Version 1.0 Issue Date: May 2023 | Print This Resource
A recent Technical Standards and Safety Authority Advisory has resulted in a review by the Ontario Recreation Facilities Association (ORFA) to assist owners and operators of Ontario ice rinks.
Owners of these types of recreation assets are reminded that the review and interpretation is the responsibility of each stakeholder. However, throughout the Advisory, refence is made for the need to consider industry providers of training and accreditation in ice sheet refrigeration training. The following information is provided as a pathway based on ORFA’s 75 plus years of proven refrigeration training and professional certification associated with these responsibilities. There is no expectation of any stakeholder to directly invest in ORFA products and services but rather use the industry designed training templates and associated tools to strive towards meeting industry best practice. The ORFA has and continues to promote that the most cost-effective approach of obtaining competent refrigeration personnel is for plant owners and/or users to build the necessary training and skills development into position postings. ORFA’s Basic Arena Refrigeration (BAR) course is a time-tested introduction to the topic of ice sheet industrial refrigeration. It sets the BAR for minimum training in every artificial industrial ice sheet operator. The BAR course is the entry level training towards the Certified Arena Refrigeration Plant Technician (CARPT) that is considered the minimum training and skills development for plant “users” and/or the plant’s “responsible person”.
The following information provides an overview of how the ORFA visions how the Advisory might be applied.
TSSA |
Suggested ORFA Industry Best Practice |
Purpose |
A standard ice sheet refrigeration plant will require a minimum of 1.5-million-dollar capital investment by the owner. Maintaining these investments requires competent and qualified staff. There have been no changes to the Operating Engineers Regulation. The Advisory provides additional clarification and recommendations as to how ice sheet refrigeration plants should be operated and managed. Ice sheet refrigeration plants are owned and operated by municipalities, private companies, boards of directors, native communities, or as joint partnerships. As such, not one plan can assist all registered refrigeration plant owners in their efforts to be more proactive in compliance as set out in this advisory. Interpretation and compliance of the Operating Engineers Regulation remains the sole responsibility of all stakeholders outlined in the Regulation. Refer to: |
Background |
ORFA has been working closely with all governing agencies to raise awareness on these matters. |
In addition, changes in equipment, refrigerants and technologies require continued investment by plant owners to ensure plant staff are properly trained. |
The ice sheet refrigeration industry has significantly evolved with new technologies, equipment, and refrigerant options. Plant owners and users must design job descriptions that reflect the on-site refrigeration plant as well as heating, air conditioning, ventilation and dehumidification systems as each component can impact the refrigeration systems operation and safety. The ORFA Certified Arena Refrigeration Plant Technician (CARPT) is considered the industry standard for persons who are responsible for this infrastructure. |
Plant Registration |
No change. Registration of ownership is usually to a nonentity such as a municipality, volunteer organization/service club, post-secondary institution, private business, Native Band. This will be discussed in the ownership definition later in this resource. |
Plant Attendance |
No change. |
Guarded Plants A plant is “guarded” if it has controls and safety devices that limit the operation of the equipment that is being guarded to preset parameters and that will alert the operator with an audible and/or visual alarm if those parameters are exceeded [s. 1(1), 39 and 45]. If the control or device guarding installation ceases to function properly, the installation must be brought to a safe stop immediately [s. 42(1)(b)]. |
There are two (2) levels of ice sheet refrigeration plant registration:
An attended plant is strictly controlled by the Operating Engineer Regulation in respect to level of training and certification requirements based on plant design and operation. These plants must have a designated Chief Operator who assumes care and control of their operation on behalf of the plant owner. Unattended plants have less of a strict regulated control. These operations allow the plants owner and user the latitude to operate as they deem fit. This remains a guiding principle however, TSSA and the MLITSD recognize that there is reasonable industry developed benchmarks for minimum training and certification that can be used as qualifiers of competency if the operation is called into question. The ORFA Certified Arena Refrigeration Plant Technician (CARPT) is considered the industry standard for persons who are responsible for this infrastructure. |
Roles and Responsibilities Owner: The plant “owner” is “the person to whom or which the plant is registered but does not mean the operating engineers or operators who operate, control, or maintain the plant”. The plant owner selects an individual to have the authority to ensure the plant is being properly operated, supervised, and managed. [s. 1 (1)] |
As discussed in the plant registration section of the Advisory, the equipment is often registered to a nonentity. It is reasonable to expect that the “persons” in control of the financial resources associated with the plant’s operation and management are the legal “owners”. The “owner” will define worker responsibilities while providing the necessary support to ensure safe plant operations. They are most likely not involved in the actual day-to-day operations of the plant room. The ORFA recommends that the plant owner(s) participate in the Safe Arena Refrigeration Plant Operator (SARPO) on-line training courses (or equivalent). |
