esa contractor summary report
DESCRIPTION
Every year ESA produces a corporate Annual Report which provides a comprehensive review of the company’s initiatives and accomplishments and is designed for use by multiple stakeholders. This Contractor Summary Report is produced specifically for the Licensed Electrical Contractor (LEC) and Master Electrician (ME) community and focuses on items of greatest relevance to them.TRANSCRIPT
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Summary Report
For the
Electrical Contractor Community
2013 – 2014
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Minutes of Advisory Council meetings can be found
on ESA’s website at: www.esasafe.com/about-esa/stakeholder-engagement/meeting-minutes
For more information about ESA’s Advisory Councils
contact [email protected]
2013 – 2014 Contractor Advisory Council (CoAC) MembersRichard Charron, Chair
Sandy Ragno, Vice Chair
Dave Ackison
Luke Bogdanovic
Joe Kurpe
Michael Lettner
Barry Moss
Dan Toppazzini
John Salmon
Scott Kelly
2013 – 2014 Electrical Contractors Registration Agency (ECRA) Advisory Council John Salmon, Chair
Fred Black, Vice Chair
Larry Allison
Sean Bell
Mark Garner
Debbie Mattina
Gary Oosterhof
Louis Violo
Paul Rawlings
John Buchanan
About this ReportEvery year ESA produces a corporate Annual Report
which provides a comprehensive review of the company’s
initiatives and accomplishments and is designed for use
by multiple stakeholders.
This Contractor Summary Report is produced specifically
for the Licensed Electrical Contractor (LEC) and Master
Electrician (ME) community and focuses on items of
greatest relevance to them. To read or obtain a copy
of the ESA Annual Report, visit www.esasafe.com.
Advisory CouncilsAn important way that ESA gets contractor input
is through its Advisory Councils. The Contractor
Advisory Council considers a broad range of issues
related to the application of the Ontario Electrical
Safety Code (OESC), while the Electrical Contractor
Registration Agency (ECRA) Advisory Council
focuses on contractor and Master Electrician licensing.
Contractor representatives also participate in the
Ontario Provincial Code Committee, which considers
changes to the OESC.
John B. Salmon, ME 1959 – 2014John Salmon served as Chair of the ECRA Council
from 2012 until his sudden passing in July 2014.
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FY2014 was a year filled with many accomplishments and
opportunities for ESA and the contractor community. ESA has
seen a 33 per cent decrease in the rate of electrical fatalities
between the periods 2004-2008 and 2009-2013. Safety among
contractors continues to be a priority, as interest in industry
electrical safety forums, regional contractor and licence holder
meetings grows.
Operationally, eight new Inspectors were trained through
our intensive Inspector Training Program (ITP), and are now
working with you in the field. Our licensing department is hard
at work, and continues to pursue contractors who break the
law and perform electrical work without a licence or contrary
to the Ontario Electrical Safety Code. There have been a
number of significant convictions and fines, which we have
publicized throughout the year.
While we have much to be proud of, ESA is facing some
challenges. We know that we can do better than the current
level of service we’re providing at the Customer Service Centre.
We have completed a detailed review of our processes to see
where we can make improvements.
Message from the Chair –Contractor Advisory Council (CoAC)I am pleased to provide an overview of CoAC’s accomplishments
from the past year. CoAC meets five times a year in Toronto to
provide ESA with contractors’ perspectives on compliance and
safety issues.
Important topics this year included feedback on enforcement
of the Ontario Electrical Safety Code, input into the Guideline
for LECs and DMEs, the development of the new online permit
application system, fee adjustments, content for Plugged In,
the administration of the Authorized Contractor Program (ACP),
and ESA’s ongoing public awareness campaigns.
The members of CoAC know firsthand that Electrical
Contractors and electricians have a real impact on the everyday
safety of Ontarians. I look forward to continuing to offer ESA the
industry perspective and building on CoAC’s accomplishments.
Richard Charron
Anew Electrical Contracting Ltd.
OEL Representative
Electrical Contractor Registration Agency (ECRA) Advisory CouncilThe mandate of ECRA is to provide input and advice to ESA
related to Electrical Contractor and Master Electrician licensing.
