July 7, 2020 – Ontario’s Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) has officially launched Risk-based Oversight (RBO) for inspections of electrical wiring notifications, saying it will help reduce the burden on Ontario businesses while allowing ESA to focus on work that is higher risk while targeting the underground economy.

RBO for wiring work is a process where ESA’s oversight of an electrical installation is based on an assessment of the safety risk i.e. the likelihood an event will occur and, if it does, how much harm it will cause.

The Risk-based Oversight Engine © ESA.

When a notification is opened with ESA, it will now include an assessment by the RBO System using “who, what, where” criteria. Then, a risk recommendation is provided to the ESA inspector for a final review.

By adopting RBO, ESA will be able to spend more time on safety activities such as helping to make sure wiring work meets the requirements of the Ontario Electrical Safety Code, and that work is being executed by people who are qualified.

ESA says it updated its online system to make it easier to open notifications; it is more “user-friendly and allows electrical work to be better described”.

You are still able to file a notification by phone, fax or online. Contractors that provide 24 hours notice for medium- and low-risk notifications may request a next-day inspection.

CLICK HERE to learn more about RBO, and where you can download the RBO Guidebook (PDF).