Safe technical systems. Everywhere

By Catherine Roome, P.Eng., President & CEO, B.C. Safety Authority

A BCSA safety officer on-site at a Prince George school.

Suppose someone told you that educational facilities are considered “high risk”.

What? You’ve done your due diligence and your operators are all qualified, seasoned professionals, your maintenance records are well-managed, and you keep things in good working order with a long-term plan for refurbishment and renewal… so what are they talking about, high risk?

PublIc confIdence In How RIsk Is conTRolled

When risk is high, industrialized jurisdictions establish public confidence through regulation. B.C. is no exception to this model – in short, because there are simply some chances we will not take. This prescriptive approach to risk management establishes the codes, standards and training requirements for all operators. This translates into the legal requirement for owners and operators of complex equipment to take out operating permits for gas and electrical systems, boilers and pressure vessels (and refrigeration) and elevating devices.

In support of public safety, the B.C. Safety Authority (BCSA) must consider the intrinsic, or original, hazards that exist. We calculate this as: Probability of the Hazard to Cause Harm X the Consequence of that Harm to the Public = How Much Risk Exists. If, despite all the best practices to reduce the probability of failure to Low, the Consequence remains High – then it is still considered by us as High risk.

As you are all too aware, vulnerable populations like school-aged children and youth present a challenging environment for all operators of complex high-energy equipment such as boilers and pressure vessels, gas and electrical systems, and elevating devices.

The consequence of a poor outcome on the safety of children means educational facilities are rated by bcsa as high risk.

By putting this stake in the sand, we are saying that, as a result, resources should clearly flow to those assets which are high-risk in the technical safety system.

scoPe of TecHnIcal sysTems

We know your facility teams oversee a lot of equipment. Current BCSA records show over 7,000 “active” boiler and pressure vessel operating permits where the owner is identified as a university, college or school. Of those, more than 3,000 are for hot-water boilers and nearly 100 are for thermal fluid and steam boilers. In addition, there are some two dozen operating permits for active propanecylinder and vehicle-filling operations. And that’s barely scratching the surface of the full array of technical equipment in educational facilities across the province. That volume of complex technical equipment requires a comprehensive approach to risk management.

What the BCSA holds on your behalf, then, is a unified, province-wide list of what is operating and where – a kind of asset management strategy for the province. This enables us to send out systemwide notifications of hazards, such as the Hydraulic Elevators with Single Bottom Cylinders Safety Order, and to work jointly with organizations like the EFMA to mitigate risks.

BCSA’S MISSIOn: we build your confidence in safety systems for life – through a focus on risk and support for innovation.

ResPecTIng youR exPeRTIse In managIng RIsk

We hear consistently that education is far more effective than enforcement alone. And it is our strong belief that sharing best practices, and learning from one another, further support you in delivering technical safety.

We recognize the subject matter expertise that comes from you as operators and contractors, and we want to support innovation that comes from experience. As your technical equipment is clearly part of a broader system with sophisticated controls, the challenges of identifying hazards and potential failure points are increasing. Through your association, the EFMA B.C., your insight into the issues is important to us.

For all of us, our aging education system infrastructure and population growth is top-of-mind. We note the 20+ B.C. educational facilities this year, alone, which have taken out installation permits as part of maintenance or new construction work. Where we can share learning about the challenges and opportunities associated with new, innovative assets going into modernizing your facilities, the BCSA would be excited to help facilitate those discussions.

HelPIng asseT-manageRs ‘Talk RIsk’ wITH THe money PeoPle

Should you retube a boiler, or repair a leaky roof? We recognize that your decisions about where to invest can be difficult and complex trade-offs. Often, there are no right answers; only different risks that must be compared. All organizations have tensions around financial and human resources – staff and administrative turnover, budget constraints, contractor management, stress and burnout, capital reserves. And these take place within the social shifts that drive technological change, environmental concerns, and stakeholder needs, all of which place pressure on decision-makers and on facility operations.

To provide context for decision-makers in your district or institution, the BCSA can provide a risk-assessment framework to help identify the right investments and asset management decisions. As a regulator, we use these tools ourselves to look at the macro risks across the province and consider where to invest resources to control or remove risk.

and fInally – keePIng Pace wITH TecHnology InnovaTIon

Prescriptive codes and regulations are the minimum standards for safety. However, sometimes they can take too long to be adapted to the modernizing of equipment systems. In those cases, the BCSA works with clients to conduct reviews intended to determine whether a safe outcome can be achieved by granting variances. These flexible regulatory instruments are called “alternative safety approaches”. Their adaptability allows you to shape how your facility can best meet optimum safety outcomes.

Examples of this in practice might be the installation of green technologies which are evolving faster than code requirements can keep up; or, a sophisticated control system that changes the way an operator monitors, allowing multiple assets to be operated from a remote location. If you can design and operate to consider all hazards, the resultant triple bottom-line savings – environmental, social and economic benefits – may be great.

In summaRy

While the BCSA may categorize your facilities as high risk, we also appreciate

The BCSA works with industry to reduce safety risks through assessment, education and outreach, enforcement, and research.

the scope of your expertise and the work you do to manage risks on an ongoing basis. We feel strongly that associations like the EFMA can and do play an important role in building confidence by developing and sharing industry knowledge. We are constantly seeking new ways to work collaboratively to enhance the safety of technical systems across this sector, and we look forward to working with your association to share riskmanagement practices.

To learn more about how the BCSA considers equivalent standards, or safety management plans, in support of enhanced safety and increased flexibility, please contact us directly at stakeholder.engagement@ safetyauthority.ca or see our website for more information: http://www.safetyauthority.ca/page/ alternative-safety-approaches.

About the Author: Catherine Roome is president and chief executive officer of the B.C. Safety Authority. She is a professional engineer and recipient of several business and leadership awards. Catherine received her degree in electrical engineering from the University of Victoria. b