Staff and site personnel are often in close proximity to electrical during their normal scope of work. These individuals are routinely asked to perform tasks which are beyond their qualifications . Regulated electrical work must be performed by a qualified individual as per the Safety Standards Act and WorkSafe BC. There are many underlying consequences and hazards which are not evident to the unqualified worker.

For example, regulated work to be performed by a qualified individual includes:

• turning breakers on / off
• turning disconnects on / off
• changing light bulbs or lamps
• changing ballasts

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS AND STAFF EDUCATION

There are many hazards that employees are exposed to in the workplace.  There are several principles and mandates from WorkSafe BC and employee governing bodies that should be adopted by employers.

1. Do they have adequate training information and equipment for the scope of work they are responsible for?
2. Do they have current and established qualifications for the scope of work they are responsible for?
3. Does any of their scope of work responsibilities fall into the category of regulated work?

As an employer, this information falls on you to know and provide.  The following items are motivators for due diligence and consequences of poor practices regarding workplace safety:

1. Proactive prevention
2. WorkSafe BC intervention
3. employee injuries
4. consequences and monetary penalties
5. civil liability  

There are many reputable companies that are requiring unqualified employees to perform work outside their scope of responsibilities.  We were service consultants for a surgical centre under the Fraser Heath umbrella.  One of the concerns we uncovered was that high level managing nurses and medical technicians were re-lamping fixture in the operating rooms and throughout the facility.

At the time of this writing, we came across several postings for positions of maintenance with minor and general electrical work required.  There are no requirements for electrical work qualifications noted.  What is clear in these postings is exploitation of unsuspecting individuals offered a low wage to do regulated work.

SHAPE posting:  5th Class Engineer

ABOUT SHAPE

SHAPE is the real estate investment, development and management company leading some of the largest and most exciting projects in North America including The Amazing Brentwood, The City of Lougheed and RC at CF Richmond Centre.

Through our fully integrated platform, SHAPE specializes in complete neighbourhoods with a top-calibre mix of shops, restaurants, residences, entertainment and a complete range of daily services on rapid transit. By executing on every stage of the real estate process, from land acquisition to property management, we are able to collaborate more efficiently, work seamlessly and perform at the highest level. Every SHAPE property reflects lasting vision, bold creativity and obsessive attention to detail.

Our projects are complex, our vision is simple: deliver social and financial value for generations. With a proven ability to raise the bar across our diverse portfolio of assets, we build on where we’ve been to push the edge of better: for industry standards, quality of life and return on investment.     

ABOUT THE ROLE

The 5^th Class Engineer/Maintenance position is responsible for repairs and projects related to overall maintenance of the site. They will assist in maintaining, operating, and repairing boilers in a District Energy System which services the site. They are also responsible for monitoring and inspecting building monitoring systems and attending to service calls and emergencies. Shifts will be a mixture of mornings (6:30am-2:30pm) and evenings (2pm-10pm). There may be some infrequent overnight coverage required from 10pm – 6am. Some Weekend availability is a must.

Primary Job Responsibilities

• Perform minor repairs and projects such as plumbing, electrical, drywall repairs, carpentry, painting etc.
• Help ensure timely response/resolution/recommendation to all tenant requests
• Assist in day-to-day monitoring of the Centre’s HVAC equipment including boilers, cooling towers, chillers, pumps, motors, fans, vfds, and compressors
• Carry out preventative maintenance duties on all equipment listed above as well as other Building systems both interior and exterior with minimal supervision
• Assist with Energy Management including scheduling equipment start/run times, DDC optimization, etc.
• Operate and maintain other building systems including Life Safety Systems, Plumbing, Electrical, Building Automation Systems
• Respond as part of the EMT to any emergency situations and assist Fire Department/Security as required including shutting down equipment & utilities
• Participate in and promote company’s Sustainability Programs including LEED standards, BOMA Best etc.

Qualifications

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Excellent communication skills (interpersonal, verbal, and written)
• Good mechanical trouble shooting abilities
• Good attention to detail and record keeping abilities
• Team player

Required Training and Experience

• Holder of British Columbia 5th Class Power Engineering Certificate
• Any other trades tickets would be considered valuable including: Electrician, Plumber, Refrigeration technician etc.
• Experience with water loop heat pump systems
• Experience with high efficiency condensing boilers
• Minimum of 3 years of work experience in building operation & maintenance. Multi use commercial/residential/office experience ideal

ARBUTUS CLUB posting:   Maintenance Engineer

The Arbutus Club has been a landmark in Vancouver since 1964. Today, we are a modern recreation complex with first class food and beverage services. Our vast range of facilities and programs, coupled with unparalleled service, have earned us a reputation as one of Canada’s finest premier Private Clubs.

We are looking for a Full-time Maintenance Engineer to support of our operations department.

Why Join the Club?

• Competitive hourly rate
• Comprehensive benefits package, including health and dental benefits, and RRSP’s
• Free on-site staff parking and corporate discount for local gym membership
• Staff events, training, and opportunities to move and grow within the Club
• Work with a fun, diversified team who are passionate about customer service
• Be part of Canada’s leading private family Club!

