Establishing Sprinkler Fitting as a Compulsory Trade

Transcription

1 Establishing Sprinkler Fitting as a Compulsory Trade Introduction All mechanical trades in Ontario are currently compulsory certified except for sprinkler and fire protection installers it is quite literally the only trade that deals with life and death that is not compulsory. With this submission, the Sprinkler and Fire Protection Installer Trade Board is recommending to the Ontario College of Trades that sprinkler fitting be classified as a compulsory trade in the Province of Ontario. supported by*: The application for compulsory certification for sprinkler and fire protection installers has been Canadian Automatic Sprinkler Association UA Local 853 Sprinkler Fitters of Ontario The Ontario Sprinkler Provincial Advisory Committee The Council of Canadian Fire Marshals and Fire Commissioners Ontario fire chiefs Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs Ontario Municipal Fire Prevention Officers Association Fire Marshal s Public Fire Safety Council Ontario Fire Marshal Toronto Fire Services *as noted by correspondence expressing support included in the Provincial Action Committee submission for compulsory designation. 1

2 Toronto-Central Ontario Building and Construction Trades Council Provincial Building & Construction Trades Council of Ontario Canadian Federation of Labour Ontario Council Ontario Pipe Trades Council Construction Safety Association of Ontario Plumber and Steamfitters Trade Board, College of Trades Facilities Mechanic/Technician Trade Board, College of Trades Ontario Sheet Metal Conference Millwrights Stakeholders in this industry have long been in talks with the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (and its predecessor ministries) to establish sprinkler fitting as a compulsory trade, including a number of previous submissions. We applaud the formal process established by the College of Trades, as a lack of clarity on the process for compulsory certification reviews has been problematic for decades. Designation as a compulsory trade is a weighty matter with widespread implications that should be carefully considered on a case-by-case basis. In the case of the sprinkler fitter and fire protection installer trade, a significant number of industry stakeholders are in agreement, and have been so for quite some time hence our application as a collective Trade Board. We have thoroughly engaged related trades throughout the process of this application. Both the Plumber and Steamfitters Trade Board and the Facilities Mechanic/Facilities Technician Trade Board are supportive of our submission for compulsory certification, as are Ontario sheet metal workers and millwrights. 2

3 While there are aspects of this industry that are not accounted for by comprehensive data, we firmly believe that it is necessary to have the certification conversation now due to recent changes mandating the installation of sprinkler systems in high-rise buildings and long-term care facilities. It is not enough to have sprinklers simply installed in these buildings; the system must be installed and maintained by certified workers trained to industry and government standards so that when a fire sprinkler is needed, it functions properly to save lives and prevent the destruction of property and goods. i. Scope of practice The technical description of the trade, highlighting the functional complexity of the trade, the elements of the trade, the unique features of the trade s sector, comparison to other jurisdictions and other regulatory requirements. Sprinkler System Installers, or sprinkler fitters as they are commonly known, have detailed knowledge of building and fire codes and standards, the methods for installing sprinkler piping systems, and a responsibility for public safety in residential, commercial, institutional and industrial applications. They install wet, dry, pre-action, deluge and chemical fire protection and extinguishing systems, just to name a few. On the job, sprinkler fitters may perform some or all of the following duties according to the Ontario College of Trades and Apprenticeship Act, 2009: Planning proposed installations from blueprints, sketches, specifications, standards and codes. Laying out, assembling, installing, testing and maintaining high- and low-pressure pipeline systems for supplying water, air, foam, carbon dioxide or other materials to or for fire protection purposes. 3

