Cranes lift Montreal skybridge to life p. 20
Levelling up your logbooks p. 24
BY JACK BURTON
Staying safe, staying informed FROM THE EDITOR
The magic of publishing a magazine can be funny sometimes: while I’m currently writing this in the comfort of air conditioning and sporting the finest of my Hawaiian shirt collection, by the time you’re reading these words, I reckon you’ve just busted out the flannel and might even be in process of ironing out your Thanksgiving plans.
Even with some warm weekends remaining as I write this, I can already conclude that it’s been quite a hectic summer – and I’m not just talking about the back-to-back weddings or rained-out camping trips. Extreme weather has affected countless regions across Canada, giving many – including crane operators – plenty more to worry about than a leaky tent.
Canada’s wildfire season has presented a steady environmental threat over recent years, but the devastation seen this summer in Jasper, Alberta is a sign of just how severe its impacts can get – and one that crane operators and other construction professionals should continue to be prepared for.
“Minimizing your wildfire risk, including taking steps to prevent the spread of wildfire and having a response plan in place, is more critical now than ever,” Ryan Jones, VP of risk services for Federated Insurance, wrote in a report for BuildingExcellence.ca educating Canada’s construction industry on this issue.
This summer’s extreme weather has continued all the way to the other side of the country, though it has taken a bit of a different shape. While my Toronto dwelling has luckily been spared from the mass flooding that’s proven continually problematic over these summer months, much of the city’s infrastructure, including its highways and transit networks – along with the workers servicing and maintaining them – have not been as fortunate.
The risks, it seems, are everywhere. As crane operators, there’s already a wide range of hazards and standards to keep track of – is it possible to have the bandwidth to handle another?
While it might be back to school season, it’s always good to remind yourself after a
summer like this that learning is a lifelong journey that continues far beyond the classroom. When it comes to moving forward on that journey, especially in the complex world of cranes, knowledge is power.
I’m no expert, but I do know a few. In my ongoing conversations with BC Crane Safety, one point the organization continually emphasizes is their perspective of safety as a condition that emerges when operators and on-site personnel are empowered to make safe decisions and in turn, create a safe environment.
What leads to operators making that safe decision? It’s knowledge, and the power it provides to help personnel act in an informed manner. Lucky for the industry, there’s plenty of this knowledge to go around.
As editor, I feel lucky to represent an industry filled not only with passionate teachers, but eager learners as well – with many of you able and willing to switch between each role at the drop of a hardhat, all in the name of being a better and safer worker.
Flipping through this issue, you’ll get a taste of just how important learning is to the progression of this industry (in addition to the stunning submissions to our photo contest): the CCRA’s association bulletin explains the important role of research in the sector’s growth, while Unirope’s president Justin Brown joins our fold of contributors to talk about how subject matter experts are vital in laying the foundation for safety and standards across the industry, especially in today’s age of digital misinformation.
With all of that said, if there’s anything you want to explore more in depth, or an emerging topic you feel needs to be put on the radar of Canada’s heavy lifting community, I encourage you to get in touch for a conversation – not only will it help us continue to provide the most relevant information to our readers, but also help you all help each other become better (and safer) in the work that you do.
Jack Burton jburton@annexbusinessmedia.com
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Bigfoot Crane tackles Nanaimo, B.C. residential project
Abbotsford, B.C.’s Bigfoot Crane is constructing the Departure Bay apartment complex outside of Nanaimo, B.C. for Westurban Developments Ltd. with help from a Liebherr 81 K.1 fast-erecting crane.
The complex nature of the project and tight operational conditions required Bigfoot to plan ahead in terms of both project operations and crane removal.
“It’s easy to get a crane onto site when there isn’t a building yet. But additional challenges arise once the building is erected because of its structure. When we’re planning a project, we always start by looking at how to remove the crane at the end,” said Cale Anderson, managing director at Bigfoot Crane. “As well as the challenges on-site requiring the right equipment, we also needed a team willing to find creative and innovative solutions.”
The project’s tight conditions led to the completed building obstructing pathways to standard dismantling procedures, and required a large Libeherr mobile crane to be used to safely set the 81 K.1 at the other side of the building for disassembly.
Liebherr’s 81 K.1 has a maximum lifting capacity of 6,000 kilograms, with a jib head lifting capacity of 1,350 kilograms. The machine can reach a maximum radius of 48 metres and has a maximum hook height of 38.9 metres.
This hook height, combined with the 81 K.1’s 2.4-metre tower sections, allowed Bigfoot Crane to maintain the necessary distances for safety between other cranes and buildings in the vicinity, in addition to allowing it to slew above and below other cranes, the company said.
Canada’s construction rental market poised for growth
The latest quarterly economic forecast from the Canadian Rental Association (CRA), based on data from Q2 of 2024, shows the national rental market to be poised for revenue growth, with this trajectory noticeably driven by the equipment rental sector.
Canada’s equipment rental sector is expected to increase by 4.9 per cent in 2024, reaching a total revenue of eight billion dollars. This growth is expected to continue over the next several years, with the sector reaching a total revenue of $9.4 billion by 2028.
The most significant driver of growth within the equipment rental market is the construction and industrial equipment subsector, with
the report finding non-residential construction, industrial production and oil sands investments to all play a significant factor in this upward trajectory.
The construction and industrial equipment subsector is expected to see a 4.6 per cent revenue increase this year, bringing its total revenue to $6.2 billion in 2024 and reaching $7.3 billion by 2028.
“Despite economic uncertainties, the rental market in Canada shows resilience and promising growth,” said Melanie Misener, interim executive director of the CRA. “We are optimistic about the industry’s future and its contributions to the broader economic landscape.”
Flatiron and Dragados merge into North American infrastructure giant
A merger between Flatiron’s North American operations with both Dragados Canada and Dragados U.S.A. is set to create the United States’ second-largest civil engineering and heavy construction contractor, and the country’s 21st-largest commercial construction firm by revenue.
