Multiple crane lifts can be tricky business. One source described two crane lifts as being more than twice as risky as single crane lifts with even more disproportionate increases in risk as more cranes are added. This is generally due to the load interaction between the cranes.
If you own a crane, and especially if you’re in the business of renting it out, you’ve likely had requirements to raise a worker in a manbasket. If so, you should be familiar with section 153 of OHSA’s Regulations for Construction Projects. However, if this section means nothing to you, then you’re not alone. Even though this section was amended nearly ten years ago to allow manbaskets to be used on cranes, we still get requests for information on the applicable rules.
Don’t let your crane hold up the project. Here’s a checklist to help ensure your crane operations satisfy the Construction Regulations so you can turn the inspector away with a smile.
The Crane Rental Association of Canada (CRAC) put on a show in Ottawa for this year’s CRAC Conference spanning four days from May 29 to June 1, 2003. Over two hundred people representing Canada’s crane industry attended. The delegates were treated to a great round of golf at Eagle Creek Golf Course, dinner among a number of historic airplanes at the Aviation Museum, and some fantastic food and dancing on banquet night with a ten piece band supplying the rock ‘n’ roll.
The CSA standards covering scissorlift platforms (B354.2-01) and boom type aerial platforms (B354.4-02) were updated in the last two years after last being published in 1982. The B354 series is cited in Ontario’s construction regulations as being the minimum requirements for design, construction, and operation of aerial work platforms in this province.
Domson Engineering & Inspection were contracted to provide lift engineering services at Petro-Canada’s Oakville refinery during a shutdown occurring this month. The first major lift, however, occurred on August 11, 2002 involving a new 110 foot fractionator tower weighing in at 325,000 lbs.
Most inspection companies do not have engineering capabilities and therefore hire an engineer to sign off their crane inspections.