How To Contact The Electrical Safety Authority

Transcription

1 CURRENT NEWS FROM THE ELECTRICAL SAFETY A SPRING 2010 The ESA Call Centre is at Your Service In this edition of PLUGGED-IN look out for: David Collie Speaks at OEN Luncheon - page 3 Discipline & Enforcement Efforts Underway- page 5 Make One Call to Dig - page esa-safe

2 Message from General Manager, CEO Update from David Collie President & CEO In this issue of Message from 2 CEO Update from 3 David Collie Technically 4 Speaking Certificates of 4 Inspection Registrar s Report 5 on Licensing Customer Service 5 Centre Update Business Scorecard 6 Enforcement Update 6 Product Safety News 7 Utility Regulations Update 8 Upcoming Events 8 HST Website Information 8 It s 7:00am and the Customer Service Centre (CSC) opens for business and begins the activities for the day. The early morning shift sorts through applications received overnight by fax and through the online system. Up to February 28, 2010 (the first 11 months of this fiscal year), the CSC processed 405,848 notifications and answered 452,456 calls. The CSC processes inspection notifications received for the entire province. Teams of CSR s manage the requests for: Inspection Notifications General Inspections Records Searches Hazard Investigations Fire Marshal Orders Electrical Contractor Licences Master Electrician Licences Electrical safety training courses Strategically placed TV reader boards help CSR s respond to your calls within an average of 44 seconds. In addition to inspection notifications, all billing correspondence and accounts receivable activities are managed through the CSC. Inspection notifications and billing correspondence are managed through Ensuring accuracy of the information that you provide is our top priority. General Manager, the CSC mailroom. Each morning the CSR s ensure that Application Confirmations, Requested Outcome Summary Reports and Connection Authorizations were sent overnight, and resend this important correspondence if required. Ensuring accuracy of the information that you provide is our top priority. A Quality Assurance (QA) team conducts weekly audits of all aspects of the information on the notifications you submit. For the current Fiscal Year 2010 we are on track to achieve our accuracy objective of 98.7%. The QA team also reviews samples of recorded calls to ensure that our CSR s are providing our customers with the most accurate information in the most efficient manner possible. This positive attitude is particularly noticeable when contractors talk about the. Almost nine in ten (87%) describe the quality of service as good, and similar proportions agree that the reps answer calls quickly (90%) and are able to answer the questions posed by those who call (95%). Moreover, 92% agree that notification numbers are sent within 48 hours. All indications are that our core service objective of Fast Accurate Friendly is being achieved. On February 17, 2010 I had an opportunity to reintroduce the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) to members of the Ontario Energy Network. During this presentation I shared information on our important safety mission with representatives engaged in Ontario s safety management framework, and took the time to update them on some of the major accomplishments that have been achieved to advance ESA s safety mandate. In short, I reviewed who ESA is, how we ve evolved, and where we are going. I was encouraged to share these messages with ESA s Plugged In audience to heighten awareness of ESA s safety impact and reach with our many stakeholders. As an Ontario Hydro successor company ESA has maintained responsibility for the inspection of electrical wiring installations under the Ontario Electrical Safety Code - and this remains a fundamental part of our safety mandate. But ESA has grown into a multifaced electrical safety organization responsible for a number of safety regulations that did not exist a decade ago, such as: contractor licensing, areas of worker safety (including education), local distribution utility oversight and most recently a major new responsibility for electrical product safety. By joining forces we can leverage best practices, and adopt consistent messaging and programs. In the fall 2009, ESA explored a business focus driven by data on where the greatest public electrical risks exist a 5 harm strategy. Specifically this would increase the focus of our business in the following areas to achieve our vision: eliminating power line contacts among nonelectrical workers and the public reducing electrical worker incidents improving electrical product safety reducing electrical contact and fire strategy associated with an aging infrastructure responding to the highest priority harms To achieve this direction ESA is positioning the business to focus on being an INNOVATIVE SAFETY REGULATOR. We believe that the best way to respond to electrical harms and to get to our goal of 0 electrical incidents is to be guided by three overarching themes: David Collie, President & CEO Being efficient considering other regulatory bodies and their regulations to reduce areas of potential overlap. Seeking stakeholdered cross-sectional industry solutions solutions that do not require regulation to influence change. Leveraging partnerships broadening electrical safety systems to have the greatest impact because we know we won t get to zero on our own. From our safety engagement with stakeholders we know that many are engaged in public awareness and community safety initiatives. By joining forces we can leverage best practices, and adopt consistent messaging and programs. 