ESA would like to thank the members of ECRA for their
significant contributions of time and effort over the last year.
Among other activities, ECRA identified a need for LECs
and DMEs to have a deeper understanding of their obligations
under the licensing regulation. So ECRA and ESA created
the Guideline to the Duties and Responsibilities of Licensed
Electrical Contractors and Designated Master Electricians,
which was released in August 2014. It provides plain language
explanations of the requirements in the regulation. It includes
examples and suggestions provided by the contractor members
of ECRA. The purpose is to help contractors and MEs
understand the details of the regulation and ensure you
are meeting your obligations. To download a copy of the
Guideline, go to esasafe.com
Contractors are a business-savvy group that understands the
power a license represents in a marketplace where consumers
link professionalism to safety and trust. The input from the
contractor community is vital for ESA.
Letter from ESA’s Vice President, Operations
We’re upgrading our IT systems to help us complete requests
for inspections. For example, more LECs than ever are now
using our improved online system which allows them to take
out their own permits and make use of other useful features.
We will share progress on the actions we’re taking to improve
our service levels to you.
There was an increase in the actual number of electrical-related
fatalities in 2013. Eighteen preventable deaths that will affect
countless people for the rest of their lives – mothers, brothers,
children, colleagues. I know through our shared commitment
to safety where we work and live, ESA and Licensed Electrical
Contractors can and must prevent these types of tragedies.
I became ESA’s Vice President of Operations in September
2013 following Scott Saint’s appointment as Chief Public Safety
Officer (CPSO). I thank him for guiding an inspection team
with a passion for safety that is second to none. I would also
like to thank the CoAC, ECRA, and OPCC Advisory Councils
for their many contributions. Their advice is invaluable as we
work together on electrical safety initiatives that keep
all Ontarians safe every day.
Earl Davison
Vice President, Operations
and performed more than
427,000 inspections
ESA answered more than
490,000 calls at our call centre
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Plug in Safely Awareness Campaigns ESA continued to raise consumer awareness of the hazards
involved in faulty or improper electrical work and to
encourage those contemplating doing electrical work
to hire an LEC. The campaigns included radio ads, online
advertising, and social media components that encouraged
consumers to visit the pluginsafely.ca website to find an LEC.
Key Achievements of the Year – FY2014
Modified Inspection Process for Low-Risk Installations In FY2014, ESA launched a modified inspection process
for specific low-risk installations including ACP Residential
renovations (<$100), ACP Commercial and ACP Industrial.
ESA used our safety risk assessment tool to conduct an
electrical risk analysis by market sector to help with priority
setting, and to analyze Code defects to support the
development of compliance strategies and efficiencies.
Extreme Weather EventsFloods in the spring and summer of 2013 in Sault Ste. Marie,
Muskoka and Toronto presented these communities with a
host of electrical safety challenges. ESA Inspectors worked
to make sure that the electrical safety of homes, cottages
and business were not compromised, or an LEC was on the
scene to make the needed repairs safely. ESA also targeted
homeowners in these areas with messages on flood
electrical safety and hiring of LECs.
Four days before Christmas, Southern Ontario experienced
a devastating ice storm that left 350,000 homes without
electricity. Heavy ice brought down power lines and
damaged many homes’ electrical equipment. ESA went
to crisis response stance and deployed extra Inspectors,
extended call centre staffing through evenings, weekends
and holidays, and worked closely with Local Distribution
Companies and many local LECs to ensure power was
restored safely and quickly. ESA also executed a mass public
awareness campaign to educate consumers that their home’s
electrical equipment might need repair and they should hire
an LEC. The efforts of ESA, LECs, LDCs, first responders
and other safety partners contributed to the best possible
outcome: no electrical fatalities or critical injuries during
the ice storm or its aftermath.
