The fourth and fifth generation of the family company continue a legacy.
12 Forecast 2022
Economy poised to keep cranes climbing.
16 B.C.’s unique Crane Operator Certification Program
A crane operator certification program implemented in 2008 has had positive and measurable impacts on safety in the province.
22 Empowering ports within Canada’s sustainable recovery
Consumers, seeing rising costs, empty shelves and images of many vessels at anchor, are now beginning to realize the relevance of ports and supply chains to their daily lives.
FROM THE EDITOR
BY ANDREW SNOOK
Back and in person!
Live events are back on the agenda for 2022
Like many of my fellow Canadians, I can say with great certainty that I am officially Zoom-ed out!
While I am always grateful for any opportunities to connect with members of the industry, I have really missed in-person events, and many other individuals and companies have shared that same feeling with me.
Although covering tradeshows can be a ton of work, I always have a fun time running around the show floors, re-connecting with friends and colleagues, meeting new people, and learning all about the latest technologies driving the industry.
With large percentages of people now vaccinated, many show organizers have returned to offering live events in 2022, and I am excited!
In nearby Edmonton, the Transportation Association of Canada (TAC) Conference and Exhibition is set to return to a live event in 2022 from Oct. 2 to 5. The theme will be “Changing Ways for Our Changing Climate.”
Although covering tradeshows can be a ton of work, I always have a fun time running around the show floors, reconnecting with friends and colleagues, meeting new people, and learning all about the latest technologies driving the industry.
For all of you heavy lifters involved in the concrete sector, the World of Concrete returns to Las Vegas at its regularly scheduled time this winter running from Jan. 17 to 20.
Closer to home, the Canadian Concrete Expo (CCE) is scheduled to return to the Toronto area on Feb. 17 and 18, followed by the National Heavy Equipment Show (NHES) coming to the same venue on March 31 and April 1. Both CCE 2022 and NHES will take place at the International Centre in Mississauga, Ont.
In the spring, the Crane Rental Association of Canada will be hosting its annual conference from May 17 to 19 at NiagaraOn-The-Lake, Ont. This event is the best opportunity to network with Canada’s crane industry across the country!
The Global Energy Show Exhibition and Conference will be returning to live events with the 2022 edition of the show taking place from June 7 to 9 in Calgary.
For the members of the Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association, the association’s Specialized Transportation Symposium will take place from Feb. 22 to 24 in Glendale, Ariz. This will be followed by the SC&RA’s annual conference – which attracts industry owners, CEOs, top managers and leaders while offering some of the top industry education sessions and speakers –will be taking place from April 25 to 29 in Washington, D.C.
Then in the fall, the SC&RA’s annual Crane & Rigging Workshop will take place in Dallas from Oct. 3 to 5. In addition to offering a wide variety of educational sessions, this workshop features an impressive trade show dedicated to the heavy lifting industry.
If you’re willing to travel a little farther out, the massive bauma 2022 show will take place in Munich, Germany from Oct. 24 to 30. This monster of a show features 614,000 square metres of exhibition space, approximately 3,700 exhibitors from 63 countries and regions, and 620,000 visitors from more than 200 countries.
There will certainly be more opportunities for networking outside of these shows, so keep an eye out for more event announcements on Crane & Hoist Canada’s website.
We hope to see you at an event in the near future!
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Potain picks up top prizes at the Tower Crane Awards
Potain earned top marks for three of its recent installations at the third edition of the Tower Crane Awards.
The international awards program is organized by the Federation of Construction and Handling Equipment (DLR) and the Professional Union of Crane technicians (SPMDG).
The awards ceremony took place at the Museum of Fairground Arts in Paris on Sept. 23.
Potain distributors were recognized in three categories: Top-slewing Assembly of the Year, Self-erecting Assembly of the Year and Construction Site of the Year.
The prize for Top-slewing Assembly of the Year went to GLI (Grues Levages Investissements) for the erection of a specially designed Potain MCT 58 on the Sainte-Rose dam in a remote area of La Réunion.
Due to the difficult terrain, the crane elements needed to be transported to the site and lifted into place using a commercial helicopter. Potain designed the crane so that each element would not exceed the one-tonne maximum capacity of the helicopter. The new MCT 58 crane was initially used to dismantle the old Potain 427, which had been on the site for more than 30 years and will later be used to maintain the dam.
