safety codes system report 2014€¦ · the system is working and how efficient it is, ... the...

Safety Codes System Report 2014

safetycodes.ab.ca

Safety Codes Council

Table of Contents

About the Safety Codes Council ..............................................................................................3

Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................4

Significant Initiatives ...................................................................................................................5

Alberta Safety Codes Authority ........................................................................................................5

Safety Codes Act Review ....................................................................................................................5

Safe Temporary Propane Heat .........................................................................................................5

Safety Matters ..............................................................................................................................6

Permits and Inspections .....................................................................................................................6

Regulations, Codes, and Standards ................................................................................................7

Appeals ......................................................................................................................................................7

Complaint Investigations ....................................................................................................................8

Orders .........................................................................................................................................................9

Variances ..................................................................................................................................................10

Audits .........................................................................................................................................................11

Accreditation ..................................................................................................................................13

Accredited Organizations Checklist Monitoring and Internal Reviews .............................14

Safety Codes Officer Certification and Designation .........................................................16

Master Electrician Program .....................................................................................................19

Safety Codes Officer Education and Training .....................................................................20

electronic Safety Information Tracking Environment (eSITE) ......................................21

Appendix 1: Lakeland College Fire Safety Codes Officer Training .......................................................22

Appendix 2: AEDARSA April 1, 2011 to March 31, 2014 Information .....................................................23

Safety Codes System Report 2014 Page 3

About the Safety Codes CouncilThe Safety Codes Council (Council) has a significant role in developing codes and standards in Alberta and in achieving compliance with those codes and standards.

The Safety Codes Act (Act) applies to nine technical disciplines for which safety codes and standards have been adopted. The Council reviews codes, standards, and regulations and makes recommendations regarding their adoption to the Minister of Municipal Affairs. The Council also ensures that the barrier-free design and access provisions of the Alberta Building Code are known and enforced, which helps to make everyday activities safer and easier for persons with disabilities.

The Act authorizes the Council to accredit municipalities and corporations to administer the Act within their respective jurisdictions. The Council also accredits agencies to provide safety codes services on behalf of an accredited municipality, accredited corporation, or the Government of Alberta.

The Council trains and certifies safety codes officers (SCOs) and designates authority to them once they are employed by an accredited organization.

Additionally, the Council oversees the safety codes system (system) and promotes accountability by administering an appeals process and conducting complaint investigations. A fair and transparent appeal process allows individuals to challenge orders, refusals, suspensions, and cancellations in accordance with the Act. The Council investigates complaints about the performance or conduct of accredited organizations or certified individuals.

Stakeholder collaboration is critical to maintaining a healthy system that functions well. The Council continuously works with partners and stakeholders to fulfill its mandate and ensure that the system is operating as it was intended. The Council’s partners and stakeholders include:

» Alberta Municipal Affairs;

» safety codes officers and permit issuers;

» master electricians;

» municipalities;

» industry;

» learning institutions;

» labour organizations;

» Alberta Boilers Safety Association (ABSA);

» Petroleum Tank Management Association of Alberta (PTMAA); and

» Alberta Elevating Devices and Amusement Rides Safety Association (AEDARSA).


Executive SummaryIn accordance with its Mandate and Roles Document, the Council is pleased to present the 2014 Safety Codes System Report to the Minister of Municipal Affairs. This report provides an overview of the activity and operation of the system in Alberta over the past year.

Overall, the system is performing well. Having said this, the environment in which the Council and the system exist continues to change. This poses new challenges, but also creates new opportunities for improvement.

Key observationsThere was an average of 2.74 inspections for each permit issued in the province in 2014, which was similar to 2013.

Six regulations were recommended for adoption and subsequently adopted in Alberta.

The number of complaints filed in 2014 was similar to 2013.

The number of orders issued in 2014 increased over 2013, while the number of approved variances decreased slightly.

124 audits were completed, an 80 per cent increase over 2013.

Accreditation numbers remained stable.

The number of certified and designated SCOs increased marginally.

New certifications for master electricians increased 24 per cent over 2013.

The number of training course registrations continued to increase over the past three years.


