Fuels Technician Pleads Gulity To Safety Violation
Tuesday, August 19 2008 @ 09:57 PM EDT
TSSA Media Release - Full Story
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Belleville, ON, August 19, 2008) Marvin Wilson, fuels technician from Tweed, Ontario, recently pled guilty to knowingly installing a gas-fired appliance without holding the appropriate
certification, contrary to provincial requirements under the Technical Standards and Safety Act, 2000 (the Act).
The Ontario Court of Justice in Belleville fined the defendant $3,000, plus the 25% Victim Surcharge, given the circumstances of the case.
On February 13, 2008, Mr. Wilson installed a gas-fired hot water tank at a restaurant in Trenton, Ontario, and the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) received an anonymous phone tip regarding installation
concerns.
When TSSA’s fuels inspector arrived on the scene later that day, he noted the test tag identifying Marvin Wilson as the installing technician, and quickly verified if the defendant possessed the appropriate
certification.
At the time of the installation, it was determined that Mr. Wilson did not hold an obligatory gas technician certificate for such operations.
Ontario Regulation 215/01 (Fuel Industry Certificates) prohibits a person
from installing an appliance or thing that is employed in the handling or use of gas unless the installer is certified for that purpose.
While there were no injuries as a result of this violation, and Mr. Wilson did not have any prior convictions under the Act, the defendant was aware of provincial certification requirements and, as such, pled guilty to the charge.
Accepting responsibility, Mr. Wilson sought to resolve this matter at an early stage by enrolling in an approved gas technician 2 training program.
“Prosecution for non-compliance, such as failing to comply with certification requirements, is an important tool of enforcement,” says John Marshall, Director of TSSA’s Fuels Safety Program. “However working with
stakeholders toward compliance and cooperation, often in proactive partnership, is the cornerstone of fuels safety.”
HVAC TECH GROUP
http://www.hvactechgroup.com/article.php/20080903215756941