establishing sprinkler fitting as a compulsory trade · 2013-11-15 · x measuring, cutting,...

Sprinkler and Fire Protection Installer Trade Board

November 1, 2013

Establishing Sprinkler Fitting

as a Compulsory Trade

Introduction

All mechanical trades in Ontario are currently compulsory certified – except for sprinkler and fire

protection installers — it is quite literally the only trade that deals with life and death that is not

compulsory. With this submission, the Sprinkler and Fire Protection Installer Trade Board is

recommending to the Ontario College of Trades that sprinkler fitting be classified as a compulsory trade

in the Province of Ontario.

The application for compulsory certification for sprinkler and fire protection installers has been

supported by*:

Canadian Automatic Sprinkler Association

UA Local 853 Sprinkler Fitters of Ontario

The Ontario Sprinkler Provincial Advisory Committee

The Council of Canadian Fire Marshals and Fire Commissioners

Ontario fire chiefs

Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs

Ontario Municipal Fire Prevention Officers Association

Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council

Ontario Fire Marshal

Toronto Fire Services

*as noted by correspondence expressing support included in the Provincial Action Committee submission for compulsory

designation.

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November 1, 2013

Toronto-Central Ontario Building and Construction Trades Council

Provincial Building & Construction Trades Council of Ontario

Canadian Federation of Labour — Ontario Council

Ontario Pipe Trades Council

Construction Safety Association of Ontario

Plumber and Steamfitters Trade Board, College of Trades

Facilities Mechanic/Technician Trade Board, College of Trades

Ontario Sheet Metal Conference

Millwrights

Stakeholders in this industry have long been in talks with the Ministry of Training, Colleges and

Universities (and its predecessor ministries) to establish sprinkler fitting as a compulsory trade, including

a number of previous submissions. We applaud the formal process established by the College of Trades,

as a lack of clarity on the process for compulsory certification reviews has been problematic for decades.

Designation as a compulsory trade is a weighty matter with widespread implications that should

be carefully considered on a case-by-case basis. In the case of the sprinkler fitter and fire protection

installer trade, a significant number of industry stakeholders are in agreement, and have been so for

quite some time – hence our application as a collective Trade Board.

We have thoroughly engaged related trades throughout the process of this application. Both

the Plumber and Steamfitters Trade Board and the Facilities Mechanic/Facilities Technician Trade Board

are supportive of our submission for compulsory certification, as are Ontario sheet metal workers and

millwrights.

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November 1, 2013

While there are aspects of this industry that are not accounted for by comprehensive data, we

firmly believe that it is necessary to have the certification conversation now due to recent changes

mandating the installation of sprinkler systems in high-rise buildings and long-term care facilities. It is

not enough to have sprinklers simply installed in these buildings; the system must be installed and

maintained by certified workers trained to industry and government standards so that when a fire

sprinkler is needed, it functions properly to save lives and prevent the destruction of property and

goods.

i. Scope of practice

The technical description of the trade, highlighting the functional complexity of

the trade, the elements of the trade, the unique features of the trade’s sector,

comparison to other jurisdictions and other regulatory requirements.

Sprinkler System Installers, or “sprinkler fitters” as they are commonly known, have detailed

knowledge of building and fire codes and standards, the methods for installing sprinkler piping systems,

and a responsibility for public safety in residential, commercial, institutional and industrial applications.

They install wet, dry, pre-action, deluge and chemical fire protection and extinguishing systems, just to

name a few. On the job, sprinkler fitters may perform some or all of the following duties according to

the Ontario College of Trades and Apprenticeship Act, 2009:

Planning proposed installations from blueprints, sketches, specifications, standards and

codes.

Laying out, assembling, installing, testing and maintaining high- and low-pressure pipeline

systems for supplying water, air, foam, carbon dioxide or other materials to or for fire

protection purposes.

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November 1, 2013

Measuring, cutting, reaming, threading, soldering, bolting, screwing, welding or joining all

types of piping, fittings or equipment for the fire protection of a building or structure.

Installing clamps, brackets and hangers to support piping, fittings and equipment used in fire

protection systems.

Testing, adjusting and maintaining pipelines and all other equipment used in sprinkler and

fire protection systems.

Operating and utilizing necessary tools and equipment for the installation of sprinkler and

fire protection systems. 1

Service and repair sprinkler systems.

Inspection, testing and maintenance of sprinkler and fire protection systems.

