Gas Safety Regulation Amendments and Adopted Code Revisions
Information Bulletin
Information Bulletin: Gas Safety Regulation Amendments and Adopted Code Revisions
July 13, 2022
Reference Number:
IB-GA 2022-01
Announcement of Gas Safety Regulation amendments and new gas safety codes adopted.
Details
Ministerial Order M 191 deposited as B.C. Reg. 145/2022 (see www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca) will come into force effective October 1, 2022. On this date, certain sections of the Gas Safety Regulation will be amended, as described in the tables below. The amendments include repeals, substitutions, additions, strikeouts, renumbering, and the adoption of new editions of codes.
Work performed under permits taken out from October 1, 2022 onward will require compliance with the new editions of codes adopted under M 191 Appendix 1. Work performed under permits obtained prior to October 1, 2022, will continue to require compliance to, and be assessed to, the current adopted 2015 editions of codes.
The Ministerial Order adopts, in Appendix 1 of the order, Annex J of the B149.3 Code for field approval of fuel burning appliances and equipment (Mobile Outdoor Food Service Equipment) as normative, as well as the CAN/BNQ 1784-000/2022 Canadian Hydrogen Installation code, which will also come into force effective October 1, 2022.
Appendix 2 of the Ministerial Order M 191 details changes that will come into effect October 1, 2023. Revision to section 3 of the Gas Safety Regulation clarifies the exemption for internal combustion engines, turbines, and prime movers under the scope of the regulation applies only to stationary engines, turbines, and prime movers approved under the Motor Vehicle Safety Act.
Sections to the Gas Safety Regulation to Be Amended
| Gas Safety Regulation Section Number | Publisher / Source | Text prior to October 1, 2022 | Amended Text Effective October 1, 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Gas Safety Regulation, B.C. Reg. 103/2004 | "Natural gas" means a naturally occurring mixture of hydrocarbon gases composed predominantly of methane but which may also contain ethane, nitrogen and propane; |
“Natural gas” means the following: (a) a naturally occurring mixture of hydrocarbon gases composed predominantly of methane but that may also contain ethane, nitrogen and propane; |
| 7(4)(b) | Gas Safety Regulation, B.C. Reg. 103/2004 | (b) the person must hold a valid class B gas fitter certificate of qualification, issued on or before March 31, 2020, that entitles the person to perform the work referred to in subsection (3). |
(b) the person must hold a valid class B gas fitter certificate of qualification that |
| 30(1)(a) | CSA Group | SA-B149.1-15 Natural gas and propane installation code; | CSA B149.1-20 Natural gas and propane installation code; |
| 30(1)(b) | CSA Group | SA-B149.2-15 Propane storage and handling code; | CSA B149.2-20 Propane storage and handling code; |
| 30 (1)(c) |
CSA Group |
CSA-B149.3-15 Code for the field approval of fuel related components on appliances and equipment; |
CSA B149.3-20 Code for the field approval of fuel-burning appliances and equipment, including, as normative, Annex J Mobile outdoor food service units; |
| 30 (1)(d) | CSA Group |
CSA-B149.5-15 Installation code for propane fuel systems and tanks on highway vehicles; |
CSA B149.5-20 Installation code for propane fuel systems and containers on motor vehicles; |
| 30(1)(e) | CSA Group | 30(1)(f) CSA-Z662-15 Oil and gas pipeline systems; | 30(1)(e) CSA Z662-19 Oil and gas pipeline systems; |
| 30 (1) (f) |
American National Standards Institute/CSA Group | 30 (1) (g) ANSI/CSA-B149.6-15 Code for digester gas, landfill gas, and biogas generation and utilization; | 30(1)(f) CSA/ANSI B149.6-20 Code for digester gas, landfill gas, and biogas generation and utilization; |
| 30 (1)(g) | CSA Group |
30 (1)(j) CSA B108-18 Natural gas refuelling stations installation code; |
30 (1)(g) CSA B108-18 Natural gas refuelling stations installation code; |
| 30 (1) (h) | CSA Group | 30 (1) (k) CSA B109-17 Natural gas for vehicles installation code. | 30 (1)(h) CSA B109-17 Natural gas for vehicles installation code; |
| 30 (1) (i) | Bureau de normalisation du Quebec (BNQ) | Not included | 30 (1)(i) CAN/BNQ 1784-000-2022 Canadian Hydrogen Installation Code. |
Appendix 2: Effective Oct 1, 2023
| 3(d) | Gas Safety Regulation, B.C. Reg. 103/2004 | (d) an internal combustion engine, turbine, or any other prime mover; | Section 3 (d) of the Gas Safety Regulation, B.C. Reg. 103/2004, is repealed and the following substituted: (d) any of the following that is approved under the Motor Vehicle Safety Act (Canada): (i) an internal combustion engine; (ii) a turbine; (iii) any other prime mover; |
Sections of the Schedule to the Gas Safety Regulation to Be Amended
|
