Everything decision makers need to know about Crane and Hoist compliance under B167-16 in Ontario
This guide focuses on what decision makers in an industrial or manufacturing setting need to know about the CSA standard B167-16.
In this in-depth guide, you’ll learn:
- What is CSA B167-16?
- Your responsibilities as a manager
- Competent person
- Procedures for operation and documentation
- How to tell the difference between functional, frequent, and periodic checks or inspections
- Which qualifications are required of you?
- Operators
- Maintenance personnel
- How to audit proof your cranes and hoists with proper documentation
- Classification of cranes
- What are your options as a manager?
So if you’re looking to have the right information about crane and hoist safety compliance (CSA B167-16), this guide is for you. There is a lot to get through, and it is indexed in the table of contents. Let’s dive right in.
What is CSA B167-16
CSA B167-16 is a regulation for overhead cranes, gantry cranes, monorails, hoists, and jib cranes. The main purpose of CSA B167-16 is to provide manufacturers, end-users, workers, and industry with the most current safety requirements for design, fabrication, inspection, maintenance, operation, and safety training for overhead traveling lifting equipment. This standard is applicable throughout all of Canada.
Provincial and territorial safety authorities have a responsibility to support and provide industry awareness of the nationally recognized CSA safety standards. Meeting the compliance requirements in B167-16 is the correct way to ensure overhead traveling lifting equipment is properly inspected, maintained, and operated.
Companies have a responsibility to ensure they have met compliance requirements of the most current provincial and national safety standards. End-users have a responsibility to meet compliance requirements of the most current revision of this CSA B167-16 standard coupled with regulations from the Ontario Green Book.
Utilizing this standard coupled with the proper frequency of inspections (outlined in the manufacturers recommendations as required by the Ministry of Labour on the Ontario Green Book as well) on your equipment as was intended could easily result in a reduction in all related costs, such as in the following examples:
- By reducing unnecessary breakdowns due to misuse and abuse of equipment;
- By greater use of properly maintained equipment by certified trades; and
- By having properly trained operators, supervisors, and health, safety, and environmental protection personnel.
Your Responsibilities as a Manager
Navigating the complexities of management responsibilities can be challenging, especially when information is scattered and difficult to access. A simple online search might not lead you directly to the essential standard, CSA B167-16. Since you’re here, let’s delve into the specific guidelines outlined in this standard under management responsibility.
Cranes and hoists shall be operated and maintained through a coordinated and well-documented equipment management program, carried out by competent personnel with clearly defined responsibilities, including:
- Orientation
- Training
- Occupational health and safety
- Protocols for testing, inspections, maintenance, and monitoring, including timings
- Risk assessment
- Emergency management
As you can see, you will need a coordinated and well-documented equipment management program. Some facilities use the old way of paper and filing cabinets to make sure they document their process. Liftsafe Engineering and Service Group clients have access to a digital solution that brings multiple facets of equipment management together; more on that later.
Whichever way you choose to do this, just make sure that you do it. This will be one of the things that an MOL inspector can ask for during an inspection, and it is important to have this easily accessible. The next part of that sentence can be a bit of a grey area because it says “carried out by competent personnel with clearly defined responsibilities.” The part that is often confusing is the term “competent personnel,” and in Canada, provincial and federal governments don’t make it any easier. In fact, each province has its own definitions, sometimes with different terms, and federally there is another definition.
The Ontario Green Book states that “competent person” only relates to functional (circle) and frequent checks. It also outlines that you are required to adhere to the manufacturer’s recommendations, as this is what the ministry of labor will look at regarding any incidents that may occur. Which means periodic checks and inspections need someone with specific trade qualifications in order to perform them and meet the standard.
CCOHS definitions
For the purposes of this article, here are the Ontario and Federal definitions.
Ontario: | “Competent person” means a person who, |
Ontario: | “Competent worker,” in relation to specific work, means a worker who, |
Federal: | “qualified person” means, in respect of a specified duty, a person who, because of his knowledge, training, and experience, is qualified to perform that duty safely and properly; |
Is a competent supervisor the same as a competent person?
In many ways, yes. However, supervisors also act on behalf of the employer and have authority over the work and/or workers. There are additional competencies that supervisors require, including:
- Directing or organizing the work and how that work is performed
- Informing workers about actual or potential dangers, including explaining the laws that apply
- Showing workers how to work safely, which may include training or written instructions, or correcting their work performance
- Responding to workers concerns
- Making sure workers use methods, procedures, and equipment required
- Making sure workers work in compliance with the Acts and regulations that apply
- Making sure workers use or wear the protective equipment or clothing that the employer requires
- Taking every precaution reasonable to protect workers
CSA B167-16 definition of “competent”
Competent: adequately qualified, suitably trained, and with sufficient experience to perform a given task.
- Adequately qualified refers to someone who has earned their qualifications through a formal education program, training course, etc. Alternatively, qualifications could be acquired through a combination of education and practical experience.
