BC: Mandatory Commissioning Approval Assessment for Specific Gas Appliances

Technical Safety BC Information Bulletin: Gas Contractor Responsibility to Request Commissioning Approval Assessment for Specific Gas Appliances details the mandatory Commissioning Approval (CA) assessment request requirement for gas appliances specified in section 26(2) of the Gas Safety Regulation (GSR).

In addition to obtaining a gas installation permit prior to installing any gas appliance, equipment or gas system, the permit holder (installing contractor) is required to request a commissioning approval assessment for any of the following specific gas fired appliances:

• Direct-fired appliance – an appliance in which the combustion products or flue gases are intermixed with the medium being heated. 
• Conversion burner – CGA 3.4-1973 (R2015): a burner designed and constructed primarily for converting heating and process equipment from the use of other fuels to gas firing and/or firing new heating or process equipment.
• Forced draft – CSA B149.1- Natural gas and propane installation code: a burner in which the combustion air is supplied by a mechanical device such as a fan or blower at sufficient pressure to overcome the resistance of the burner and the appliance.

Applicable appliances and equipment must bear the approval mark of a certification body (CB) or inspection body (IB) accredited by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) prior to requesting or receiving a CA.

A Commissioning Approval assessment request will result in a site inspection or authorization from Technical Safety BC. CA assessment requests must be submitted at least 48 hours prior to the above appliances being placed into service.

All CA assessments shall include completion and submission of a commissioning form; if a CA assessment for appliances identified in GSR s.26 (2) has not been completed or accepted by a gas safety officer, testing or use of the equipment is not authorized.

For more information, please contact Darren Cunningham, Director, Government Relations, West, at darrencunningham@propane.ca or 403.801.9111.