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Policies Part 20

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Policies Part 20 Contents

CONCRETE FORMWORK AND FALSEWORK

  R20.17-1 RE: Construction, Excavation and Demolition - Concrete Formwork and Falsework - Specifications and Plans
  R20.26-1 RE: Construction, Excavation and Demolition - Concrete Formwork and Falsework - Inspections

OPEN WEB JOISTS AND TRUSSES

  R20.72-1 RE: Construction, Excavation and Demolition - Open Web Joists and Trusses - Erection Instructions (All-Wood Plate-Connected Open Web Trusses)

Policies Part 20 - Concrete Formwork and Falsework

Policy Item R20.17-1
RE: Construction, Excavation and Demolition - Concrete Formwork and Falsework - Specifications and Plans
BACKGROUND

1. Explanatory Notes
Section 20.17 sets out the requirements for specifications and plans for concrete formwork and falsework.

2. The Regulation
Section 20.17:

(1) The employer must ensure that a set of plans and specifications meeting the requirements of CSA Standard S269.1-1975, Falsework for Construction Purposes and CSA Standard CAN/CSA-S269.3-M92, Concrete Formwork is prepared for the formwork for each job and for all items of concrete work, the failure of which could cause injury.

(2) Erection drawings and supplementary instructions for concrete formwork, falsework and reshoring must be certified by a professional engineer and available at the site during erection, use and removal of the concrete formwork, falsework and reshoring.

(3) The following types of concrete formwork require erection drawings and supplementary information certified by a professional engineer:
(a) flyforms;
(b) gang forms;
(c) jump forms;
(d) vertical slip forms;
(e) formwork more than 4 m (13 ft) in height;
(f) suspended forms for slabs, stairs and landings;
(g) beam forms;
(h) single sided forms over 2 m (6.5 ft) in height;
(i) cantilever forms;
(j) bridge deck forms;
(k) shaft lining forms;
(l) tunnel lining forms;
(m) forms so designated by the designer of the structure.

POLICY

Occasionally a portion of formwork and falsework may be designed as part of a sales or rental subcontract by a scaffold and shoring supplier, or designed as part of the permanent structure by the design engineer for the structure.

Generally, the "partial designs " supplied in such cases are certified by a professional engineer, but do not contain all the information and instructions required by the Regulation. Typically, documents are deficient in the area of section views, packing, blocking, and form details. Reshoring, where required, is either not specified or not referenced. There may also be a statement in such documents indicating or implying the documents do not satisfy the requirements of the Regulation without further detailing.

These documents are not acceptable unless additional detailing and documentation, certified by a professional engineer, are available at the site for the portions of the design not covered by the "partial designs" referred to above.

It is the responsibility of the employer to ensure the erection drawings and any supplementary instructions are complete and comply with the Regulation.

An "inspection certificate " issued by an engineer prior to pour, based on incomplete erection drawings and supplementary instructions, is not valid.

Officers will order concrete placing stopped if the inspection certificate is not available at the site or is not valid.


EFFECTIVE DATE: April 1, 2001
AUTHORITY: s. 20.17, Occupational Health and Safety Regulation
CROSS REFERENCES: s. 20.18 - 20.26, Occupational Health and Safety Regulation
HISTORY: Housekeeping changes effective September 15, 2010 to delete practice reference and make formatting changes.
Housekeeping changes were made on March 1, 2005 to reflect the October 29, 2003 changes to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation ("OHSR"). This Item originally replaced Policy No. 34.28(6) of the former Prevention Division Policy and Procedure Manual.
Effective October 29, 2003, the reproduction of section 20.17(1) of the OHSR in this Item was revised to reflect its amendment.
This Item results from the 2000/2001 "editorial" consolidation of all prevention policies into the Prevention Manual. The POLICY in this Item merely continues the substantive requirements of Policy No. 34.28(6), as they existed prior to the Effective Date, with any wording changes necessary to reflect legislative and regulatory changes since Policy No. 34.28(6) was issued.
APPLICATION: This policy applies to certified plans and specifications for formwork and falsework on and after April 1, 2001.

Policy Item R20.26-1
RE: Construction, Excavation and Demolition - Concrete Formwork and Falsework - Inspections
BACKGROUND

1. Explanatory Notes
Section 20.26 sets out the requirements for inspection of concrete formwork and falsework before placement of concrete or other loading.