Prepare cost estimates for clients.

Installing devices and apparatus for utilization by local fire services for use during an

emergency.

Maintaining high- and low-pressure piping, equipment and devices to supply fire protection

systems with water, foam, carbon dioxide and other materials in hospitals, commercial

buildings, manufacturing plants, airports, airport hangars, warehouses, homes and

apartment buildings.

Installing fire protection sprinkler systems is a complex job. Many of the components used are

similar to what is used in plumbing, but how those components are used and how the work is done must

meet strict building and fire code requirements. The National Fire Protection Association Standards,

referenced in the 2006 edition of the Ontario Building Code, contains more than 2,000 pages and is

continually being updated and revised to keep up with changes and advances in technology. It is

1Section 41 O. Reg 275/11 Ontario College of Trades and Apprenticeship Act, 2009.

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important that sprinkler fitters are aware of updates and are trained to current standards — knowledge

of these changing standards is essential to the scope of this trade and should not be underestimated.

The fire protection systems used in buildings in Ontario are complex, integrated systems that

use many components. If the system is improperly installed, serviced or inspected, it places the building,

the people within it and its contents at risk. This underscores the importance of ensuring the systems

are installed and maintained by qualified tradespeople. Fire protection sprinkler systems need to work

when everything else goes wrong. They are the final and only line of defence in the event of a fire.

Sprinkler fitters must possess an in-depth understanding of water pressure, water supplies and

their application to fire pumps, backflow preventers and the various types of sprinkler heads that are

not only available, but are best suited for the building in which they are being installed. They need to

understand the hydraulic calculations used in the design of the sprinkler system and its relationship with

the available water supply to ensure the system meets the exact pressure and flow requirements.

ii. Health and Safety

How the classification or reclassification of the trade may affect the health and

safety of apprentices and journeypersons working in the trade and the public who

may be affected by the work.

Apprentices & Journeypersons

The health and safety of those in our trade is an issue we take very seriously. Sprinkler fitters

work in a hazardous environment that merits compulsory status, and the requisite health and safety

training that would be part of the certification process.

Compulsory certification assists in decreasing the number of workplace fatalities, accidents and

injuries by ensuring apprentices are aware of proper handling techniques of harmful materials. Some of

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the hazardous materials and situations that may threaten the health and safety of sprinkler fitters

include:

Exposure to asbestos during installation, removal, or repair of pipes in buildings

contaminated with asbestos.

Exposure to lead during installation or removal of lead pipes and work with lead-based

solder.

Exposure to welding fumes, ultraviolet light, heavy metals and chlorinated compounds

during welding or torch cutting.

Contact with solvents, adhesives and epoxies during repair or installation of PVC/ABS pipes.

Exposure to materials and liquids in old pipes during repair or removal.

Exposure to exhaust fumes from gas- or diesel-powered equipment.

Awkward postures, vibration and hazardous noise while using power tools, grinders, saws

and mobile equipment.

Dust exposure on construction sites and from grinding activities.

Contact with biological materials in pipes and drains.

Exposure to hazardous materials from industrial work sites.

Statistics from the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) do not exist specifically for the

sprinkler fitter trade — it is grouped with other pipe trades. We have asked the WSIB to reconsider this,

as any numbers presented may be misleading. However, it is interesting to note that the other pipe

trades included in our WSIB category are designated as compulsory; sprinkler fitter is the only one that

is not.

Compulsory certification of sprinkler fitters would ensure apprentices receive additional safety

instruction over and above the minimum requirement under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

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This additional training includes lockout and tagging procedures, confined space entry and handling

hazardous materials. It not only ensures worker safety, but also results in a reduction of lost time due to

injuries and inevitably leads to lower WSIB premiums.

The Public

Trades in Ontario that have a direct impact on public safety are typically designated as

compulsory, particularly relating to protection and prevention; it is important that, in the continued

interest of the protection of the public and of property, sprinkler fitters be added to this list.

Modern building codes increasingly recognize the importance of fire sprinkler systems in

protecting lives and property. They are required in most major buildings, including long-term care

homes2 and high-rise apartments3 because they are widely accepted “as the single most effective

method for fighting the spread of fires in their early stages — before they can cause severe injury to

people and damage to property.”4 However, for sprinkler and fire protection systems to perform at their

optimum level, it is imperative that they are installed correctly and maintained regularly by men and

women who are trained and certified.

