Technically Speaking

UndergroundEconomy4What’s

Inside 7 Worth Knowing3

Spring 2016

From pilots to campaigns find out what ESA is doing to increase compliance.

News, Views and Updates from the Electrical Safety Authority

1-877-ESA-SAFE ESASAFE.COM

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Contractor Receives $537,500 FINE – the LARGEST in Licensing History See bonus content for full story

Our Mission: To improve electrical safety for the well-being of the people of Ontario.

Our Vision: An Ontario where people can live, work and play safe from electrical harm.

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Electrical Safety Enforcement

Technically Speaking

Targeting the Underground Economy

Customer Service Centre Update

Worth Knowing

Spotlight on Common Defects

Upcoming Events

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Year-to-Date Convictions Sept. 1, 2015 – Jan. 31, 2016 Convictions of Unlicensed IndividualsAnastasia Rentzos, operating as Andros Kitchen and Bath Design, MississaugaHired an unlicensed electrical contractor to do electrical as part of a kitchen and bathroom renovation• $700fineplusvictimsurcharge

– hiring an unlicensed electrical contractor

Antonio Biunno, operating as True Energy Consulting, Mississauga Commerciallightingretrofit• $1,000fineplus$125victimsurcharge

– no Electrical Contractor (EC) licence• $500fineplus$110victimsurcharge

– failure to apply

Lloyd Dawkins, MiltonResidential basement wiring• $5,000fineplus$1,250victimsurcharge

– no EC licence• $5,000fineplus$1,250victimsurcharge

– failure to apply

Andre Garneau, operating as First Choice Home Service, Bowman QCResidential panel change and furnace installation• $2,000fineplus$500victimsurcharge

– no EC licence• $2,000fineplus$500victimsurcharge

– failure to apply

David Gonsalves, operating as MCS Renovators, WaterdownHired an unlicensed electrical contractor to do electrical as part of a house renovation• $500Fineplusvictimsurcharge

– hiring an unlicensed electrical contractor

Halls Heat and Cool Inc, GuelphWorking outside of HVAC and failed to apply for inspection• $3,000fineplus$450victimsurcharge

– no EC licence• $3,000fineplus$450victimsurcharge

– failure to apply

Gary Harper, OttawaResidential wiring• $1,000fineplus$125victimsurcharge

– no EC licence• $1,000fineplus$125victimsurcharge – failure to apply

Albino Irgolino, BramptonComplete residential rewire• $2,000fineplus$500victimsurcharge

– no EC licence

Tony McFadden, LindsayMotel wiring• Orderedtopay$1,609.35restitutiontomotel• Suspendedsentence – no EC licence

Andrew C. McKibbon, PeterboroughResidential panel change and wiring• $500fineplus$110victimsurcharge

– no EC licence• Suspendedsentence – failure to apply

Ernie Nemeth, TorontoResidential upstairs wiring• $600fineplus$125victimsurcharge

– no EC licence• Suspendedsentence

– no EC licence

Simcoe Industrial Maintenance Inc. 1806362, UtopiaLive panel work in police station• $750fineplus$125victimsurcharge

– no EC licence

Gilles Ste Marie, Ottawa Residential wiring• $1,000fineplus$125victimsurcharge

– no EC licence• $1,750fineplus$437.50victimsurcharge

– fraudulently representing themselves as a Licensed Electrical Contractor

Frederic Tetrault, HamiltonResidential renovation• $1,000fineplusvictimsurcharge

– no EC licence

Vince Turano, operating as Turano’s Home Improvement Ltd 240746, TorontoHired an unlicensed electrical contractor to do electrical at two separate residences• $1,000fineplus$250victimsurcharge

– hiring an unlicensed electrical contractor• $5,000fineplus$1,250victimsurcharge

– failure to apply

Gordon Richard Villoza, MiltonResidential basement wiring• $750fineplusvictimsurcharge

– no EC licence

Wiztronic Inc 2323695, TorontoResidential wiring including new service mast• $1,500fineplus$375victimsurcharge

– no EC licence

Shamsuz “Papu” Zaman, TorontoResidential bathroom wiring• $750fineplus$125victimsurcharge

– no EC licence

Electrical Safety Enforcement

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Definitions:Arc fault protection*:Thedefinitionclarifiesbetweentwotypesofarcingfaults – series and parallel – that require de-energizing the circuit in ordertoeffectivelypreventhousefires.Aseriesarcisalongtheconductororcouldresultfromalooseconnection(Picture1).Aparallelarcisbetweentwoconductors(Picture2).