The combined entity will be chaired by Turner Construction CEO Peter Davoren, who will also remain in his role at Turner. Operations of the combined firm, referred to as Flatiron Dragados, will be led by Flatiron CEO Javier Sevilla.
Flatiron Dragados’ operations will span eight Canadian provinces and 24 U.S. states; combining for a project backlog valued at $17.2 billion USD; with 40 per cent of this sum comprised of collaborative contracts.
No details have been released regarding the cash involved in the transaction. Under the terms of the deal, ACS, the parent company of Dragados, will hold a 61.8 per cent stake in the combined firm, with Hochtief, parent company of Flatiron, controlling the remaining 38.2 per cent.
Flatiron and Dragados have been involved in a number of high-profile infrastructure projects across Canada, including the Gordie Howe International Bridge and the Eglinton Crosstown LRT.
North West Crane Enterprises brings SANY to Western Canada
Alberta’s North West Crane Enterprises Ltd. (NWCE) has joined SANY America’s distribution network, becoming SANY’s sole authorized dealer across both its home province and British Columbia.
NWCE has served the market since 1993, currently specializing in the supply and servicing of truck-mounted hydraulic cranes and parts from brands including the HYVA Corporation and Weldco-Beales. NWCE is based out of Leduc, Alta., with an additional location in Grande Prairie.
SANY America is a manufacturer of mobile hydraulic and conventional crawler cranes
Bigfoot Crane deployed a Liebherr 81 K.1 fast-erecting crane in its construction of the Departure Bay residential project near Nanaimo, B.C. (PHOTO: LIEBHERR)
Dragados Canada’s New Champlain Bridge Corridor in Montreal. (PHOTO: DRAGADOS CANADA)
located in Peachtree City, GA. The company’s product line in the North American market currently includes rough terrain cranes, hydraulic tele-crawler cranes and conventional crawler cranes.
This partnership arrives just before the debut of SANY’s all-terrain line in the North American market set for early 2025. This line will be introduced with the release of a three-axle, 70-ton capacity machine early next year, followed by a five-axle, 250- to 275-ton machine to be available shortly after.
“We are extremely excited to have come to terms with SANY America to represent this outstanding product line” said NWCE president and CEO Steve Chorney. “Our team has done their due diligence, visiting SANY facilities in North America and China, and we couldn’t be more impressed with what we’ve seen. We can hardly wait to introduce Western Canadian crane owners to the SANY crane line.”
Allied Crane supplies tower cranes for new UBC building project
A new building on the University of British Columbia (UBC)’s Point Grey campus is nearing completion thanks to two JASO tower cranes supplied by Allied Crane. Valued at $18.91 million CAD,
the Gateway Building is a 270,550 square-foot project on UBC’s Vancouver campus set to be completed this fall. When finished, the building will house the university’s schools of kinesiology and nursing, along with UBC’s integrated student health and wellbeing services, language sciences initiatives, and components of UBC Health.
Two JASO tower cranes, the J560 and J300, were used in the construction of the building, with both models supplied by Allied Crane. The building is an example of prefabricated prefinished volumetric construction (PPVC), a construction method where free-standing three-dimensional modules are fabricated off-site before being delivered for on-site installation.
The cranes were used to lift each precast module into place, with the modules manufactured in Maple Ridge, B.C.
The project received a 2021 Canadian Architect Award of Excellence for its sustainability strategy and Indigenous engagement. This includes employing passive design strategies to meet the Canada Green Building Council’s Zero Carbon Building Standard and ongoing conversations with representatives of the Musqueam First Nation on the co-design of the building.
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Researching the path forward
By investing in research, the CCRA is ensuring the industry not only meets current demands, but positions itself for future opportunities.
Canada’s crane operators play a key role in helping to build the country. To continue this momentum and secure the future development of this industry, continuous research and innovation is necessary.
To ensure Canada’s cranes continue to help build forward, the Canadian Crane Rental Association (CCRA) has developed partnerships with a number of organizations across the country and the globe to drive research and increase knowledge transfer.
Advancing the industry through research and collaboration
Among the relationships that the CCRA is building to help foster this innovation are partnerships with engineering departments across Canadian universities.
Through these collaborations, the CCRA aims to develop a comprehensive repository of research relevant to Canada’s crane industry. This pooled expertise will support and contribute to the industry’s growth and success.
As a country where standards and regulations vary by province, research also breaks down these provincial barriers. It is research and supportive data that led to the success of the CCRA’s Weights & Dimensions Committee in Alberta and British Columbia. To further these impacts and improvements, the Technical Committee is currently in discussion with the University of Alberta to explore bridge formulas.
Bridge formulas have long hindered crane operations and mobility, as these provincial discrepencies have led to different and distinct formulas for calculating permissible loads on bridges. This inconsistency poses challenges, and the CCRA believes that it is through research and data that these issues can begin to be addressed.
Harmonization and standardization
Harmonizing weights and dimensions to create a consistent standard for mobile cranes would streamline crane movement, reduce administrative complexities and enhance efficiency for both the crane industry and all levels of government. To achieve these results, a comprehensive understanding of bridge formulas, in addition to collaborative relationships with Transport Canada and the country’s ministries of transportation, are necessary.
In pursuit of this goal, the CCRA continues to lead advocacy initiatives and collaborate with industry partners. These partnerships go beyond members of Canada’s heavy lifting industry and government, with the CCRA receiving consistent access to expertise from around the world.
For nearly a decade, the CCRA has been one of seven active members of the International Crane Stakeholder Assembly, working alongside the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), The Crane Industry Council of Australia (CICA), The European Association of Abnormal Road
Transport and Mobile Cranes (ESTA), European Federation of Material Handling (FEM), the Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association (SC&RA) and the Japan Crane Association (JCA).
International collaboration and knowledge transfer
As a member of the International Crane Stakeholders Assembly, the CCRA represents the voice of Canada’s crane industry while also having access to industry research and expertise on a global level. This allows the CCRA to remain at the forefront of developments by considering best practices from around the world.