Over the past century, fire sprinkler systems have an incredible safety record: according to the

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), there is no record of a fire killing more than two people in a

building that is completely sprinklered and operating properly, excepting incidents of an explosion, flash

fire or where firefighters or employees were killed trying to put out the fire.5 However, the difference

between this record and tragedy is slight: only a few sprinkler heads improperly installed or maintained

will compromise the integrity of the entire system in any given building and substantially reduce the

ability of the system to control the fire.

2 http://news.ontario.ca/mcscs/en/2013/05/protecting-seniors-and-vulnerable-ontarians.html

3 http://news.ontario.ca/mah/en/2008/06/ontario-to-require-fire-sprinklers-in-new-condos-and-apartments.html

4 http://www.firesprinkler.org/pressarea/fact2.html

5 ibid.

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According to a recent study conducted by Dr. John R. Hall, Jr., the assistant vice-president, fire

analysis and research, of the NFPA, the greatest risk to the failure of a sprinkler and fire protection

system is human error: “In fact, all forms of active and passive fire protection tend to show more

problems with human error than with intrinsic mechanical or electrical reliability.”6 The results of

human error compromising the system can be catastrophic.

Properly installed, sprinkler systems can lower the death rate per 1,000 in structure fires for

most properties by 57%, and the rate of property damage is lower by 34% to 68%. In 89% of fires,

sprinklers effectively restrict a fire to the room of origin, compared to 57% in non-sprinklered buildings.7

As we have already noted, changes in provincial policy will lead to an unprecedented need for

sprinkler systems in new and existing buildings. The increased market demand will prompt a

corresponding increase in uncertified workers undertaking sprinkler fitting projects — which will lead to

poor quality work and increased risks. If sprinkler systems are improperly installed and maintained, lives

are put at risk. According to members of the Canadian Automatic Sprinkler Association (CASA), some of

the examples of recent problems with improper and uncertified sprinkler system installation and

maintenance include:

A sprinkler system that froze in an Ottawa nursing home, and then flooded the facility. The

system was turned off and left out of service for the winter.

Sprinkler heads at the Peterborough Sports Complex were installed above a suspended

ceiling, providing no protection below the ceiling.

Toronto office workers were put at risk when sprinkler heads were installed in the ceiling,

but no pipes were connected to the heads.

6 Hall, Dr. John R., “The Latest NFPA Statistics on Sprinkler Performance,” NFPA Journal, March/April 2008.

7 Ibid.

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A dry system in a Kingston shopping centre was filled with anti-freeze, a poisonous

substance that threatened the safety of the people of the building and had the potential to

contaminate the public water supply.

Compulsory certification is a safeguard that will not only prevent such examples of improper

installation in Ontario, but to also provide an avenue of recourse for improper or insufficient work.

Vulnerable population groups are especially at risk of the hazards due to fire. Children and the

elderly have greater difficulty in escaping smoke and flames; those who have asthma or other pre-

existing respiratory diseases as well as pregnant women are far more susceptible to the toxic effects of

hazardous fires.8 Additionally, low oxygen concentration in buildings can cause motor impairment,

fatigue and faulty judgement in average adults, seriously hindering escapes from hazardous fire

situations.9 Considering that residential fires occur most often between the hours of midnight and 6:00

am, while people are generally sleeping, properly installed sprinklers undoubtedly save lives in the 2.2 –

4.3 minutes it can take for a freely burning fire to flashover.10

These hazards are not hypothetical. Ontario’s poor record on fire safety in general, and in

seniors’ residences in particular, is a testament to the need for properly trained apprentices and

journeypersons to install and maintain sprinkler systems. The incidents below involve fires at

retirement homes where no sprinkler system was present.

In 1980, 25 residents of the Extendicare Retirement Home in Mississauga were killed in

a fire.

8 Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs. “Position Paper, Residential Fire Sprinklers”. Page 23.

http://www.oafc.on.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/documents/DiscussionPapers/07-12-

11%20Position%20Paper%20Residential%20Fire%20Sprinklers.pdf 9 Ibid, page 8.

10 Ibid., page 1.

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November 1, 2013

Eight residents of the Meadowcroft Place Retirement Home in Mississauga died in a

1995 fire.

Between 2008 and 2009, fires at Rowanwood Retirement Residence home in Huntsville

caused more than $8 million in damage. Two off-duty police officers alerted the

residents and all 56 seniors escaped.