Significant InitiativesAlberta Safety Codes AuthorityIn 2013, Municipal Affairs asked the Council to consider assuming responsibility for managing the delivery of compliance monitoring activities in unaccredited municipalities. This function is currently performed by Municipal Affairs. The Coordinating Committee approved this transfer of responsibilities and directed Council administration to develop the Alberta Safety Codes Authority (ASCA) to undertake this work starting in January 2016. During 2014, the Council focused on developing project requirements and processes, hiring key staff, and identifying changes to eSITE (electronic Safety Information Tracking Environment) and other systems to support this significant initiative.

Safety Codes Act ReviewIn 2014, the Council played an active role in the review of the Act, which included participating on the project steering committee and providing extensive feedback on the proposed amendments. Most importantly, the Council and Municipal Affairs partnered to consult with stakeholders to get their ideas and solicit their input.

The consultation asked stakeholders to comment on a number of important topics, including:

» municipal responsibility in the system and municipalities’ authority to manage risk;

» delivery of safety codes services in unaccredited municipalities;

» administrative penalties; and

» the right to appeal the refusal of variances.

At the close of 2014, the Council and Municipal Affairs finalized the proposed changes to the Act, which were passed into law by the Legislative Assembly and received Royal Assent in March 2015. Over the remainder of 2015 and into 2016, this collaborative undertaking will continue in an effort to implement and operationalize the new Act and to develop supporting regulations.

Safe Temporary Propane Heat In the spring of 2014, the Council received a grant from Municipal Affairs to develop an awareness program to address safety concerns regarding the use of temporary propane heat on residential construction sites. Through collaboration with sub-council members, subject matter experts, government, and industry stakeholders, the Council developed three educational products for SCOs, construction site safety managers, municipalities, and propane suppliers. The three products developed were an instructional style video, a comprehensive pamphlet, and quick reference cards. These products are available on the Council’s website at: http://www.safetycodes.ab.ca/Public/Pages/Safe-Temporary-Propane-Heat-Campaign.aspx.


Safety MattersThe Council is committed to achieving its vision of making Alberta a safe place to live, work, and play through an effective and sustainable system. The following section presents information and data on key areas of the system: permits and inspections; regulations, codes, and standards; appeals; complaint investigations; orders; variances; and audits. The operational activity in these areas lets us know how well the system is working and how efficient it is, and speaks to the system’s overall health and sustainability.

Permits and InspectionsThe Council tracks the permitting and inspection activities of over 180 organizations that use eSITE. While the cities of Edmonton and Calgary do not use eSITE, both municipalities submit permitting data to the Council and this information is included in the table below. Of note, the first year the Council had complete provincial data was 2013. As a result, only a two-year retrospective is provided.

Conducting more inspections increases the likelihood of deficiencies being detected and corrected, which in turn results in safer buildings and systems. With the exception of private sewage disposal systems, the table shows that there are more inspections occurring than permits issued. Overall in 2014, there were 457,560 inspections completed and 166,778 permits issued, resulting in a ratio of 2.74 inspections to 1 permit issued. In 2013, there were 430,952 inspections completed and 157,230 permits issued in Alberta, resulting in the same ratio of inspections to permits issued as 2014. This speaks to a system that is maintaining capacity.

In 2014, there was a ratio of 2.74 inspections completed to 1 permit

issued.

Table 1: Permit and Inspection Activity

Type of Permit2013 Total

Permits Issued

2013 Total Inspections Completed

2014 Total Permits Issued

2014 Total Inspections Completed

Building 17, 723 33, 354 13, 195 41,202

Electrical 60, 969 115, 274 66, 162 123,374

Gas 27, 138 38, 948 31, 609 47,774

Plumbing 12, 231 25, 369 13,087 29,243

Private Sewage 2, 682 2,767 2,963 2, 953

Plumbing and Gas 11, 834 13, 648 12,493 14,349

Combination* 24, 671 201, 592 27,278 198,665

Total 157, 248 430,952 166,778 457,560

* Combination Permits are issued by both the City of Calgary and the City of Edmonton and include multiple construction disciplines in the following permit types: row housing and semi-detached; accessory buildings; house combo; commercial and multifamily; residential improvement; and single construction permits.


Regulations, Codes, and StandardsThe Council is composed of ten sub-councils, nine of which are technical in nature and correspond to the disciplines governed by the Act. The tenth sub-council focuses on barrier-free design and access. Among their responsibilities, sub-councils review and develop regulations, codes, and standards that are then recommended for adoption in Alberta. This process can take considerable time and require significant effort on the part of the sub-councils. Recent changes to the Act, which will be implemented through 2015 and into 2016, will improve this process and establish mechanisms to adopt codes and standards more quickly.