Valente Grue Assistance, meanwhile, came top in the Self-erecting Assembly of the Year category for erecting a GTMR 386B in the Alps at an altitude of 2,700 metres. The distributor’s main challenge was to climb a ski slope, towing a 28-t load to the top of the resort.
Uperio took home the award for Construction Site of the Year for the assembly of 16 MR 608 luffing jib cranes with 10-metre chassis and travelling mechanisms at the Fecamp offshore wind farm in Normandy. The assembly involved complex international logistics with 250 containers, as well as pre-assembly of certain components before starting the erection of the cranes. A huge and challenging construction site.
“It is a pleasure to see our hardworking Potain distribution partners recognized for their collaboration, experience and skill on these complicated erections,” says Stéphane Giraudo, sales director France and Benelux at Manitowoc, which owns Potain. “Many congratulations to the winners.”
TNT Crane & Rigging acquires JMS Crane & Rigging
TNT Crane & Rigging, Inc. (TNT) announced that it has acquired the businesses of JMS Crane & Rigging Co., WM Services Crane & Rigging, Inc., and Big Ray’s Equipment Co., LLC, (together referred to as “JMS”) headquartered in Billings, Mo. JMS is a full-service mobile crane and heavy haul transportation provider primarily serving the wind, power, petrochemical, and refining markets. Founded by the Mullen family in 2012, and led by Ray Mullen, CEO, and his children John, Bill and Jennifer Mullen, the JMS companies bring a long history of operational excellence and world class service to the crane and rigging industry. They operate over 30 cranes as well as a sizeable fleet of heavy haul trucks and trailers. With this transaction, TNT has now expanded its geographic branch footprint to include Montana and Idaho which provides further strategic positioning to serve the surging demand within the wind power market as well as the refineries in the region. “Our partnership with JMS demonstrates a continued commitment to leadership in the crane and rigging industry and further strengthens our position and market share supporting the nation’s wind energy end market,” Michael Appling Jr., CEO of TNT stated. “Our management team considers Ray an icon in the crane industry. We welcome him, his family and the JMS employees to the TNT family. We are excited to work together with John, Bill and Jennifer to integrate our businesses and further strengthen our position as an industry leader in the wind market. We look forward to working with this talented team as we continue to grow our combined business and provide tremendous opportunity to our employees while providing world-class
service to our customers.”
Mullen and his family will continue in their current roles.
“TNT is the right partner for JMS at this point in the growth and development of our business. We have been blessed with amazing employees that have made us who we are today. This will allow us to continue to provide superior service to our customers and most importantly expanded opportunities for our employees,” Mullen stated.
Source: TNT Crane & Rigging, Inc.
Manitowoc adds two members to board of directors
The Manitowoc Company has welcomed Amy Davis and Robert Malone to its board of directors. With the new appointments, the total size of the board has increased from eight to 10 members.
Davis has served as the vice-president and president of new power business of Cummins Inc. since July 2020. Prior to her current role, Davis served as vice-president of the global filtration business, and served on the board of directors for two sizeable Cummins joint ventures – Shanghai Fleetguard in Shanghai, China and Fleetguard Filtrum LTD in Pune, India.
Previously, Davis was president of the Cummins Northeast distributor as an owner, where she transformed a small business into a high-growth, customer-driven operation, achieving significant revenue and profit increases. She spent the early years of her career moving through a variety of global sales, strategy and general management roles at AT&T, NCR and Cummins.
Davis holds a bachelor of arts degree in English from Northwestern University and completed the Executive Program for Marketing Strategy at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
All of the award winners from the 2021 Tower Crane Awards in Paris. PHOTO: POTAIN/MANITOWOC.
• New operator aids with kick-out
• Free swing modes
• Simple interface with large touchscreen
• Wi-Fi enabled to update and service remotely
• Calculate outrigger positioning
• Real-time 360°charts
• Live preview mode
• Incorporated swing arrest
• Anti-skid paint on allowable walking surfaces
• No trip points
• Large walking area
• Guided, sequential, fail-safe fly erection
• Control fly assist and boom hoist cylinder from the ground
• One person operation
• Minimal ladder climbs
• Swing around at 0°
• Pivot-point & boom head speed screws
• Heated back-up, winch and right-side cameras with night vision
• LED working lights
• Outrigger lights
• 20 degree tilting cab
• No helper crane needed to install counterweight
• Transport weight of 95,000 lbs
• 6 Points of Access
• Large grab handles
• Deep, sturdy steps and ladders
• Working platform with guardrails
Malone has served as the vice-president and president of the filtration group at Parker-Hannifin Corporation since December 2014. He joined Parker in 2013 serving as vice-president of operations for the filtration group where he was responsible for five of the group’s divisions and the group sponsor for four of the seven global filtration platforms.
