Are you operating your facility in compliance with these Regulations? Do you know the size of your refrigeration plant? These are critically important questions. As we have seen in the past, refrigeration systems can be very dangerous when serious failures happen
On Page 35 of the Regulations, Section 53 states:
(1) No owner of a refrigeration plant with a capacity greater than 45 tonnes but not greater than 100 tonnes shall cause or permit the refrigeration plant to be operated unless it is operated under general supervision by a holder of a refrigeration plant operator’s licence, a holder of a refrigeration engineer’s licence or the holder of a power engineer’s licence of the appropriate class.
(2) No owner of a refrigeration plant with a capacity greater than 100 tonnes shall cause or permit the refrigeration plant to be operated unless it is operated under general supervision by a holder of a refrigeration engineer’s licence or the holder of a power engineer’s licence of the appropriate class.
- 8 Dec 2017 c B-5.1 Reg 2 s53.
What Does This Mean?
So what does this mean for the typical arena or curling rink? In short, your refrigeration plant needs to be properly supervised to comply with the Regulations if your plant is over 45 tonnes. If your plant is less than 45 tonnes, the Regulations do not require the refrigeration plant to be supervised. Most ice plants are in excess of 45 tonnes.
If your plant is between 45-100 tonnes, the owner of the facility is required to have a supervisor with a Refrigeration Plant Operator's License. This can be achieved with the successful complete of our Arena Operator Level 2 Course, and with the subsequent purchase of a TSask Operator License. The Chief Operator does not have to be in the facility at all times, but they must be easily reached in case of an issue.
Refrigeration plants larger than 100 tonnes require a supervisor with a Refrigeration Engineer's Certificate. This certification can be obtained through Saskatchewan Polytechnic.
For More Information
Technical Safety Authority of Saskatchewan (TSask) Inspectors perform regular inspections of ice plants throughout Saskatchewan. If you don’t know who your inspector is or when they are scheduled to come, please call TSask for this information. They are important partners to ensure the safety and proper operation of recreation facilities. Check your facility's “License to Operate” for additional information pertaining to your refrigeration plant.
It is up to the owner to ensure the refrigeration plant is properly supervised. When in doubt, refer to the Regulations or call TSask for further clarification. You can reach TSask by phone at 1-866-530-8599 or by email at customerservice@tsask.ca.
Tim Hanna
Facilities and Training Consultant
Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association
(306) 780-9324
thanna@spra.sk.ca