In 2014, the Council recommended adoption of six regulations, four of which relate to boilers and pressure equipment. By way of comparison, one code and three regulations were recommended for adoption in 2013, while two codes were recommended for adoption in 2012.

The six regulations recommended by the sub-councils, and subsequently adopted by government, in 2014 were:

» Power Engineers Amendment Regulation;

» Pressure Equipment Safety Amendment Regulation;

» Pressure Welders Amendment Regulation;

» Certification & Permit Amendment Regulation;

» Pressure Equipment Exemption Order Amendment Regulation; and

» Permit Amendment Regulation.

AppealsThe Act requires that the Council administer a formal appeals process pertaining to orders, refusals, cancellations, or suspensions issued under the Act. This process is quasi-judicial in nature and conforms to the principles of natural justice and fairness.

To provide greater transparency of the appeal process, as of 2013 all appeal decisions are posted on the Council’s website 30 days after the decision has been issued or any subsequent appeal to the Court of Queen’s Bench has concluded. Appeal decisions can be found on the Council’s website at: http://www.safetycodes.ab.ca/Public/Appeals/Pages/Appeal-Decisions-.aspx.

Table 2 indicates that the number of appeals filed in 2014 was slightly higher than the number filed in 2013, but still lower than the number filed in 2012. The building discipline continues to have the largest number of appeals.

Recent changes to the Act will establish mechanisms to adopt codes and standards

more quickly.

Table 2: Number of Appeals Filed by Discipline

2012 2013 2014

Building 18 6 5

Fire 1 1 1

Plumbing 1 0 4

Gas 1 0 0

Total 21 7 10


Complaint Investigations The Council investigates complaints about the performance or conduct of accredited organizations or certified individuals. The complaint investigation process is independent, objective, and administered in accordance with Council policies and procedures.

Table 3 indicates that the number of new investigations remained stable from 2012 to 2014, and that there were a substantial number of investigations closed in 2014. The following complaint investigations were closed in 2014:

» seven regarding SCOs;

» six regarding permits;

» three regarding safety concerns;

» two each regarding private sewage and construction; and

» one each regarding an electrical solar installation, a fire investigation, safety codes procedures, and a master electrician.

A summary of closed complaint investigations is disclosed publicly and can be found on the Council’s website at: http://www.safetycodes.ab.ca/Public/CI/Pages/Completed-Investigations.aspx.

Table 3: Investigations

2012 2013 2014

New Investigations 24 23 23

In Progress 6 15 9

Closed 18 14 24


OrdersSection 49 of the Act allows an SCO to issue an order as a means of enforcing compliance with the Act. Orders are typically issued in respect to a specific code requirement, and are usually issued only as a “last resort” in a non-compliance situation. Over 2012-2014, there was no discernible trend in the number of orders issued. There were more orders issued in 2014 (201) than in 2013 (131), but not as many as in 2012 (289).

Graph 1: Orders by Discipline

Graph 1 shows that total numbers of orders in 2014 were up across all disciplines over 2013; the building discipline continues to be the subject matter of the largest number of orders. Of the 201 orders issued in 2014, 61 per cent were in the building discipline, 25 per cent were in the fire discipline, and 14 per cent were from the remaining disciplines.

The most frequent order subjects in the building discipline were:

» permit required (15);

» unsafe conditions (14);

» provide notification to inspect (four); and

» retain professionals (five).

Approval of storage tank systems and the requirement to remove underground petroleum storage tanks in the fire discipline were the most common subject matters of orders outside the building discipline.

Building

2014

2013

2012

Electrical Fire Gas Plumbing

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200


VariancesSCOs can issue a written variance (alternative solution) under Section 38 of the Act. Variances are issued if the SCO is satisfied that a proposed alternative provides approximately equal or greater safety performance than what is required by a code or standard. In the past three years, no clear trend emerges from the number of variances issued. In 2014, there were 1,162 variances issued, a 21 per cent decrease from 2013. In contrast, there was an eight per cent increase in the number issued from 2012 to 2013.

Graph 2: Numbers of Variances by Discipline

Graph 2 shows that, in both the building and electrical disciplines, the number of variances decreased in 2014 as compared to the increases observed in 2013. There was a slight increase in variances issued in the elevator discipline. In the plumbing discipline, there was a substantial increase (49 per cent) in the number of variances issued, particularly for private sewage disposal systems.

