What are lifting devices?

Lifting devices can include, but are not limited to, cranes, forklift trucks, lifts, hoists, mobile elevating
platforms and vehicle inspection platform hoists. This equipment is used for many things, from lifting a
worker up to fix a broken cable line, to lowering a load of skids full of produce off a loading dock.
Lifting devices are used in thousands of workplaces and their continuing role is a significant cause of
serious worker injury and death. A common feature of many of these incidents was a failure to comply
with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and its regulations. A lifting devices safety program that
complies with the legislation will protect the safety and well-being of your employees and your business.

What the law says

Employers have a duty under Section 25(2)(h) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act to take every
precaution reasonable in the circumstances for the protection of the worker, but there are specific
regulations governing the safe use of lifting equipment depending on your industry.
Ministry of Labour (MOL) inspectors will be looking to ensure that employers are following these specific
regulations as well as ensuring that employers are maintaining lifting devices to determine their load
capacity and ensuring a lifting device is constructed and equipped with suitable ropes, chains, slings and
other fittings, and maintained to ensure the safety of all workers. Review MOL inspection information.
Specific Occupational Health and Safety Act regulations include:

 Construction Projects, Regulation 213/91.

 Health Care and Residential Facilities, Ontario Regulation 67/93.
 Industrial Establishments, R.R.O. 1990 Regulation 851.
 Mining and Mining Plants, R.R.O. 1990 Regulation 854.

There are also CSA standards governing this equipment like:

 B17-08 - Overhead travelling cranes - Design, inspection, testing, maintenance, and safe
operation
 B335-04 - Safety Standard for Lift trucks
 Z248-04 (R2009) - Code for Tower Cranes
 Z150-98 (R2008) - Safety Code on Mobile Cranes