2 OUR MISSION: TO IMPROVE ELECTRICAL SAFETY FOR THE WELL-BEING OF THE PEOPLE OF ONTARIO. 3

3 Technically Speaking Use of Grounding Type Devices in Ungrounded Systems Registrar s Report on Licensing Discipline and Enforcement What happens if you want to plug an appliance with a ground pin into a receptacle that is ungrounded? Rule (8) states that when there is an existing receptacle where a grounding means does not exist, a grounding-type receptacle protected by a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) of the Class A type that is an integral part of this receptacle shall be permitted to be installed. This installation offers an increased level of personnel shock protection as compared to a typical ungrounded system. A Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter is a device to protect against electric shock should someone come in contact with a live (Hot) wire and a path to ground which would result in a current through the body. The GFCI operates by sensing the difference between the currents in the Hot and Neutral conductors. Despite the fact that a GFCI may be installed in a 2 wire circuit, the GFCI does not create a grounded circuit. In the diagram shown the GFCI will trip if a fault occurs such that current flows to a true ground. If on the other hand a regular 3 pin receptacle is used as a replacement in an ungrounded system, and if a wire comes loose inside an ungrounded metal case, and the loose wire touches the metal case, the loose wire is hot, then the metal case is now hot, and anyone who touches it will get a potentially fatal shock. A GFCI does not require a ground wire to operate correctly. The GFCI which is an electronic device requires regular monthly testing to verify that the circuitry is in fact operating properly. The GFCI s test button is the proper way of testing this type of installation as the plug in tester which simulates a 5ma ground will not operate the GFCI. The Electrical Safety Authority s (ESA s) enforcement efforts against unlicensed persons performing electrical work have been very successful this fiscal year (31 prosecutions have been concluded consisting of 55 charges in total since April 1, 2009). A list of the convictions can be found under the Enforcement section of the ECRA/ ESA licensing website at info. It is important to note that all fines are paid to the Ontario courts and not to ESA. The Electrical Safety Authority often receives complaints related to electrical contractors not displaying their electrical contractor licence numbers on work vehicles or on the correspondence they issue to their customers. Although this offence poses less of a safety risk it is still a violation of the law. Any correspondence that is issued to customers including quotes, business cards, invoices and receipts are required to have the Electrical Contractor s Licence number clearly displayed. Consumers have begun identifying legitimate electrical contractors by looking for the licence numbers and frequently inquire through our Customer Service Centre and online contractor list to verify that the company who they are trusting to do their electrical work is a licensed electrical contractor. For more information on how to display your licence number, please consult the Display Licence Number section of the ECRA/ESA website or call ESA- SAFE ( ). Ontario Regulation 570/05 is available under the Legislation and Regulations section of the website where the responsibilities of licensed electrical contractors and master electricians can be found. When s the best time to call the? Certificates of Inspection Increasingly, contractors, business and property owners, and Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) staff have expressed concern about the lack of detail provided on Certificates of Inspection. Often the description of the wiring work occurring on the premises is vague and incomplete. Itemizing the specific location of the installation has been identified as a primary factor in minimizing risk for all parties involved. ESA will be introducing a phased in initiative whereby contractors will be requested to provide the details of the specific room(s), i.e. main floor kitchen, office 201 on all Applications for Inspection submitted for renovations to residential and commercial structures. This specific