Graph 3: Variances by Area of Province for 2014

In terms of geographical distribution, the graph above shows that Calgary issues the most variances of any region of Alberta (39 per cent). Edmonton issued 26 per cent of the variances, and the remaining 35 per cent were issued in the rest of Alberta.

BuildingBoilers & Pressure Vessels

Electrical Elevators Fire Plumbing Gas

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

2014

2013

2012

35%

Rest of Alberta 39%

Calgary

26% Edmonton


AuditsOne mechanism the Council uses to monitor the operation of the system is the auditing of accredited organizations. Audits help ensure that organizations and employees are fulfilling responsibilities and meeting expectations. Audit staff provide accredited organizations with an assessment of their current practices and identify areas for improvement. The completed audits performed by the Council provide an objective and independent view of current practices within the system, and speak to how well it is working in the in the building, electrical, fire, plumbing, and gas disciplines.

In 2014 the Council performed 124 audits, an 80 per cent increase from 2013, when 69 audits were performed. This increase is largely due to the Audit department reaching full staff capacity and to refinements of auditing processes.

Graph 4: Number of Audited Organizations

Graph 4 shows that of the 124 audits of accredited organizations, the majority were of municipalities. Of note, the graph does not reflect the number of municipalities within joint accreditations and regional service commissions. There were 119 municipalities within the 24 joint municipal accreditations audited, and within the one service commission there were five municipalities. In essence, 207 municipalities were audited in one or more disciplines in 2014. Of all the audits performed, 50 were completed with final reports delivered to the audited organization.

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

Corporations

Service Commissions

Joint Municipalites

Municipalities

The completed audits performed by the Council provide

an objective and independent view

of current practices within the system.


The most common issues identified were related to the administration of compliance monitoring services, such as:

» accredited organizations not completing or not submitting annual internal reviews;

» accredited organizations not maintaining employee training files or not having the files available;

» incomplete permit applications;

» plans review reports not done or incomplete;

» site inspections not completed within required time frames;

» site inspection reports incomplete or inadequate;

» no evidence of follow-up on deficiencies identified during inspections through re-inspection or other verification of compliance;

» permit services reports not issued to formally closed permit files;

» accredited municipalities not always effectively monitoring their accredited agencies;

» fire investigation reports not submitted within required time frames; and

» requested files not provided to auditors.

Audit findings are addressed during exit interviews with the senior executive from the audited organization. In addition, organizations are required to submit plans that detail how they will address audit findings and recommendations.

Overall, findings from the audits indicate that the system is generally performing well. Many of the issues identified were administrative in nature. The audits have also helped identify areas where potential improvements to the system can be made to ensure it is being administered to the highest possible standards.

The audits have helped identify areas where potential improvements to the system can

be made to ensure it is being administered to the highest possible standards.


AccreditationAccreditation is the empowerment of an organization to administer the Act in one or more technical disciplines within its jurisdiction. Accreditation may be granted to municipalities, corporations, and agencies. Under the Act, the Administrator of Accreditation has the authority to accredit organizations, monitor their activities, and take corrective action as necessary.

Graph 5: Accreditation by Organization Type

Graph 5 indicates that from 2012 to 2014 there was very little change in both total accreditation numbers and accreditation numbers by organization type. At the close of 2012 there were 478 accredited organizations, and at the close of 2014 there were 469 accredited organizations.

2012 2013 2014

Agency

Corporation

Municipality

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

From 2012 to 2014 there was very

little change in both total accreditation

numbers and accreditation numbers by

organization type.


Graph 6: Accreditation by Organization Type and Discipline*

*Not included in the graph are agency accreditations in amusement rides, boilers and pressure vessels, elevators, and passenger ropeways; and corporate accreditation in elevators. These numbers are omitted because they are so low that they are not legible in the scale of this graph.

Municipalities and corporations may be accredited in any or all of the five construction disciplines: building, electrical, fire, gas, and plumbing. Graph 6 demonstrates overall stability in the disciplines that accredited organizations have chosen to administer.

Accredited Organizations Checklist Monitoring and Internal Reviews

All accredited organizations operate under an approved quality management plan (QMP), which is an agreement between the accredited organization and the Administrator of Accreditation that describes the scope and level of service the organization will provide in self-administering the Act. Each plan is tailored to the organization while still requiring a minimum standard is met.