Duties & Responsibilities

• Assist with the preparation, operation, and maintenance of the ice rink and arena facilities
• Perform repairs and ongoing maintenance on machinery and equipment
• Carry out routine preventive maintenance of boilers, general equipment such as plumbing, electrical, refrigeration systems and the overall building infrastructure of the Club.
• Ensure all building systems (heating, cooling, electrical, and ammonia systems) are operating safely and efficiently
• Monitor and adjust computerized building management systems controlling heating and air conditioning
• Inspect and maintain water boilers, balance pool chemicals, and maintain pool pumps and filters.
• Conduct regular facility tours to ensure all building systems are operational.
• Repair and maintain plant equipment and machines in accordance with preventative maintenance schedules and checklists.
• Work with external contractors to complete specialized jobs promptly.
• Maintain equipment such as vacuum cleaners, laundry machines, and carpet cleaning machines.
• Conduct general electrical repairs including replacing light bulbs as needed.
• Assist Club Departments with special events (e.g., Parking Lot Party, Gymnastics Show) by setting up and dismantling equipment and rooms.
• Assist with seasonal facility transitions, including ice installation/removal and tennis bubble setup
• Other related duties and tasks as assigned by Management

Requirements & Qualifications

• Strong mechanical aptitude with the ability to troubleshoot and resolve issues efficiently
• Flexibility to adapt to changing tasks, priorities, and operational needs
• Reliability in completing assigned duties and responding promptly to requests
• Able to work independently and in a team environment
• The ideal candidate will have strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to interact professionally with staff and members
• Experience in a recreational facility or hospitality environment is considered an asset.
• MUST have a valid Refrigeration Operator Certificate or 4th Class Power Engineer Certification
• Arena ice maintenance experience is considered an asset
• Experience with pool maintenance, water chemistry, power tools, and basic electrical and plumbing systems is an asset
• Must be ticketed to operate refrigeration systems
• Comfortable using radio communication as part of daily operations
• Must be able to perform the full range of tasks and responsibilities as required by the position.

I have included the following scenarios where economy and ignorance contributed to injury and/or extremely hazardous condition.  The only electrical work an unqualified individual may do is the connection, disconnection and use of a consumer product.

Link to WorkSafe BC Report:  Unqualified worker on lift removing light fixtures died after elevated lift fell over:

www.worksafebc.com/resources/health-safety/incident-investigation-report-summaries/worker-died-elevated-lift-fell-over?lang=en

My brother owns a low budget fish processing plant with considerable electrical equipment and in his process of being frugal he was having his unqualified general staff doing some electrical work.  Occasionally he would have me come by and deal with things no one else could do.  On my last site visit there I advised quite explicitly they are not qualified and are doing more bad than good.  At the same time, I advised him there are voltage concerns causing a lot of his problems and he should do both an IR scan and survey and advise BC Hydro; he did neither.  Months later I was informed his main electrical room burned up during production where he sent one of his unqualified maintenance, forklift staff to investigate the main electrical room.  As he proceeded to enter the main electrical room, he opened the door and a fireball engulfed him and knocked him to the floor.

My brother-in-law, in one of his business adventures, was involved in coffee shops at several SkyTrain stations and a new venture was pursued at the Granville Station.  Their group pursued and secured a lease without addressing the electrical service capacity.  As the scope of construction started, I informed them with regards to the service capacity required, asking the several times about the service and they told me the landlord was providing the electrical service.  At the eleventh hour, they landlord lord advised them they were on their own regarding their electrical service, and it must meet the specifications of the TransLink engineers.

My daughter works as a guest services host at a lower mainland mall.  As part of their opening and closing procedures for one of their spaces, they were required to turn on and off a 200A electrical safety switch instead of using the light switches located throughout the space.  This was a time saving measure and an energy conservation measure because some lights were not getting turned off.  When my daughter informed me of what they were required to do I went to management and advised this was regulated work and extremely hazardous.  I wasn’t getting traction with this approach, so plan B was to share with them a video of a 200A switch like the one they had involved in an arc blast explosion.  The procedure stopped immediately.  I guess talk is cheap, but a picture is worth a thousand words.

This is a scenario that is playing out throughout our region.  Minor electrical work and repairs are still regulated work, even changing a light bulb is regulated work (safety Standards Act).

These beliefs and actions are misguided and actually illegal.  There is no minor electrical work that does not require a qualified individual and a few exceptions that do not require a permit.  There are many concerns with this belief beyond the primary and secondary hazards themselves; the incident at Vancouver Lawn Tennis above was a secondary consequence.  If an unqualified employee is “successful” with a minor electrical repair an employer may escalate the employee’s tasks to beyond minor repairs.  The employee themselves may feel more empowered and confident to escalate their efforts to engage in more complex repairs.

Link to WorkSafe BC report – Worker electrocuted while working on microwave:

http://www.worksafebc.com/resources/health-safety/incident-investigation-report-summaries/worker-electrocuted-while-working-on-microwave?lang=en

As part of a safe workplace lighting levels and emergency lighting are critical whether it be for pathway illumination to and from areas of work, entrances and exits, Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) has required levels for all specific tasks and areas.  Workplaces are required to be kept safe from physical risks and lighting contributes to that end.  If lighting levels are insufficient for area and tasks, the employer will be held liable for injuries.  The condition and compliance for all regulated equipment at a place of work is required to be in a safe and functional manner as per CEC, SSA and BRR.  If it is not the employer could be subject to WorkSafe BC consequences as well as any electrical authority responsible for that site.

A consequence to a worker whether qualified or not is secondary injuries when working with or around electrical equipment.  A secondary injury is a result of a reaction to an electrical incident, flash, arc, explosion or shock where the injury is not as a direct result of the electrical event.  It may cause a fall off a ladder or pulling your head away causing whiplash like conditions.

Here is a link to a video of consequences of regulated equipment exposure, hazards and risks:  

https://youtu.be/6hpE5LYj-CY?si=ZwnFktWaWCdYBMKf