4 Measuring, cutting, reaming, threading, soldering, bolting, screwing, welding or joining all types of piping, fittings or equipment for the fire protection of a building or structure. Installing clamps, brackets and hangers to support piping, fittings and equipment used in fire protection systems. Testing, adjusting and maintaining pipelines and all other equipment used in sprinkler and fire protection systems. Operating and utilizing necessary tools and equipment for the installation of sprinkler and fire protection systems. 1 Service and repair sprinkler systems. Inspection, testing and maintenance of sprinkler and fire protection systems. Prepare cost estimates for clients. Installing devices and apparatus for utilization by local fire services for use during an emergency. Maintaining high- and low-pressure piping, equipment and devices to supply fire protection systems with water, foam, carbon dioxide and other materials in hospitals, commercial buildings, manufacturing plants, airports, airport hangars, warehouses, homes and apartment buildings. Installing fire protection sprinkler systems is a complex job. Many of the components used are similar to what is used in plumbing, but how those components are used and how the work is done must meet strict building and fire code requirements. The National Fire Protection Association Standards, referenced in the 2006 edition of the Ontario Building Code, contains more than 2,000 pages and is continually being updated and revised to keep up with changes and advances in technology. It is 1 Section 41 O. Reg 275/11 Ontario College of Trades and Apprenticeship Act,

5 important that sprinkler fitters are aware of updates and are trained to current standards knowledge of these changing standards is essential to the scope of this trade and should not be underestimated. The fire protection systems used in buildings in Ontario are complex, integrated systems that use many components. If the system is improperly installed, serviced or inspected, it places the building, the people within it and its contents at risk. This underscores the importance of ensuring the systems are installed and maintained by qualified tradespeople. Fire protection sprinkler systems need to work when everything else goes wrong. They are the final and only line of defence in the event of a fire. Sprinkler fitters must possess an in-depth understanding of water pressure, water supplies and their application to fire pumps, backflow preventers and the various types of sprinkler heads that are not only available, but are best suited for the building in which they are being installed. They need to understand the hydraulic calculations used in the design of the sprinkler system and its relationship with the available water supply to ensure the system meets the exact pressure and flow requirements. ii. Health and Safety How the classification or reclassification of the trade may affect the health and safety of apprentices and journeypersons working in the trade and the public who may be affected by the work. Apprentices & Journeypersons The health and safety of those in our trade is an issue we take very seriously. Sprinkler fitters work in a hazardous environment that merits compulsory status, and the requisite health and safety training that would be part of the certification process. Compulsory certification assists in decreasing the number of workplace fatalities, accidents and injuries by ensuring apprentices are aware of proper handling techniques of harmful materials. Some of 5

6 the hazardous materials and situations that may threaten the health and safety of sprinkler fitters include: Exposure to asbestos during installation, removal, or repair of pipes in buildings contaminated with asbestos. Exposure to lead during installation or removal of lead pipes and work with lead-based solder. Exposure to welding fumes, ultraviolet light, heavy metals and chlorinated compounds during welding or torch cutting. Contact with solvents, adhesives and epoxies during repair or installation of PVC/ABS pipes. Exposure to materials and liquids in old pipes during repair or removal. Exposure to exhaust fumes from gas- or diesel-powered equipment. Awkward postures, vibration and hazardous noise while using power tools, grinders, saws and mobile equipment. Dust exposure on construction sites and from grinding activities. Contact with biological materials in pipes and drains. Exposure to hazardous materials from industrial work sites. Statistics from the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) do not exist specifically for the sprinkler fitter trade it is grouped with other pipe trades. We have asked the WSIB to reconsider this, as any numbers presented may be misleading. However, it is interesting to note that the other pipe trades included in our WSIB category are designated as compulsory; sprinkler fitter is the only one that is not. Compulsory certification of sprinkler fitters would ensure apprentices receive additional safety instruction over and above the minimum requirement under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. 6