A 2008 fire at the Niagara Falls Cavendish Manor Retirement Residence resulted in the

hospitalization of 11 seniors, including three in critical condition.

A fire at the Muskoka Heights retirement home in Orillia in 2009 resulted in the deaths

of four seniors; three others have permanent brain damage.

In May 2012, an elderly couple died during a fire in a nursing home in Hawkesbury.

There have been a total of 48 deaths due to fires in retirement homes since 1980.11 Upwards of

40,000 Ontarians live in approximately 690 seniors homes. This number is expected to grow by 2017,

when for the first time there will be more people over 65 than children under 15.12

With new standards now in place to retrofit older retirement homes with sprinkler and fire

protection systems, it is important to ensure that these systems are installed properly and maintained

by qualified tradespeople.

Unfortunately, many of the owners of these retirement homes, the residents of the homes and

their families will be under the perception or assumption that if they hire a contractor to install a

system, the personnel doing the work will be qualified. However, unless the trade is classified as

compulsory, there is no guarantee this will be the case.

11 The Canadian Press. “Fire Chiefs Want Sprinklers in all Seniors’ Homes”. May 27 2012. CBC News Toronto.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2012/05/27/ontario-sprinkler-systems-retirement-homes.html 12

http://news.ontario.ca/oss/en/2013/08/improving-communities-for-seniors.html

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iii. The Environment

The effect, if any, of the classification or reclassification of the trade on the

environment.

Fires, particularly those with no or faulty sprinkler systems, are destructive and often produce a

large amount of waste. More often than not there is little to be salvaged and the debris ultimately ends

up in a landfill, taking up much needed space and adding potentially toxic materials to the mix of

garbage. Greenhouse gas emissions are a real threat, and the massive use of water to extinguish the

blaze is a use of a precious natural resource and a producer of potentially toxic wastewater.

Additional harm is done to the environment with the use of materials and energy to rebuild

following a destructive fire. When sprinklers operate correctly — installed and maintained by certified

workers trained to industry and government standards — the destruction of property is significantly

reduced, less water is used to control the fire, less resources are needed for repairs and fewer toxins are

spewed into the air and into water sources.

Proper sprinkler system operations also considerably reduce the toxic smoke and chemicals that

would otherwise have been produced by a freely burning fire. These toxins include:

Particulate matter in the form of smoke particles, fluid droplets or silica.

Toxic Gases - generally carbon monoxide and dioxide; sulfur oxides.

Nitrogen oxides; hydrogen cyanide; hydrogen chloride, fluoride, or

Bromide; chlorine or bromine; simple hydrocarbons; amines; nitrites.

Benzene.

Irritant Gases - such as aldehydes, organic acids, ketones and acrolein.

Gases absorbed onto smoke particles or dissolved in liquid aerosols.

Heat.

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Oxygen deficiency.

Trace compounds.13

Properly functioning sprinkler systems do much to reduce the large quantities of water that can

be used by fire departments. Fires in sprinklered buildings require 50 to 91 percent less water to

combat the flames, and are extinguished more than three minutes faster.14

Water consumption to contain and extinguish the flames is limited to the number of sprinklers

operating (typically one or two) – equating around 346 gallons per fire. In an average fire department

response, fire hoses discharge 2,935 gallons, with potential runoff with chemicals or toxins flowing into

groundwater or nearby creeks, streams and lakes. Additionally, water mist sprinkler systems used in

industrial applications reduce the amount of water that would be used in a conventional wet pipe

system as much as 50 to 80 per cent.

Compulsory certification for sprinkler fitters is necessary to prevent unqualified workers from

compromising systems designed for these water conservation purposes.

When materials burn, they spew chemicals and potentially harmful substances into the air. Fire

protection sprinkler systems better control the spread of flames and therefore better control the

emission of pollutants released by fires. In controlled testing of fires in sprinklered and non-sprinklered

rooms, levels of carbon monoxide in the room were 420 times higher in the non-sprinklered test, carbon

dioxide was 24 times higher and hydrocarbons 67 times higher.15 There was also a significant reduction

in the emission of greenhouse gases from the fire, by as much as 97.8%.16

13 Nellie J. Brown. “Health Hazard Manual for Firefighters”. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University, Chemical Hazard Information

Program. 1990. Available at http://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/manuals/4 14

Bill, Robert G., Jr.; Ditch, Bejamin; and Wieczorek, Christopher J. “Environmental Impact of Automatic Sprinkler Fires,”

Research Technical Report, FM Global, page 76. 15

ibid. page 44. 16

ibid. page 61.