Prior to Parker, Malone served as president and CEO for Purolator Filters with responsib-
CRAC NEWS
CRAC hosts
Link-Belt Cranes product showcase
CRANERENTALASSOCIATIONOFCANAD A ASSOCIATIONCANADIENNE DELOCATIONDEGRUES
The Crane Rental Association of Canada (CRAC) hosted a webinar recently showcasing the latest products and technologies of its member company Link-Belt Cranes.
Pat Collins, director of product marketing at Link-Belt Cranes offered CRAC members a brief history of the Lexington, Ky.-based company before handing the webinar over to colleague Gary Lane, North American sales crane manager for Link-Belt Cranes. Lane discussed how the company covers Canada through four regional dealer networks with Consultants F. Drapeau (Quebec and Atlantic Canada), Equipment Sales & Service East (Ontario), Delta Equipment Sales (Manitoba) and Equipment Sales & Service West (Western Canada, Yukon, N.W.T. and Nunanvut).
Link-Belt Cranes product manager for rough terrain cranes Brian Elkins then offered a look at the manufacturing process of the company’s rough terrain cranes built in Lexington and then discussed the features of the brand-new 85|RT.
“Our new designed 85|RT will now transport in 105,000 pounds when fully equipped. If we remove our counterweight, we can transport it down to 86,000 pounds, making it one of the most versatile rough terrain cranes on the market,” Elkins said. “The 85|RT offers something for everyone. Whether you’re a crane rental house in B.C. or a general contractor in Ontario, this crane offers versatility across the board.”
On-highway cranes product manager Andrew Soper then discussed some of the processes for putting together all-terrain cranes before showcasing the main features of some of the latest models including the 120|HT hydraulic truck crane, which features a new carrier cab, new suspension
ility for the engineering, manufacturing, marketing and sales of branded and private label filters to North American OEM and aftermarket customers.
Prior to Purolator Filters, Malone held senior leadership positions with ArvinMeritor Light Vehicle Aftermarket and Arvin-Kayaba, LLC.
Malone holds a bachelor of science degree in industrial engineering from Purdue University and a joint master of business administration
and engineering from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.
“Both Amy and Rob are seasoned executives who bring a wealth of global expertise and operational experience and will provide valuable perspective to our board and management team, particularly related to the strategic growth of Manitowoc,” said Kenneth Krueger, chair of Manitowoc’s board of directors.
and new axles with higher rating, improved ride quality, the patented Link-Belt SmartFly, a new operators cab with Pulse 2.0, counterweight detection system, air ride seat with lumbar support, and more.
TCC and lattice crawler crawler cranes product manager Kelly Fiechter then discussed some of the production process for the telescopic crawler product line before showcasing a few of the features of the 218 HSL crawler cranes including that it is designed to self-assemble and require very
little daily maintenance.
“That goes for the whole lattice product line,” Fiechter says.
The Link-Belt Cranes online product showcase also featured a tour of the company’s parts distribution centre and an online tour of the company’s website features including the eManuals page on the company website, as well as all the available technical data for the company’s various cranes.
For more information on Link-Belt Cranes, visit www.linkbelt.com.
On-highway cranes product manager Andrew Soper discussed some of the latest models.
The latest TCC and lattice crawler crawler cranes were on display.
BENCHMARK ON 7 AXLES.
THE NEW AC 7.450-1
The new Tadano AC 7.450-1 is in a class of its own: With a carrier length of 52.5 feet and an outrigger base of 27.7 feet, it is as compact as a six-axle crane, and yet is as powerful as some eight-axle cranes. In fact, the AC 7.450-1 can reach lifting capacities of up to 26.1 tons when its 262.5 foot main boom is fully extended, and that is without even using the Sideways Superlift system. Bring in SSL, and the lifting capacity goes up to an unbeatable 41.1 tons. In addition, Tadano is using a new SSL design for the first time ever in the AC 7.450-1 – one that makes handling and setup easier. The system can be extended with a 265.7 foot luffing jib, and the sections of this jib can also be used to assemble fixed extensions.
