WorkSafe BC has requested feedback from industry on several proposed changes to the regulation. The Council reviewed the changes and found a number of areas where this may affect your forestry business.
Below is a summary of the proposed changes and an outline of who it may impact. You can follow the link to the WSBC website to use the online forms (located in the top right hand corner of each section) to give comments or email them directly at Regquery@worksafebc.com
Speak up! Your input is needed to ensure the needs and concerns of forestry companies are heard.
Click here to see the full proposal of changes from WSBC and use the online feedback form
Feedback Deadline – November 25, 2011
| Topic | Topic | Type of Forestry Employers Potentially Impacted | |
| 1 | Part 5, Chemical and Biological Agents | combustible and flammable air contaminants | Manufacturers – pellets, sawmills, etc.; perhaps owners of shops engaged in fabricating, extensive operations |
| 2 | Part 11, Fall Protection | inspection and re-certification of fall arrest system anchors | Manufacturers – sawmills, pellets, etc.; equipment repair shops, chip shippers / transporters, etc |
| 3 | Part 12, Tools, Machinery and Equipment | recognizing riving knife as an acceptable device | Millwrights, woodworking shops, home handyman |
| 4 | Part 12, Tools, Machinery and Equipment | pressure relief devices required on all vessels | Millwrights, cement truck drivers, shop operators, but limited forestry applications |
| 5 | Part 13 – Ladders, Scaffolds and Temporary Work Platforms & Part 19, Electrical Safety | dielectric testing of insulated aerial platforms | Operators of boom-mounted aerial devices, scissor lifts and self-propelled elevating work platform; utility arborists and tree trimmers |
| 6 | Part 13 – Ladders, Scaffolds and Temporary Work Platforms | relating to the use of work platforms supported by a lift truck | Lift truck operators, shops (perhaps mobile shop trucks), utility arborists and tree trimmers |
| 7 | Part 16 – Mobile Equipment | clarifying what lift truck equipment must meet and be used in accordance with section 16.3(7); | Lift truck operators, shops; perhaps mobile shop trucks |
| 8 | Part 19 – Electrical Safety | relating to replacing current terminology in this section with terms that are appropriate to low voltage electrical equipment | Electricians, millwrights, shop maintenance |
| 9 | Part 19 – Electrical Safety | amendments and additions regarding passing bucket of insulated aerial working device between energize conductors | Utility arborists and tree trimmers |
| 10 | Part 24 – Diving, Fishing and other Marine Operations | Corrections / clarifications regarding the nature of training and certificate required by commercial divers | Booming ground operators, aquaculture, divers / diving contractors |
| 11 | Part 26 - Forestry Operations and Similar Activities | Changes to accommodate IC radio frequency rationalization project; radio channel / frequency signage requirements | Resource road users |
1. Changes re ventilation systems (Part 5.71 Chemical Agents and Biological Agents)
Refers to ventilation system requirements for operations that generate combustible or flammable air contaminants; will require that where combustible gases come in contact with electrical components of the exhaust ventilation system, the components must meet CSA standard C22.1-09. This may be relevant to manufacturers (pellets, sawmills) and to clients who operate a shop (e.g. welding / fabricating shop where oxy / acetylene may be involved).
2. Changes re fall protection system requirements (Part 11.10.1)
Intends to clarify fall protection anchors recertification requirements; addition of new text will require that if a permanent anchor is worn, or corroded, or has arrested the fall of a worker, it must be removed from service and not returned to service until it has been inspected and re-certified by a professional engineer.
3. Changes re recognizing riving knife as acceptable device (Part 12.60)
Wording will recognize the riving knife as an acceptable device to prevent kickback on hand-fed circular saws. Changes are intended to accommodate an increasingly popular device used on new table and circular saws, rather than requiring owners to acquire variances to the old (existing) regulation.
4. Changes re pressurized vessels and pressure relief (Part 12.173 and 12.174, and Part 23.15 and 23.16)
Proposed changes will prohibit applying compressed gas at a greater pressure than the pressure rating for a closed vessel that is not a registered pressure vessel, and will require such vessels have appropriate pressure relieving capability. As pressure vessels over 0.5 cubic metres and rated for pressures greater than 15 psi are regulated by BC Safety Authority, this regulation change refers to vessels that are less than 0.5 cubic metres and rated for pressures less than 15 psi. This change will clarify requirements for vessel use and pressure relief devices.
