Safety Standards for Technical Systems and Equipment
Last updated on May 1, 2024Providing safety oversight to reduce hazards, prevent accidents and increase public safety is important.
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Safety Laws and Regulations
The Safety Standards Act and regulations set the guidelines for the following technologies and the people who work with them:
- Amusement rides
- Boilers, pressure vessels and refrigeration systems
- Electrical equipment and systems
- Elevators and escalators
- Gas appliances and systems
- Railways
- Ski lifts and aerial trams
Technical Safety BC
Technical Safety BC (TSBC) (formerly the BC Safety Authority) oversees the safe installation and operation of these technical systems and equipment. It does this through permits, licensing, enforcement, education and research. TSBC has information on how to find a licensed contractor, information for homeowners on permitting, information on certification, and online learning resources.
Ten municipalities are delegated portions of the Safety Standards Act to issue electrical and/or gas permits and perform assessments. More information on the local governments and their delegated permissions is available on Technical Safety BC's website (external link).
In 2023, the Province completed an audit of Technical Safety BC. For more information, review the Performance Audit of Technical Safety BC (PDF, 2.3 MB). Review of recommendations and implementation is ongoing.
Contact Information
- Technical Safety BC (external link) (formerly BC Safety Authority)
- SkilledTradesBC (external link) (formerly the Industry Training Authority)
- WorkSafe BC (external link)
Safety Standards Appeal Board
The board is an adjudicative tribunal that hears appeals under the Safety Standards Act, the Homeowner Protection Act, and the Building Act.