information will be included as part of the Certificate of Inspection once the work is complete. A phased in approach will assist ESA in ensuring feedback provided by the contractor community is considered as this new initiative launches. Our goal is to lessen the impact and effort required by contractors to provide the additional information on their Applications for Inspection. These changes to the Certificate of Inspection will provide contractors with the added benefits of: A detailed corporate record capturing the full scope of the work performed at that specific time and at those specific locations within the facility. An official report that a contractor can provide to his customer confirming the specifics of the work completed. A reduction in defects issued to one contractor for work performed by others. Since a factual certificate documents the specifics of the work and the location, it will aid the inspector in identifying where work was performed by other contractors/ parties. The information will also aid the inspector in identifying hazards created by other means (weather, aging, deterioration, excessive heat, etc.). Here are some CSC stats: Did you know the Tuesday following Easter is the CSC s busiest day of the year in terms of call volume averages? The (CSC) on average experiences higher than normal call volumes on the first day following a long weekend. As a result, the Electrical Safety Authority would like to remind all licensed electrical contractors that the CSC will be closed in recognition of the following statutory holidays: Victoria Day May 24, 2010 Canada Day July 1, 2010 Civic Holiday - August 2, 2010 Calls Answered Notifications Created Notifications Created On-Line Customers Using On-Line Average Speed to Answer Average Call Handle Time Last yr Apr 1/08 -Dec 31/08 431, ,848 58,528 1,046 0:38 2:51 Outside of holiday times, Mondays are normally the busiest day of the week, and 9:00-10:00 a.m. is the busiest hour of any day. If you call the CSC during these times you may experience longer than normal call answer times. The increase in call volumes and notifications for this year can be attributed to the federal government Home Renovation Tax Credit incentive and the Power Savings Blitz program offered to small businesses by the Ontario Power Authority and Local Distribution Companies. The average speed to answer calls was impacted by the increased call volumes and notifications being processed. YTD Apr 1/09 -Dec 31/09 452, ,848 92,697 1,205 0:44 2:49 % change +4.7% +14.0% +58.3% +15.2% +15.7% -1.2% esa-safe OUR MISSION: TO IMPROVE ELECTRICAL SAFETY FOR THE WELL-BEING OF THE PEOPLE OF ONTARIO. 5

4 Business Scorecard Product Safety News SCORECARD STATISTICS (April 1, December 31, 2009) # of valid Licensed Contractors # of valid Licensed Master Electricians # of calls answered at the # of inspections # of defects recorded # of Hazard Investigation Requests (Z7) # of General Inspection requests (Z8) # of ACP contractors % of notifications created electronically through the On-Line Application system 6,621 8, , , ,586 7,754 8,563 2, % The Electrical Safety Authority s (ESA s) Product Safety Group continues to deal with electrical product safety issues, complaints and reports. Between January and December 2009, ESA investigated 679 issues relating to potential electrical product safety concerns. As Figure 1 demonstrates, this represents a 43% rise from the 475 reports initiated in This number is Fig. 1 Reports Submitted, expected to increase as manufacturers and other industry members become aware of their mandatory reporting obligations. In addition to the 679 confirmed potential safety issues, ESA received 145 reports that do not meet ESA s reporting threshold. Reports Figure 2 Submitted, shows the distribution of the reported safety issues based on the 600 risk prioritization methodology. 679The investigation type and priority category 500 determine the proper response strategy 400Distribution by Priority 475 Status, and associated timelines. Based on 300 the results of the investigation, ESA 200 may direct a range Priority 274of corrective 3 action plans to ensure 234 that 232no further serious % electrical incidents or accidents occur. Priority Priority 2 3.2% As a result 2006 of ESA 2007and 2008 stakeholders % successful efforts, the Final Industry Guidelines for the Management of Electrical Product Safety were revised and posted on the ESA website in February The revisions focused on methods and tools for identifying the root cause of the safety issues in a timely fashion. The results of the root cause analysis help in identifying the required corrective and preventive actions. Fig. 2 Distribution by Priority Status, Priority % Priority % Priority % Please contact the Product Safety Group with any concerns or questions about electrical product safety issues or electrical product approval requirements. En force ment Update April 1, December 31, 2009 RCL09-82 Eaton Yale Company General