User: The plant “user” is the person selected by the plant owner to be responsible for ensuring that the plant is being properly operated, supervised, and managed. The regulation clarifies that “user includes the person or persons in control of a plant as owner, lessee or otherwise, but does not include the operating engineers or operators who operate, control, or maintain the plant.” The plant user will often have authority to oversee equipment maintenance or replacement and the training of plant employees. The plant user should have a strong working knowledge of the CSA B-52 Mechanical Refrigeration Code and other applicable codes, standards and practices associated with safe work practices, environmental responsibilities, and emergency management. |
It is reasonable to expect that the plant user is the person who is directly responsible for reporting to the plant owner. They would be responsible for requesting the necessary resources to safely operate and maintain the plant. They may or may not be involved in the day-to-day operations of the plant. The ORFA recommends that the plant “user” have and maintain a Certified Arena Refrigeration Plant Technician (CARPT). The plant user may select a responsible person who may act on their behalf. This person shall have and maintain a Certified Arena Refrigeration Plant Technician (CARPT). The plant user shall participate in the Safe Arena Refrigeration Plant Operator (SARPO) on-line training courses (or equivalent). |
It is the obligation of the plant’s “owner and/or user” to ensure that the registered unattended ice surface refrigeration plant is under the care and control of well-trained, competent, responsible persons at all times. Plant employee training programs design, delivery and supervision remains a plant “owner and/or user” responsibility. TSSA recommends that the plant owner and/or user adopt industry-recommended training and operational best practices, guidelines and/or standards for training registered ice surface refrigeration employees. These are obtainable through Ice Sheet industry training providers. |
Plant operators are workers who are in care and control of the registered refrigeration plant as selected. Directed and trained by the plant user or responsible person. The ORFA recommends that all full-time operators hold an ORFA Basic Arena Refrigeration training certificate. |
Contractors “The plant “owner and/or user” is responsible to select, direct and supervise any service contactor who performs work on the primary or auxiliary equipment, safety devices, and/or emergency systems”. The maintenance plan for the plant needs to be site-specific, based on the condition of the equipment, plant design and layout, and should include an asset management plan. |
A Certified Arena Refrigeration Plant Technician (CARPT) will have obtained all the necessary training and skills development to represent the plants owner in this responsibility. They will have a strong working knowledge as to how to develop, maintain and monitor plant maintenance plans. [More] |
Logbooks
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These requirements are covered in detail in ORFA training and certification courses. |
Holidays and Seasonal Closure Inspections |
Refer to: |
Long Term Shutdown, Decommissioning, Dismantling a Refrigeration Plant |
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Unattended Plant Procedure Training and Emergency Manual The manual must set out procedures relating to training of all persons selected by the plant user to assist in the safe operation, supervision, and management of the plant. The manual should Failure to have and maintain a plant procedure and maintenance manual may result in an unattended plant becoming an attended plant status requiring certified staff until such information is put in place. Additionally, users should use industry best practices for training for workers to become competent workers. Refrigeration Operator and Refrigerant Awareness Programs assist with this information. |
These requirements are covered in detail in ORFA training and certification courses. |
Unattended Plant Asset Management Plan |
The ORFA Recreation Facility Asset Management (RFAM) software program is available as a benefit of membership with the Association. This no cost data collection module was developed by the ORFA in partnership with MARMAK. |
Accident Reporting |
ORFA training and certification course cover these responsibilities in detail. TSSA may only be one layer of reporting responsibility as local policing authorities, Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, Electrical Safety Authority and or Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks may also need to be contacted. |
The ORFA is committed to assisting the industry by providing the necessary support to make ice sheet refrigeration as safe as possible. For additional information, please feel free to contact the Association by calling 416-426-7062 or visit https://www.orfa.com/inquiry for comments or questions.
COPYRIGHT © 2023 ONTARIO RECREATION FACILITIES ASSOCIATION INC. DISCLAIMER: While the Ontario Recreation Facilities Association Inc. (ORFA) does its best to provide useful general information and guidance on matters of interest to its members, statutes, regulations and the common law continually change and evolve, vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and are subject to differing interpretations and opinions. The information provided by the ORFA is not intended to replace legal or other professional advice or services. The information provided by the ORFA herein is provided “as is” and without any warranty, either express or implied, as to its fitness, quality, accuracy, applicability or timeliness. Before taking any action, consult an appropriate professional and satisfy yourself about the fitness, accuracy, applicability or timeliness of any information or opinions contained herein. The ORFA assumes no liability whatsoever for any errors or omissions associated with the information provided herein and furthermore assumes no liability for any decision or action taken in reliance on the information contained in these materials or for any damages, losses, costs or expenses in any way connected to it. ORFA documents are made available as a benefit of membership and are always open for suggested edits, corrections and improvements. Further, all ORFA resources are restricted for use by members in good standing for awareness and education purposes only. We ask that ORFA resources not be uploaded to the internet. |