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Better safety on high—tower, boom and mobile cranes
By Michel Drouin When a 70-metre tall tower crane crashed into an apartment building killing one person in Bellevue, Washington last November, it made many people think about the number of construction cranes in operation all over the province these days.What is keeping them up there? How long will it be before something like that happens here? Can something like that happen here? All indications from investigators of the Bellevue crash are pointing to structural damage being the cause of the accident. Even so, efforts are under way in B.C. to implement certification for crane operators. Registration began in January. By July 1, 2007, all operators of tower cranes, mobile cranes and boom trucks capable of lifting greater than five tonnes, or with a boom length of eight metres or more, must be certified or in the process of doing so. The B.C. Association for Crane Safety has been working with crane operators and owners, WorkSafeBC, the Industry Training Authority and B.C. Safety Authority to develop a registration procedure. Fraser Cocks, executive director of the crane safety association, said, “We are ready to start the registration to find out who is out there, what they’re operating and where they are. That is the first step.” After that point, the association will ensure that all certification requirements are met. That documentation will be recognized in Alberta as well. “It will say that this person has been assessed and that he can run a crane. It does a service to the workers working around cranes and it also provides assurance to the public that whoever is swinging a crane overhead is qualified to operate that piece of equipment.” Gary Kroeker, business manager of the Operating Engineers Local 115 and on the board of the crane association, said that despite the province and WorkSafeBC making a big announcement on Jan. 12 about the certification, there are still details to be finalized before the certification process fully kicks into gear. Kroeker said certification of crane operators will serve several purposes. “It will say that this person has been assessed and that he can run a crane. It does a service to the workers working around cranes and it also provides assurance to the public that whoever is swinging a crane overhead is qualified to operate that piece of equipment.” Assessment will be done by a third party but details have not been worked out. Don Nelson at WorkSafeBC said he recognizes that not everyone will have been processed by July, but they have to have some sort of document in their hands indicating that they are beginning the process. “The idea is that the person is being tested on competency, theory and ability,” Nelson said. The list of competencies that are required can be found on the WorkSafeBC web site. There are two components for ensuring workers’ and the public’s safety. The certification of operators is one. The other is inspection. Strict crane inspection regulations do exist in B.C. Nelson said cranes are usually tested once a year. That period can extend to 18 months if the crane is not moved during that period. However, if the crane is put up and taken down after more than three months on the same site, it must be tested again before it is put back up. The owner of the crane is required to call in an engineering firm to do the testing. “We have the oldest cranes in use in North America. Some of our cranes are up to 50 years old, and the reason they are [and last so long] is that most of our cranes are inspected on a yearly basis,” he explained. Contact the B.C. Association for Crane Safety for more information and fill out the online registration form or call 1-888-621-7233 or 604-276-3100. Once you've registered, please e-mail us or phone Dispatcher Malcolm Oliver at 604-291-8831 or 1-888-486-3115. |
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