ESA  and Electrical Safety Inspections

Residential and New Home Construction

Electrical installations in a new house must be inspected and authorized prior to connection to the Utility electricity distribution system. Residential inspections involve a number of visits at various stages, including:

• inspection of underground wiring – if required
• inspection of wiring to the meter, the main disconnect means (for example fuses or breakers) and inspection of grounding to service
• inspection of all electrical wiring prior to the installation of drywall and insulation
• final inspection to ensure there is no open wiring
• Renovations/Additions And Alterations
• Any change to the original wiring including repair and replacement of electrical devices.
• Electrical inspections are required for all electrical work (new installations and modifications). ESA will provide information on inspection requirements for the work being done.

Electrical Safety

1. Make sure smoke alarms are installed on every floor outside sleeping areas and in every bedroom, and are in good working order.
2. Look for telltale signs of electrical problems such as dimming of lights, frequent circuit breaker trips or blown fuses.
3. Ask a qualified electrician if your home would benefit from AFCI protection, especially during inspections of older homes or upgrades to electrical systems.
4. Limit the use of extension cords, particularly cords used to power room air conditioners. * Use light bulbs that are the proper wattage for the fixture – higher wattage bulbs can degrade the wires in and around the fixture.

Electrical Product Safety

Electrical products that are not properly certified to the standards required by provincial/territorial electrical authorities, can cause serious problems when used, leading to fires, injuries and even death. When buying electrical products, verify that they are certified to the Canadian electrical safety standards required. If you notice products which do not bear at least one of the required certification marks below (requiring the letter ‘c’ in some form to designate certification to Canadian electrical safety standards), report them to the retailer and to your Provincial/Territorial/Municipal Electrical Safety Authority or to Health Canada.

Choosing Electrical Contractors

Part 1 — General Qualification and Licensing Provisions Division 1 — Individuals Who May Perform Regulated Electrical Work Individuals who may perform electrical work 4 (1) Subject to subsection (2), an individual must not perform regulated work in respect of electrical equipment unless the individual (a) holds an appropriate industry training credential in respect of electrical work, (b) has successfully completed training recognized by a provincial safety manager, (c) is employed by an organization that utilizes training programs that are approved by a provincial safety manager and the individual (i) has successfully completed the relevant training, and (ii) does not perform regulated work for any person other than the individual’s employer who provided the training, (d) is a homeowner acting in accordance with section 17, (e) is a manufacturer’s technical representative, (f) holds another certificate of qualification under the Gas Safety Regulation or the Power Engineers, Boiler, Pressure Vessel and Refrigeration Safety Regulation, or (g) is permitted to do so under section 5 of the Safety Standards General Regulation. (2) Any right referred to in subsection (1) to perform electrical work is limited by (a) any exception under this regulation, (b) any terms and conditions imposed under a permission issued under the Act, or (c) by the scope of the individual’s certificate of qualification or industry training credential. (3) For the purposes of section 5 of the Safety Standards General Regulation or section 12 of this regulation, only an individual referred to in subsection (1) (a), (b), (c) or (f) of this section is authorized to supervise a person to do electrical work.

Electrical Safety Precautions

Routinely check your electrical appliances and wiring.
Frayed wires can cause fires. Replace all worn, old or damaged appliance cords immediately.
Do not use extension cords as permanent wiring, they are not rated for this use.
Keep electrical appliances away from wet floors and counters; pay special care to electrical appliances in the bathroom and kitchen.
Don’t allow children to play with or around electrical appliances like space heaters, irons and hair dryers.
Keep all potentially combustible items at least three feet from all heaters.
If an appliance has a three-prong plug, use it only in a three-slot outlet. Never cut off the ground or force it to fit into a two-slot outlet or extension cord.
Never overload extension cords or wall sockets.
Check your electrical appliances regularly for signs of wear. If the cords are frayed or cracked, replace them. Replace any appliance ortool if it causes even small electrical shocks, overheats, shorts out or gives off smoke or sparks.

How to Arrange for an Electrical Inspection in Angus ON

An electrical inspection is required for any new electrical installation. Homeowners should not take out an application on behalf of a contractor.
Homeowners who are doing their own electrical installations should contact the Electrical Safety Authority at 1-877-372-7233 to arrange for an electrical inspection. These arrangements should be made up to 48 hours after the commencement of work.