Procedures for issuing a certificate of inspection following gas or electrical installations or alterations
Information Bulletin
Information Bulletin: Procedures for issuing a certificate of inspection following gas or electrical installations or alterations
February 29, 2016
Reference Number:
B-G5 E3 040924 3
Revision Number:
Rev 1
General details:
This Information Bulletin is being issued to clarify that British Columbia Safety Authority (BCSA) does not, on all occasions, issue a final certificate of inspection following a gas or electrical installation performed under an installation permit. If an inspection is requested and a safety officer determines not to inspect the site based on a risk assessment, then a signed copy of the Notification of Completion, Installation or Alteration form required under section 34 (2) of the Gas Safety Regulation (GSR), or an Electrical Contractor Authorization and Declaration Form 206 (PDF), as required under section 19 of the Electrical Safety regulation (ESR), will suffice for the purposes of the Building Code.
Specific details:
Gas Safety
Under section 29 of the Safety Standards Act, safety officers are not required to inspect every installation or alteration performed under an installation permit. This section enables BCSA’s Resource Allocation Program (RAP) to determine the sites where resources may be better used, and is a carry-over from the former Gas Safety Act. Undersection 34 of the Gas Safety Regulation (GSR), upon completion of each phase of the gas system, the holder of a permit or the gas fitter that represents the holder of the permit must immediately inform BC Safety Authority that regulated work has been performed in accordance with the Act and request an inspection. On final completion of regulated work authorized by a permit, the holder of the permit must immediately complete a notification of completion, installation or alteration form and supply it to BC Safety Authority. Once a valid request or Notification of Completion form has been received by BCSA, a risk assessment is performed to determine if that installation or alteration requires an inspection by a safety officer. If an inspection is performed, the safety officer will issue a Certificate of Inspection (C of I) for the work. If an inspection is not performed, then the signed Notification of Completion, Installation or Alteration form serves as the final document verifying that the work has been completed to code.
Electrical Safety
Under section 29 of the Safety Standards Act, safety officers are not required to inspect every installation or alteration performed under an installation permit. This section enables BCSA’s Resource Allocation Program (RAP) to appropriately allocate resources and is a carry-over from previous operations under the former Electrical Safety Act. The option to inspect or not to inspect following receipt of a request is specifically enabled in section 19 (6) of the Electrical Safety Regulation. As a condition of obtaining an electrical installation permit, licensed electrical contractors are required to request an inspection, post a copy at the installation and submit an Electrical Contractor Authorization and Declaration Form that is signed by the responsible Field Safety Representative (FSR) representing the licensed contractor once the work is complete. On that form, the FSR declares that the work has been completed in accordance with the Safety Standards Act and regulations (which includes the BC Electrical Code).
Once the request and form have been received by BCSA, a risk assessment is performed to determine if that installation or alteration requires an inspection by a safety officer. If an inspection is performed, the safety officer will issue a Certificate of Inspection (C of I) for the work. If an inspection is not performed, then the signed Electrical Contractor Authorization and Declaration Form serves as the final document verifying that the work has been completed to code.
Gas and Electrical Safety
Occasionally, owners, developers and other persons hire licensed gas or electrical contractors to perform an installation and, as a term of the contract, require the licensed contractor to produce a final C of I confirming code conformance. This is required by owners, developers and others to comply with Parts 3 and 9 of the National Building Code. If this kind of term is included in a contract with a licensed gas or electrical contractor, it is not binding on BCSA as BCSA is not a party to the contract and is not statutorily obliged to perform an inspection. If no C of I is being issued, then, as above, the completed Notification of Completion, Installation or Alteration or the Electrical Contractor Authorization and Declaration Form serves as the final verification of code conformance.
Provincial Safety Manager, Gas
Provincial Safety Manager, Electrical