Skip to main content

Regulatory Information

Knowledge Base

Posted 2026-09-03

Overview

Here are some general Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Resources applicable to crane operations in B.C. Find more specific resources to support safety on your worksite on our Industry Resources page.

B.C. Occupational Health and Safety Law

The Workers Compensation Act (WCA) outlines the legal authority and framework for all our activities, including your entitlements in the event of a workplace injury.

Workers Compensation Act Part 2, Division 4

The most important part of the Workers Compensation Act to understand is WCA Part 2, Division 4 General Duties of Employers, Workers, and Others, but understanding the entire act will give you context on how the workers' compensation system is applied in B.C.

B.C. Occupational Health and Safety Regulation

The Occupational Health and Safety Regulation (OHSR) contains legal requirements that must be met by all workplaces under the inspectional jurisdiction of WorkSafeBC. Many parts of the OHSR have associated guidelines, which are used to help interpret and apply the OHSR.

Other policies and guidelines of WorkSafeBC are set out in the Prevention Manual.

The purpose of the OHSR is to promote occupational health and safety and to protect workers and other people at workplaces from work-related risks to their health, safety, and well-being. Compliance with the requirements provides the basis for workers and employers to solve workplace health and safety problems co-operatively.

OHSR Part 1: Definitions OHSR Part 3: Rights and Responsibilities OHSR Part 4: General Conditions OHSR Part 13: Ladders, Scaffolds, and Temporary Work Platforms OHSR Part 14: Cranes and Hoists OHSR Part 15: Rigging OHSR Part 16: Mobile Equipment OHSR Part 19: Electrical Safety

WorkSafeBC

WorkSafeBC is committed to creating a province free from workplace injury or illness, and to providing service driven by core values of integrity, accountability, and innovation. By partnering with workers and employers, WorkSafeBC helps British Columbians come home from work safe every day.

WorkSafeBC provides a wide variety of resources and statistics on their website. WorkSafeBC’s dedicated Crane Team works closely with BC Crane Safety to develop resources and promote safe crane operations through initiatives such as the Level Up, Own Your Lift program and inspection protocols.

Visit our WorkSafeBC Crane Operator Resources page to learn more.

Communicable Disease Prevention

On June 17 2021, the provincial health officer issued a statement for employers on transitioning from a COVID-19 Safety Plan to communicable disease prevention.

The statement recommends that employers maintain some existing COVID-19 protocols that do not negatively impact business operations. Examples of these protocols may include barriers already erected in the workplace or directional signage to reduce points of congestion. This will allow for a transitional period and progression from COVID-19 Safety Plans to communicable disease prevention.

Get the latest news on preventing communicable disease at your worksite through WorkSafeBC's COVID-19 & Communicable Disease page.

Here are some other useful resources for information about COVID-19:

BC Centre for Disease Control: COVID-19 Resources

Information about COVID-19, how to protect yourself, your family and your community and what to do if you suspect you have the virus.

Thrive Health: B.C. COVID-19 Symptom Self-Assessment Tool

This online tool will help you determine whether you may need further assessment or testing for COVID-19.

Canadian Construction Association: COVID-19 – Standardized Protocols for All Canadian Construction Sites

The Canadian Construction Association (CCA) published this guide to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 on construction sites.

Engineers and Geoscientists BC Guidelines

The Occupational Health and Safety Regulation requires employers to ensure that a professional engineer provides annual certification that the following types of equipment are safe for use:

  • Vehicle-mounted elevating work platforms
  • Self-propelled boom-supported elevating work platforms
  • Mobile cranes
  • Aerial firefighting devices

EGBC Guideline

The OHS Regulation states that inspections of these types of equipment must be in accordance with good engineering practices, like those outlined in the EGBC Certification of Annual Equipment Inspection Guideline.