Prior to introduction of the Council audit program, assessments of whether an accredited organization was fulfilling the terms of its QMP were achieved through a process known as checklist monitoring, which was completed by Municipal Affairs on behalf of the Council. While the audit program replaced checklist monitoring as the primary means of reviewing the performance of accredited municipalities in 2014, Municipal Affairs continued checklist monitoring for accredited corporations and some municipalities. Each accredited municipality and corporation was subject to checklist monitoring once every three years, and this continues to be the cycle for corporations. In the intervening years, accredited municipalities and corporations must perform internal reviews and submit results to the Council. The performance of accredited agencies is assessed by monitoring the municipality or corporation to which it reports under contract.

2012

2013

2014

50 100 150 200 250

Gas

Plumbing

Fire

Electrical

Building

Ag

en

cie

s

Gas

Plumbing

Fire

Electrical

BuildingCo

rpo

rati

on

s

Gas

Plumbing

Fire

Electrical

BuildingMu

nic

ipa

liti

es

Gas

Plumbing

Fire

Electrical

Building

Join

tM

un

icip

ali

tie

s


Data presented in Table 4 shows that the number of accredited municipalities subject to checklist monitoring declined significantly in 2014. The number of internal reviews submitted to the Council increased significantly in 2014 over previous years. This increase is primarily due to Council policy changes that clarified the requirement for all accredited municipalities and corporations to conduct internal reviews, as well ongoing efforts from the Accreditation department to follow up with organizations that do not submit the results of reviews by established deadlines.

The Council, together with Municipal Affairs, follows up with organizations when areas for improvement are identified. The course of action to address these areas is customized to the organization and reflects the individualized nature of the QMP. It also allows for greater clarity and precision in the steps required to realize the improvement. The Council and Municipal Affairs continue to monitor and work with these organizations to assist in building effective system practices.

Table 4: Checklist Monitoring and Internal Reviews

Type Completed By 2012 2013 2014

Municipal Municipal Affairs 97 86 11

Internal 5 5 74

Total 102 91 85

Municipal Fire Internal 0 1 50

Total 0 1 50

Corporate Municipal Affairs 40 27 41

Internal 50 37 87

Total 90 64 128

The Council and Municipal Affairs

continue to monitor and work

with accredited organizations

to assist in building effective

practices.


Safety Codes Officer Certification and DesignationThe Council certifies and designates SCOs to carry out compliance monitoring activities. To be certified, an SCO must meet entry requirements established by the technical sub-councils and successfully complete the required training. In addition, SCOs must hold a designation of powers in partnership with an accredited organization in order to exercise statutory authority. They must renew their certification every five years and complete update training as required.

Graph 7 below shows that the number of certified and designated SCOs has increased slightly over the past three years. There has been a 3.5 per cent increase in SCO certifications from 2012, with a 1.6 per cent increase in designation of powers. In 2014, there were 2658 certified SCOs in Alberta, 2077 of whom held a designation of powers.

Graph 7: Total Number of Certified and Designated Safety Codes Officers

The Council encourages individuals wishing to become SCOs to complete a formal competency review prior to beginning their training. Since 2011, there has been an upward trend in the number of competency reviews completed. In 2014, the Administrator completed 197 reviews, an increase of 10 per cent from 2013 and an increase of 27 per cent from 2012.

Designation

Certification

1000 1500 2000 2500 3000

2012

2013

2014

The number of certified and

designated SCOs has increased

slightly over the past three years.


As shown in Graph 8, the overall number of certified and designated SCOs has increased modestly. Increases were most significant for boilers and pressure vessels, building, gas, and plumbing from 2013 to 2014. There was a slight decrease in the number of fire certifications and designations from 2013 to 2014.

There continues to be growth in the number of SCOs in all disciplines who do not hold a designation of powers and as a result are not working in the field. While not directly ascertainable from the data collected, a strong provincial economy in 2014 could be the reason for this trend. Individuals may be applying the knowledge gained through SCO certification in other parts of the construction industry with greater earning potential, such as quality control and assurance.