Moir Crane Service keeps reaching higher
The fourth and fifth generation of the family company continue a legacy
By Matt Jones
Over 120 years ago, Alexander Moir arrived in Windsor, Ont., having taken a job as manager for the Shedden Forwarding Company. Seeing a growing market for cartage services, Alexander and his children formed their own company, Moir Cartage. In the early 1960’s, James Moir Sr. led the company to purchase its first crane.
His son, Moir Crane Service president Randy Moir, says that there had long been a lifting element to the company all the way back to when telephone poles were mounted on the backs of trucks to help maneuver loads off trains in the early 1900’s.
“It was generally recognized to be a cartage company,” Randy says. “My father felt that there was a need for cranes, no longer needing these poles on the back of a truck. From there, it grew and became a crane rental company, a machinery moving company and a trucking company.”
Promoted to a leadership role in 1980, Randy oversaw a significant expansion of the business which included employing over 100 people at its peak.
Open to all sectors
Today, Moir Crane Service provides taxi-style crane rentals throughout Windsor-Essex County and southwest Ontario. Randy notes that they will take on any customer, with no preference to any specific industry or sector.
“There’s really no limitation on who we rent to,” Randy says. “You might be a homeowner that wants to put a hot tub in your backyard, or it could be building a new bridge for the federal government. It’s pretty much wide open. It’s construction, it’s homes, it’s buildings, it’s precast concrete, it’s HVAC units. It’s everything.”
The company’s fleet of 10 cranes range from a 17-ton boom truck up to a 300-ton all-terrain crane. Randy says that, as a relatively small family-owned business, they must pick and choose which cranes best service their needs and those of their customers. While most of their cranes were manufactured by Grove (Manitowoc), the company also utilizes a variety of Liebherr, Link-Belt, National Crane (Manitowoc) and Terex cranes.
“The first crane that we had was a conventional lattice boom crane,” Randy says. “We evolved from conventional cranes to hydraulic cranes because we are doing taxi work running all over doing a variety of jobs. Hydraulics are the most efficient for the people that we serve.”
Moir Crane Service continues to grow and expand their operations over time. Randy says five years ago he would never have expected that the company would own a 300-ton crane, but the 300-ton Grove they purchased last year as been incredibly busy ever since.
“Our biggest crane up to that point was a 200-ton crane – it was getting older, and it was time to look at updating it,” says Randy.
Moir Crane Service have performed a wide variety of interesting lifts in the area of Windsor, Ontario, including work on the Ambassador Bridge and helping with renovations to a Lancaster bomber.
Randy Moir (left) and his father James Moir Sr. pose with one of the company’s cranes.
“And the market had changed over the last decade, whereby we knew that we were bringing in cranes from out of town to cover the 250- to 300-ton range. So, we felt if we were going to update that 200, we might as well take it up a notch and try and capture as much of the local market for bigger cranes as we could.”
Standout projects
Moir Crane Service are in the midst of two significant crane projects currently – the construction of the new Gordie Howe International Bridge and work on the existing Ambassador Bridge. The Ambassador Bridge work is a full-circle moment for the company. In November 1929, Moir Cartage hauled the first commercial load across the bridge. But the company has taken part in a variety of standout projects in its long history.
“The Canadian Historical Aircraft Association brought in a Lancaster bomber and renovated it – we’ve moved it a few times, we’re helping them renovate it again,” Randy says. “We were a big part of work for Casino Windsor. Every major project in this area in the last 100 years, we’ve likely had a piece of that pie. We just happen to be at the right time in the right place. We’ve had great customers. It keeps us going.”
The company has also provided cranes for projects such as the Herb Gray Parkway, the University of Windsor’s engineering facility building, an expansion at St. Clair College and Windsor’s City Hall.
Living up to a legacy
While having a company that has been something of a fixture in an area carries benefits, taking part in the long heritage of the Moir family in the business can be daunting. Randy says he struggled initially working under his father.
“He was a pretty strong-willed gentleman,” Randy says. “He and I butted heads for a few years, but ultimately, I guess I showed him that I was able to take this on and I expanded the business tenfold and at that point, I took over.”
Randy acknowledges that his daughter, Shannon Moir-Riendeau, probably struggled similarly while working under him initially.