Research findings empower industry associations to advocate for favorable policies. Evidence-based recommendations influence government regulations, licensing requirements and safety standards. By participating in research, the industry ensures its voice is heard by decision-makers.
Researching the path to safety and sustainability
It’s through collaboration, standardization, safety enhancements and policy influence — all fueled by research — that the industry’s trajectory will trend in a favourable direction on both a Canadian and international level.
These research and development efforts are crucial in realizing these advancements in Canada. As governments and organizations push for green technologies, the crane industry must continue its research into eco-friendly machinery and the best practices associated with the heavier, battery-equipped technology they use. By embracing innovation, Canada’s crane industry can shape a safer, more sustainable future. Though Canada’s crane industry stands at a crossroads, the path forward appears to be one of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement. By investing in research and fostering strong partnerships with academic institutions and international bodies, the CCRA is ensuring that the industry not only meets current demands, but also anticipates future challenges and opportunities.
McIntyre Crane & Rigging’s sun-soaked summertime lifting shot taken in downtown Calgary this year is our 2024 photo contest winner.
(PHOTO:
SABIR PALANI, MCINTYRE CRANE & RIGGING)
Lifts, camera action!
Our annual photo contest shines the spotlight on Canada’s crane industry.
Each year, Crane & Hoist Canada’s annual photo contest shines a light on the country’s heavy lifting industry – and this year, we’ve succeeded in that goal quite literally, thanks to a stunning, sunny shot from Calgary, Alta.’s McIntyre Crane & Rigging.
Submissions were diverse, with a wide range of cranes, lifts and subjects featured across every photo – but, as you’ll see across the following pages, one thing they all shared was their outstanding quality.
This installment of the contest also marked the first year of collaboration between Crane & Hoist and the Canadian Crane Rental Association (CCRA), with the CCRA’s executive director, Claire Bélanger-Parker, serving on the judging panel and sharing her industry expertise on what makes a lift safe, stunning, and most importantly, deserving of the cover-star crown.
“This was the CCRA’s first time participating in the judging panel for the photo contest, and the task was challenging due to the exceptional number of high-quality entries,” said Bélanger-Parker. “Ultimately, the judges unanimously agreed that McIntyre Crane’s submission stood out as the winning photo, thanks to its excellent composition, framing, and overall quality.”
Taken on June 22, 2024, in downtown Calgary, McIntyre Crane’s winning photo depicts their 200-ton Demag AC160-2 crane, operated by Jason Ball, hoisting materials and equipment atop a 170-foot high building as the summer sun peeks through the buildings on the horizon.
The lift was performed for Brault Roofing, a regular client of McIntyre Crane. Due to the particulars of the job, the crane was outfitted with 107,800 pounds of counterweight, along with a 55-foot, two stage swingaway jib and a 210-foot live boom to allow the machine to reach the height of the building.
“What I thought was unique [about the job] was being in a small pocket surrounded by all the high-rises and all the crowds of people stopping to watch the crane,” said Ball. “It was a busy road, and
By Jack Burton
“It takes experience, dedication and a passion for this industry to thrive as a crane operator, and this picture captures all the hard work and planning involved to complete this job in a safe and effective manner.”
– Jason Ball, McIntyre Crane & Rigging
also a bus route, so we knew that precision would be crucial. Because of this, we coordinated closely with the rigging team and planned every step meticulously.”
Whil e the sunshine may be one of the stars of the photo, Ball shared that it also presented another obstacle to be mindful of in getting the job done right, and getting it done safely: “The sun was also making the lift challenging, because it was shining directly on me and reflecting off the glass of another building.”
Despite these challenges, Ball sees the resulting photograph as a sign of the success that can come from all the hard work that both his crew and those across Canada’s heavy lifting industry put in every day in their work.
“It takes experience, dedication and a passion for this industry to thrive as a crane operator, and this picture captures all the hard work and planning involved to complete this job in a safe and effective manner,” said Ball. “Timing of the picture was an important part in capturing the skill and control involved in the lifts, along with trying to get the best angles and lighting to showcase to magnitude of the crane, load and the surrounding high rises – but the most critical part when taking the picture was always safety first, to not interfere with the operations.”
The McIntyre Crane crew are no stranger s to showcasing their lifts, with the company’s social media channels regularly abuzz with shots and videos of McIntyre’s cranes in action across various jobs, courtesy of the company’s dedicated industrial videographer Sabir Palani.
“ We strongly believe in documenting
and sharing our projects. When the crew is lifting, I follow them to capture moments and experiment with different angles and shots to see what works best,” said Palani.
For Palani, his job isn’t just about sharing the regular lifting feats performed by McIntyre, but also spotlighting the crews behind them, and the collected passion that makes the success of these jobs possible.
“At McIntyre Crane & Rigging, we take pride in every operator who represents our brand and operates our cranes ,” he said. “For small family-owned companies, transparency is essential, and sharing photos like this offers a glimpse into why we are passionate about this job.”
Thanks to Palani’s skills, McIntyre had a range of potential submissions to choose from, but he said that the number of passerbys stopping to take photos of their own while the lift was in progress was one of the factors that convinced the team that they may just have a winner on their hands.
L ike Ball, Palani sees this photo as a great representation of the extensive pre-planning that makes heavy lifting successes possible, though he also believes that the picture offers a prime example of what McIntyre Crane is capable of, while also serving as a fitting tribute to the company’s home city.
“Seeing our crane with beautiful downtown Calgary as its backdrop, I can’t stop smiling. This project required tremendous pre-planning, which helped the lift go smoothly,” he said. “We’re a family-owned company in Calgary, but we definitely punch above our weight, and this photo perfectly represents that.”
PCL Construction
Where: Toronto, Ontario
When: August 2023
About: A PCL carpenter guides a large mass timber roof panel, hoisted by a Liebherr 357 HC-L luffing crane, into place during the construction of George Brown’s Limberlost Place mass timber building in downtown Toronto.