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In these tests, carbon dioxide emissions were 61 times greater in the non-sprinklered scenario,

methane was 130 times greater and nitrus oxide was seven times greater.17

Furthermore, considerations for sustainable, energy efficient buildings include sprinkler systems

in all areas of this trade: industrial, residential and water supply. Considerable knowledge concerning

the most recent developments in ‘green’ sprinkler system technology are required for work in this area

– knowledge and skills that go way beyond basic training, and are only provided by provincially

mandated Training Delivery Agents that produce certified sprinkler fitters to perform the work properly.

iv. Economic Impact

The economic impact of the classification or reclassification of the trade on

apprentices, journeypersons, employers and employer associations and, where

applicable, on trade unions, employee associations, apprentice training providers

and the public.

Journeypersons, Apprentices & Employers

The designation of sprinkler and fire protection installers as a compulsory trade is not expected

to have a negative economic impact on the trade in Ontario. This application is supported by both

management and labour, an indication that the compulsory designation is being sought for the

betterment of the trade as a whole.

Sprinkler system installer is a compulsory trade in Manitoba, and it has not had a negative

impact on the trade, the people who work in the trade and the contractors who employ them. The

province is reporting that strict building codes have created a demand for sprinkler system installers,18

with wages that are comparable to other trades in Manitoba, and in other provinces. In fact, the wage

17 Bill, Robert G., Jr.; Ditch, Bejamin; and Wieczorek, Christopher J. “Environmental Impact of Automatic Sprinkler Fires,”

Research Technical Report, FM Global, page 51. 18

http://www.gov.mb.ca/tce/apprent/mb_trades/sprinkler.html

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for a sprinkler fitter in Manitoba19 is significantly lower than what is offered for the trade in the Greater

Toronto Area.20

The Public, Trade Unions, Associations & Training

In April 2010, the Province of Ontario made changes to its Building Code to make fire protection

systems mandatory in every multiple-dwelling residential property over three storeys, a clear signal

from the province that it wants to make buildings safe and save lives.

It is well established that fire sprinklers are the most effective tool for fighting the spread of fires

and saving lives; but they are also important for limiting the damage to property caused by fire — and

even water damage. According to the FM Global Group, “In the ongoing effort to prevent loss from

property damage and business interruption due to fire, the automatic sprinkler system is perhaps the

best investment an organization can make.”21

Data collected from areas with local laws mandating the use of fire sprinklers in residential

homes has shown a significant financial benefit in limiting the damage caused by fires. The city of

Scottsdale, Az., mandated fire sprinklers in homes in 1985; after the ordinance was in place for a

decade, the city’s fire services department found the average loss in a home with sprinklers was $1,945,

while the average loss for a home without sprinklers was $17,067.

Scottsdale also found a cost benefit for its local fire service.

While firefighters were still responding to a similar number of calls year over year, the demands

on the service and the risks to the personnel were greatly reduced. After seven years with the fire

19 http://www.gov.mb.ca/tce/apprent/forms/pdf/construction_wage_table.pdf

20 UA Local 853 and CASA Re: Sprinkler Fitter and Fire Protection Installer Ratio Review Submission,

http://www.collegeoftrades.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012-RR21-2-UA-Local-853-CASA-for-website.pdf, page 17. 21

FM Global Group, “Understanding the Benefit: FM Approved Sprinklers,” http://www.fmglobal.com/assets/pdf/P12099.pdf

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sprinkler ordinance in place, Scottsdale reported a savings of 30 per cent to 50 per cent when compared

to its neighbouring communities.22

Furthermore, the cost of a sprinkler system installation will not climb after compulsory

designation, out of line with regular inflationary increases seen in other provinces. Sprinkler system

installations costs are driven by a competitive marketplace, and compulsory certification of the trade

will not affect that. Advances in technology have kept prices stable for more than 35 years, and that will

not change because of compulsory certification. It is also incumbent on the industry itself to regulate

and control prices so that it remains competitive.

Consumers are also able to enjoy insurance benefits because of compulsory certification;

assurance that a sprinkler system was installed by a certified worker allows for discounts on home

insurance rates.

But the economic benefits of go beyond the simple protection of property and saving

homeowners a few dollars on their insurance.