2. The Regulation
Section 20.26:

(1) Immediately before placement of concrete or other intended loading, the employer must ensure that the concrete formwork and falsework is inspected and an engineering certificate is issued by a professional engineer, which
(a) indicates the specific areas inspected,
(b) certifies that the concrete formwork and falsework has been erected in accordance with the latest approved erection drawings and supplementary instructions, and
(c) certifies that specified reshoring is in place.

(2) The certificate required by subsection (1) must be available at the site for inspection by an officer.

(3) If a gangform is being reused on the same jobsite without modification, an inspection by a qualified person must be performed before each pour, in which case a new professional engineer's inspection certificate under subsection (1) is not required.

POLICY

The professional engineer who issues the written certificate prior to each concrete placing need not personally inspect the formwork. The professional engineer must ensure an adequate inspection is done by a competent person immediately prior to concrete placing before issuing a certificate.

The phrase "immediately before" in section 20.26(1) is normally interpreted to mean that the inspection must be done not more than 24 hours prior to the start of concrete placing. Inclement weather subsequent to the inspection, or other causes for delay of the concrete placing, will normally necessitate an additional inspection and an engineer to revalidate the inspection certificate.


EFFECTIVE DATE: April 1, 2001
AUTHORITY: s. 20.26, Occupational Health and Safety Regulation
CROSS REFERENCES:  
HISTORY: Housekeeping changes effective September 15, 2010 to delete practice reference and make formatting changes.
Replaces Policy No. 34.28(17) of the Prevention Division Policy and Procedure Manual
APPLICATION: This Item results from the 2000/2001 "editorial" consolidation of all prevention policies into the Prevention Manual. The POLICY in this Item merely continues the substantive requirements of Policy No. 34.28(17), as they existed prior to the Effective Date, with any wording changes necessary to reflect legislative and regulatory changes since Policy No. 34.28(17) was issued.

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Policies Part 20 - Open Web Joists and Trusses

Policy Item R20.72-1
RE: Construction, Excavation and Demolition - Open Web Joists and Trusses - Erection Instructions (All-Wood Plate-Connected Open Web Trusses)
BACKGROUND

1. Explanatory Notes
Section 20.72 requires that written instructions from a professional engineer or the manufacturer be available at the worksite before work is undertaken on the erection of premanufactured open web joists and trusses.

2. The Regulation
Section 20.72:

(1) Work must not be undertaken on the erection of premanufactured open web joists and trusses until clear and appropriate written instructions from a professional engineer or the manufacturer of the joists or trusses, detailing safe erection procedures, are available at the worksite.

(2) Erection and temporary bracing of open web joists and trusses must be done in accordance with the written instructions required by subsection (1).

POLICY

This policy applies to all-wood plate-connected open web flat and pitched trusses. It does not apply to multi-member chord types or pin-connected, wood chord-metal tube web-type trusses (Trus Joists).

The employer responsible for the handling and installation of the trusses must have clear and appropriate written instructions from the truss manufacturer or a professional engineer, stipulating safe erection procedures. The truss manufacturer will normally provide some General Recommended Erection and Bracing Instructions with delivery of the trusses.

Officers will stop truss erection when:

  • erection and bracing instructions are not available at the site or are obviously incomplete;
  • work is not being done in accordance with the erection and bracing instructions;
  • the side walls or skeletal structural building frame are inadequately braced (Typically, the recommended maximum spacing braces on walls is 30 feet or 10 metres.);
  • damaged trusses (including twisted webs, bent connector plates, cracked chords) are being or have been installed; or
  • heavy loads are being applied to trusses before all bracing, bridging and decking has been installed.

EFFECTIVE DATE: April 1, 2001
AUTHORITY: s. 20.72, Occupational Health and Safety Regulation
CROSS REFERENCES: s. 191, Workers Compensation Act
HISTORY: Housekeeping changes effective September 15, 2010 to delete practice reference and make formatting changes.
Replaces Policy No. 34.42-1 of the Prevention Division Policy and Procedure Manual
APPLICATION: This Item results from the 2000/2001 "editorial" consolidation of all prevention policies into the Prevention Manual. The POLICY in this Item merely continues the substantive requirements of Policy No. 34.42-1, as they existed prior to the Effective Date, with any wording changes necessary to reflect legislative and regulatory changes since Policy No. 34.42-1 was issued.

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