Combination-type arc-fault circuit interrupter*: This is the Combination TypeAFCIcircuitbreaker,theonlyAFCIcircuitbreakerpermittedinthe2015OESC.

Outlet branch circuit type arc-fault circuit interrupter*: This receptacle, calledanOutletBranchCircuitAFCI,providesprotectionfrombothseriesand parallel arc faults downstream from the receptacle, and series arc fault protection upstream. Note: it does not provide parallel arc fault protection upstream from this device, so the wiring between the panel and the first outlet will be required to be contained in a metal raceway, armoured cable, or non-metallic conduit or tubing.

2015 Ontario Electrical Safety Code Only Permits Combination Type AFCI Breakers

technically speakingTechnically Speaking

Picture 1 - Series Arc Source: National Electrical Manufacturers Association

Picture 2 - Parallel Arc Source: National Electrical Manufacturers Association

The 2015 Ontario Electrical Safety Code (OESC) comes into effect on May 5, 2016.

One of the main changes in the new OESCistheexpansionoftheArcFaultCircuitInterrupter(AFCI)requirements.Arc faults are a leading cause of house fires.Infact,reportsfromtheUnitedStatesestimatethat50to75percentofallelectricalhousefiresarecausedby arc fault conditions.

AFCIwasfirstintroducedinthe2002OESC to provide protection for branch circuits supplying receptacles in sleeping areas of dwelling units.

There are important changes related toarcfaultprotectioninthe2015OESC.InadditiontoexpandingtheprotectionofAFCIbeyondbedroomsto receptacles in other general use areas of dwelling units, there are also newdefinitions.Understandingthesedefinitionsisimportanttotheoverallunderstanding of the application of the new OESC rules.

As an outcome of these changes, there are two acceptable methods for compliance: the combination type AFCIbreakerortheAFCIreceptacle with additional wiring protection of the homerun.

A great deal of research and analysis was completed to demonstrate the positivesafetyimpactofAFCIstodecrease the number of electrical-relatedhousefires.Dr.JoelMoody,author of the Electrical Safety Authority’s Ontario Electrical Safety Report,analyzedtheOntarioOffice oftheFireMarshal’s(OFM)datafor

electrical-relatedlossfiresfrom 2000–2011forsingledwellings and multi-units. He concluded thatcompletebranchcircuitAFCIprotectionmayreduceupto71.6 percentand62.5percentofthe firesforsingleunitsandmultiunits,respectively.

AdditionaldatafromtheOFMindicates that for homes built after 2002(afterimplementationofAFCIprotectioninbedrooms),firesstartinginbedroomshavedroppedsignificantly.

*Refer to the 2015 OESC for the complete definition On the Safety Circuit: A Fact Sheet on Home Electrical Fire Prevention United States Fire Administration (2006); Oct.1, 2002 CPSC – National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Technical Committee Document Proposal Form.

For more information on the 2015 OESC amendments, visit www.esasafe.com.

• News, Views and Updates from ESA 3

Investigations into Underground Commercial Work

An ESA investigations team has been blitzing suspected underground electrical work in commercial facilities in the western region of the province.Theteamistakingavarietyofapproachestofindsuspectedillegal work including cross-referencing building permits with ESA’s electrical permit records and monitoring for signs of obvious commercial renovation work at sites where no electrical permit has been obtained.

To date, the investigations team has found work without a permit being done by unlicensed individuals and, disappointingly, also by Licensed Electrical Contractors. Enforcement and discipline actions are taken against both.

Already we have seen an increase in permit applications in the areas where the blitz has occurred.

Basedontheresultsofthepilot,ESAwillfine-tuneitsapproachanddetermine how to extend similar efforts into other regions.

The underground economy in construction and renovation is a problem that affects us all and contributes to safety risks.

Focusing On Illegal Electrical Work

Statistics Canada has estimated the value of all underground activity in Canada at $42.4billion(April2015)andtheprovincialgovernmenthasestimatedtheimpact inOntarioas$15billioninlosteconomicactivityeachyear.

Electrical wiring and installation work is just one segment of underground activity, and ESA has been targeting it through concerted enforcement and awareness efforts(seethelistofrecentconvictionsofunlicensedindividualsonpage2.)

ESAalsorecentlylaunchedtwopilotprogramsaimedspecificallyatelectricalwork on commercial sites that will assist in targeting the underground economy.

