Ontario Fire Services,

In December 2010, the Government of Ontario approved changes to Regulation 211/01 pertaining to Risk and Safety Management Plans (RSMPs). The government adjusted the RSMP process for small facilities by creating a new process for facilities with lower total capacities of propane on site. The regulation now requires Level 1 RSMPs for small propane facilities and Level 2 RSMPs for medium and large facilities. The Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM) and the Fire Service Stakeholder Group has been working diligently to assist the fire service with the changes to the RSMP requirements.

Level 1 RSMPs
The Level 1 RSMP process provides the fire service with the opportunity to provide “review and comments”. Propane Operators are responsible to complete the Level 1 RSMP form that has been published by the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA). The fire service is responsible to review and comment on Section B, the Emergency and Preparedness Response Plan. Fire Services are encouraged to receive the Level 1 RSMPs as early as possible and support the review process as much as possible.

The OFM and the Fire Service Stakeholder Group have developed a Fire Service Commentary to support the fire service when reviewing a Level 1 RSMP. This Commentary identifies areas where fire safety, fire protection and emergency preparedness elements could appear. During the fire service review any item felt to be missing from Section B of the Level 1 RSMP can be provided to the propane operator as a comment. Please find enclosed a copy of the Fire Service Commentary.

Fire Service Information Form
The OFM and the Fire Service Stakeholder Group have developed a Fire Service Information Form to support the review and comments for a level 1 RSMP. This form is provided as an optional way for the fire service to provide comments to the propane operators. This PDF document will allow the fire service to complete the comments electronically. The comments may then be printed and attached to the level 1 RSMP. The electronic form has been included with this email. Note: PDF reader versions of the software will not allow completed forms to be saved.

Level 2 RSMPs
The regulation changes have also affected the Level 2 RSMP process. The Phase I and Phase II Guidance Documents have been updated to include the regulation changes and are now being provided as an electronic template. Both documents have been included in this email.

Sample Approval Letter
A sample approval letter is being provided to the fire service to be used at their discretion in the Level 2 RSMP approval process.. The fire service approves all components of the Level 2 RSMP for the facility that address fire safety, fire protection and emergency preparedness. The fire service may use this sample wording when providing an approval or may choose other wording as they determine to be appropriate.

Questions
If you have any questions about O. Reg. 211/01, or the propane licensing process, please contact the TSSA Fuel Safety Division at (416) 734-3587, 1 (855) 734-3587 or Email: propanelicensing@tssa.org

The following OFM resources are available to assist the fire service with questions regarding the attached documents:

Beth Tate, P. Eng.
Applied Research
Office of the Fire Marshal
Telephone: (416) 325-3231
Fax: (416) 325-3213
Beth.Tate@ontario.ca
 
Chad Brown
Program Specialist
Office of the Fire Marshal
Telephone: (705) 295-2926
Fax: (705) 725-7259
Chad.Brown@ontario.ca
 
Cynthia Ross Tustin
Program Specialist
Office of the Fire Marshal
Telephone: (705) 627-6888
Fax: (705) 725-7259
Cynthia.RossTustin@ontario.ca