7 This additional training includes lockout and tagging procedures, confined space entry and handling hazardous materials. It not only ensures worker safety, but also results in a reduction of lost time due to injuries and inevitably leads to lower WSIB premiums. The Public Trades in Ontario that have a direct impact on public safety are typically designated as compulsory, particularly relating to protection and prevention; it is important that, in the continued interest of the protection of the public and of property, sprinkler fitters be added to this list. Modern building codes increasingly recognize the importance of fire sprinkler systems in protecting lives and property. They are required in most major buildings, including long-term care homes 2 and high-rise apartments 3 because they are widely accepted as the single most effective method for fighting the spread of fires in their early stages before they can cause severe injury to people and damage to property. 4 However, for sprinkler and fire protection systems to perform at their optimum level, it is imperative that they are installed correctly and maintained regularly by men and women who are trained and certified. Over the past century, fire sprinkler systems have an incredible safety record: according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), there is no record of a fire killing more than two people in a building that is completely sprinklered and operating properly, excepting incidents of an explosion, flash fire or where firefighters or employees were killed trying to put out the fire. 5 However, the difference between this record and tragedy is slight: only a few sprinkler heads improperly installed or maintained will compromise the integrity of the entire system in any given building and substantially reduce the ability of the system to control the fire ibid. 7

8 According to a recent study conducted by Dr. John R. Hall, Jr., the assistant vice-president, fire analysis and research, of the NFPA, the greatest risk to the failure of a sprinkler and fire protection system is human error: In fact, all forms of active and passive fire protection tend to show more problems with human error than with intrinsic mechanical or electrical reliability. 6 The results of human error compromising the system can be catastrophic. Properly installed, sprinkler systems can lower the death rate per 1,000 in structure fires for most properties by 57%, and the rate of property damage is lower by 34% to 68%. In 89% of fires, sprinklers effectively restrict a fire to the room of origin, compared to 57% in non-sprinklered buildings. 7 As we have already noted, changes in provincial policy will lead to an unprecedented need for sprinkler systems in new and existing buildings. The increased market demand will prompt a corresponding increase in uncertified workers undertaking sprinkler fitting projects which will lead to poor quality work and increased risks. If sprinkler systems are improperly installed and maintained, lives are put at risk. According to members of the Canadian Automatic Sprinkler Association (CASA), some of the examples of recent problems with improper and uncertified sprinkler system installation and maintenance include: A sprinkler system that froze in an Ottawa nursing home, and then flooded the facility. The system was turned off and left out of service for the winter. Sprinkler heads at the Peterborough Sports Complex were installed above a suspended ceiling, providing no protection below the ceiling. Toronto office workers were put at risk when sprinkler heads were installed in the ceiling, but no pipes were connected to the heads. 6 Hall, Dr. John R., The Latest NFPA Statistics on Sprinkler Performance, NFPA Journal, March/April Ibid. 8

9 A dry system in a Kingston shopping centre was filled with anti-freeze, a poisonous substance that threatened the safety of the people of the building and had the potential to contaminate the public water supply. Compulsory certification is a safeguard that will not only prevent such examples of improper installation in Ontario, but to also provide an avenue of recourse for improper or insufficient work. Vulnerable population groups are especially at risk of the hazards due to fire. Children and the elderly have greater difficulty in escaping smoke and flames; those who have asthma or other preexisting respiratory diseases as well as pregnant women are far more susceptible to the toxic effects of hazardous fires. 8 Additionally, low oxygen concentration in buildings can cause motor impairment, fatigue and faulty judgement in average adults, seriously hindering escapes from hazardous fire situations. 9 Considering that residential fires occur most often between the hours of midnight and 6:00 am, while people are generally sleeping, properly installed sprinklers undoubtedly save lives in the minutes it can take for a freely burning fire to flashover. 10 These hazards are not hypothetical. Ontario s poor record on fire safety in general, and in seniors residences in particular, is a testament to the need for properly trained apprentices and journeypersons to install and maintain sprinkler systems. The incidents below involve fires at retirement homes where no sprinkler system was present. In 1980, 25 residents of the Extendicare Retirement Home in Mississauga were killed in a fire. 8 Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs. Position Paper, Residential Fire Sprinklers. Page %20Position%20Paper%20Residential%20Fire%20Sprinklers.pdf 9 Ibid, page Ibid., page 1. 9