“I can be a little headstrong,” Randy admits. “But now I’ve basically started to back off and she’s pretty much handling ninety-five per cent of what goes on here. And we do quite well working together. I don’t think too many companies can say, ‘my daughter, Shannon, is a fifth generation of the family involved in the business.’ And she has two children who, you never know, maybe they’re coming up.”
In addition to her current role as vice-president of operations, Shannon has also integrated herself into the wider crane industry. She currently serves as secretary-treasurer for the Crane Rental Association of Canada (CRAC) and in 2023 will follow in her father’s footsteps and become a chairperson. She also serves as the president of the Windsor Executives Association.
“I’m learning a lot,” Shannon says. “This has been new to me in the last three years. I’m learning more about the industry itself being involved with CRAC now. And then being involved in the city and the associations, I’m meeting a lot of good people and that eventually turns into business relationships and recommendations and referrals.”
From her viewpoint, helping to steer a well-established business with a long history and good relationships in the community, the biggest challenge the company faces today is finding enough qualified workers amid a labour shortage.
“We’re having a hard time with that,” Shannon says. “We do have a couple of apprentices working their way up, but there’s a shortage of workers at this point.”
A LONG WAY TOGETHER
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FORECAST 2022: Economy poised to keep cranes climbing
By Saul Chernos
Even as COVID-impacted supply chains struggle with shortages of electronic components, building products, industrial materials and even shipping containers, crane service providers and other industry insiders report strengthening activity across Canada, with momentum potentially carrying well into the new year.
In March 2020, when the World Health Organization classified the coronavirus as a pandemic, much of the world went on pause. However, with many construction, resource and industrial activities deemed essential, hoisting systems got little rest.
In fact, Ryan Burton, managing director of Bigfoot Crane Company in Abbotsford
B.C., says he experienced unprecedented demand from contractors wanting to take a headstrong approach to uncertainty.
“When COVID hit it felt like we got busier than ever,” Burton says. “On the jobs we were on, everybody wanted to do everything faster. They were less flexible than ever.”
Even while Bigfoot and many of its customers faced skilled labour shortages and supply chain glitches reaching the point where cranes themselves are on months-long backorder, customers exerted considerable and often unrealistic demand for services. “It was really bizarre. We were functioning at 80 per cent and they were wanting 120 per cent,” Burton
says, acknowledging contractor worries about material shortages and escalating project costs.
A considerable number of Bigfoot’s projects involve low-rise wood-frame apartment buildings, and lumber shortages and price spikes caused delays. Architectural and engineering services and permitting processes also slowed, with professionals often working from home and avoiding on-site visits.
Now, with COVID at least appearing under control, Burton says he expects strong demand for crane services to continue into 2022. “We’re experiencing what I call the COVID hangover. All the jobs we were supposed to go to in 2021 but didn’t are happening now. Our next six months will be putting cranes back onto job sites, and I think 2022 will be really busy.”
However, while the price and availability of lumber has eased, many materials and supplies remain backlogged. “We have cranes ordered from the factory, and they’re telling us they don’t know when they’re going to be able to ship them,” Burton says. “They can’t give us a timeline.”
The bulk of Bigfoot’s activity is in B.C., and Burton says demand there is strong enough that the company is boosting its presence on Vancouver Island. But Bigfoot also serves Canada’s three other western provinces, and while Winnipeg has a relatively strong housing market, Burton says the resource slump continues to slow performance in Alberta. “We’ll see what happens,” Burton says. “If oil prices hit a certain level then Alberta can turn on a lot of its production facilities.”
The indicators are mixed across much of the rest of the country. In Nova Scotia, International Union of Operating Engineers Local 721 president and business manager Joey MacLellan says the crane sector is busy with housing in Halifax and infrastructure in more rural areas.
“There’s over 30 tower cranes up in Halifax and there’s a lot of road building, including a major twinning of the Trans-Canada highway from New Glasgow down to Antigonish, so our traditional crane rental companies are all fairly busy,” MacLellan says.
While MacLellan sees this activity continuing for the foreseeable future, he points to ongoing weakness in industrial work. “We used to have a lot of industry here in Nova Scotia, but the power plants aren’t expanding and only one pulp mill is in operation.”
Grues Guay’s Guillaume Gagnon says infrastructure work has been strong, with work on Montréal’s light rail rapid transit system slated to carry on for the next couple years. PHOTO: GRUES GUAY.
