Predevelopment

PRE-START HEALTH AND SAFETY REVIEWS (PSHSR or PSR's)

H.E.L.P. Safety Services Inc. offers a full range of expertise in evaluating new or modified installations in your facility for compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act (Ont.) and specifically for PSR's required under Section 7 of the Regulations for Industrial Establishments.

Prior to December 1997, section 7 of the Regulations for Industrial Establishments required that drawings for new and modified processes and buildings be submitted to the Ministry of Labour for review by a Ministry of Labour Engineer. This process was known as a Pre-development review (PDR).

Effective December 5, 1997, the PDR process was focused on equipment, machines or devices. The 1997 regulation required an employer to obtain a report from a professional engineer stating that the equipment, machine device or thing would comply with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and its regulations if installed in accordance with the design specifications and drawings reviewed.

Effective October 7, 2000, the PSR process and intent of the amended Section 7 of the Regulations for Industrial Establishments now focuses on ensuring that a professional review identifies imminent hazards of an apparatus, protective element or other hazards associated with exposure to chemical substances and that such hazards are removed prior to the start up of the apparatus or process.

Similar in effect to the previous concept of Pre-Development Reviews, this modified regulation requires employers to evaluate certain types of equipment installations in an industrial workplace prior to using the equipment, structure or protective element for the first time. The employer must obtain a review or report of findings concerning these items from a professional engineer or another specialist, for example, an industrial hygiene evaluation. Based upon the findings contained in the report the employer must implement those measures necessary to ensure compliance with the relevant portion of the regulations.

The following items are examples identified in law as requiring a Pre-Start Review:

When a building, room or area is used to store or dispense flammable liquids
When the following protective elements are used in conjunction with an apparatus:
a) light curtains and screens
b) area scanning systems
c) radio frequency systems and capacitance systems
d) safety mat systems
e) two hand controls
f) barrier guards using interlocked electrical or mechanical safeguards
When racking or stacking structures are used to store material
Where processes that involves a risk of ignition or explosion that create a risk of imminent hazard to a person's health or safety are installed or modified
When a dust collector is used that involves a risk of ignition or explosion and thereby creating a risk of imminent hazard to a person's health or safety
When a factory produces aluminum or steel or a factory that is a foundry
When a lifting device, traveling crane or automobile hoist is installed or modified
When a process uses or produces a substance (i.e. chemical) that may result in the overexposure of a worker to limits prescribed by Ontario regulations

Specifics on this subject are addressed in the current edition of the Regulations for Industrial Establishments as amended and listed in the October 7, 2000 Gazette as Ontario Regulation 528/00 made under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. If you require further information regarding whether your installation is covered, we can assist with making that determination.

Employers are reminded that these are new and amended provisions of the Regulations for Industrial Establishments and under the provisions of the Occupational Health and Safety Act the compliance is a strict requirement.

Our Ministry of Labour background and experience in this subject area is both comprehensive and extensive. The engineering and professional staff of H.E.L.P. Safety Services Inc., have conducted numerous reviews and are ready to assist you in these matters in a professional and timely fashion.

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Tel: (905) 821-8928 Fax: (905) 821-8435 Email: help@helpsafetyservices.com