- Suitably trained means that the worker has received training that is appropriate to the tasks, equipment, etc. that will be performed or used. In addition to this training, the worker will have received safety training in accordance with jurisdictional OHS requirements.
- Sufficient experience means that the person has sufficient and adequate knowledge to perform work without supervision or with only a minimal degree of supervision.
- While these are all essential components of competence, a worker’s qualifications, training, and experience alone are no guarantee that work will be performed safely.
Each mentions knowledge and training, and they also mention health and safety, among other things. The overall point being that the person doing the work needs to have knowledge and training on the subject, and that needs to be documented in a specific way.
The next section of management responsibilities regards procedures for operation, maintenance, and inspections and includes that these procedures need to be reviewed periodically to stay up to date. How often that should be can vary; when it comes to how often health and safety programs are reviewed, best practices say, “at least annually.”
Here is what it says.
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The facility shall have documented procedures for crane and hoist operation, maintenance, and inspection. Procedures shall be reviewed periodically to ensure they are up-to-date. The review shall include: a) confirmation that responsible personnel and departments are still able to perform their duties and are aware of their responsibilities; and b) confirmation that all the equipment and systems covered by the procedures are still in use and that any new equipment is also covered by the procedures. A risk assessment shall be carried out to identify and manage potential risks associated with the crane or hoist, its operation, and its maintenance in accordance with applicable requirements. |
Fairly straightforward.
- You need to have documented procedures.
- This could be training manuals, checklists, and best practices.
- You need to confirm that employees can perform their jobs safely while following these procedures.
- This means that the tasks performed fall within the regulatory requirements set out.
- It then moves into asset management.
- What is in use, what has been decommissioned, and what is new?
- And last, part of your review needs to include a risk assessment that flags any potential risks and puts forward a plan to mitigate them.
In short, you are required to have a documented procedure for safe operation and a plan to make improvements to it. Many facilities will be familiar with this type of procedure and documentation requirement, as it is similar to ISO 9001 standards for quality management.
You are also required to have documented orientation and training.
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The facility shall provide documented orientation and training to all new employees who will operate, maintain, or work around cranes or hoists. Orientation and training shall cover, at a minimum: a) duties and expectations; b) training in accordance with applicable requirements (e.g., WHMIS, certification requirements); c) specific site requirements (e.g., items that a person coming from another company or location might not know); and d) the facility’s policies and procedures for OHS and other safety-related training. |
And a system with backed-up written procedures for the storage and maintenance of your documentation.
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The facility shall have a system backed up by written procedures for the storage and maintenance of: a) quality system documents (policies, procedures, etc.); b) manufacturer’s instructions; c) operator daily log books; d) maintenance log books; and e) crane or hoist management records required by this Standard. There shall be a policy for the retention of records that are subject to applicable requirements, e.g., records for maintenance of safety systems. |
It would be safe to say that having procedures in place, and especially documentation of these things, is high on the list of priorities.
How to tell the difference between functional, frequent and periodic checks or inspections
There are three types of checks that are required for the ongoing operation and maintenance of cranes and hoists. These three categories are:
- Functional checks (competent person—operator)
- Frequent checks (competent person—either in-house or outsourced)
- Periodic checks and inspections (specific qualifications needed)
Each has their own requirements, and they outline who they are for and what is required to meet the standard. The common theme among all of them is that it needs to be documented.
Schedule of inspections based on class are as follows:
Frequent
- Class A (standby or infrequent service) and Class B: monthly
- Classes C and D (moderate and heavy service): weekly to monthly
- Classes E and F (severe and continuous service): daily to weekly
- Special service: as recommended by the manufacturer or an engineer
Periodic
- Classes A and B (infrequent and light service): annual periodic inspections required
- Classes C and D (moderate and heavy service): semi-annual periodic inspections required
- Classes E and F (severe and continuous severe service): quarterly periodic inspections required
- Special service: as recommended by an engineer (Liftsafe provides engineering services for many of our clients) or the crane manufacturer.
Note – Typical crane manufacturer recommendations call for quarterly preventative maintenance in addition to mandated inspections.
Preventative Maintenance Program
A preventative maintenance program shall be in place, based on applicable requirements and the crane or hoist manufacturer’s specifications. The actual operating requirements of the crane or hoist shall be established by the equipment owner. Dated and signed records shall be retained and readily available.
Note: Applicable requirements include provincial and territorial OHS regulations.
As you may have already guessed, there are record requirements that are needed to be met for each of these types of inspections. The crane owner shall ensure that log books (i.e., paper or electronic records) are maintained and contain all findings as a result of inspections, maintenance, repairs, and modifications. There should be two types of log books, as follows:
- An operator’s daily log book to record information from functional checks performed by the operator; and
- An inspection, maintenance, and repairs log book/records for all the required maintenance, inspections, and repairs.
Which Qualifications are Required for Operators and Maintenance Personnel
The first thing that is required is to have clearly written procedures for the operation of all cranes and hoists. These procedures need to be available to operators and supporting staff whenever the equipment is in use.