10 Eight residents of the Meadowcroft Place Retirement Home in Mississauga died in a 1995 fire. Between 2008 and 2009, fires at Rowanwood Retirement Residence home in Huntsville caused more than $8 million in damage. Two off-duty police officers alerted the residents and all 56 seniors escaped. A 2008 fire at the Niagara Falls Cavendish Manor Retirement Residence resulted in the hospitalization of 11 seniors, including three in critical condition. A fire at the Muskoka Heights retirement home in Orillia in 2009 resulted in the deaths of four seniors; three others have permanent brain damage. In May 2012, an elderly couple died during a fire in a nursing home in Hawkesbury. There have been a total of 48 deaths due to fires in retirement homes since Upwards of 40,000 Ontarians live in approximately 690 seniors homes. This number is expected to grow by 2017, when for the first time there will be more people over 65 than children under With new standards now in place to retrofit older retirement homes with sprinkler and fire protection systems, it is important to ensure that these systems are installed properly and maintained by qualified tradespeople. Unfortunately, many of the owners of these retirement homes, the residents of the homes and their families will be under the perception or assumption that if they hire a contractor to install a system, the personnel doing the work will be qualified. However, unless the trade is classified as compulsory, there is no guarantee this will be the case. 11 The Canadian Press. Fire Chiefs Want Sprinklers in all Seniors Homes. May CBC News Toronto

11 iii. The Environment Sprinkler and Fire Protection Installer Trade Board The effect, if any, of the classification or reclassification of the trade on the environment. Fires, particularly those with no or faulty sprinkler systems, are destructive and often produce a large amount of waste. More often than not there is little to be salvaged and the debris ultimately ends up in a landfill, taking up much needed space and adding potentially toxic materials to the mix of garbage. Greenhouse gas emissions are a real threat, and the massive use of water to extinguish the blaze is a use of a precious natural resource and a producer of potentially toxic wastewater. Additional harm is done to the environment with the use of materials and energy to rebuild following a destructive fire. When sprinklers operate correctly installed and maintained by certified workers trained to industry and government standards the destruction of property is significantly reduced, less water is used to control the fire, less resources are needed for repairs and fewer toxins are spewed into the air and into water sources. Proper sprinkler system operations also considerably reduce the toxic smoke and chemicals that would otherwise have been produced by a freely burning fire. These toxins include: Particulate matter in the form of smoke particles, fluid droplets or silica. Toxic Gases - generally carbon monoxide and dioxide; sulfur oxides. Nitrogen oxides; hydrogen cyanide; hydrogen chloride, fluoride, or Bromide; chlorine or bromine; simple hydrocarbons; amines; nitrites. Benzene. Irritant Gases - such as aldehydes, organic acids, ketones and acrolein. Gases absorbed onto smoke particles or dissolved in liquid aerosols. Heat. 11

12 Oxygen deficiency. Trace compounds. 13 Properly functioning sprinkler systems do much to reduce the large quantities of water that can be used by fire departments. Fires in sprinklered buildings require 50 to 91 percent less water to combat the flames, and are extinguished more than three minutes faster. 14 Water consumption to contain and extinguish the flames is limited to the number of sprinklers operating (typically one or two) equating around 346 gallons per fire. In an average fire department response, fire hoses discharge 2,935 gallons, with potential runoff with chemicals or toxins flowing into groundwater or nearby creeks, streams and lakes. Additionally, water mist sprinkler systems used in industrial applications reduce the amount of water that would be used in a conventional wet pipe system as much as 50 to 80 per cent. Compulsory certification for sprinkler fitters is necessary to prevent unqualified workers from compromising systems designed for these water conservation purposes. When materials burn, they spew chemicals and potentially harmful substances into the air. Fire protection sprinkler systems better control the spread of flames and therefore better control the emission of pollutants released by fires. In controlled testing of fires in sprinklered and non-sprinklered rooms, levels of carbon monoxide in the room were 420 times higher in the non-sprinklered test, carbon dioxide was 24 times higher and hydrocarbons 67 times higher. 15 There was also a significant reduction in the emission of greenhouse gases from the fire, by as much as 97.8% Nellie J. Brown. Health Hazard Manual for Firefighters. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University, Chemical Hazard Information Program Available at 14 Bill, Robert G., Jr.; Ditch, Bejamin; and Wieczorek, Christopher J. Environmental Impact of Automatic Sprinkler Fires, Research Technical Report, FM Global, page ibid. page ibid. page

