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Ontario updates Electrical Safety Code for 2019
December 18, 2018 – The 27th edition of the Ontario Electrical Safety Code (OESC) has been finalized with updates, is now available as a tool and will come into regulatory effect on May 16, 2019.
December 18, 2018 By Peter Saunders
The province’s Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) is encouraging energy professionals to purchase the new edition and begin familiarizing themselves with it. Any electrical work conducted after the effective date will need to meet its requirements.
The code includes the CE Code, Part 1, and several Ontario-specific amendments. The following are some of the key changes:
– Requirements have been added for energy storage systems.
– The installation of an identified (neutral) conductor is required at each control (switch) location of a permanent luminaire.
– The use of Power over Ethernet (PoE) is facilitated to provide a pathway for sources of electricity.
– Aligned with the Ontario Building Code, high-voltage (HV) conductors may not be installed over buildings.
– Adequate working space must be provided for electrical workers to undertake installations, repairs and maintenance of transformers greater than 50 kVa.
– Section 10 requirements for bonding and grounding have been rewritten, reorganized and reduced, to simplify installations and improve safety.
– The use of tamper-resistant receptacles has been expanded in educational facilities, hotels and motels.
– The installation of cables is prohibited in concealed locations in corrugated roof decking.
The new code book and all ESA bulletins will be sold together by CSA Group, scheduled for availability in January, in print for $219 or in a searchable, digital format for $195, accessible on smartphones, tablets and desktops and compatible with Microsoft’s Windows and Apple’s iOS.
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