Operators
Here is how the requirements break down (emphasis added);
“Crane and hoist operators are required to go through necessary training and evaluation. Operator training shall be designed to ensure that crane hoists and operators possess the necessary knowledge and experience to perform their assigned tasks safely and effectively, operate the equipment in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, and comply with applicable requirements and relevant standards.”
Training for operators shall include
- Theory‐based training
- Practical hands-on training and evaluation
Retraining shall take place at least every three years. Operators shall be retrained through the full training course, unless they meet the requirements for refresher training.
Courseware shall be maintained to ensure it is accurate and up-to-date with applicable technologies, applicable requirements, and standards. An audit should be used to verify the content is up-to-date and compliant with the standards that are referenced in this Standard.
Audits should be performed by
- A qualified auditing body;
- A recognized organization or third party; or
- An engineer.
Persons who conduct operator training for crane and hoist operators shall meet the following requirements:
- They shall have attended and successfully completed a “train the trainer” program and possess a currently valid certificate from a reputable training organization; and
- They shall attend at least one day refresher “train the trainer” program prior to the expiry date on their certificates.
Employers need to keep and maintain a record of the training each operator has received (including the expiry date and required date for refresher training).
Operators need to be able to provide evidence of their training and qualifications upon request.
Maintenance Personnel
According to CSA B167, persons performing maintenance and repairs on cranes or hoists shall be competent in the tasks they will be performing. Maintenance personnel and service technicians shall be knowledgeable, experienced, and trained in all aspects of crane and hoist operation. They shall be able to provide records of training and qualifications upon request. The employer of the maintenance and repair personnel is ultimately responsible for ensuring that they are competent and capable of doing the work. At a minimum, they shall have the following qualifications:
- A journeyman electrician who is qualified to service industrial equipment;
- A journeyman millwright who is qualified to work on industrial equipment; or
- A specified equivalent trade, which has been reviewed and approved by an appropriate authority; and
- 4000 hr of direct experience working on the maintenance, repair, or manufacture of cranes or hoists, or working under the direct or indirect supervision of a qualified crane technician having 4000 hr of experience or an engineer.
How to audit proof your Cranes and Hoists with proper documentation
One of the main themes throughout CSA B167-16 is the need for documentation.
To paraphrase a classic line from the movie A Few Good Men. “It doesn’t matter what you know; it only matters what you can prove.”
Documentation is the path to being able to prove that you have done all that you can in terms of due diligence that serves not only to protect you/your business but also to give your employees the best chance at prevention. A truly win-win situation in the end. Here is a quick checklist of all the documentation discussed throughout this article.
- Equipment management program
- Procedures for crane and hoist operation, maintenance, and inspection
- Documented orientation and training for new employees who operate, maintain, or work around cranes or hoists
- Operator log books
- Maintenance log books
- Inspection certificates
- Operator training and qualifications
- Procedure for the storage and maintenance of:
- Quality system documents (policies and procedures)
- Manufacturers instructions
- Operator daily log books
- Maintenance log books
- Crane or hoist management records
Classification of Cranes
It is extremely important to note. You are required to classify your cranes. Classification is based on a calculation of various factors based on load spectrum, average hoisting height, cycles per hour, time in use per day, and speed.
Keep in mind that frequencies can change from year to year. Classifications must be kept up-to-date and documented to prove your classification. In case you thought there wasn’t any more paperwork.
What are your options as a manager?
Option 1: Ignore all of this and hope that you never get a visit from the MOL or have an incident. Although this is an option, this would be the worst advice anyone could ever give you, and under NO CIRCUMSTANCES should this even be a consideration, and penalties involve large fines or even jail time.
Option 2: Develop some sort of filing system using forms and other paper tracking. This is slow, takes up a lot of space, and can be difficult to track and monitor.
Option 3: Developing an in-house digital system can be advantageous but requires technical expertise within your team. While it can offer tailored solutions, it may present challenges such as onboarding non-technical staff, managing system changes, and addressing potential technical issues.
Option 4: Buy an out-of-the-box system. Purchasing a pre-built system can be a convenient option, but it may come with challenges such as data security, system maintenance, and ensuring compatibility with your facility’s specific needs. Additionally, generic software may not provide the specialized functionalities required for seamless integration.
Option 5: To overcome these challenges, consider exploring the Liftsafe Engineering Customer Portal. As a comprehensive asset management and compliance tool, it offers a solution tailored to your specific needs.
Established in 1991 as an inspection company Liftsafe Engineering and Service Group Inc. has grown into the top turnkey solution provider of lifting, material handling, and fall protection systems equipment. We supply overhead cranes, jib cranes and other industrial material handling equipment throughout Ontario.
From design to implementation, we offer services that span the entire life cycle of your project. This means you will have access to an in-house engineering team for all your projects. No more wait times when outsourcing to engineering firms for quotes and approvals. We keep the quality and experience while cutting the time and costs.
This article was written by Colin Durkin, Marketing Specialist for the Liftsafe Group of Companies with input and fact checking done by our fall protection subject matter experts.