Grues JM Francoeur
Where: Ontario
When: May 2024
About: Grues JM Francoeur’s all-terrain Liebherr LTM1500-8.1 hard at work constructing a wind farm in Ontario.
Irving Equipment
Where: Kings County, New Brunswick
When: July 2024
About: Irving’s Liebherr LTM1400-7.1 landing a tower section after being tailed to vertical with the assistance of a Liebherr LTM1200-5.1 at the Neweg Energy Project in Kings County, NB.
PHOTO CREDIT: MIKE LOVE
PHOTO CREDIT: IRVING EQUIPMENT
PHOTO CREDIT: GRUES JM FRANCOEUR
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NCSG Crane & Heavy Haul
Where: Lac La Biche Region, Alberta
When: January 2024
About: The crew loading out NCSG’s Manitowoc M18000 using a Liebherr LTM 1200-5.1. GUAY
Where: Port-Cartier, Québec
When: July 2024
About: GUAY’s new 770-ton Liebherr LR1700-1.0 crawler crane in action at the Apuiat wind turbine site, located on the north coast of Québec.
Jean Gaboury, Masian
Where: Québec City, Québec
When: December 2023
About: Two Terex SK415 hammerhead tower cranes, supplied by Coffrages Synergy Formwork, were used by primary contractor AXOR for several months during Phase 2 of construction of the CHU de Québec-Université Laval new hospital complex, the largest clinical and real estate project underway in the province.
PHOTO CREDIT: JEAN GABOURY
PHOTO CREDIT: ASHLEIGH KALISZUK
PHOTO CREDIT: GUAY
Justin McConnell, Toronto Beyond Media
Where: Toronto, Ontario
When: Spring 2024
About: Dell-Core Cranes’ RECOM 470 tower crane sitting atop the in-progress Concord CityPlace, an approximately 75-storey condo project located at Spadina Ave. and Bremmner Blvd. in downtown Toronto.
Triple B Crane
Where: Wanham, Alberta
When: August 2022
About: An operator uses Triple B Crane’s Grove GMK5165-2 to install the final of five roof sections set that day for the Heart Valley Church, located north of Teepee Creek.
DAVIT CRANES SAFE. LIGHTWEIGHT.
PHOTO CREDIT: JUSTIN MCCONNELL
PHOTO CREDIT: CARLY BOYD, CARLY BOYD PHOTOGRAPHY
BOOTH #423
BOOTH #8229
Megacranes
Where: Surrey, B.C.
When: March 2023
About: Megacranes used three Liebherr mobile cranes (an LTM-1220, LTM-1250 and LTM-1160) to help a customer safely disassemble a tower crane after poor on-site ground conditions caused the crane base to shift.
Sterling Crane
Where: Outside of Regina, Saskatchewan
When: Summer 2024
About: Sterling Crane used a 250-ton Kobelco CK2500 crawler crane to help build a new canola processing facility.
Amherst Crane Rentals
Where: Toronto, Ontario
When: Early 2024
About: Amherst Crane Rentals using one of its two five-ton Liebherr LTM1400-7.1 machines deployed to install new seating tiers during the renovation of the Rogers Centre in Toronto.
PHOTO CREDIT: MEGACRANES
PHOTO CREDIT: STERLING CRANE
PHOTO CREDIT: AMHERST CRANE
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KNOWING THE ROPES BY JUSTIN BROWN
Holding up wire rope
While technology has an important role to play in the work we do, human expertise remains irreplaceable.
Misinformation, artificial intelligence (AI), and the upholding of wire rope expertise certainly makes for an interesting trifecta. Misinformation also slots in as part of the big three of informational risks: misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation.
I want to take a deeper look at this idea of misinformation, which shares with its counterparts the characteristic of being false but, unlike the other two, is not intended to cause harm. Whether the intent to cause harm is present or not, the problems it can create are not diminished.
In general, I’ve noticed that people like arguments that make sense to them or support their existing point of view, and it’s increasingly easy these days to find these supporting theories – whether they are correct or not.
With the way the algorithms of the search engines and social media that we use daily are designed, it’s become all too easy reinforce whatever beliefs we may have.
This proves especially problematic when we don’t seek out objective information, instead looking only for perspectives that support our point of view. False information, especially in an industry such as ours where safety is paramount, can be outright lethal.
These biases demand special attention when diagnosing issues and deploying the correct products and solutions. This goes for inspectors, suppliers, and all users of lifting products.
For example, whenever the common damage known as bird-caging happens to a wire rope, someone will invariably say that it was shock loaded and stop all diagnostic work. However, that damage type can be caused by several factors, including sheave fitness, sheave design and material, fleet angles, and rope selection, as well as operator and installation errors. When we cap the problem at shock load, the issue may persist, increasing risk across the work site.
Of course, this is the modern world we need to be safe in, and we must still use
technology to our advantage. At Unirope Ltd., we’ve partnered with another business, Scope, to use tech-assisted inspection when examining utility stringing lines.
These AI-powered solutions augment the human in the loop, providing real-time insights and supporting the human inspectors’ ability to detect issues quickly and accurately. This ensures safer operations by identifying potential wear and tear before becoming critical, and is a perfect example of how technology assists human inspections.
“False information, especially in an industry such as ours where safety is paramount, can be outright lethal.”
The most important component, though, is that human element I mentioned. That’s where this technology is often misunderstood, and as a result, spreads misinformation. AI and language learning models are only as good as the information they are drawing on. Unfortunately, most of the credible information available to these models in specialized fields exists at a very basic level.
For my case in point, look at wire rope: when engaging AI to answer technical questions about rope, the information returned is at times basic, limited, and sometimes even outright wrong. This means that the person digesting this information ends up misinformed.
This is why when it comes to standards, it’s engineers and subject matter experts with vast experience in their fields that write them, not AI. These experts aim to mitigate risk by setting design and retirement criteria, and this process is carried out by considering viewpoints, experience, and data of all stakeholders – not necessarily something that can be left to generative AI.
