Special Status Plants: General Supervision and Risk Assessed
Boilers and Pressure Vessels
Overview
Boiler and refrigeration plant owners in British Columbia looking to implement alternative supervision requirements for their plants can do so by applying for special status registration. Regulations have established two different categories of special status plants:
- General Supervision
- Risk Assessed
Plants meeting the regulatory, technical, and administrative requirements set out by the provincial safety manager are eligible for registration in one of these categories.
Plants that are not operating under general supervision or risk assessed status are classified as continuous supervision plants and are always required to have a qualified individual in attendance while the boiler or refrigeration plant is in operation.
About the program
Supervision Requirement for Special Status Registered Plants
Plants registered as general supervision or risk assessed status are authorized to operate with a reduced level of on-site supervision provided by a qualified individual.
A general supervision status plant requires the presence of a power engineer or refrigeration operator with the appropriate class of certificate of qualification as determined by a plant safety audit inspection and as required by a provincial safety manager.
A risk assessed status plant requires the presence of a power engineer or refrigeration operator with the appropriate class of certificate of qualification on the premise of the plant no less than 7 hours per day. A longer duration of time may be required by a provincial safety manager.
Which Types of Plants Are Eligible?
The following plant types and capacities are eligible for either general supervision or risk assessed registration:
General Supervision
- A power plant that does not exceed 30 m2 of boiler capacity
- A steam heating plant that does not exceed 200 m2 of boiler capacity
- A fluid heating or low pressure thermal fluid plant that does not exceed 500 m2 of boiler capacity
- A low temperature, low pressure fluid plant that does not exceed 2 000 m2 of boiler capacity
- An unfired plant that does not exceed 1 000 m2 of boiler capacity
- A refrigeration plant that does not exceed a total plant capacity of 1 000 kW prime mover nameplate rating
NOTE: Plants located in an institution or public occupancy premise are not eligible for general supervision registration. For plants located in either of these occupancies, see risk assessed registration.
Risk Assessed
- A fluid heating plant or low pressure thermal fluid plant that does not exceed 500 m2 of boiler capacity
- A low temperature, low pressure fluid plant that does not exceed 2 000 m2 of boiler capacity
- An unfired plant that does not exceed 1 000 m2 of boiler capacity
- A refrigeration plant that does not exceed a total plant capacity of 1 000 kW prime mover nameplate rating
How to Apply
- Complete and submit the application for risk assessed/general supervision plant operation form (FRM-1071-11).
- Once your application and payment have been processed, a permit number will be issued.
- Once your plant has met all of the administrative and technical requirements for registration as a general supervision or risk assessed plant, you can then submit the Boiler and Refrigeration Declaration form to schedule an assessment. A copy of all documentation associated with the application must be submitted with the Boiler and Refrigeration Declaration form.
Manual for Owners and Operators
The technical and administrative requirements that need to be met for registration as a general supervision or risk assessed plant can be found in the Manual for General Supervision and Risk Assessed Status Plants (MAN-4000-04).