Changes at Part 23 are to repeal sections 23.15 and 23.16 and eliminate redundancies.
5. Changes re requirements for dielectric testing (Part 13.23 and Part 19.9)
Proposed amendments will clarify the appropriate requirements for dielectric testing of insulated elevating work platforms and ensure consistent requirements in these two Parts (13 and 19). Current regulations point to different standards. This amendment transfers provisions under 13.23(2), (3) and (4) to 19.9 and thereby places all electrical safety provisions for elevating work platforms in a common section.
6. Changes and additions regarding lift truck work platforms (13.20 and 13.30)
Amendments are proposed to address safety concerns identified by WSBC Engineering Department. Changes will improve clarity and exclude outdated references as well as bring WSBC OHSR in line with ANSI standards, and regulations in other Canadian jurisdictions. Additions in Part 13.30 refer to marking of equipment, pre-shift inspections by a qualified person, authorized operators, requirements for the lift truck operator to attend the controls during operations, and requirements to conduct trial lifts. Changes also identify a reduced maximum platform width. These requirements may be new to most BC operators.
7. Clarifications regarding class 7 lift trucks (16.3(7) and (8) and 16.7)
Proposed changes intend to clarify which equipment is to be used in accordance with Part 16.3 by replacing the words “class 7” and “lift truck” with “rough terrain forklift truck”. The changes also update OHSR references to CSA and ANSI standards (current OHSR points to outdated standards).
8. Changes to terminology to clarify work expectations (19.10)
Current wording in this section use words including “rubber gloves and cover-up and other appropriate live line tools”. While these words are consistent with requirements for high voltage lines, they are inconsistent with works on energized low voltage equipment; it is not practically feasible for workers conducting works on low voltage equipment to comply with current wording. Proposed amendments replace the inconsistent wording.
9. Amendments and additions to provide process for practice of passing the bucket of an insulated aerial working device high voltage energized conductors (19.34 and 19.34(1))
For many years the practice of passing the bucket (occupied by a tree trimmer) of a truck-mounted aerial working device between energized high voltage conductors and/or the neutral has proceeded under an “acceptance letter”. That letter is no longer valid. These proposed amendments are intended to describe practices and requirements associated with continuing such practices, where it is not practicable (due to terrain or other obstacles) to accomplish the work via another positioning strategy. New wording in 19.34(1) describes different Limits of Approach for the time when the bucket is passing between the energized conductor and the neutral. This proposal would apply to either a certified utility arborist or an apprentice utility arborist directly supervised by a CUA or QEW.
10. Changes to clarify training and certificate requirements for commercial divers (24.12 and 24.13)
WSBC OHSR does not currently require commercial divers to hold a certificate; this contributes to practical inconsistencies, and makes it difficult for employers to determine competency of their employees / contractors. Proposed amendments will require commercial divers to hold a certificate issued by the Diver Certification Board of Canada (DCBC) Canadian Divers. Proposed amendments also describe specific training requirements (e.g. CPR, dive accident management, oxygen therapy, etc.). Requirements identified in 24.13 and new section 24.13.1 would not come into effect until February 1, 2015.
11. Changes and additions to clarify posting and signage of radio channels and radio frequencies (26.83 and new section 26.83.1)
Considering the anticipated Industry Canada (IC) initiative to standardize practices and radio frequency assignment, proposed changes are intended to explore the issues / needs around accommodating Industry Canada’s request that regulation be amended to be consistent with signage requirements in the new IC standard. New wording will require signage on all resource roads in B.C. showing: (1) radio channels when an Industry Canada road channel has been assigned; and (2) radio frequencies when an Industry Canada channel is not assigned, but a radio frequency is. The proposed changes would also expand where such signs would be required (would now include roads wider than too narrow for 2 vehicles to pass).
Click here to see the full proposal of changes from WSBC and use the online feedback form
| File attachments |
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| Review of Proposed 2012 WSBC Regulatory Changes Oct 17 2011.pdf |