What you receive from a generative AI language model might be new content, but
it’s based on the data it has at its disposal –these models do not discern whether this data is sourced from a trusted origin.
All things considered, this means that subject matter experts are more critical than ever. We need people able to sift through available information, and use that information to advise the correct path.
When it comes to wire rope — indeed, lifting and rigging more generally — each situation must be treated as unique, and assessed on its own merits. Even a seemingly small detail, like an additional degree of fleet angle, can mean a completely different solution or recommendation.
My company was the first rigging shop to become an Associated Wire Rope Fabricators (AWRF) Accredited Member; notably, this meant completing a successful in-person audit, conducted by AWRF’s third-party auditors, the Lifting Equipment Engineers Association (LEEA).
One of the AWRF’s founding principles is to share technical information with its membership. LEEA, meanwhile, is on a mission to educate and promote best practices. Both trade associations aim to make the industries they serve safer and better informed. We must champion these authorities as ways of strengthening the quality of information available, and contribute to reinforcing them at every opportunity.
The recent Global Lifting Awareness Day — or #GLAD2024, as it was celebrated on social media — put yet another trio to the fore, that of high-quality products, inspection, and training. Accomplishing them, and delivering on a total elimination of accidents, injuries, and fatalities, is a whole other important journey, and one that will require the power of artificial and human intelligence combined.
Justin Brown is the president of Unirope Limited, a Canadian company focused on the comprehensive training, testing, and distribution of wire rope and rigging products. Brown holds active memberships with the AWRF and the International Organization for the Study of Ropes.
The skybridge’s 167,000-pound eastern segment was delivered in smaller pieces from the yard to a nearby parking lot and assembled using a using a 350-ton Grove GMK 6350L-1 all-terrain crane.
Three easy pieces
Heavy-hitting cranes hoist pedestrian skybridge in Montreal.
By Saul Chernos
The next time you take the subway to shop or dine in Montreal’s new Royalmount mixed-use commercial and residential district – or even if you drive there – you can thank a bevy of some of the heaviest-capacity cranes in Québec.
Through its Montreal branches, Québec City-based GUAY assigned some of the biggest cranes in its fleet to a project that saw massive, preassembled sections put in place for a new covered pedestrian overpass connecting Royalmount to the De la Savane metro station.
The 200 metre-long skybridge, built to alleviate growing congestion, crosses the Decarie Highway (Highway 15) and is meant to boost public transit ridership, cycling and other forms of active mobility.
The mixed-use development itself had its opening on September 5. The developer, Montreal-based Carbonleo, says the first phase includes 824,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space on two levels, as well
as a 1.8-hectare urban park, with future plans for entertainment venues, hotels and homes to be added to the area.
Installation of the crossing started last October and lasted through April of this year. With Terrebonne, Québec’s ADF Group at the helm, GUAY supplied multiple cranes and operators, with both parties sharing technical and engineering expertise among one another throughout the project.
The 167,000-pound eastern segment was placed first. It was delivered in bite-size pieces from the ADF yard to a nearby restaurant parking lot, where crews assembled it into a single piece using a 350-ton Grove GMK 6350L-1 all-terrain crane equipped with a 262-foot main boom and 203,400 pounds of counterweight.
A 650-ton Liebherr LTM1500 8.1 all-terrain crane was used to place the segment onto a self-propelled modular transporter (SPMT) supplied by Transport Watson. The SPMT then delivered it to the con-
struction site, where crews used a 600-ton Terex AC500-2 all-terrain crane to hoist it into place.
G UAY executive vice-president Guillaume Gagnon says the erection of the eastern segment went seamlessly, with road closures kept to a minimum.
Lifting the middle and western segments that followed proved more challenging, specifically due to the heavy weight of each piece – the middle segment rang in at 329,000 pounds, while the western segment stood at 266,000 pounds. These two segments were delivered to the Royalmount parking lot in small, easily-transportable sections, with crews patching them together using 250-ton Grove GMK6250L and 350-ton Grove GMK 6350L-1 all-terrain cranes.
W hile GUAY supplied several large cranes, it was a 700-ton Terex Demag CC2800-1 lattice boom crawler, used to hoist the central and western segments into place, that proved to be the project’s
prima donna, requiring special matting to keep it stable.
Selman Selman, ADF’s skybridge project manager, said the CC2800-1 was specifically required, partly due to both the weight of the central segment and the relatively confined lifting area.
“It needed to be installed from over 100 feet from the centre of the crane,” Selman said. “Even though it was a 700-ton crawler, we still had to use all the Superlift counterweights to be able to install the section above the middle of the highway. As a result, over one million pounds of counterweight was used for the installation.”
Use of the CC2800-1 in SSL (Superlift) configuration required considerable planning. GUAY personnel helped with detailed calculations and other preparations, with considerable technical guidance from GUAY engineers to help address details such as surface areas, access slopes, along with the various needs of the crane.
“The CC2800-1 required an assistance crane to handle the counterweights of the SSL during lifting,” Gagnon said. “Usually, we get by with a 60-ton RT, but in this case, given the complexity of the site and the radius of work, a 110-ton Liebherr LTM1095-5.1 all-terrain crane was required.”
The team’s engineers determined the pressure exerted by the crane’s tracks demanded a custom-designed platform so the machine could crawl and place the load safely. “We had to build a pad with MG20, a granular material with a maximum nominal size of 20 millimetres, and two layers of one-foot-thick wood to spread the pressure exerted on the ground and thus protect an electrical mass located near the crane position,” ADF’s Selman explained.
Gagnon, meanwhile, noted that the CC2800-1 also required considerable space for its own assembly. “We had to change the configuration of the job site and close an entire parking lot to be able to assemble the crane,” Gagnon said. “We also had to remove several streetlight posts that were obstructing the assembly of the crane, and then reinstall them after the crane was out.”