For years there was talk of liquefied natural gas plants, but that seems to have evaporated, though a planned rocket assembly and launch facility in Canso, N.S. is expected to draw modestly on all-terrain cranes for tasks such as steel erection, MacLellan says.
In Québec, Grues Guay vice-president Guillaume Gagnon says infrastructure has been particularly strong, with work on Montréal’s light rail rapid transit system slated to carry on for the next couple years. While no major road or bridge works are on tap — the removal of the old Champlain Bridge signals the eventual end of that major project — ongoing smaller-scale road and bridge projects should keep mobile cranes busy enough.
Work on a refinery, delayed in 2020, is back on the table and stands to create considerable need for hoisting services, and mining activity has gained traction in the province. “Investment is up, and we help build and maintain the installations they use to extract and process minerals and ship them around the world,” Gagnon says. “We’re really optimistic.”
When supply chain issues began to appear, Grues Guay moved quickly to acquire multiple cranes, including a bevy of boom trucks and rough and all-terrain heavy-
RESCON.
weights. “We know it’s going to take longer to get them, so we now order new equipment more in advance in order to minimize delays affecting our rental fleet,” Gagnon says. “We’re also stocking parts we know will be harder to find.”
Cranes across much of Canada have kept busy with a housing boom that has seen sharply rising real estate prices coupled with considerable new builds. While many urbanites flocked to rural areas during COVID, demand remains strong enough in urban centres.
“We’ve got more cranes up in the GTHA (Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area) than probably the next four or five cities in North America,” says Richard Lyall, president of the Residential Construction Council of Ontario (RESCON).
While residential construction remained green-lighted as essential in Ontario, supply chain disruptions, personnel shortages and other related issues did slow projects down enough to create what Lyall
calls a pig in the python effect. Now, with light at the end of the COVID tunnel, projects are gearing into full swing with immigration numbers rising once again and housing demands keeping pace. “We’ve got so much stuff in the pipeline that we’ve got to put up, we’re going to be busy,” Lyall says.
Despite the sense that housing-related activity largely remains on track, retirement continues to outpace the training of new workers, and Lyall has his eye on the market for skilled labour. “We’re in a period of turmoil right now,” he says. “We’ve got a number of initiatives underway on training and apprenticeship reform, women in construction, and diversity. But things aren’t really going to settle out until 2023, when housing supply forecasts and our labour requirements are forecast to be stable.”
Lyall is also watching the overall economy, given that the last half of 2021 was marked by rapid, sharp inflation. He says he anticipates this carrying on into 2022 before possibly starting to eventually level off.
Still, despite concerns about rising prices, lingering supply chain issues, COVID, and other risks, Lyall expresses optimism. “2022 is going to be a fascinating year because the economy is going to recover and it’s going to be high growth. Once we get through the fourth wave we’re going to be okay. The pandemic will become just an endemic situation that we’ll have to continue to manage, but I think it’s going to be better than people expect.”
Richard Lyall, president,
Ryan Burton, managing director, Bigfoot Crane.
B.C.’s unique Crane Operator Certification Program: Its Impact on Safety
A crane operator certification program implemented in 2008 has had positive and measurable impacts on safety in the province.
Submitted by BC Crane Safety
BC Crane Safety was established in 2005 to lead the development of a certification program for crane operators. Its mandate was to create an industry-supported model that would enable the enforcement of a new occupational health and safety regulation requiring British Columbia’s crane operators to hold a valid certificate showing that they are properly qualified.
“British Columbia’s crane owners, operators and employers came together in a big way to develop a unique certification program that has had a very positive impact on crane safety in the province,” says Clinton Connell, BC Crane Safety’s executive
director. “The program was developed by and for people directly involved with crane operations and was designed to be maintained and revised in light of industrial changes, new equipment and emerging technology.”
What makes B.C.’s certification program different? While documented training and “seat time” is important, the ultimate achievement that earns crane operators their certificate is an in-person demonstration of competency. Competency assessments are conducted at the operator’s worksite using the equipment they are used to operating. It is a real-life test of the operator’s ability and knowledge, much like a road test measures the ability to drive a vehicle. There’s nothing else like it in Canada.
The program also has a tiered structure that makes it possible for aspiring operators to enter the certification program at different points, and to migrate between classes of crane as they build their careers. Because operators tend to certify on the classes of crane that are in highest demand in their region and/ or industry sector at any point in time, this also makes the program highly responsive to prevailing economic conditions.
