ESA targeting electrical control panels at Ontario breweries

Toronto, ON – The Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) has recently begun a crackdown on electrical control panel systems in Ontario’s breweries – the panels which power and control brewing equipment.

The ESA is an independent, not-for-profit authority acting on behalf of the Government of Ontario.

Sources report numerous smaller brewers are using systems designed by a local manufacturer (or following their publicly available designs) that do not conform to ESA standards – Wiring must meet Canadian Electrical Code and all components must be CSA-approved and labelled as so.

An ESA Inspector can shut down a brewery immediately if they find violations, as some Ontario brewers have already experienced. These systems – costing upwards of thousands of dollars – could need to be completely replaced.

According to a local brewer. “[We] basically had to rebuild our entire system from scratch replacing every part including kill switches, lights, solid state relays and also that you can kill each element by themselves,”

As a result, a brewery cannot produce any beer until the system is revised and reinspected. Refitting must be completed within 30 days of inspection.

“Our inspector said they have monthly meetings and after seeing two nanobreweries they will start inspecting more,” the brewer adds. “They have the right to come in and look at any electrical in your building.”

Up to five Ontario breweries have failed ESA inspections as of late, some due to use of electrical panel systems made in China.

The ESA will reportedly beging frequently targeting Ontario’s micro- and nanobrewies