Improper fire sprinkler installations and maintenance have resulted in operational shut downs,

which further results in costs to Ontario business and industry in terms of relocating staff, repairing

damage and lost production. This costs the Ontario economy millions of dollars annually.

It is widely recognized that there is a greater cost and risk in allowing non-certified tradespeople

to install sprinkler systems. We see what can happen with a system that is not installed correction at the

Canadian Forces base in Trenton, Ont. A contractor installed more than 70 sprinkler heads in two

storage facilities on the base, but the wrong heads were used, and the piping feeding the water to the

22 http://magazine.sfpe.org/sprinklers/economics-automatic-fire-sprinklers

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system was insufficient. According to CASA contractors, it is costing Canadian taxpayers an additional

$75,000 per building to have the system replaced.

This risk of additional costs is also recognized by municipalities. In supporting our 2002 bid for

compulsory certification, it was noted by Brad Swainsbury, the Building Inspector – Life Safety Systems,

for the City of Burlington, that he has “experienced installations by non-certified individuals where

entire systems have to be reconfigured or changed in their entirety due to lack of professional

knowledge of the installation.”

v. Other Jurisdictions

The classification of similar trades in other jurisdictions.

The scope and implications of the sprinkler and fire protection installer trade has led it to be

made compulsory certified in Manitoba, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. It is a voluntary trade

in the rest of Canada. In Manitoba, sprinkler fitters are one of only nine trades designated as

compulsory. Trades are deemed compulsory based on requests from industry – certification must

enhance public & worker safety, consumer & environmental protection, as well as offer “value added to

the quality of work being offered to the public through uniform training and professional standards.”23

The sprinkler fitter trade was made compulsory in Nova Scotia in 2004.

Besides Ontario, the trade is also under active consideration to be designated compulsory in

Alberta, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland.

Interestingly, British Columbia cancelled compulsory certification more than a decade ago, but

there is a rising swell to revisit the issue due to the high risk to the health and safety of workers in the

province, as well as risks to public safety: “If trade certification is compulsory, there is a certainty that

23 “Manitoba Trades”. http://www.gov.mb.ca/tce/apprent/mb_trades/#certificate

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the people doing the work have the skills, abilities, qualifications and education to do the job properly.

Compulsory certification of trades not only operates in the public interest in the areas of public safety,

but also ensures that the work being done meets a standard of quality so that huge repairs are not

required shortly after completion or start-up.”24

vi. Supply & Demand

The supply of, and demand for, journeypersons in the trade and in the labour

market generally.

Within the sprinkler and fire protection installer Training Delivery Agent (TDA) and within the

trade itself, there is ample capacity to handle increased supply of certified sprinkler fitter

journeypersons and apprentices.

In 2012, the Ontario Sprinkler Joint Training and Apprenticeship Committee (JTAC) had an

average of 11 apprentice new hires per month with a total of 135 over the year. There were 12 monthly

intakes in 2012.

Total intakes (2010)=75

Total intakes (2011)=87

And there is demand for sprinkler fitters. CASA notes it is being asked by contractors across the

province for sprinkler fitter apprentices. Certification will not change that. It will, however, ensure that

the people put on the job are qualified and trained to do it properly.

Currently, UA Local 853 is at approximately two per cent unemployment, which speaks to the

high demand for certified workers. The numbers of apprenticeship applicants consistently exceed the

24 B.C. Federation of Labour, “Priorities for Working People: Good Jobs,” https://s3.amazonaws.com/BCFED/1000-11bre-sjm-

trades.pdf, Spring 2012, page 4.

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accepted candidates at the TDA, but additional apprentices are accepted through the sponsorship of a

contractor to ensure employment and not simply apprenticeship training.

The TDA also has the capacity to, at a minimum, double its training ability and the Trade Board is

willing to develop a clear process for establishing equivalency of skills and knowledge to be applied to

veterans of the trade and those who were trained and certified in a jurisdiction outside of Ontario. This

process will allow people who are working towards proper certification to get there.

The demand for workers can also be filled by bringing in workers from other jurisdictions.

Compulsory certification is not a barrier to labour mobility. However, we do have certified trades for a

good reason — to protect the health and safety of the workforce and the public.

Furthermore, it is typical among trades where mobility is common that voluntary training

requirements (Red Seal, Certificates of Qualification) are in place to ensure the person is capable of

completing the work competently, efficiently and safely. Establishing these trades as compulsory is a

natural extension of that.

vii. Attraction & Retention

The attraction and retention of apprentices and journeypersons in the trade.