The program is mandatory for B.C. crane operators. Although the province abolished all compulsory trades in 2003, BC Crane Safety certification or a recognized equivalent is required under the B.C.’s Occupational Health and Safety Regulation and is enforced by WorkSafeBC. All work performed on a jobsite using a crane must be performed by crane operators with a BC Crane Safety credential.
“B.C.’s program evolved out of the real-world experience of operators and was readily embraced. When it was launched, the response was almost overwhelming. BC Crane Safety received more than three times the number of people registering to become certified than anyone had expected,” Connell says.
CRANE
What are the results?
To measure impact of the program, WorkSafeBC undertook a search of claim files to show the number of crane related timeloss claims between 2004 and 2018.
“In comparing the two five-year periods after the start of the program’s implementation in 2008, we find a significant drop in the number of workplace injury claims associated with classes of crane that require certification,” says Fraser Cocks, BC Crane Safety’s director of strategic initiatives.
Notably, the same finding did not appear when examining classes of cranes that do not require certification, such as gantry and overhead cranes.
Was the reduction due to a decrease in employment resulting from the 2008 financial crisis?
A review of labour market survey data showed that the reduction in injury claims was not due to a decline in crane operator employment that might have arisen due to the 2007-08 financial crisis. In fact, average total hours worked had almost doubled by the 2009-13 period. The number of crane incidents declined quite dramatically while employment hours were substantially increasing.
There are many industries that use cranes. Was this a general trend? If so, then factors other than the new certification program might account for these findings.
A comparison of injury and employment trends within some of the industrial sectors that use cranes showed that, over the same five-year periods, these sectors also saw a decline in time-loss claims. Yet, the reductions in crane-related injury claims surpassed the general reductions within these sectors by a notable margin.
Further examination of the data revealed that – as with crane operations – each sector saw a reduction in injuries despite an overall increase in total hours worked. However, in the primary resources sector, at least some of the initial reduction in injuries could be attributed to a decline in employment from 2009 to 2013.
“Looking at these comparisons, although independent efforts within these sectors to reduce injury claims have had success, we can clearly also conclude that the general reduction of crane-related injuries had much to do with B.C.’s mandatory crane operator certification program,” Connell says.
Liebherr tower cranes get new touch display with smart operating system
Liebherr is in the process of delivering its first tower cranes featuring a newly developed display. The 12-inch display with multi-touch technology and intuitive operation now comes as standard in EC-B and EC-H series tower crane cabins. For crane operators and assembly engineers, this fourth-generation Electronic Monitoring System (EMS) brings major improvements in operability and especially in terms of crane scaling. The long-life EMS-4 display with the new Tower Cranes Operating System (TC-OS) user interface is the timely successor to the EMS-3. For its development, Liebherr enlisted the experienced support of the experts at User Interface Design GmbH. The focus for the development process was on eliminating distractions and displaying exactly the right elements required. The result is a streamlined menu structure with easily recognizable icons and symbols. Navigation is simple, intuitive and satisfying. Exceptional usability means that training and familiarization times are reduced.
Crane operators and assembly engineers have specific menus, a wide range of languages and relevant units of measurement (metric and Anglo-American systems) at their disposal. The clear menu structure ensures that they always have an overview, even during crane operations or crane scaling in difficult conditions. This offers extra safety and a more comfortable user experience. Even in difficult lighting conditions, which are often encountered in crane cabins, the anti-reflective and dirt-resistant touchscreen provides optimal readability. There are different viewing modes available for daytime and nighttime working. The display can also be tilted and rotated.
www.liebherr.com
MYCRANE
platform to add world’s first universal access crane selection tool
MYCRANE, the global digital platform for the search and selection of cranes, has commenced the testing of a new, universally accessible crane selection tool which will be offered to the lifting industry at no cost.
The ‘MYCRANE Selector’ tool is the latest
innovation from Dubai-based MYCRANE. The new tool will allow users to quickly and easily identify what crane should be used, as well as the crane’s capacity and optimum configuration.
Commenting on the completion of the development stage of the crane selection tool, MYCRANE founder and director Andrei Geikalo said, “Our MYCRANE Selector tool will simplify the life of all those involved in the lifting industry. The lifting of any cargo begins with defining the right crane and its configuration, based on the cargo characteristics and the position of the crane. Each crane has a manufacturer’s crane chart which indicates the capacity of the crane in certain configurations, allowing the user to determine the length of the main boom, the length of the jib, the weight of the ballast and super-lift. Engineers at construction and lifting companies often have to make use of these charts and search for the right crane configuration manually, which is why a digital solution will prove to be so useful.”