2012

2013

2014

500 1000 1500

Designations

Certification

AmusementRides

Designations

Certification

Boilers &Pressure Vessels

Designations

CertificationBuilding

Designations

CertificationElectrical

Designations

CertificationElevators

Designations

CertificationFire

Designations

CertificationGas

Designations

Certification

PassengerRopeways

Designations

CertificationPlumbing

Graph 8: Certified and Designated Safety Codes Officers by Discipline


2012 2013 2014

Expired Certifications

Voluntary Cancellations

Suspensions

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

Graph 9 above shows that suspensions and voluntary cancellations of SCO certifications have stabilized over the past three years. While overall certification numbers are also stable in the same period, there has been a steady increase in the number of expired certifications. One factor contributing to this attrition is the retirement of SCOs. This trend is expected to continue as more baby boomers in Alberta reach retirement age.

Table 5 below shows the number of new certifications issued to SCOs over the past three years. It includes individuals obtaining their first SCO certifications and currently certified SCOs who obtained additional levels of certification. In 2014, the number of new certifications increased by 34 per cent from 2013. Increases were most significant for the boilers and pressure vessels, building, fire, and gas disciplines.

In 2014, the Council issued 341 new designations of powers, an increase of 15 per cent from 2013 (296) and an increase of 27 per cent from 2012 (272).

Table 5: New SCO Certifications by Year

2012 2013 2014

Amusement Rides 2 0 0

Boilers & Pressure Vessels

5 5 22

Building 153 68 103

Electrical 61 45 55

Elevators 14 11 6

Fire 134 143 172

Gas 5 12 24

Passenger Ropeways 0 1 1

Plumbing 5 20 26

Total 379 305 409

Graph 9: Suspensions, Voluntary Cancellations, and Expired Certifications


Master Electrician ProgramThe Master Electrician Program ensures the competency and accountability of master electricians in Alberta. The Administrator of Certification oversees renewals of existing master electricians and the examination of those wanting to achieve certification.

Graph 10: Master Electricians

As Graph 10 above shows, there were 289 new master electrician certifications issued during 2014, an increase of 24 per cent from 2013. This is consistent with a gradual year-over-year increase in the total number of master electricians since 2012 when the Council took over responsibility for the program.

Table 6 shows a slight increase in the number of exams completed in 2014 compared to 2013, but the increase is still less than 2012 numbers. In 2012, the exam pass rate (the percentage of students who passed the exam) was 75 per cent. In 2013 the exam pass rate dropped to 67 per cent, and in 2014 it increased to 73 per cent.

Of note, amendments to the Certification and Permit Regulation made in 2014 require that the Administrator review an applicant’s work history to determine if they have the three years of experience required by the regulation. This change adds rigor to the certification process.

2012

Total Active Certifications

Certification Renewals

New Certifications

2013 2014

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

5000

Table 6: Master Electrician Program

2012 2013 2014

Exams Completed 458 343 389

Exam Pass Rate 75% 67% 73%


Safety Codes Officer Education and TrainingThe Council develops new courses, updates existing courses, and delivers training so that SCOs can achieve competency in their respective disciplines and meet certification requirements. In addition to discipline-specific technical training, the Council also provides base competency courses on the system in Alberta and written and verbal communication skills. These base competency courses are a requirement for all SCOs. The Council has also developed a student awards program and administers a mentoring program.

The Council works with sub-councils and subject matter experts when developing and revising materials and regularly explores new ways to deliver training. As an example, training for fire SCOs is delivered primarily through the Emergency Training Centre at Lakeland College (see Appendix 1).

In 2014, there were 1,760 course registrations. At the close of 2014, 908 were active course registrations, 835 were completed courses, and 17 were either incomplete courses or withdrawals. Course registrations have continually increased over the past three years, and in 2014 registrations were up 24 per cent over 2013. As shown in Graph 11, registrations increased the most for base competency courses and technical courses in the building, plumbing, and electrical disciplines.

New editions of codes in some disciplines are a driver of course registrations and contributed to the significant increase in the number of registrations for code update courses in 2014 over the previous two years. SCOs are required to complete update training following the adoption of new code editions in Alberta to maintain their certification.

Graph 11: Training Course Registrations by Type/Discipline

*Other includes: amusement rides, elevators, and passenger ropeways.

Base Competency

Code Update

Permit I

ssuers Fire

Building

PlumbingGas

Electrical

Other*

2014

2013

2012

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000


Graph 12 below provides information on student enrollment and the variety of training delivery methods offered by the Council. Registration in classroom training has increased over the past three years because of the increase in the number of code update courses that SCOs have been required to complete. It is more economical for the Council to use classroom delivery for code update training as a large number of SCOs have a limited period of time to complete the required training. In terms of the other delivery methods, there have been increases in distance (17 per cent), challenge exam (52 per cent), and webinar (70 per cent) from 2013 to 2014.

