Safety and Standards — Continued

Goal: Loss of life, injury and property damage are minimized in the
built environment

Planning Context

The Office of the Fire Commissioner is the senior authority in the province with respect to fire safety and prevention. In 2000, there were 6,500 fires in British Columbia resulting in $150 million in losses, 37 fatalities and 328 injuries. While the number of fatal fires province-wide has been reduced over the past 10 years, the number of fire-related injuries must continue to be reduced.

The introduction of the Community Charter, which enhances the authority of local government, has implications for the Office of the Fire Commissioner. The Office of the Fire Commissioner will maintain its responsibility for leadership in fire safety and prevention.

Property Losses Due to Fire

t will also work with local governments to enhance their ability to deliver fire suppression and protection services in their communities. This new direction for local governments, as well as the passage of time, has created the need to modernize the fire and life safety legislation.

Safety Engineering Services is responsible for the provincial safety system, which is concerned with safety in the design, location, manufacture, construction, installation, operation, testing and maintenance of:

• Ski lifts	• Elevating devices
• Amusement devices	• Gas equipment and systems
• Boiler and pressure vessels	• Intra-provincial railways
• Electrical equipment and systems	• Refrigeration systems

Over the past decades, the safety system has become fragmented. This is due to the proliferation of new safety-related materials, technologies and services; the growth in discipline-specific changes; and, the absence of a single body with a comprehensive safety mandate. The Ministry is moving to address fragmentation in the safety system through the strategies identified below.

Objectives	Key Strategies
1. Local governments are able to deliver effective fire prevention and safety services for their communities.	• Develop the BC Fire Code in an objective-based format (2004/05). • Provide training and public education on fire safety and prevention.
2. Gas, electrical, railway, elevating devices, and boilers and pressure vessels safety standards are set and met.	• Transfer the Safety Engineering Services Division to an independent authority (2003/04). • Develop a new Safety Act and regulations (2003/04). • Implement new Safety Engineering information management system.