$15 Billion

Targeting the Underground Economy

If you are aware of electrical work being done

outside the law, we ask that you report it immediately to ESA at 1-877-372-7233 – and you can

do so confidentially.

ESA investigates each and every one of these reports.

in LOST economic activity in Ontario each year.

Contractor Receives $537,500 FINE – the LARGEST in Licensing History ! See bonus content for full story

4 • News, Views and Updates from ESA

Alternative Compliance Pilot

The second pilot is directed at examining different processes to facilitate increased compliance with the Ontario Electrical Safety Code (OESC). The Alternative Compliance pilotbeganonFeb.1,2016andtookplaceinthewesternregionwith14LECs who volunteered to participate. Participating LECs enter their work into a log book and this work is audited and inspected on a monthly basis. This helps the LECs avoid disruptions to the work flow and minimize overall project delays.

This pilot is an opportunity for ESA to test a new risk-based approach to increase compliance, as there is a low electrical safety risk associated with some small commercial renovation installations completed by LECs.

LECs that qualify for the pilot will record their small commercial renovation work in an online logbook. Theentriesarespecifictoeachsitewhere the work is performed. ESA will review the logbook entries, and will audit the recorded work. Site inspections will be determined by safety risk, and frequency of sites visited will be adjusted based on LEC level of compliance.

Early feedback from participating LECs has been very positive. They say the greatest value is in the pilot approach because it improves their ability to comply with the OESC and hastheaddedbenefitofbeinglessdisruptive to the work flow which keepsprojectsonschedule.ForESA, it provides an opportunity to audit work based on safety risk. Research has shown that installations that are in compliance with safety code requirements and are conducted with ESA oversight are safer installations.

Here’s where you and your customers can find Power Your Reno content: • A new blog on

esasafe.com, which can be accessed directly at www.poweryourreno.ca;

• Twitter,Facebookand Pinterest; and

• Media appearances with Kimberley Seldon.

ESA and Kimberley Seldon were also part of a one-hour panel discussion on March 18 at the National Home Show in Toronto.

ESA launched a new public awareness campaign in March called Power Your Reno. It is a partnership with design expert Kimberley Seldon (Cityline, HGTV, Chatelaine). The program is part of ESA’s Hire an LEC campaign and provides important resources to help homeowners understand the hidden electrical considerations of today’s most popular design trends and why an electrical plan is the key to a successful renovation. It also highlights the legal requirement to hire an LEC.

Our research tells us that only 51 per cent of Ontarians are aware of this requirement, however past campaign results tell us that consumers who saw ESA’s latest ads were twice as likely to hire an LEC. Getting our message in front of more and more homeowners who are renovating will help us achieve even greater results.

While it can be tempting to skimp on updating electrical for the sake of new appliances or a splurge on backsplash, homeowners need to think of the real cost – in terms of injury or property loss – if something goes wrong. Power Your Reno reminds homeowners dreaming about transforming their space that hiring the right team – including an LEC – is the first step to a successful renovation.

Here’s where you and your customers can find Power Your Reno content!

• News, Views and Updates from ESA 5

Customer Service Centre Update

The Customer Service Centre (CSC) has led a concerted effortoverthelastyeartoimprovephoneservice.In2015wecommittedtoansweratleast70percentofcallswithin30seconds,andresultsareshowingthatwe’reexceedingthistarget.Onaverage,75percentofyourcallsarebeingansweredwithin30secondsduringourpeakseason (April – September).

The CSC also wants to ensure that we can deliver a great customer experience on every call.

That’swhy,whenyoucall877-ESA-SAFE,youhearthismessage: “Your call may be recorded for internal training and quality assurance purposes.”

We measure and report on the customer experience through our quality program which is monitored by recording all incoming and outgoing calls.

Providing You with an Efficient, Accurate, Quality Experience

AVERAGE CALL LENGTH

5 minutes 10 seconds

AVERAGE WAIT TIME FOR CALLS TO BE ANSWERED

36 seconds

SERVICE LEVEL

75% of calls answered in 30secondsorless

VOLUME

268,608 calls

CSC PHONE SERVICE UPDATEJuly 1, 2015 – December 31, 2015:

Serving You Better!

Each month, our Quality Assurance team reviews a sample of incoming calls for each customer service representative and provides an assessment on:

▶ Accuracy;

▶ Technical and process compliance; and

▶ Customer service.

The assessment process helps us to ensure we are providing you with an excellent customer experience. Itshowsuswhereweneedtoramp up our training to address any areas of concern or issues that may frustrate our callers, and help us ensure we’re handling your inquiriesasefficientlyaspossible.

