Hello, and welcome to the broadcast. Today, we're diving into some potentially sweeping changes on the horizon for workplace safety here in British Columbia. WorkSafe BC has put forward significant proposed amendments to the occupational health and safety regulation. And these aren't minor tweaks. They could impact thousands of workplaces across the province, from your local auto shop to the largest construction sites.

We're going to break down what's on the table, focusing on two critical areas: a major overhaul of automotive lift safety standards and a new harmonized framework for periodic equipment certification that affects everything from massive tower cranes to fire truck aerial devices. So let's start with the automotive lifts. Think about it. Car dealerships, auto body shops, independent garages, these lifts are everywhere. They are also one of the few pieces of equipment where workers are explicitly permitted to be underneath a massive suspended load.

The potential for catastrophic failure is obvious, which is why these regulations are so important. The proposed changes to part 12, specifically section 12.74, are designed to modernize and clarify the safety standards. Right now, the regulation points to a single, somewhat dated standard, a 1998 version from the American National Standards Institute or ANSI. The proposal is to expand this dramatically. It would broaden the acceptable safety standards to include multiple more current ANSI ALI standards and even the European EN fourteen ninety three two thousand ten standard.

Now why is this so important? It's a recognition of reality. Many lifts currently in use across BC were built to different but equally rigorous versions of these standards. This change acknowledges that reality, preventing perfectly safe, well maintained equipment from suddenly becoming noncompliant on a technicality. Here's where it gets really interesting, especially for businesses with older equipment.

The amendments don't just outlaw older lifts. Instead, they provide a clear pathway for lifts that don't meet any of the specified standards to continue operating. But, and this is a big but, with significantly enhanced safety requirements. It's a pragmatic approach. So if you have one of these non compliant lifts, you'd be looking at a new rigorous inspection schedule.

This would involve inspections every four months by a qualified person, an annual inspection by a certified inspector from the Automotive Lift Institute, and on top of that, a full certification by a professional engineer every three years. This is a robust system. It addresses the fact that many small businesses can't just scrap multi thousand dollar pieces of equipment while ensuring that worker safety is never, ever compromised. It's a smart balance. The amendments also touch on installation, requiring qualified persons to install new lifts according to the very latest 2022 standard, and they clarify the requirements for swing arm restraints on certain lift types to prevent vehicle roll offs.

Okay. So that covers the lifts. Let's shift gears to the second major component of these proposed changes, which is arguably even broader in scope. This involves the periodic certification of heavy equipment across five different parts of the regulation. Parts four, thirteen, fourteen, twenty, and thirty one.

We're talking about a huge range of machinery here, mobile cranes, boom trucks, elevating work platforms, concrete pumps, and even fire department aerial devices. The current system is a bit of a patchwork. There are six different sections that require periodic certification, but the requirements vary between them. It can be confusing and inconsistent. The proposed amendments aim to fix this by creating a single harmonized framework.

They would consolidate the core certification requirements into part four of the regulation, creating a clear, consistent standard for all this critical equipment. It's a move towards simplification and clarity, which is always a good thing in safety regulations. Now within this harmonization, there is one change that stands out and it's a critical one. It affects tower cranes. Anyone who has seen the Vancouver skyline recently knows how ubiquitous these machines are.

Currently, the regulation only requires self erecting tower cranes to have an annual certification. The new amendments would expand this to all tower cranes. Not only would they require annual certification, but they would also need to be certified before their first use at any new workplace. And there's a compelling reason for this. BC's inventory of tower cranes is getting old, with the average age being around thirty years.

Add to that recent public concerns about non compliant modifications, particularly around zone limiting devices designed to prevent cranes from swinging into restricted airspace or other buildings. Given the catastrophic potential of a tower crane failure in a dense urban environment, this change directly addresses some very significant and timely safety risks. The proposal also gets very specific about what certified safe for use actually means. A new section, 412.3, lays it out: The certifying professional engineer will have a clear mandate. They must review all the necessary documentation, ensure a proper inspection has been done, confirm that any required repairs have been completed, and then, and only then, provide their certified opinion that the equipment won't pose undue risks during its certification period.

It's about adding layers of accountability. For tower cranes specifically, it goes even further. Structural components will have to undergo non destructive testing, or NDT, before the crane is even erected on-site. And the rules are very specific about who can perform this they must be certified by Natural Resources Canada to the appropriate levels. This isn't a job for just anyone.

It requires a high degree of specialized skill to detect metal fatigue or microscopic cracks that could lead to failure under load. Another key change is that manufacturers and their agents will no longer be able to provide these periodic certifications. This work will be standardized as the responsibility of professional engineers, aligning the regulation with current best practices and guidelines from engineers and geoscientists BC. So what are the key practical impacts for you, the safety professional, or the employer on the ground? First, if you have automotive lifts, your immediate task is to review your inventory.

Do they meet one of the newly expanded lists of acceptable standards? If not, you need to start preparing for that enhanced inspection regime. Don't wait. Second, for any equipment that falls under the periodic certification rules, you should expect more detailed inspection requirements and a greater emphasis on meticulous documentation. And third, a big one for the construction sector.

If you use tower cranes, you need to start budgeting time and money for certification before first use on a project, not just for the annual recertification. This could impact project timelines and logistics. The amendments also bolster recordkeeping. Section four nine will require detailed documentation of all certifications, and, crucially, those certificates must accompany the equipment and be immediately available to the operator and to WorkSafeBC officers. No more digging through a filing cabinet in a head office miles away.

It's important to see these changes in context. They aren't happening in a vacuum. They directly support WorkSafeBC's 2024 Crane Risk Reduction Strategy, and as I mentioned, they align perfectly with professional practice guidelines from EGBC on annual equipment certification. This is a coordinated, professional led push to raise the safety bar. And for those worried about a sudden, disruptive change, the proposal includes transition provisions.

Existing certifications will remain valid through their current period, and there will be a one year transition for full implementation, giving workplaces time to adapt. The impact will definitely be felt most in the construction, automotive service, and emergency services sectors. The enhanced requirements for tower cranes are a direct response to the risks highlighted by recent incidents and near misses in Metro Vancouver's ongoing construction boom. And the automotive lift provisions are a clever way to recognize the diverse and aging equipment in use while applying a consistent high standard of safety across the board. Now the most important thing to remember is that as of this recording, these amendments are still proposed.

This is the consultation phase. WorkSafeBC is actively seeking feedback from stakeholders. If these changes affect your workplace, and for many of you they will, I strongly encourage you to review the discussion papers on their website and provide your input. This is your chance to be part of the process. So, the key takeaway today?

These amendments are designed to create clearer, more comprehensive, and more stringent safety requirements for some of the most critical equipment in our province. Yes, they may increase inspection and certification costs for some businesses, but they also provide far better protection for the workers who operate or work in the vicinity of this equipment. When you consider that automotive lifts put people under suspended loads and tower cranes present immense catastrophic failure risks, these enhanced requirements seem not just reasonable, but entirely proportionate to the hazards involved. For more detailed information, please visit WorkSafeBC's website and look for the full discussion papers and consultation details. If you're an engineer, check the EGBC professional practice guidelines and make sure your workplace safety committees are aware of what's coming down the pipe.

Don't wait for the amendments to take effect. Start planning now. That's all for today. Stay safe out there.