Graph 12: Training Methods

electronic Safety Information Tracking Environment (eSITE)eSITE is a province-wide, web-based electronic permitting system that the Council supports financially from levies received on permits sold throughout Alberta. It contains essential relationships and business rules for collection, management, administration, and reporting of safety codes related activities. eSITE provides a valuable source of information that enables the Council to monitor and analyze the state of the system.

eSITE supports Alberta’s system partners. It assists with the management of compliance monitoring activities, including permit issuance and inspection reporting, for accredited municipalities, the Council, and Municipal Affairs.

Consulting with the users to identify and implement eSITE enhancements, training users, and providing help desk support are key components of managing eSITE. In response to eSITE community input, in 2014 the Council:

» published two eSITE revisions, consisting of bug fixes and requested functionality enhancements;

» published two eSITE AEDARSA improvements, consisting of bug fixes and requested functionality enhancements; and

» implemented an eSITE ODATA solution in support of the third party mobile inspection software.

Webinar

Challenge Exam

Distance

Third Party(Copyright)

Classroom

100 200 300 400 500 600 700

2014

2013

2012


Appendix 1: Lakeland College Fire Safety Codes Officer TrainingLakeland College, through their Fire and Emergency Services, provides fire SCO training. The following information was shared with the Council.

In 2014, there were 647 course enrollments, an 8.4 per cent decrease from 2013. Examining the enrollment numbers for specific courses shows increases for the following courses:

» Safety Codes Act and the Law,

» Introductory Fire Investigation,

» General Fire Prevention, and

» Basic Introduction to the Alberta Fire & Building Codes.

Table 8 below also demonstrates either stable or decreased enrollment in other courses.

Table 7: Fire SCO Training Course Enrollment

2012 2013 2014

Basic Fire SCO 172 209 190

Safety Codes Act and the Law 1 1 24

Introductory Fire Investigation 0 0 24

General Fire Prevention 0 0 24

Basic Introduction to the Alberta Fire & Building Codes

5 0 24

Law for Fire Safety Codes Officers 69 0 0

Building Construction and Protection Systems 72 90 41

Properties of Materials 59 70 39

Communication Skills 26 0 0

Fire Service Familiarization 5 0 5

Alberta Codes and Standards 55 53 56

Inspection Procedures 32 43 41

Inspector Practical Evaluation 25 44 27

Courtroom/Legal Procedures for Fire SCO 21 20 14

Building Evaluation and Plans Review 13 22 9

Fire Protection Equipment and Water Supplies 17 21 2

Applied Inspection (Practical) 15 19 10

Fire Origin and Cause Determination 51 50 32

Investigation Procedures 15 26 46

Investigator Practical Evaluation 17 23 20

Advanced Investigation Processes 10 8 9

Applied Investigation - Practical 9 8 10

Total 689 707 647


Appendix 2: AEDARSA April 1, 2011 to March 31, 2014 Information The information presented here is taken from AEDARSA’s Annual Reports, the full contents of which are available at http://www.aedarsa.com/ or by request. The Council is providing a three year retrospective on AEDARSA information in this report.

Table 7 shows the activity in elevating devices, passenger ropeways and amusement rides.

*Certifications in this context refers to certification of construction or major alteration.

In terms of elevating devices, the number of inspections per certification has decreased from 2012 to 2013. For passenger ropeways, the number of inspections per certification remains stable over the past three years. Regarding amusement rides, the numbers of certifications and acceptance inspections have stabilized, reflecting AEDARSA’s revised definitions of acceptance inspections.

In 2014 for elevating devices, there were 43 incident reports and on-site investigations resulting in one serious injury classification. For passenger ropeways, there were 27 incident reports and on-site investigations with two serious injury classifications. Regarding amusement rides there were 10 incident reports and on-site investigations that resulted in no serious injury classifications.

Table 8: Certifications and Acceptance InspectionsApril 1, 2011 to March 31, 2012

April 1, 2012 to March 31, 2013

April 1, 2013 to March 31, 2014

Elevating Devices

Certifications* 711 798 894

Acceptance Inspections

1480 1044 993

Passenger Ropeways



5 5 4

Amusement Rides



59 15 44

Safety Codes System Report 2014

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