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6 • News, Views and Updates from ESA

Worth Knowing

BeginningJuly1,2016,ESAwillbestreamlining Electrical Contractor and Master Electrician (ME) licence renewalsforincreasedefficiencyand less paperwork for both you and us. We will also be introducing more options for payment and platforms for processing renewals: online, email, fax, or phone.

Rather than submitting licensing documentation (copies of insurance, CertificateofQualificationfromtheOntario College of Trades, etc.) every year, licensees will only be required to send in these documents every five years.Intheotheryears,licensees must self declare that their licensing requirements are in place and up-to-date.

Licensing renewal fees will still be paid

on an annual basis.

To ensure licensees are maintaining their requirements, all licensees will be subject to random audits.

ESA will also conduct audits based on complaints or concerns about compliance.

This change will allow ESA staff to focus more effort on licensing enforcement on those who work outside the system, and more on audits and discipline for licensees who don’t meet requirements.

The first group of licensees to become part of the five-year renewal process are those whose licenses are scheduled for renewal on July 1, 2016. Ninety day reminder notices were issued on April 1, 2016 with details about the new renewal process.

Before making this change, ESA consulted with licensees through our Advisory Councils and a public consultation process. We received very positive feedback on this change. Consultation materials, responses and more information ontheFive-YearLicenceRenewalare available at www.esasafe.com.

Here is what a five year cycle could look like for two different licensees

Streamlining your Licence Renewals: Launching the Five-Year Licence!

YEAR LICENSEE A LICENSEE B

2016 Fulldocumentation&fee Declarationofcompliance&fee

2017 Declarationofcompliance&fee Declarationofcompliance&fee

2018 Declarationofcompliance&fee Fulldocumentation&fee

2019 Declarationofcompliance&fee Declarationofcompliance&fee

Under the new renewal process:

Each year, Licensed Electrical Contractors (LECs) and MEs must submit:

• An ESA Declaration of Compliance form (a signed statement indicating that all documentation/requirements are valid); and

• An annual licence fee.

Every five years, LECs and MEs must submit:

• An ESA Renewal Form;

• Proof of all licensing documentation and requirements;

• An annual licence fee.

• News, Views and Updates from ESA 7

Installation – Rule 12-506 • Includestheproximitytoheatingsourcesintendedtolimitthetransfer

of heat by an air space of at least: • 25mmbetweentheconductorandheatingducts; •50mmbetweentheconductorandmasonryorconcretechimneys;or

•150mmbetweentheconductorandchimneyandfluecleanouts.

Support – Rule 12-510 • Includingthefollowingbasicprovisions: • Cables shall be supported:

•Within300mmofeveryboxorfitting;and •Atintervalsnotmorethan1.5m(Holesinjoistsorstudsare

considered support).

Protection – Rules 12-514, 12-516 and 12-518• NMSCinstalledonjoists/raftersandinconcealedorexposedlocations

shall be protected against injury: • Where run across the upper faces of ceiling joists or lower faces of raftersroofspaceswithaclearancegreaterthan1m.

• Where run across the lower faces of basement joists. • Whererunthroughstudsorjoistswherelessthan32mmfromtheedges. • Protectedagainstdamagewherelessthan1.5maboveafloor.

Overthepastyear,ESAinspectorshaveidentifiedmorethan10,000defectsrelatedtotheinstallationofnon-metallic-sheathed cables (NMSC).The Ontario Electrical Safety Code (OESC) includes installation requirements forNMSCaspartofSection12inthe500seriesofrules.TheOESCrequiresthatNMSCnotbeusedforinstallationswherethevoltageexceeds300voltsandgenerallylimitstheinstallationofthistypeofcabletobuildings of combustible construction. The practices prescribed for NMSC by the OESC are intended to prevent damage or injury to the cables during and after installation. This will also address issues such as:

Please send your comments or story ideas to plugged.in@electricalsafety.on.ca.We’d like your input

technically speakingSpotlight on Common Defects

What’s HappeningMay 5, 2016 2015OntarioElectricalSafetyCodecomesintoeffectJune 1, 2016 2016OntarioElectricalSafetyAwardsnominationdeadline

Plan to Attend Sept. 29, 2016 OntarioElectricalSafetyAwards&AGM

– Living Arts Centre, Mississauga

Installation of Non-Metallic Sheathed Cable

See Bulletin 12-19-* Non-Metallic-Sheathed Cables (NMSC) wiring methods for additional information regarding the installation of NMSC.