13 In these tests, carbon dioxide emissions were 61 times greater in the non-sprinklered scenario, methane was 130 times greater and nitrus oxide was seven times greater. 17 Furthermore, considerations for sustainable, energy efficient buildings include sprinkler systems in all areas of this trade: industrial, residential and water supply. Considerable knowledge concerning the most recent developments in green sprinkler system technology are required for work in this area knowledge and skills that go way beyond basic training, and are only provided by provincially mandated Training Delivery Agents that produce certified sprinkler fitters to perform the work properly. iv. Economic Impact The economic impact of the classification or reclassification of the trade on apprentices, journeypersons, employers and employer associations and, where applicable, on trade unions, employee associations, apprentice training providers and the public. Journeypersons, Apprentices & Employers The designation of sprinkler and fire protection installers as a compulsory trade is not expected to have a negative economic impact on the trade in Ontario. This application is supported by both management and labour, an indication that the compulsory designation is being sought for the betterment of the trade as a whole. Sprinkler system installer is a compulsory trade in Manitoba, and it has not had a negative impact on the trade, the people who work in the trade and the contractors who employ them. The province is reporting that strict building codes have created a demand for sprinkler system installers, 18 with wages that are comparable to other trades in Manitoba, and in other provinces. In fact, the wage 17 Bill, Robert G., Jr.; Ditch, Bejamin; and Wieczorek, Christopher J. Environmental Impact of Automatic Sprinkler Fires, Research Technical Report, FM Global, page

14 for a sprinkler fitter in Manitoba 19 is significantly lower than what is offered for the trade in the Greater Toronto Area. 20 The Public, Trade Unions, Associations & Training In April 2010, the Province of Ontario made changes to its Building Code to make fire protection systems mandatory in every multiple-dwelling residential property over three storeys, a clear signal from the province that it wants to make buildings safe and save lives. It is well established that fire sprinklers are the most effective tool for fighting the spread of fires and saving lives; but they are also important for limiting the damage to property caused by fire and even water damage. According to the FM Global Group, In the ongoing effort to prevent loss from property damage and business interruption due to fire, the automatic sprinkler system is perhaps the best investment an organization can make. 21 Data collected from areas with local laws mandating the use of fire sprinklers in residential homes has shown a significant financial benefit in limiting the damage caused by fires. The city of Scottsdale, Az., mandated fire sprinklers in homes in 1985; after the ordinance was in place for a decade, the city s fire services department found the average loss in a home with sprinklers was $1,945, while the average loss for a home without sprinklers was $17,067. Scottsdale also found a cost benefit for its local fire service. While firefighters were still responding to a similar number of calls year over year, the demands on the service and the risks to the personnel were greatly reduced. After seven years with the fire UA Local 853 and CASA Re: Sprinkler Fitter and Fire Protection Installer Ratio Review Submission, page FM Global Group, Understanding the Benefit: FM Approved Sprinklers, 14

15 sprinkler ordinance in place, Scottsdale reported a savings of 30 per cent to 50 per cent when compared to its neighbouring communities. 22 Furthermore, the cost of a sprinkler system installation will not climb after compulsory designation, out of line with regular inflationary increases seen in other provinces. Sprinkler system installations costs are driven by a competitive marketplace, and compulsory certification of the trade will not affect that. Advances in technology have kept prices stable for more than 35 years, and that will not change because of compulsory certification. It is also incumbent on the industry itself to regulate and control prices so that it remains competitive. Consumers are also able to enjoy insurance benefits because of compulsory certification; assurance that a sprinkler system was installed by a certified worker allows for discounts on home insurance rates. But the economic benefits of go beyond the simple protection of property and saving homeowners a few dollars on their insurance. Improper fire sprinkler installations and maintenance have resulted in operational shut downs, which further results in costs to Ontario business and industry in terms of relocating staff, repairing damage and lost production. This costs the Ontario economy millions of dollars annually. It is widely recognized that there is a greater cost and risk in allowing non-certified tradespeople to install sprinkler systems. We see what can happen with a system that is not installed correction at the Canadian Forces base in Trenton, Ont. A contractor installed more than 70 sprinkler heads in two storage facilities on the base, but the wrong heads were used, and the piping feeding the water to the

