Gas Systems

Gas systems, including any hydrocarbon-based sources such as Hydrogen (H2), natural gas liquids (NGL), liquefied natural gas (LNG), liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and natural gas processing, storage, and offloading that are intended to be used for combustion, require design registration. Examples of these systems may be propane fuel back-up systems, vehicle fuel filling stations, or bulk storage plants.

Applicable Codes

ASME BPVC Section IX-Welding, Brazing, and Fusing Qualifications

Additional Considerations

Prior to submitting a gas design, all qualified professionals must ensure they review the Unapproved Gas Appliances Information Bulletin to learn when gas fired equipment does not require registration:

• when there is an applicable Canadian recognized standard or Other Recognized Document accepted by the Interprovincial Gas Advisory Council for that appliance (bearing a certification mark).
• when a shop-built gas appliance is not covered by a Canadian recognized standard, eg, coffee roasters, incinerators, etc. Manufacturers must contact an accredited certification body to request the development of a national standard for the applicable class of appliance, OR
• an unapproved regulated gas appliance from a manufacturing client engaged in commercial enterprise. All commercial clients will need to engage either an accredited certification body or inspection body for gas appliance certifications or approvals. If a commercial client chooses to have an appliance approved to the adopted B149.3 code, they must use the services of an accredited gas inspection body to evaluate and label the appliance as code compliant. No further action is required by the client once the inspection body has labelled the appliance.

Pottery Kilns

Pottery kilns not approved by a Certification Agency or Certification Board and are custom designed by a qualified professional, must meet the requirements of the CSA gas code and the qualified professional must declare the design meets requirements outlined in Directive: Gas fired pottery kilns.

Gas-fired equipment such as boilers and turbines in power plants, pulp and paper mills, mineral processing plants, oil and gas refineries require design registration, including equipment used in movie and stage effects.

Applicable Codes

Where a standard does not exist, the equipment must be registered in accordance with design registration BC Natural Gas and Propane Code.

Biogas, digester, and landfill production/storage facilities are technologies that produce methane, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen sulphide by decomposing biological waste from sources such as agriculture, plant material, and municipal waste. Examples can be found at Coquitlam’s Landfill Gas Collection System or gas digesters used in industrial pulp and paper processes in pulp mills across BC.

Applicable Codes

Facility designs must be registered before they are permitted for installation and operation. These facilities must comply with the latest edition of the below codes under the gas safety regulation:

1. CSA B149.1 Natural gas and propane installation code
2. CSA B149.2 Propane storage and handling code
3. CSA B149.3 Code for the field approval of fuel-related components on appliances and equipment
4. CSA B149.6 Code for digester gas, landfill gas, and biogas generation and utilization
5. CSA Z662 Oil and gas pipeline systems

Document Checklist

A design must be prepared and authenticated either directly or under the supervision of a licensed professional engineer of Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia. The design must also be in accordance to the Quality Management Guidelines required by Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia.

Required Documentation

A design shall include the following documents in this design package list and the following:

• A summary of the design assumptions used in the designer’s scope of work, including the project outcome, modification scope, and assumptions or judgments that impact the design’s scope at a minimum
• A reasonable form of documented analysis that evaluates a system’s design and operating risks and mitigations. This must be authenticated by a qualified professional engineer (examples: failure mode effects analysis, bow tie analysis, hazardous operation analysis, or alternate form of recognized and generally accepted engineering practices)
• The piping system and pressure piping stress analysis authenticated by a qualified professional engineer — NPS 3 exemptions from PEBPVRSR Safety Regulation 84(3)(a) still apply
• P&ID (Piping and Instrumentation Diagram) of the gas collection and processing system prepared by a qualified professional engineer
• Electrical Area Classification drawing that demonstrates the high-risk explosive areas of the gas system prepared by a qualified professional engineer
• When required, a cause-and-effect diagram, control narrative, and control philosophy that demonstrates how an emergency shutdown will stop applicable systems from producing gas during an upset event

After completion of design registration, all applicable installation permits must be obtained and in place prior to performing any regulated work. Learn more about gas installation permits here.

Movie and theatrical stage effects that use gas combustion and controlled explosions for a flame effect, such as a live concert or staged public event, filming of a movie, or stunt coordination requires design registration.

Applicable Codes

When a standard does not exist, it is registered in accordance with the BC Natural Gas and Propane Code.

In most cases, an inspection body or certification body recognized by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) will be required to approve or certify the appliance.

A gas appliance must be in compliance with the Unapproved Gas Appliances Information Bulletin and not be placed into operation until it has a label or mark as detailed in section 31 of the Gas Safety Regulations.

Non-Certified Appliance Requirements

We may consider approving appliances for use in BC under the following conditions:

• there is no Canadian recognized standard or Other Recognized Document (ORD);
• the appliance not shop built; and/or
• you are not a manufacturer engaged in commercial activity.

Application Process

1. If you meet the conditions above, please submit a complete technical package to engineering@technicalsafetybc.ca. As a reminder, the primary method for compliance is through approval by an inspection body.
2. Design registrations for non-portable equipment are site-specific, one-time use, and only valid for the installation address identified on the design registration letter.
3. Once the gas appliance design registration process is complete, you can apply for a gas appliance product approval through the Client Portal.
4. Upon completion of a successful appliance assessment and commissioning, the gas safety officer will apply a field approval decal to it.

A gas appliance design registration acceptance letter must be issued before applying for a product approval application.

Product approval Applications are completed through our Online Services, under the “permits” tab.

Upon successful completion of the application, you will be able to see and pay the product approval invoice.