CSA Group and WorkSafeBC Collaborate on National Rigging and Hoisting Competency Standard

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CSA Group and WorkSafeBC are working together to establish a national standard for rigging and hoisting competencies in Canada, aiming to improve safety and consistency across various industries.

RICHMOND, B.C.— In a significant move towards enhancing workplace safety, CSA Group has partnered with WorkSafeBC to expedite the creation of a national standard aimed at rigging and hoisting competencies across Canada. This initiative is expected to establish a clear and recognized baseline of competencies necessary for safely conducting rigging and hoisting operations. The proposed standard seeks to provide a uniform benchmark for training providers, employers, regulators, and workers in several sectors, including construction, manufacturing, transportation, energy, and marine operations.
Kay Penn, the director of health and safety standards at CSA Group, emphasized the importance of national standards, stating, “National standards help create a common understanding of what safe work looks like.” The CSA Group is committed to bringing together experts from various sectors, including industry, labor, government, and technical communities, to develop practical, consensus-based standards that ensure consistent competency expectations throughout Canada.
Currently, while regulatory requirements for rigging are in place across the country, the expectations for competency can significantly vary. This inconsistency has led to discrepancies in the training, assessment, and verification of workers’ skills. The announcement highlights a pressing concern: as equipment and work environments grow increasingly complex, incidents involving rigging and hoisting are still occurring, underscoring the urgent need for a nationally recognized definition of competency.
The proposed standard aims to achieve several key objectives: it will define the competency requirements for rigging and hoisting tasks, scaled according to the complexity of the work involved. Furthermore, it will support the development of certification programs that include competency assessments which are both valid and practical. Employers’ responsibilities will also be clarified, particularly in assessing the competency of their workers within specific work environments and ensuring that these competencies remain current.
To maintain the integrity of the competency standards, CSA Group plans to utilize its national committee process to conduct regular reviews of evolving work practices, equipment, and associated hazards. This initiative by WorkSafeBC to endorse a national competency standard is part of a broader strategy to bolster crane and rigging safety in British Columbia, contributing to a more uniformly recognized approach to competency across the entire country.
This collaborative effort includes a comprehensive review of Part 15 (Rigging) of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation, which is expected to result in revisions to training, assessment, and qualification requirements for riggers. To support this crucial development, WorkSafeBC has committed funding that will help accelerate the creation of the standard.
The project is set to commence this fall, with consultations anticipated to begin in spring 2027, leading to implementation by late 2027. This timeline indicates a structured approach to ensuring that the competencies required for rigging and hoisting are not only well-defined but also adaptable to the changing landscape of workplace safety in Canada.

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