16 system was insufficient. According to CASA contractors, it is costing Canadian taxpayers an additional $75,000 per building to have the system replaced. This risk of additional costs is also recognized by municipalities. In supporting our 2002 bid for compulsory certification, it was noted by Brad Swainsbury, the Building Inspector Life Safety Systems, for the City of Burlington, that he has experienced installations by non-certified individuals where entire systems have to be reconfigured or changed in their entirety due to lack of professional knowledge of the installation. v. Other Jurisdictions The classification of similar trades in other jurisdictions. The scope and implications of the sprinkler and fire protection installer trade has led it to be made compulsory certified in Manitoba, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. It is a voluntary trade in the rest of Canada. In Manitoba, sprinkler fitters are one of only nine trades designated as compulsory. Trades are deemed compulsory based on requests from industry certification must enhance public & worker safety, consumer & environmental protection, as well as offer value added to the quality of work being offered to the public through uniform training and professional standards. 23 The sprinkler fitter trade was made compulsory in Nova Scotia in Besides Ontario, the trade is also under active consideration to be designated compulsory in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland. Interestingly, British Columbia cancelled compulsory certification more than a decade ago, but there is a rising swell to revisit the issue due to the high risk to the health and safety of workers in the province, as well as risks to public safety: If trade certification is compulsory, there is a certainty that 23 Manitoba Trades. 16

17 the people doing the work have the skills, abilities, qualifications and education to do the job properly. Compulsory certification of trades not only operates in the public interest in the areas of public safety, but also ensures that the work being done meets a standard of quality so that huge repairs are not required shortly after completion or start-up. 24 vi. Supply & Demand The supply of, and demand for, journeypersons in the trade and in the labour market generally. Within the sprinkler and fire protection installer Training Delivery Agent (TDA) and within the trade itself, there is ample capacity to handle increased supply of certified sprinkler fitter journeypersons and apprentices. In 2012, the Ontario Sprinkler Joint Training and Apprenticeship Committee (JTAC) had an average of 11 apprentice new hires per month with a total of 135 over the year. There were 12 monthly intakes in Total intakes (2010)=75 Total intakes (2011)=87 And there is demand for sprinkler fitters. CASA notes it is being asked by contractors across the province for sprinkler fitter apprentices. Certification will not change that. It will, however, ensure that the people put on the job are qualified and trained to do it properly. Currently, UA Local 853 is at approximately two per cent unemployment, which speaks to the high demand for certified workers. The numbers of apprenticeship applicants consistently exceed the 24 B.C. Federation of Labour, Priorities for Working People: Good Jobs, Spring 2012, page 4. 17

18 accepted candidates at the TDA, but additional apprentices are accepted through the sponsorship of a contractor to ensure employment and not simply apprenticeship training. The TDA also has the capacity to, at a minimum, double its training ability and the Trade Board is willing to develop a clear process for establishing equivalency of skills and knowledge to be applied to veterans of the trade and those who were trained and certified in a jurisdiction outside of Ontario. This process will allow people who are working towards proper certification to get there. The demand for workers can also be filled by bringing in workers from other jurisdictions. Compulsory certification is not a barrier to labour mobility. However, we do have certified trades for a good reason to protect the health and safety of the workforce and the public. Furthermore, it is typical among trades where mobility is common that voluntary training requirements (Red Seal, Certificates of Qualification) are in place to ensure the person is capable of completing the work competently, efficiently and safely. Establishing these trades as compulsory is a natural extension of that. vii. Attraction & Retention The attraction and retention of apprentices and journeypersons in the trade. The trade of sprinkler fitting is recognized as a red seal trade that ensures greater labour mobility for skilled workers who wish to move from one part of Canada to another. 25 Such a program, which is meant to standardize provincial/territorial training and certification programs, puts an even bigger emphasis on the need to create a uniform standard all sprinkler fitters are to meet before they begin working

