Rigger Competency: A Critical Safety Standard Under OHSR Part 15 

// September 23, 2025

Riggers play a vital role in crane and hoisting operations, ensuring loads are safely secured, lifted, and moved. Their expertise directly impacts workplace safety, preventing incidents such as dropped loads, equipment failure and injuries. Given the high-risk nature of rigging, WorkSafeBC Occupational Health and Safety Regulation (OHSR), Part 15: Rigging establishes strict competency and qualification requirements for riggers. 

WorkSafeBC Rigger Qualification and Skill Requirements

Part 15 outlines clear criteria for who can perform rigging. OHSR Section 15.2: Qualified Riggers specifies: 

Rigging and slinging work must be done by or under the direct supervision of qualified workers familiar with the rigging to be used and with the code of signals authorized by the Board for controlling hoisting operations.

• Riggers must be competent and knowledgeable about the rigging gear they use, familiar with load limits, design factors and authorized signalling codes. 
• All rigging activities must be performed by a qualified rigger or the workers under training must perform rigging under the direct supervision of a qualified rigger. 
• A “qualified” individual must understand the work, hazards, and controls—acquired through education, training, and practical experience. 

All riggers must understand and identify the rigging hardware types, functions, working load limits (WLL), safety margins, safety practices, rejection criteria, and restrictions. Riggers should have a basic understanding of crane capabilities, including load charts, rated capacities, outrigger use, travel-with-load, communications, and inspection requirements. OHSR Sections 15.3, 15.4, 15.5, 15.6, 15.8, 15.9, 15.10, 15.33, 15.34, etc. 

The Critical Role of Riggers in Crane Operations

Riggers perform several critical roles for the safe operation of cranes.

Load Security and Integrity: Riggers select proper slings, ropes, chains, and hardware and under-hook attachment, ensuring the working load limit (WLL) and safety design factors are never exceeded. OHSR Sections: 15.40, 15.41, 15.46, 15.57, 15.58  

Safety Safeguards: Before any lift, riggers must identify potential hazards associated with load weight, stability, swing and grounding and ensure safe attachment, landing zones, taglines, and escape routes. They must land loads safely before unhooking, guide the load to avoid swinging, and use taglines when needed to prevent uncontrolled movement. OHSR Sections: 15.11, 15.12, 15.33, 15.34, 15.36, 15.37 

Team Coordination: In complex lifts, riggers communicate with crane operators to synchronize movements, ensuring a seamless and safe operation. OHSR Section 15.20

Essential Skillsets for Rigging

Maintaining safe work practices for rigging requires competency in several essential skillsets. 

Load Calculations: Communicate with crane operators and accurately assess load weight and select correctly rated components to prevent overloads. OHSR Sections 15.33, 15.34, 15.58 

Component Integrity Checks: Perform routine pre-use inspections of all components for wear, corrosion, or damage—removing any unsafe rigging from service.  Part 15 provides rejection criteria. Re-inspection is required after any incident or before reuse. OHSR Sections 15.25, 15.29, 15.43, 15.44, 15.45, 15.47, 15.48, 15.49, 15.50, 15.54, 15.56 

Execution of Rigging Activity: Correct use of shackle pins, wedge sockets, splices, and secure terminations to prevent slippage. 

Communication: The Cornerstone of Rigger Effectiveness

The ability to communicate effectively is a core requirement for riggers to effectively support lift operations.

Code of Signals: Riggers must be familiar with the board‑authorized hand, whistle, or radio signals as specified under Part 14 and 15, used to control operations and safely convey start/stop motions. 

Signaller Collaboration: When operators lack direct sight of the load, riggers or signallers work in tandem—riggers guiding the load and the hoist, and operators responding— forming the safety net. 

Radio Protocols: For tower crane operations, using certified two-way radios on WorkSafeBC Board-approved frequencies ensure clear, unambiguous commands. 

Key Takeaways to Meet Rigging Requirements

WorkSafeBC OHSR Part 15 requires riggers to be qualified, tools to be properly marked and rated, planning and inspections to be conducted in a thorough manner, and communications to be reliable.

When riggers have the right skills—load assessment, component knowledge, hazard prevention, and signalling—they safeguard not only the crane operation but the lives and well-being of the crew.  

Incorporating OHSR Part 15 provisions into work site policies and applying them to actual rigging tasks, from planning through execution, will provide a safety-centred approach to rigger competency, qualification, and critical skills needed in crane operations under WorkSafeBC OHS Regulation.