Installation of the central and western segments required closures of the Decarie Expressway for two consecutive nights. Given tight deadlines dictated by both the project’s tight schedule and the closures, personnel from GUAY attended live to coordinate the teams and help ensure that things went as planned.
“Several conference calls took place with our technical team,
Crew members prepare to lift the middle segment of the skybridge.
the sales representative, and the engineering department of ADF Group,” Gagnon said. “The final lift engineering was carried out by ADF Group, again with the help of our team.”
Gagnon says GUAY supplied all the cranes from its own fleet, with the exception of the SPMT, which was supplied by Transport Watson under contract to ADF.
No Canadian heavy lifting story is complete, of course, without at least one intervention from Mother Nature. When the time came for the CC2800 to place the middle section, the region
Lifting the middle (pictured) and western segments of the structure proved more challenging than the first section due to the significant weight of each piece.
found itself in the throes of a heavy snowfall, so project managers, guided by the provincial transport ministry, decided to postpone the lift by one day.
Québec’s Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, the City of Montreal, the Town of Mont-Royal, and the Société de Transport de Montreal (STM) were all consulted throughout the design and engineering process. The skybridge’s estimated cost is $50 million, a modest sum compared with Royalmount’s overall estimated $7-billion price tag.
A Carbonleo spokesperson confirmed the project is aiming for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold and WELL (International WELL Building Institute) Silver certifications for features such as full carbon neutrality, energy-efficient design and other sustainable practices. The project has also applied for certification from Parksmart, which recognizes high-performing, sustainable garages.
Carbonleo has cited the skybridge as a key component of its green goals due to its design that prioritizes walking, cycling and public transportation as a means of travelling to and from the new district.
In a statement Carbonleo issued upon the skybridge’s completion, CEO Andrew Lutfy said the crossing aligns with his company’s values and vision for sustainable development. “I’m a firm believer in a greener, more eco-responsible society, and this bridge embodies that commitment,” Lutfy said.
The overpass is modern in appearance, with a climate-controlled environment for year-round comfort. Plans also call for an outdoor public square where the bridge entrance meets the subway.
GUAY’s 700-ton Terex Demag CC2800-1 lattice boom crawler crane hoisted the middle and western (pictured) segments, requiring more than one million pounds of counterweight.
A CONVINCING PERFORMANCE
THE NEW AC 5.250-2
The new AC 5.250-2 combines an enormous reach with large lifting capacities that are up to 30 percent higher than previous best values in this class. That makes it the perfect choice for erecting tower cranes and for construction projects of all types.
Its transportation configuration options and sophisticated counterweight design are also exceptional and ensure that the crane can be ready for work in no time. On top of this, many of the latest Tadano features are available – examples include the IC-1 Plus and Surround View systems, as well as the start-stop function, which turns off the crane engine during work breaks at the press of a button without deactivating the control software.
© Tadano Ltd. 2024
Logging on
Exploring the vital role of logbooks in the crane certification process.
By the Canadian Crane Rental Association
Over the past few years, logbooks for crane maintenance have been put into the spotlight by regulation changes across Canada. More and more provinces have moved toward referencing later versions of the CSA Z150 Safety Code for Mobile Cranes within their OH&S regulations.
As a result, engineers are required to verify documentation such as logbooks in order to state that cranes are safe for use, though inaccurate or incomplete documentation is becoming a growing issue for the sector.
“For years, it was a structural certification – an NDT inspection and review report stating that the structure was safe for use for its intended purpose – but now they’re requiring us to certify other aspects of the maintenance that were traditionally not the responsibility of the engineer,” said Jason Brown, technical project lead at Kova Engineering in B.C. “The later versions of the CSA Z150 standard require engineers to verify the documentation, including the permanent crane logbook and maintenance records, and to certify the whole crane is safe for use.”
By the book
The CSA Z150 standard requires a detailed logbook be kept for the crane’s entire service life. This ensures an engineer stepping in to certify that crane for the first time can see the crane’s maintenance history, and confirm any major repairs or maintenance performed in the past.
“If there’s a big gap in the maintenance history, where there should have been something rebuilt or taken apart as per the maintenance manual, and there’s no record of it, that’s a big issue for us when we go to certify the crane that year,” Brown said. “We’ve had situations where a crane has been brought from a different province, and holes in the documentation – for example, an unrecorded 10-year boom teardown – interrupt the certification process, costing the client thousands in downtime.”
One of the challenges of logbooks is that cranes can be sold several times over their lifespans, often moving countries. As a result, keeping detailed permanent logbooks has not always been a heavily-enforced section of the CSA Z150 by regulators in the past.
“Before, it was the responsibility of the owner or equipment manager to ensure all maintenance was being performed according to regulations and the crane’s manual,” said Brown. “Enforcement of regulations is the responsibility of provincial OH&S representatives [...] Engineers are now asked to verify a lot of information, and clients are caught with incomplete or unorganized logbooks, which makes this verification harder.”
If a crane owner does not currently have a detailed logbook for their cranes, they need to invest time and money to get one started and ensure records are generated for all major maintenance milestones, from
the crane’s current operating hours to years of service.
“What regulators and standard developers were looking for was a way to close the gap, ensure this maintenance was being performed, and that you are crossing your T’s and dotting your I’s so stuff isn’t missed year to year,” said Brown. “They want these maintenance programs and checklists to be machine-specific, and built from the crane’s maintenance manual and the CSA Z150 standard.”
In the past, some companies have relied on more generalized maintenance sheets that did not necessarily offer all the checks needed for a particular crane. Brown says regulators want to see a sheet specifically designed for each crane.
“They want it to be a very laid-out and clear documentation process where someone can walk right in and grab the crane log, drop it on a desk and flip through it to make sure every major service has been
To ensure that an engineer certifying a crane for the first time can see the crane’s maintenance history, the CSA Z150 standard requires a detailed logbook to be kept for the crane’s entire service life.
performed and no maintenance issues of concern exist,” Brown stated.
This is particularly important in the case of larger mobile cranes, as they likely have a significant number of service requirements and calls that happen every year.