Recalls Duty Safety Switch Overheating RCL09-87 Superior Electrics Limited Recalls Infinita Kettle Due to Possibility of Overheating RCL10-06 Conair Recalls Lysol Steam Mop Due to Burn and Laceration Hazards 1073 Enforcement Complaints generated this activity: Notices of Violation (administrative penalties) 532 Enforcement inspections have been conducted 450 Complaints still active, pending further investigation 148 Unlicensed persons are currently under investigation, 78 involving 98 sites There is the possibility that over time, the operating mechanism could wear in such a way that the switch will no longer function as intended and has the potential of being jammed in the On or Closed position. The potential also exists that the safety switch handle may indicate it is in the OFF position while the internal switch is still closed. Either of these could result in a potentially unsafe condition Canada. The kettle could overheat, could melt base and pose a fire hazard. There have been 3 reported incidents of fire, 2 of which have alleged property damage. Hot water mixed with Lysol can forcefully spurt out and rupture the housing unit, posing a burn hazard and a laceration hazard to consumers from the broken housing unit. Approximately 8,700 affected units were sold in Canada. Prosecutions against unlicensed persons have now been completed, 27 consisting of charges of working without an EC License 27 Prosecutions currently underway 21 The most recent product safety alerts and recall notices are also posted on the front page of the ESA website. For a complete list of the affected products visit 6 OUR MISSION: TO IMPROVE ELECTRICAL SAFETY FOR THE WELL-BEING OF THE PEOPLE OF ONTARIO. 7

5 Utility Regulations Update It s easy just make One call to Dig The Ontario Regional Common Ground Alliance has designated April as Dig Safe Month in Ontario. This month is dedicated to raising awareness of safe digging practices across the province to improve safety and reduce damage to underground systems. Recently the Government of Ontario led by the Ministry of Consumer Service and supported by the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA), Technical Standards & Safety Authority, the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs & Housing and the Ministry of Labour committed to supporting the voluntary, province-wide One Call to Dig program for all local distribution company (LDC) and municipal infrastructure owners in the province. The purpose of this project is to encourage increased participation of all owners of LDC s and municipal infrastructure in Ontario in the provincial One Call to Dig system with the goal of reducing the number of excavation accidents, associated injuries and damage costs. ESA urges all LDC s to participate in the One Call to Dig province wide program. In some municipalities, excavators need to call up to three electric utilities prior to digging and can easily overlook one. By joining a company like Ontario One Call, the LDC would receive the locate request from the One Call Centre instead of the excavator. Ontario One Call acts as the middleman between the excavator and LDC. In specific states in the U.S., where participation in the one call system is high, there has been a decline in the number of accidental utility strikes and: Fewer injuries Fewer service interruptions Less damage of underground assets Reduced societal costs The concept of a One Call system has been in place in Ontario since 1996 when Ontario One Call was incorporated. The Ontario One Call centre is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. A One Call system streamlines the excavator locate request process by having the excavator make one call instead of multiple calls, to request a locate. A call centre receives the locate request either by phone, fax, web or and will notify all LDC and municipal infrastructure owners in the proposed excavation area. For more information on Ontario One Call please contact or check out the web site Upcoming Events To Electrical Safety Authority customers: Statutory Holiday Observances Victoria Day Monday, May 24 closed Canada Day Thursday, July 1 closed Civic Holiday Monday, August 2 closed Thank you for your support. HST Website Info On July 1, 2010, Ontario s Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) becomes effective. HST will replace the GST currently charged for ESA services. GST/HST registered customers can claim an input tax credit with the Canada Revenue Agency for HST charged by ESA. Ontario s Ministry of Revenue has developed transitional rules for GST/HST charged on billings from May 1, 2010 to June 30, ESA will provide updates on how these transitional rules will apply to specific ESA services prior to May 1, Frequently Asked Questions are available on the ESA website. For further information: on.ca/en/taxchange/transition.html 8 We d like your input. Please send your comments or story ideas to: plugged.in@electricalsafety.on.ca esa-safe