ORFA Virtual Workshop
Annual Ice Sheet Industrial Refrigeration Safety Workshop
Thursday, October 16th, 2025, Virtual • 8:30 am to 12 Noon
Introduction
As facilities with artificial ice sheets have once again come back to life across Canada, the ORFA continues to reflect on the Fernie, BC tragedy and lives lost on October 17th, 2017. The ORFA believes that lessons learned from such events should never be lost but rather reflected and built upon. In this spirit, we are pleased to offer a virtual workshop event that focuses on how all partners in industrial ice sheet refrigeration can remain diligent towards both plant operator and ice facility user safety. We welcome you to join us and a variety of industry guests on October 16, 2025 to continue to improve our collective commitment to industrial ice sheet refrigeration plant operations and management.
9:00 a.m. – ORFA Welcome
9:15 a.m. – Meet Sue Hadley: New TSSA Chief Officer, Operating Engineers and Boiler and Pressure Vessels
The ORFA continues to have a strong working relationship with the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) specific to ice sheet industrial refrigeration plant operations and management. Sue Hadley, the new TSSA Chief Officer - OE and BPV, who soon after assuming her duties this past spring reconfirmed an ongoing commitment to ORFA of the importance of working together in educating and supporting all stakeholders in the recreation facilities sector. Sue will be joining the session to introduce herself and share her goals and priorities as she continues to promote the mission and vision of TSSA.
Presenter: Sue Hadley, Chief Officer, OE and BPV, Technical Standards and Safety Authority
10:00 a.m. – Break
10:15 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. – Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD) Shares Data from a Recent Inspector Ice Rink Safety Review and Educational Campaign
The Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD) and the ORFA have collectively partnered on designing a frontline inspector checklist for ice sheet operations that was piloted in 2025 in select parts of the province to evaluate level of compliance in these workplaces. This session will review the findings from these inspections and share how ORFA members can be better prepared for a Ministry inspection in their buildings.
Presenters: Ron Landry, Senior Manager, Industrial Health and Safety Program and Doug Cettina, Industrial Program Provincial Specialist, Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon – Occupational Health, Hygiene and Safety Culture
Owners and users of industrial refrigeration equipment must be able to balance a variety of regulated responsibilities that can at times overlap. This session will explore how implementing a strong health and safety culture supports other regulated responsibilities, while reconfirming that members can access different support agencies to assist in creating safe workplaces.
Public Services Health and Safety Association: Strong leaders know that health and safety culture drives business success. They embed prevention into strategies and processes, going beyond legal compliance to foster a culture where safe, healthy, and engaged employees sustain performance. By anticipating trends and adapting to new regulations, they build organizations rooted in prevention and a strong culture of health and safety.
Presenter: Jeff Pajot, Health & Safety Consultant & Ergonomist, Public Services Health and Safety Association
Workplace Safety and Prevention Services: An outline on how ORFA members can prepare for Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development’s ongoing Occupational Hygiene Campaigns. The session will cover key compliance steps with Regulations 833 (Control of Exposure to Biological or Chemical Agents) and 860 (WHMIS), strategies to proactively identify and control chemical exposure risks, and practical tips to get inspection-ready to prevent workplace injuries and illness.
Presenter: Toni Volpato, Specialized Consultant, Workplace Safety and Prevention Services
12:00 noon - 1:30 p.m. – Lunch
1:30 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. – A Conversation on Electrical Safety
Ice sheet industrial refrigeration plants require significant energy to drive the system and its components. There is often a variety of different power sources that are of high risk if not respected or handled with care. Maintaining these assets requires clear standard operating procedures as well as a comprehension by workers and owners with regards to what permissions are required to repair or upgrade electrical components. This session will explore safety requirements and discuss the importance of lifecycle planning for electrical systems and components to ensure they remain safe, serviceable and compliant.
Presenter: Marco Decimelli, Electrical Safety Authority
2:15 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. – TSSA Client Portal Tutorial
TSSA has modernized its client services through innovation and technological investments to allow for responsible reporting through a variety of automated online self-service functions. ORFA members will have a variety of possible registrations, licensees and general reporting responsibilities associated with boilers, industrial refrigeration, elevators and aquatic water slides through Certification of Inspection (COI) reporting in their operations. This session will explain these reporting requirements and demonstrate how the portal is designed to assist owners of TSSA in these reporting responsibilities. Participants will be invited to submit questions through the sessions online Q&A feature.
Presenters: Kaivan Kia, Khadija Fadhlaoui and Sarah Beitz, Technical Standards and Safety Authority
3:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. – Session Wrap-up
ORFA will highlight the different tools and resources that have been developed for members as a benefit of membership. Members should be aware that all resources that are available to support positive refrigeration operations and management are located in the ORFA Resource Centre, and that a variety of professional development and accreditation pathways are available to support in educating and developing competent workers.
This workshop is worth 7 professional development credits towards recertification of any ORFA professional designation
