Plant Supervision

Inspection and Technical Services (ITS) is responsible for plant classification, plant supervision requirements, for examination and licensing of Power Engineers, and for verifying requirements under the Power Engineers Act, during periodic inspections. The Power Engineers Act is available on the Legislation and Regulations page

A power engineer is a person trained and certified to safely operate plants. In Manitoba, as in other Canadian provinces and territories, many plants can only be operated under the supervision of a certified and licensed power engineer.

The following are Manitoba's classes of power engineer certificates:

  • First Class
  • Second Class
  • Third Class
  • Fourth Class
  • Fifth Class
  • Refrigeration Class
  • Special Boiler Class
  • Steam Traction Engine Class

For each certificate class, the Power Engineers Regulation specifies what duties the certificate holder can perform, the requirements for supervision, and defines the various classes of plants.

For information on certification and licensing please see the Trades Examinations, Certification and Licencing page

Plant Classification

The Power Engineers Regulation defines the class of plants based on the combined output of pressure equipment. The following are Manitoba’s classes of plants:

  • First Class
  • Second Class
  • Third Class
  • Fourth Class
  • Fifth Class
  • Special Boiler Class
  • Refrigeration Class
  • Steam Traction Engine Class

The Power Engineers regulation provides information for plant classification exclusions in the non-application section. Specifically, hot water heating boilers, steam, refrigeration, and air pressure plants that meet the requirements of this section do not require supervision as outlined in the regulation.

Changes that affect plant classification may include replacement, removal, decommissioning, or upgrades to existing equipment or installation of new equipment.  During these activities, plants may be subject to reclassification.

For information on Plant Classifications, please contact bpvintake@gov.mb.ca

Guarded Status

What is Guarded Status?

In Manitoba, an owner of either a steam or a refrigeration plant that requires constant supervision may be eligible to apply for Guarded Status. Guarded Status allows the Power Engineer on duty to leave the plant for periods greater than twenty minutes at a time given all extra safety measures are in accordance with the Manitoba Power Engineers Act and Regulation.

Eligible Steam Plants

Guarded Status may apply to any steam plant:

  • With safety relief valves set to 15 psig or lower, and greater than 50 boiler horsepower in capacity, or,
  • With safety relief valves set to greater than 15 psig, and less than 150 psig, over 5 boiler horsepower in capacity, but not over 50 boiler horsepower in capacity.

Note: 1st Class, 2nd, and 3rd Class Steam Plants are not eligible under any circumstance.

Eligible Refrigeration Plants

Guarded Status may apply to any 4th Class, 5th Class or Refrigeration Class plant:

  • With high-side pressures in excess of 15 psig and rated capacity in excess of 50 tons (if having field-erected refrigerant piping) or,
  • With high-side pressures in excess of 15 psig and rated capacity in excess of 100 tons (if factory built, and pressure/leak tested, and having no field-erected refrigerant piping connections).

Applying for Guarded Status

Owners who wish to apply for Guarded Status must email a request in writing to the Director of ITS. The written request shall indicate that the plant will be well maintained and its safety limit controls tested regularly by a power engineer of the required class, and the plant will operate accordance with the Manitoba Power Engineers Act and Regulation as well as all relevant safety codes and guidelines. A follow up inspection by a BPV inspector is required to confirm acceptability and witness testing of the systems to verify proper functionality.

All written requests must be sent to bpvintake@gov.mb.ca

For Guarded Status inspection checklists and more detailed information refer to following Guides available on the Bulletins, Guides & Forms page:

  • ITS BPV Guide 06 - Guarded Status - Refrigeration Booklet
  • ITS BPV Guide 07 - Guarded Status - Steam Booklet

See FAQ'S for commonly asked questions.