Gas Safety Regulation Section Number | Publisher / Source |
Text prior to October 1, 2022 |
Amended Text Effective October 1, 2022. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gas Safety Regulation, B.C. Reg. 103/2004 | Not included |
1 The following clauses are added after Clause 4.3.8 of CSA B149.1-20 Natural gas and propane installation code: 4.3.9 The installer must ensure that no portion of an energized gas piping system is altered or disconnected prior to isolation of that portion of the gas system from the source supply. 4.3.10 The installer must ensure that any alterations of an existing gas piping system include a testing procedure in accordance with Clause 6.22 to ensure that the gas piping system is gas-tight at the completion of the work. |
| 1.1 | Gas Safety Regulation, B.C. Reg. 103/2004 |
1 Paragraph (b) of Clause 4.14.6 of CSA-B149. 1-15 Natural gas and propane installation code, is repealed and the following substituted: (b) the clearance between the appliance and the edge of the roof or other hazard shall be at least 6 feet (2 m), but this clearance may be reduced to 3 feet (1 m) if a permanent guard rail or equivalent protection is provided; |
1.1 Paragraph (b) of Clause 4.14.6 of CSA B149.1-20 is repealed and the following substituted: (b) the clearance between the appliance and the edge of the roof or other hazard shall be at least 6 feet (2 m), but this clearance may be reduced to 3 feet (1 m) if a permanent guard rail or equivalent protection is provided; |
| 5 | Gas Safety Regulation, B.C. Reg. 103/2004 |
Sections 2 to 6 and 8 to 10 of the Schedule are amended by striking out “CSA-B149.1-15” and substituting “CSA B149.1-20”. | |
| 6 |
Gas Safety Regulation, B.C. Reg. 103/2004 |
7 The following clauses are added after Clause 7.25.5 of CSA-B149.1-15: 7.25A Gas Appliances Installed in Bedrooms and Bathrooms 7.25A.1 A gas appliance installed in a bathroom with a door shall be of the direct vent type only. 7.25A.2 A gas appliance installed in a closet or a small room having access only through a bathroom, bedroom or bed-sitting room shall be of the direct vent type or have combustion and ventilation air supplied to the closet or small room. If any exhaust fan affects the operation of a gas appliance, the gas appliance shall be isolated from the bathroom using a sealed opening or door closer. 7.25A.3 A gas appliance installed in a bedroom shall meet all of the following requirements: 7.25A.4 A gas appliance (fireplace) installed as a divider between a bedroom and bathroom shall meet all the requirements for an installation in a bedroom. In addition, the gas appliance shall be sealed from the bathroom using material that is impact resistant and thermal shock proof. Clearance to the tub must be maintained to prevent accidental injury from the hot surface of the appliance. |
Section 2.1 of the Schedule is amended by adding the following clauses afterClause 4.26.1: 4.27 Gas Appliances Installed in Bedrooms and Bathrooms 4.27.1 A gas appliance installed in a bathroom with a door shall be of the direct vent type only. 4.27.2 A gas appliance installed in a closet or a small room having access only through a bathroom, bedroom, or bed-sitting room shall be of the direct vent type or have combustion and ventilation air supplied to the closet or small room. If any exhaust fan affects the operation of a gas appliance, the gas appliance shall be isolated from the bathroom using a sealed opening or door closer. 4.27.3 A gas appliance installed in a bedroom shall meet all of the following requirements: 4.27.4 A gas appliance (fireplace) installed as a divider between a bedroom and bathroom shall meet all the requirements for an installation in a bedroom. In addition, the gas appliance shall be sealed from the bathroom using material that is impact resistant and thermal shock proof. Clearance to the tub must be maintained to prevent accidental injury from the hot surface of the appliance. |
| 7 2.2 |
Gas Safety Regulation, B.C. Reg. 103/2004 |
CSA B149.1-20 |
2.2 Paragraph (a) of Clause 5.6.4 of CSA B149.1-20 is repealed and the following substituted: |
| 7 2.3 |
Gas Safety Regulation, B.C. Reg. 103/2004 |
CSA B149.1-20 |
Clause 6.9.2 of CSA B149.1-20 is repealed and the following substituted: |
| 8 |
Gas Safety Regulation, B.C. Reg. 103/2004 |
4 The following clauses are added after Clause 7.18.7 of CSA-B149.1-15: |
Section 4 of the schedule is amended by repealing paragraph (d) clause 7.18.7 CSA B149.1-20 and substituting the following: |
| 9 |
Gas Safety Regulation, B.C. Reg. 103/2004 | Section 7 of the Schedule is repealed. |
New editions of codes can be ordered from CSA Group at 1-800-463-6727 or online at Shop CSA Standards.
Vicky Kang
Manager, Energy
Provincial Safety Manager, Gas
References
Safety Standards Act
Gas Safety Regulation
Ministerial Order M 191 deposited as B.C. Reg. 145/2022