“The crane owners need to have easy access to this information for everyone involved. The CSA has requirements for a permanent crane log, but also requires a copy of at least the last years’ service history to always be kept with the crane.” Brown said. “Again, this was not really being enforced unless an incident investigation was underway or spot check by a regulator, at which point, understandably to the regulator’s frustration, the crane owner would begin to pull random binders and workorders from drawers and hand them disorganized or incomplete records.”
Shifting standards
Prior to modern CSA standards and regulations, all good and bad players in the space “operated on the same playing field with little to no oversight,” said Brown. In
terms of integrating engineers into the certification process, he shared that this role existed in B.C.’s 1998 CSA Z150, but became more solidified in 2011.
“In 2011, the CSA standard changed to include a more defined process and requirements for the engineer, leading to the current CSA Z150-2020 which defines that process in a very rigid way, including statements that the engineers are to make on the final annual report,” said Brown.
While Brown operates in B.C., similar requirements for engineers exist in provinces across Canada. The demand for logbooks in B.C. changed in 2020 when new regulations and guidelines for the province and its certifying engineers came out, and regulators made it clear they were looking for a change.
“Once we started to change our process and adapt new procedures, we noticed that this was going to be a difficult transition for some in the industry – for the first while, it was not uncommon to receive the mechanical inspection for the truck of a truck-mounted crane, without a mention
of anything to do with the mechanical components of the articulating or stiff boom crane on the truck,” he said.
These noticeable difficulties motivated Brown and his colleagues to develop tools and databases to help those struggling with the transition.
“Once we realized this was where some of our customers were, we knew that we needed to pivot and develop internal processes and databases to assist them. This included a database used by our certifying engineers to verify that the people working on the cranes are qualified, so the engineer knows which mechanic or inspector is approved to work on each type of equipment.”
Staying on schedule
Scheduled maintenance, along with the proper documentation of it, is incredibly important in the decision-making processes of engineers in determining whether a crane is safe for use.
“Engineers will now have to review the mechanical documentation,” said Brown. “An example of something that might not
be caught by a generalized maintenance form is the fact that hoist winches on mobile cranes have a lifespan, and thus, require rebuilds or replacement based on hours of service. Yet, the maintenance form just reads ‘Main Load Hoist: (Pass/Fail).’”
While it may appear simple, Brown emphasized that these generalizations, when misused and misapplied in documentation, often undermine the complexity of both the equipment being inspected and the potential safety hazards it presents.
“It seems like a simple pencil-whip pass/ fail, but if you look at the maintenance section of the main load hoist, you find very detailed checks, inspections and service life requirements not portrayed on the generalized maintenance form the mechanic is using to perform their inspection.”
Brown said an important item like this may be missed when pre-made, general inspection sheets are used without any review of the crane’s manual. Ensuring proper preventative maintenance, in accordance with the manufacturer’s requirements and documentation, is vital for
avoiding unnecessary repairs or repeating costly maintenance procedures.
“As engineers review the documentation, it begins opening up holes,” Brown said. “If your crane is 15 years old and the engineer knows it needs a 10-year boom inspection based on local regulations, but you don’t have a record of it, we can’t do anything for you.”
Getting dedicated
To help streamline the safety certification process for engineers, Brown suggests companies have a dedicated maintenance person to oversee and ensure the crane’s maintenance is being upheld, and that all documentation is available as required by local regulation and CSA standard.
“If you’re a smaller outfit, you may be forced to rely on your distributor or manufacturer, as the person servicing your crane needs to be knowledgeable on that piece of machinery,” Brown said.
“In a fleet scenario, it should be someone that knows the fleet, and can ensure downtime is scheduled for all major preventive maintenance procedures like boom tear
downs, as they should not be a surprise.”
For those looking to develop a scheduled preventative maintenance plan on a national level, Brown recommends looking at local regulations first, as they are law.
Brown also recommends ensuring you have proper manuals for all equipment, and to utilize the many online resources manufacturers have started to roll out featuring extensive libraries of manuals, most of them serial-specific.
“It’s always been required, but nobody was enforcing it,” Brown said. “We could come in to inspect and certify the crane, but it was on clients or owners to ensure all other checks and maintenance were performed in accordance with manuals and standards, with regulators responsible for enforcement. That environment has shifted to engineers as a way of enforcement.”
For due dilligence in this new era, manuals are key, Brown said: “Within the CSA code, they reference that cranes be maintained in accordance with its owner’s manual, making it one of the most important documents for your crane.”
New Grove models from Manitowoc feature increased strength and reach
Manitowoc has introduced two new rough terrain cranes to its Grove line in both the 65-ton and 80-ton class, debuting the pair at its Manitowoc Crane Days event in Shady Grove, PA.
The Grove GRT765 (pictured) replaces Manitowoc’s RT765E-2 and offers a 65-ton maximum lifting capacity and a 126-foot, four-section full-power boom. The Grove GRTZ780 is set to replace both the RT770E and GRT880 models, and features a maximum lifting capacity of 80 tons and a 155-foot, five-section full-power boom.
Both models feature a 35- to 56-foot bi-fold swingaway jib that can be manually offset up to 45 degrees. The GRT765 comes with 15,200 pounds of counterweight, while the GRT780 comes with 17,500 pounds and the option to extend this to 20,500 pounds. A hydraulic counterweight removal system can be added to both models.
In addition to the extended power and reach, updates also focus on operator comfort, maintenance and overall ease-ofuse, said the company.
Both cranes typically travel as a single load, with a width of 9.8 feet. The GRT765 has a gross vehicle weight of approximately 94,000 pounds, with the GRT780 standing at 99,500 pounds. Deliveries for both machines are set to begin in the second half of 2024.
Procore Construction Network arrives in Canada
The Procore Construction Network (PCN), a digital platform and business directory connecting contractors, owners, engineers, suppliers and vendors from across the construction industry, has arrived in Canada. The rollout to English Canada is currently underway, with the French Canadian launch planned for later this year. The platform allows construction professionals to expand their online presence and network, promote their business and find others to collaborate with on future projects.