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Electrical Safety Authority

No mechanical protection

Floor joist

Mechanical protection required (running board)

Duct

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2016 Licence Holder Meetings Oct. 4, 2016 HolidayInnKitchener-Waterloo

Conference Centre – KitchenerNov. 22, 2016 Sheraton Parkway Toronto North

Hotel&Suites–RichmondHill

Email: plugged.in@electricalsafety.on.ca

Contractor Receives LARGEST FINE in Licensing History

On March 30, 2016, 1137749 Ontario Ltd., a Licensed Electrical Contractor (LEC) known as Pro-Teck Electric* in Niagara Falls, Ontario, was fined $537,500 in a Niagara Falls, Ontario court. This is the largest fine in the history of electrical contractor licensing in Ontario. Pro-Teck Electric pleaded guilty in April 2015 to three charges and received the following fines:

• Unsafeinstallationofelectricalequipment:$250,000

• Failuretoobtainproperauthorization:$120,000

• Failuretoapplyforaninspection:$60,000.

The total fines were $430,000 plus a 25percentvictimsurchargeasrequiredbythe Provincial Offences Act. The surcharge iscreditedtoaspecialprovincialgovernmentfundtoassistvictimsofcrime.

ESA is pleased the court has delivered a strongmessagethatifyoubreakthelaw

andputpublicsafetyatrisk,therewillbeseriousconsequences.ESAissuedapressreleaseonMarch31,2016tobringthisissuetotheattentionofthepublicandthetradesinanefforttopreventincidentslikethisfromever happening again

ESA will continue to enforce regulations and take disciplinary action to aggressively pursue those who work outside the law.

Background:OnApril5,2014,anelderlygentlemanfellonthefloorinthebathroomofhisNiagara-on-the-LakehomewherePro-TeckElectrichadinstalledanin-floorheatingsystem.Themansufferedsecondandthirddegreeburnsfromtheover-heatedfloorandsuccumbedto his injuries weeks later in hospital. An ESAinvestigationrevealedthefloorsystem’s heatsensorhadnotbeeninstalled,andtheheatingsystemwaswiredtoanincorrectvoltage level.

Licensed Electrical Contractor Receives $537,500 Fine For Faulty Electrical Work that Left One Dead

If you are aware of electrical work being done outside the law, we ask that you report it immediately to ESA at 1-877-372-7233 – and you can do so confidentially. ESA investigates each and every one of these reports.

*Note: there is a separate licensed electrical contracting companyinRichmondHill,Ontariowithasimilarname(Pro-TekElectricInc.).Thetwocompaniesarenotrelated.

To view the full media release visit: www.esasafe.com and click on the newsroom from the homepage.

• BONUS CONTENT •

Over the past year, ESA inspectorshaveidentifiedmorethan1,400defectsrelatedtothe requirement for arc fault protection of receptacles. Arc faultsarealeadingcauseoffiresinhomes(seepage3).

ArcFaultCircuitInterrupter(AFCI)protectionisselectiveandprotects against arcing conditions that produce erratic and often reduced current. Arcing can causeafireinaninstantoritmayoccur over a prolonged period oftimebeforeafiredevelops.Itdependsoncurrentlevelandduration.

Conventional circuit breakers only respond to overloads and shortcircuits;AFCIbreakersde-energize a circuit when an abnormal electrical arc is detected. They can distinguish between harmless arcs that occur as a result of the normal operation of switches, plugs and motors, and undesirable arcs from a damaged lamp cord, for example, or deteriorated electrical infrastructure.

26-722 Branch Circuits for Dwelling Units

2012Code:AFCIProtectiveRequirements

2015Code:AFCIProtectiveRequirements

1. On the Safety Circuit: A Fact Sheet on Home Electrical Fire Prevention United States Fire Administration (2006).

2. Oct.1, 2002 CPSC–NFPA Technical Committee Document Proposal Form.

Requirements for Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter (AFCI) Protection

AFCIshavebeenrequiredforcircuitsfeedingelectricalreceptacles in sleeping facilities of a dwelling since the 2002OntarioElectricalSafetyCode(OESC).Inthenew2015editionoftheOESCeffectiveMay5,2016,therequirementfor arc fault protection will include most general use receptaclesinadwelling.FormoreinformationontheexpandedAFCIrequirementsinthe2015OESCseethe“TechnicallySpeaking”articleonpage3.

• BONUS CONTENT •

technically speakingDefect of the Month