TSSA ignore calls from stakeholders and continues push for self-regulation of safety across Ontario
WINDSOR, ON, June 18, 2020 /CNW/ - The Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) has ignored calls from its own advisory board, stakeholders, Ontario colleges and unions to not move to a self-regulation model for safety.
"Public safety must be the core of any changes to regulations," said Greg Black, TSSA Advisory Council member and President, International Union of Operating Engineers Local 772. "The TSSA has been cautioned by many on their reckless approach to these ill thought changes which could increase accidents and reduce safety. If the government is genuine of putting Ontarians first they must reverse this decision immediately."
The proposed regulation would allow plant owners to develop their own Risk Safety Management Plan. The government's intent is that the TSSA would approve, audit and enforce Risk Safety Management Plans.
"We don't need to look far back in history to understand the failures that self-regulation models bring to communities," Randy J Purves, Ontario IPE Director. "We saw how a self-regulation model failed the people of Walkerton and how self-regulated long-term care homes are failing Ontarians. It's baffling that knowing this we would jeopardize the health and safety of our power engineers."
Recently, the Ontario Auditor General recent wrote a scathing report on the TSSA and the ministry. The report reads, "For almost 20 years the TSSA has done little to enforce and promote the safety of approximately 65,000 operating boilers and pressure vessels... some of the information that the TSSA reports to the public and the provincial government is inaccurate"
Power engineers have requested meetings with governments to discuss reversing these changes.
Power engineers are the critical staff that ensures communities lights stay on, facility air conditioning operates, and ensure the safe and efficient operation of power plants, refineries, boiler rooms, nuclear plants, refrigeration plants. Power Plants staffed by trained Power Engineers, have been keeping Ontario safe for over 100 years.
SOURCE Unifor
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