Following the testing phase of the MYCRANE Selector, the next step will be to integrate the lifting charts of as many cranes
as possible into the system, so that clients around the world can choose the right cranes for their needs.
MYCRANE therefore wishes to invite global crane manufacturers for cooperation by sharing their database of crane charts, both for those manufactured earlier and newly-built cranes.
MYCRANE Selector is expected to go live at www.my-crane.com in Spring 2022.
Superdeck retractable loading platforms systems
Superdeck retractable loading platform systems from Preston Rentals are designed for quick installation and relocation - approximately 15 minutes compared to one hour (or more) for conventional platforms. The load restrictions are distributed vertically as the Superdeck system is an integral part of the building, which creates one self-supporting structure. Each floor supports the other floors. These units allow for minimized crane movement as materials are delivered to one point on the building. This allows for improved labour efficiencies for crane crews, riggers and ironworkers. It also allows for safer and quicker loading and unloading of materials. Superdeck systems vary in size from 2.2m-, 2.6m-, 3.2m- and 4.2m- wide, allowing for a range of bulky materials to be deposited safely. The maximum capacity range of Superdecks ranges from 5 tons (11,000 lb.) down to 2.5 ton or 5,500 lb. prestonrentalsgroup.ca
Empowering ports within Canada’s sustainable recovery
By Debbie Murray
Supply chains have never been more in the spotlight. Consumers, seeing rising costs, empty shelves and images of many vessels at anchor, are now beginning to realize the relevance of ports and supply chains to their daily lives. And for Canada Port Authorities (CPAs), who are resilient and didn’t skip a beat over the past 18 months of COVID, this clout is coming at a critical time.
This is a time of transition, urgency and opportunity for ports, but not just because of the impacts of the pandemic and supply chain glitches.
Transition
This is a time of transition because of how the world is responding and evolving to the demands of climate change and decarbonization. This shift is manifesting in marine transportation and supply chains globally, where the momentum towards fuels and fleets of the future is gaining steam. These trends, and the trade-enabling role of ports, are driving the need for port infrastructure that is built for Canada’s net-zero trading future.
Urgency
The urgency is that infrastructure takes time and the window for ports to establish the infrastructure needed to receive larger and more advanced ships, as well as bunker and export these future fuels, is a matter of only a few years. While shipowners are replacing their assets with more efficient vessels, ports around the world that were already innovating pre-pandemic have accelerated their responses. Governments globally have pledged additional support and stimulus for port infrastructure to build back better to meet the demands of sustainable shipping. Canada can’t be left behind.
Opportunity
The opportunity for CPAs already operating sustainably is to move quickly to further build the strategic Canadian port infrastructure needed for net-zero shipping. The energy transition will rely on shore-side port infrastructure to support the new fuels such as green hydrogen, and technologies such as digitalization and electrification, so that global supply chains are moving to in the quest for sustainability and net-zero. Canada’s ports have a short time frame to prepare for these changes, and our offer is to work with the government on the policy frameworks to do so. Specifically, we are asking the federal government to:
• Increase borrowing limits within an accelerated time frame to provide CPAs with access to available private capital required to meet port infrastructure needs;
• Allow CPAs to access Canada Infrastructure Bank Funds for all infrastructure projects, regardless of size or value; and
• Enhance support for infrastructure projects by providing more funding to the National Trade Corridors Fund, which continues to be a highly effective mechanism for infrastructure funding.
Canadians are now looking to the future and how we will emerge and prosper. The COVID-19 recovery is a unique and critical opportunity to transition or even catapult Canada into the position of global leader in green, inclusive, digital, and resilient port supply chains. The recovery will require trade and global connections to build wealth. And, Canada Port Authorities, empowered with enhanced financial instruments, can be central to facilitating our country’s sustainable recovery.
is
The maximum on eight axles
The LTM 1650-8.1
A lifting capacity of 770 USt with either a 177 ft or 263 ft telescopic boom. Global mobility and convenience thanks to Hillstart Aid, ECOmode, ECOdrive, VarioBase and hydraulic VarioBallast. Nothing more is possible on eight axles.