Procore launched the free platform as a pilot project in late 2021, with the PCN surpassing 1.2 million unique visitors and 110,000 bid invitations sent within two years. PCN is integrated with Procore’s enhanced bidding tool, creating a single bidding network for searching, prequalifying and inviting companies to work with.
In addition to the variety of operational roles that the platform is aimed at, the PCN is designed to serve a number of sectors within the larger construction industry, including commercial, healthcare, industrial and energy, infrastructure, institutional and residential.
Terex launches TRT 80L rough terrain crane
Terex Rough Terrain Cranes has introduced the TRT 80L model, a two-axle model featuring an 80-tonne capacity and 47-metre telescopic boom.
The machine has been designed with a width of three metres for accommodating confined spaces and congested jobsites, in addition to the inclusion of a self-mounting counterweight for efficient set-up and dismantling. Users have the option for four
steering modes, along with two jib options at 9 and 17 metres.
This choice and adaptability make the TRT 80L suited for a use across a variety of operations, Terex said.
“With an enhanced boom length and self-removable counterweight, it has significantly improved operational efficiency and transportability, enabling it to meet the demands of several applications, including ports, construction, infrastructure, mining, energy, yard logistics and general lifting,” said Terex’s senior sales support manager for RT cranes, Stefania D’Apoli.
The machine is powered by an industry-standard Cummins QSB6.7 inline six-cylinder diesel engine.
or lgoodwin@annexbusinessmedia.com
SAFETY CORNER
BY JEN MUTAS
Preventive maintenance perfection
Realizing the full potential of your preventive maintenance program.
An effective maintenance program is an investment that lowers repair costs and downtime across your fleet, while increasing the optimal performance, productivity and value of the equipment. Beyond these benefits, the increase in safety for operators, technicians and anyone in proximity of the equipment is even more pronounced.
In addition to daily, weekly and other routine inspections, CSA standards for tower and mobile cranes define preventive maintenance in a broad sense.
These standards dictate that the program shoud be based on manufacturer recommendations and to use OEM parts, which encourages employers to fine-tune their programs to suit their equipment and scope of work.
Ledcor Construction Limited has navigated a variety of preventive maintenance programs over the years, and increases this diligence through additional inspections.
“As a general contractor, it is important that we use a third-party tower crane inspector to validate contractors who are diligently maintaining their equipment” said Mike de Jong, Ledcor Construction Ltd.’s HS&E Manager. “In the long run, this saves unexpected tower crane down time and reduces the potential for incidents.”
Here are some suggestions to consider incorporating when optimizing your fleet management program:
• Have a current inventory of equipment with the appropriate information, such as year of manufacture, make and model, serial number, and the dates and type of previous inspections.
• Provide well-defined instructions for each piece of equipment, with information and research to back up these requirements. Lists should include OEM recommendations for service and parts to be used. In some cases, if you’re not using OEM parts, additional engineering may be required.
• A clearly-outlined preventative or predictive maintenance schedule should be developed for each piece of equipment. If your equipment is under rental or
lease, ensure pre-plan maintenance is scheduled well in advance with your customer to avoid delays or rescheduling, which can be costly and dangerous.
• Clear documentation and tracking of all maintenance, repairs and recommendations. This serves as your own diligence, and should include as many details as possible, such as logged equipment hours and meter readings.
• Adjust your program reviews as needed, ensuring all revisions are documented as corrective actions. Most program reviews are completed on an annual basis, though this ultimately depends on the effectiveness of your program.
The hard part of a good preventive maintenance program is sticking to it. While most companies will have a generalized preventive maintenance program in place that outlines the essentials and instructs operators or technicians to follow OEM instruction, the benefits of a more detailed maintenance program are noticeable.
To introduce a more comprehensive fleet management system into the equation, here are some further practices to consider:
• Service reminders based on hour readings or meters. If using a digital platform, these reminders will be built into your program. Even with a paper-based program, utilizing other measures such as an Outlook calendar can be useful for these situations.
• Regularly-scheduled inspections often highlight items that require or are apporaching repair or replacement. Having experienced people perform inspections is crucial to getting the best information; in most jurisdictions, having inspections completed by qualified and competent individuals is a regulatory requirement.
• Outsourcing maintenance is a practice where success and cost-effectiveness depend signifcantly on the company, equipment, and employee availability. Smaller companies often outsource maintenance to conserve their employees’ time and avoid delays, while larger companies may have technicians and mechanics on staff who are specifically
designated to a maintenance program.
• Consider manufacturer-specific (factory) training for technicians. The best way to know your equipment inside and out is to have training directly from the manufacturer who built it.
Parts management and inventory is crucial to ensure a smooth preventive maintenance program. Maintaining an inventory of key crane parts can be a costly endeavour, but you may be saving money overall if you consider the avoided downtime.
If you did not purchase equipment new from the manufacturer, periodically check for any recalls or technical updates about the equipment. This information is usually readily available on manufacturer’s websites.
Fleet inspection legislation and resources
Earlier this year, WorkSafeBC recommended changes to improve crane safety in B.C. focusing on the “2024 inspectional approach.”
These changes involve occupational safety officers now conducting timely, riskbased inspections to ensure that workers, supervisors and employers are effectively managing risks across all stages of use crane and mobile equipment.
As part of this program, inspections are to include a review of all employers’ safety management systems. This will help to ensure that all potential crane or mobile equipment hazards have been adequately identified, evaluated and mitigated.
Working in conjunction with WorkSafeBC and industry stakeholders, BC Crane Safety will be launching new resources focusing on preventive maintenance in 2025.
These resources will be based on our safe work practices documents, all available in our resource library: Inspection and Maintenance of Tower Crane Major Components, Regular Inspection Requirement for Crane and our Level Up; Own Your Lift guide to self-planned inspections.
Jen Mutas is a field occupational health and safety advisor for BC Crane Safety.
