Crane Base Fencing and Barricade Safety Regulations in British Columbia

This document outlines the safety regulations and requirements in British Columbia for crane base fencing or barricades, focusing on preventing unauthorized access and ensuring worker safety, as mandated by WorkSafeBC standards and applicable legislation. It is based on the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation B.C. Reg. 296/97.

General Requirements

Preventing Access

Cranes and hoists must have barriers or other effective means to prevent entry to areas where moving parts of the equipment will come within 60 cm (2 ft) of any obstruction in any area accessible to workers. If the required clearance cannot be provided, entry to such areas must be prevented by barriers or other effective means. [5]

Guardrail Specifications

Guardrails must be installed to withstand a load of 550 N (125 lb.) applied horizontally and normal to the span of the rail, at any point along the rail, and a vertical, downward load of 1.5 kN per m (100 lb. per ft.) along the top rail. The horizontal and vertical loads need not be considered to act simultaneously. [3]

Temporary Guardrails

Guardrails temporarily installed during construction, demolition, maintenance, or renovation must withstand a load of 550 N (125 lb.) applied perpendicular to the span. If a rope rail is used, it must meet WorkSafeBC Standard - Guardrails using rope or other non-rigid material, as set out in Schedule 4-A. [1]

Temporary Wooden Guardrails

Temporary wooden guardrails on floors and platforms must meet specific criteria unless designed by a professional engineer: [1]

Wooden Guardrail Criteria

Posts must be spaced not more than 2.4 m (8 ft.) apart, except on a scaffold where posts may be spaced not more than 3 m (10 ft.) apart. [1]

Wooden top rails must be at least 38 mm X 89 mm (2 in. X 4 in. nominal) lumber for a span of up to 2.4 m between supports, and at least 38 mm X 140 mm (2 in. X 6 in. nominal) lumber for a span of 2.4 m to 3 m between supports. [1]

Wooden midrails must be 19 mm X 140 mm (1 in. X 6 in. nominal) or 38 mm X 89 mm (2 in. X 4 in. nominal) lumber. [1]

Wooden rails must be secured to the tops or inner sides of their vertical supports. [1]

Wooden guardrail posts must be at least 38 mm X 89 mm (2 in. X 4 in. nominal) lumber, installed with the narrow dimension facing the open edge. [1]

Plastic or wire mesh fencing of adequate strength may be used in place of the midrail, provided posts and top rails comply with the requirements, and the fencing is secured in place. [1]

Temporary Removal of Guardrails

If a guardrail must be removed to accommodate work, only the necessary portion may be removed, and workers exposed to a fall hazard must be protected by another fall protection system. The guardrail must be replaced when the unguarded area is left unattended and after the work is completed if guardrails are still required. [1]

Specific Crane Requirements

Audible Warning Devices

An effective audible warning device must be installed on a crane or hoist, unless the hoisting equipment is operated using a pendant or remote control and the operator walks in a safe position near the load. The operator must sound a warning signal when necessary to alert workers to hoisting operations. [2]

Drop Stops

Top-running cranes, under-running cranes, wheel- or rail-mounted gantry cranes, tower cranes, and monorail hoists must have a means to limit the drop of the crane, trolley, and bridge truck frames to 25 mm (1 in.) if a tire, wheel, or axle fails. Drop stops must support the trolley, bridge, and gantry with the crane or hoist loaded to its rated capacity and must be certified by the original equipment manufacturer or a professional engineer. [2]

Rail End Stops

End stops must be provided on crane and hoist tracks and rails to prevent the equipment from running off the end of the rail or track. The stops must contact the truck frame or be of a height of at least 1/2 the diameter of the wheels if the wheels contact the stops. [2]

Fenders

Fenders must be provided on a crane or hoist operating on rails if there is a possibility of injury to workers from contact with the equipment wheels moving along the rail. Fenders must effectively deflect any object from the path of the wheel. [2]

General Safety Considerations

Qualified Operators

A crane or hoist must only be operated by a qualified person who has been instructed to operate the equipment. The operator must demonstrate competency, including familiarity with the operating instructions and the code of signals for hoisting operations authorized by the Board, before operating the equipment. [4]

Pre-Use Inspection

Before use, the operator must ensure the crane or hoist was inspected for that work shift and that the control and safety devices were tested. Defects found during inspection or use must be recorded and reported immediately to the supervisor. [4]

Swing and Shear Hazards

If a hazard is created by the swing or shearing movement of a load, cab, counterweight, or any other part of a crane or hoist, the operator must not move the equipment when a person is within range of the swing or shearing movement. Similarly, a person must not enter or remain within the range of such movements. [5]

Workplace Organization

If a crane or hoist is being operated at the same time and in the same location as other work activity, the employer or the prime contractor must organize and control the work of any persons who are not involved in that operation to ensure that the operation can be carried out safely. [5]

Accessibility of Manuals

The manufacturer's manual or engineer's instructions for the crane or hoist must be reasonably accessible to the equipment operator and other persons inspecting or maintaining the equipment. Portions of the manual related to assembly, erection, climbing, repositioning, adjustment, disassembly, dismantling, inspection, routine maintenance, and operation must be readily available at the workplace. [6]

Inspection, Maintenance, and Repair

Each crane and hoist must be inspected and maintained at a frequency and to the extent required to ensure that every component is capable of carrying out its original design function with an adequate margin of safety. Any condition that could endanger workers must be remedied before the crane or hoist is used. Repairs to load-bearing components must be certified by a professional engineer or the original equipment manufacturer. [6]

Inspection and Maintenance Records

Records of inspection and maintenance must be kept for cranes or hoists with a rated capacity of 900 kg (2 000 lbs.) or more, cranes or hoists used to support a worker, tower cranes, mobile cranes, boom trucks, sign trucks, side boom tractors, pipe layers, construction material hoists, chimney hoists, logging truck trailer reload hoists, and any other type of hoisting equipment specified by the Board. [9]

Modifications

Each crane or hoist must be assembled, erected, climbed, repositioned, adjusted, disassembled, dismantled, inspected, maintained, and operated as specified by the manufacturer's manual unless otherwise approved by the original equipment manufacturer or a professional engineer. Modifications affecting the rated capacity or safe operation must be assessed, have their rated capacity adjusted, and be certified as safe for use by the original equipment manufacturer or a professional engineer. [9]

Tower Crane Specifics

Tower Crane Support

The foundation for support of a tower crane must be certified by a professional engineer. The design of shoring and bracing to support a tower crane must also be certified by a professional engineer, and the shoring and bracing must be constructed as specified by the design. If a tower crane is supported partially or fully by, or connected to, a building or structure, the connections to and any bracing or shoring of the building or structure necessary to support the tower crane must be certified by a professional engineer. [8]

Structural Inspection

Before the erection of a tower crane, the structural components of the crane must be inspected to determine their integrity by a qualified person using non-destructive testing (NDT) methods meeting the requirements of the Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB), and certified by a professional engineer as safe for use after the inspection and any necessary repairs. If a tower crane remains erected at a workplace for more than 12 months, its structural components must be inspected again using NDT methods and certified by a professional engineer. [7]

Tower Crane Structures

Tower crane structures must be kept clean and free of concrete and other debris that can hinder inspection, and the base area must be clear of debris and the accumulation of water. [7]

Manual and Records

The documents respecting operation, inspection, maintenance, and repair of a tower crane must be kept at the workplace where and while the crane is erected. [7]

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