Newsletter Submission

Updated Ontario Construction Regulations include stronger inspection criteria for the lift industry

Effective January 1st, 2017, the Ministry of Labours new Ontario construction regulations will clarify
existing inspection and testing criteria, by better defining which methods and who is qualified to
perform such tests, for tower cranes, mobile cranes used to lift personnel, and suspended work
platforms and boatswain chairs.

This revision will help to further strengthen construction safety requirements by improving the practices
and standards for inspection. Nondestructive testing (NDT) plays a critical component in the new
regulation as a method for ensuring critical welds on certain equipment are checked, at minimum,
annually.

What are the proper methods of NDT? In past iterations of the act, methods of NDT were not clearly
defined. Some people made claims that visual inspection was a form of NDT, but the regulations werent
very clear in that regard. Neither did the law clearly define which qualifications are required to practice
methods of NDT.

By strengthening the wording and the language the new regulations helps to solve that problem. Here is
a breakdown on some of the changes, and how they affect the lift industry.

What is NDT?

The new law defines NDT to include the following recognized methods:

Magnetic Particle Testing

Liquid Penetrant Testing
Ultrasonic Testing
Eddy Current Testing
Radiographic Testing

Note that this means visual inspection does not qualify as a NDT method under the new regulation.

Visual inspection, a very useful method for inspecting new fabrication and erected steel, is simply not as
effective at detecting the kind of wear and tear that cranes undergo on a day to day basis, for example,
as other NDT methods can. In most cases, NDT can do a superior job of detecting surface cracks, section
loss, and corrosion in critical lifting components.

Who Can Practice NDT?

Furthermore, Section 1 of the amended regulation clearly states that only persons who have "been
certified by Natural Resources Canada to the appropriate level in accordance with CAN/CGSB Standard
48.9712" are legally allowed to perform nondestructive tests under the regulation. Proof of this
qualification is issued as a wallet card, which the inspector should have on their person.

This new clause stating that inspectors must hold CAN/CGSB 48.9712 certification amends nebulous
wording found in previous editions of the Construction Regulations which required inspection "using
non-destructive testing methods approved by the Canadian General Standards Board."
The problem is, the CGSB is a standards writing body - they don't "approve" methods per se. This type of
loose wording provided non-certified people a loop hole to practice methods of NDT without actually
possessing any accredited training or certification to do so. As a result, the industry suffered from non-
certified inspectors lowering the overall standard of inspection quality.

This tightening up of the language should help to elevate inspection quality, and improve lift equipment
safety.

Specific Requirements

The new regulation makes it clear that the following equipment is required to have nondestructive
testing on a regular basis:

1) Cranes carrying personnel

Before the crane is first used to lift persons, and at least once every 12 months after the first test, a
professional engineer shall ensure that the crane be subjected to nondestructive testing to ensure the
structural integrity of the crane.

2) Tower Cranes

Before a tower crane is erected at a project, a professional engineer shall ensure that the structural
elements and components of the crane be subjected to nondestructive testing to ensure the structural
integrity of the crane.

3) Suspended Work Platforms and Boatswain's Chairs

At least annually, a representative sample of each type of structural component shall be randomly
selected and subjected to nondestructive testing.

What It Means

If your company already uses CGSB certified personnel to test most of you equipment, then this change
might not affect you much. However, if you are using inspectors that are not CGSB certified, then the
inspections will not meet your legal obligations. If discovered, this could result in a sudden work
stoppage at the hands of the Ministry of Labour.

If you are not sure what qualifications your inspector has, it's best to ask. Before hiring a hoisting
engineer to operate your crane, doesn't it make sense to ask to see his/her hoisting license? In the same
way, you can consider an inspector's CGSB card as proof that they are qualified to perform the work.

Ask your inspector to provide proof of their CGSB qualification. If they don't have a CGSB wallet card,
any nondestructive testing on your equipment will not meet the requirements of the Construction
Regulations.