19 Movement across countries and provinces creates a pool of workers and having no compulsory standard to determine whether a sprinkler fitter can work safely and up to par increases the risk of harm to the worker and the general public. This is a prime opportunity for Ontario to set an example and recognize the importance of setting a uniform standard for a trade that can have a significant impact on the health and safety of the province. Compulsory certification won t repel workers; quite the opposite. It is part of an effort to attract workers to Ontario. But it will ensure the workers who come to Ontario are properly trained and certified as sprinkler fitters, putting a guarantee on their safety and that of the public. Because sprinkler and fire protection installers form a voluntary trade, the only data available to track attraction and retention stem from the JTAC, which currently tracks sprinkler fitter apprentices registered with the government and offers them the opportunity to attend their trade school and become certified. Certification would mean a consistently high level of training and recognition of skills by contractors and consumers which cannot be underestimated considering the life and death implications of the sprinkler fitter trade. A compulsory designation for sprinkle fitters will also establish sprinkler fitters as a legitimate career choice and facilitate the work of educators and career counsellors when promoting options to students. Designating sprinkler fitters as compulsory would support and enhance what is already a strong completion rate, another factor in recruit attraction. It would be particularly beneficial in the non-union sector, where independent contractors would take their new hires and make them apprentices. 19

20 Sprinkler fitters have a completion rate among the best in Ontario s construction trades, particularly in the unionized sector. According to Sprinkler Fitters UA Local 853 and CASA, The completion rate of sprinkler fitter apprentices is 80 per cent, and it is estimated that 95 per cent of those who go finish their apprenticeship requirements go on to acquire their Certificate of Qualification. Apprenticeship completions in the sprinkler fitter trade are growing by an estimated two per cent each year. 26 High completion rates are common in areas where compulsory certification is in place. Completion rates are high in sprinkler fitting in Ontario because the industry self-regulates to act as if it is a compulsory trade. Within the sprinkler fitter and fire protection installer trade, there are healthy levels of both attraction and retention. A large part of the attraction to the trade is the prospects for employment; it is in the best interests of a TDA to link its registered apprentices directly to contractors and the job market as future journeypersons for the long-term stability of the trade. The attraction and retention of apprentices and journeypersons in the trade are also closely linked to the current one journeyperson for every apprentice ratio. In 2005, the Government of Ontario approved a recommendation from the Provincial Advisory Committee to move sprinkler fitters to a 1:1 ratio, and in 2013, the ratio review panel decision from the College of Trades confirmed this 1:1 ratio as appropriate for the trade. According to the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, there are an estimated 2,000 certified journeyperson sprinkler fitters in the province of Ontario (including retirees), with an estimated 1,200 currently working in the province and 412 apprentices working towards their compulsory ticket. 26 Ontario Construction Secretariat, Completion Counts: Raising Apprenticeship Completion Rates to Address Skills Shortages in Ontario s Construction Industry, April 2013, page

21 Again, this only speaks to the registered apprentices and journeypersons and not to the untracked uncertified practitioners. While this is an operating ratio of roughly of 3:1, above the permitted ratio, it must be noted the trade voluntarily went to a 1:1 ratio prior to its ratio review, a move that pre-empted the possibility of a need for an increased workforce and created capacity within the industry. This also means there is a lot of capacity to hire new apprentices should it be required. As the numbers demonstrate, there is clearly room for growth within this ratio, and the TDA is able and willing to accommodate this growth to meet the increased demand with skilled and qualified workers. Preserving this ratio will ensure the labour demand of the future both because of mandated fire protection sprinklers in high-rise buildings and compulsory certification will be met and that the people coming into the trade are properly trained. It is important to the industry that workers be attracted by the high-quality training and solid career prospects, and are retained as skilled workers and career journeypersons. 21

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