The trade of sprinkler fitting is recognized as a ‘red seal trade’ that ensures greater labour

mobility for skilled workers who wish to move from one part of Canada to another.25 Such a program,

which is meant to standardize provincial/territorial training and certification programs, puts an even

bigger emphasis on the need to create a uniform standard all sprinkler fitters are to meet before they

begin working.

25 http://www.red-seal.ca/[email protected]?tid=221&tid=221

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Movement across countries and provinces creates a pool of workers and having no compulsory

standard to determine whether a sprinkler fitter can work safely and up to par increases the risk of harm

to the worker and the general public.

This is a prime opportunity for Ontario to set an example and recognize the importance of

setting a uniform standard for a trade that can have a significant impact on the health and safety of the

province.

Compulsory certification won’t repel workers; quite the opposite. It is part of an effort to attract

workers to Ontario. But it will ensure the workers who come to Ontario are properly trained and

certified as sprinkler fitters, putting a guarantee on their safety and that of the public.

Because sprinkler and fire protection installers form a voluntary trade, the only data available to

track attraction and retention stem from the JTAC, which currently tracks sprinkler fitter apprentices

registered with the government and offers them the opportunity to attend their trade school and

become certified. Certification would mean a consistently high level of training and recognition of skills

by contractors and consumers – which cannot be underestimated considering the life and death

implications of the sprinkler fitter trade.

A compulsory designation for sprinkle fitters will also establish sprinkler fitters as a legitimate

career choice and facilitate the work of educators and career counsellors when promoting options to

students.

Designating sprinkler fitters as compulsory would support and enhance what is already a strong

completion rate, another factor in recruit attraction. It would be particularly beneficial in the non-union

sector, where independent contractors would take their new hires and make them apprentices.

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Sprinkler fitters have a completion rate among the best in Ontario’s construction trades,

particularly in the unionized sector. According to Sprinkler Fitters UA Local 853 and CASA, The

completion rate of sprinkler fitter apprentices is 80 per cent, and it is estimated that 95 per cent of

those who go finish their apprenticeship requirements go on to acquire their Certificate of Qualification.

Apprenticeship completions in the sprinkler fitter trade are growing by an estimated two per cent each

year.26

High completion rates are common in areas where compulsory certification is in place.

Completion rates are high in sprinkler fitting in Ontario because the industry self-regulates to act as if it

is a compulsory trade.

Within the sprinkler fitter and fire protection installer trade, there are healthy levels of both

attraction and retention. A large part of the attraction to the trade is the prospects for employment; it is

in the best interests of a TDA to link its registered apprentices directly to contractors and the job market

as future journeypersons for the long-term stability of the trade.

The attraction and retention of apprentices and journeypersons in the trade are also closely

linked to the current one journeyperson for every apprentice ratio. In 2005, the Government of Ontario

approved a recommendation from the Provincial Advisory Committee to move sprinkler fitters to a 1:1

ratio, and in 2013, the ratio review panel decision from the College of Trades confirmed this 1:1 ratio as

appropriate for the trade.

According to the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, there are an estimated 2,000

certified journeyperson sprinkler fitters in the province of Ontario (including retirees), with an estimated

1,200 currently working in the province and 412 apprentices working towards their compulsory ticket.

26 Ontario Construction Secretariat, “Completion Counts: Raising Apprenticeship Completion Rates to Address Skills

Shortages in Ontario’s Construction Industry,” April 2013, page 14.

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November 1, 2013

Again, this only speaks to the registered apprentices and journeypersons and not to the untracked

uncertified practitioners.

While this is an operating ratio of roughly of 3:1, above the permitted ratio, it must be noted the

trade voluntarily went to a 1:1 ratio prior to its ratio review, a move that pre-empted the possibility of a

need for an increased workforce and created capacity within the industry. This also means there is a lot

of capacity to hire new apprentices should it be required.

As the numbers demonstrate, there is clearly room for growth within this ratio, and the TDA is

able and willing to accommodate this growth to meet the increased demand with skilled and qualified

workers. Preserving this ratio will ensure the labour demand of the future — both because of mandated

fire protection sprinklers in high-rise buildings and compulsory certification — will be met and that the

people coming into the trade are properly trained.

It is important to the industry that workers be attracted by the high-quality training and solid

career prospects, and are retained as skilled workers and career journeypersons.

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