Social Media Success
TWITTER garnered more than
825,000 impressions
During the spring campaign alone Facebook ads achieved
571,460 impressions
which resulted in 4,653 new fans for the ESA Facebook page
In the last year…
68,750 people clicked on ads to go to pluginsafely.ca
Once there, more than 2,875 people clicked on web page links, including Hire a Contractor
117.9 million impressions
The Fall and Spring LEC Campaigns saw:
More than
1,000
people attended
Contractor MeetingsOver 2400
LECs were members of ACP
ESA had more than
4,000 Continuous Safety Service (CSS) customers
and CSS Inspectors
visited more than
26,000 sites
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High Profile Convictions Licensing of electrical contractors has been required
since 2006, yet there are still those who do electrical
work without a license or a permit. In the last year, ESA
has successfully prosecuted many offenders, including
a case where a general contractor, Licensed Electrical
Contractor, and unlicensed individual were found guilty
of co-ordinating illegal electrical work in schools.
When convictions occur, ESA puts significant effort
into publicizing them so as to warn and deter others.
ESA will continue to encourage the courts to impose
higher fines on those who break the law.
New Online Application System ESA’s new and significantly expanded online application
system for processing permits was launched in March
2014. The new system provides:
• increased account information including permit
history and credit balances
• a multi functional home page with easy-to-use
point-and-click menus and drop-down options
to easily navigate screens,
• an address locator that allows you to pinpoint
the site of inspection
• improved search function to edit and schedule
multiple notifications
A dedicated group of LECs provided advice and guidance
to ESA throughout the development of this new system.
To access the new online system,
visit www.esaonlineservices.com
Senior Inspector Paul Murray tests a downed powerline during the December 2013 Ice Storm.
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Financial Info
FY2014 Allocation
of Contractor Licencing Revenue
Customer Service Activities:• 490,799 customer service calls• Permit processing• Inspector scheduling• Database management
and account management• Records searches
Wiring Inspection Activities and Enforcement:• 427,046 inspections• 17,851 warnings issued• 217,714 defects• 780+ investigations conducted• 37 charges laid• 7 convictions• Inspector and staff training• ACP administration• IT systems support
and developments
Contractor Licensing Revenue: $3.8 million
from licensing fees and associated training.
This is 4 per cent of ESA’s annual revenue.
Corporate Services:• Associated corporate support to the
contractor licensing program including labour and direct expenses for finance, HR, IT regulatory, policy, government liaison, building and IT infrastructure costs, insurance, etc.
ECRA/Other: • ECRA Advisory Council activities and projects,
including development of the “Guideline to the Duties and Responsibilities of Licensed Electrical Contractors (LECs) and Designated Master Electricians (DMEs)”
• Master Examining Committee activities
Communications and Awareness Efforts:• 117.9 million impressions for public awareness
campaign advising consumers to use an LEC• LEC toolkits distributed and social media
strategy developed
Revenue ESA’s funding comes from fees paid for safety oversight, safety
services, licensing, and training, as well as investment income.
For this report, we are providing information on the allocation
of revenues from wiring permits and licensing fees.
FY2014 Allocation of Wiring Revenue 61%
18%
16%
25%
21% 32%
18%
4%
Regulation/Code Development:• New Code implementation and updates• CSA and government liaison• Ongoing technical assistance (TAs), bulletins• Regulatory policy reviews
Awareness and Education:• Plugged In newsletter distributed to all LECs• Campaigns to raise awareness of electrical
wiring safety• Safety event participation: Partners
in Prevention and more than 100 participants in mining and petrochemical sector electrical safety forums
• Ongoing stakeholder engagement, consultations and advisory council management
• Issues management e.g. disconnections, storms• Publicizing convictions
Corporate Services:• Associated cost to support the wiring program
including labour and direct expenses for finance, HR, IT, policy, government liaison, building and infrastructure costs, insurance, etc.
Licensing Administration: • 9,000+ licences renewed• 670+ master exams administered• 415+ ME licences issued• 1650+ licensing complaints handled• Development of new online
application system
Licensing Enforcement:• Investigations and enforcement
activities including:o 673 discipline notifications
and 479 licensing violationso 53 licensing investigationso Suspension of 55 licenceso Laying of 42 charges
3%2%
FY2014 Wiring Revenue: $53.2 million based on $29.4 million
from residential and $23.8 million from industrial, commercial
and institutional. This represents 56 per cent of ESA’s annual
revenues of $94.8 million.
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Operational ImprovementsESA will work to improve service at ESA’s call centre.
