adequately supervised and has appropriately qualified persons working in it.
(3) Any changes to approved staffing levels must be approved in writing by a provincial safety manager.
(4) A plant that employs more than 24 power engineers in the operation of the plant is required to have at least one assistant chief engineer.
Owner to designate shift engineer during temporary absence of chief engineer
70 When the chief engineer is away from the plant, the owner must ensure that a power engineer who holds a certificate of qualification of not less than one class lower than that required for chief engineer is designated to act as a shift engineer.