We’ve completed an end-to-end review of our processes
to see where we can make improvements and adjust
systems and technology to ensure we answer your
calls faster. ESA will also focus on Inspector utilization,
and look at ways to make Inspector scheduling more
mindful of LECs’ business needs.
Ontario Electrical Safety Code The next edition of the Ontario Electrical Safety Code
will come into effect in 2016. Stakeholder consultation
on proposed changes will happen in fall 2014 and winter
2015. ESA will be seeking feedback from LECs, DMEs
and electrical workers, among others.
Promotion of Electrical Safety Management Systems ESA will continue to target improvements in electrical
worker safety. ESA has developed a digital tool,
e-WorkSAFE, that puts safety plans and information
in hands of electrical workers at the job site. A contractor
specific variation of the tool will be launched in 2014.
ESA will explore ways to increase awareness around the
benefits of electrical safety management systems and look
at providing additional, tools, aid and education to skilled
electrical workers regarding the benefits and requirements
of following proper safety procedures.
Stakeholder Collaboration Improving worker safety would be impossible without
the participation of all safety partners. ESA will grow
relationships with WSPS, IHSA and the Ministry of Labour
while continuing to focus on our responsibilities of
transparency and collaboration with the contractor
community. ESA will always strive to maintain effective
Advisory Councils, whose recommendations provide ESA
with invaluable insight on electrical issues related not only
to contractors, but also consumers, industry and utilities.
High Risk Worker Safety
The Year AheadAt least one electrician or apprentice is killed each year working live.
• Electricians and apprentice electricians accounted for
24 per cent of occupational electrical-related fatalities
between 2004 and 2013, and they continue to
be critically injured on the job when working on
energized electrical panels or Ballasts/347V lighting.
• Fatalities to electrical trade workers accounted for
31 per cent of all occupational electrical-related
fatalities between 2004 and 2013.
• There are at least 4 critical injuries to electricians
on average each year.
Eliminating these deaths and injuries depends on an
effective partnership with Licensed Electrical Contractors
and Master Electricians. ESA has undertaken a number of
initiatives over the last year designed to ensure electrical
workers go home to their families at the end of the day.
• Electrical safety forums with mining and petrochemical
managers, electrical superintendents and electricians
from the largest employers in each industry.
Over 100 participants attended.
• Partnering with Workplace Safety and Prevention
Services (WSPS) and Infrastructure Health and
Safety Association (IHSA) to establish and expand
relationships specifically tied to skilled electrical
worker safety.
• Participation in a number of studies, helping
to identify strategies for modifying workplace
practice in high risk work.
• Collaboration on revising and providing training
on the Electrical Safety Handbook for Emergency
Responders, ensuring police, fire and paramedics
can safely assist in the event of an
electrical-related emergency.
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CONTACT USesasafe.com 1-877-ESA-SAFE (1-877-372-7233)www.esaonlineservices.com
The Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) is a delegated administrative authority acting on behalf of the Government of Ontario with specific responsibilities under the Electricity Act and the Safety and Consumer Statutes Administration Act. As part of our mandate, we are responsible for administering regulation in four key areas:
• Ontario Electrical Safety Code (Regulation 164/99);
• Licensing of Electrical Contractors and Master Electricians (Regulation 570/05);
• Electrical Distribution Safety (Regulation 22/04); and
• Electrical Product Safety (Regulation 438/07).
ESA operates as a private, not-for-profit corporation. Our funding derives from fees for safety oversight, safety services, and licensing of Electrical Contractors and Master Electricians.
Our activities include:
• identifying and targeting leading causes of electrical risk;
• promoting awareness, education and training on electrical safety;
• ensuring compliance with regulations;
• investigating fatalities, injuries and fire losses associated with electricity;
• engaging with stakeholders to improve safety.
In 2010, ESA launched its five-year Harm Reduction Strategy which targets a 30 per cent reduction in electrical fatalities and fire fatalities by 2015.
MANDATE To enhance public electrical safety in Ontario.
MISSIONTo improve electrical safety for the well-being of the people of Ontario.
VISION An Ontario free of electrical fatalities and serious damage, injury or loss.