National Rigging and Hoisting Standard Targets Late 2027 Rollout
Consultations on a national rigging and hoisting competency standard are expected in spring 2027, with implementation in late 2027, the Journal of Commerce reports. CSA Group and WorkSafeBC signed an agreement to expedite the work.
Market Impact
The proposed standard would set a recognized baseline of competencies for rigging and hoisting work. It is meant to serve as a common benchmark for training providers, employers, regulators and workers in construction, manufacturing, transportation, energy and marine operations. Work begins this fall.
Rigging regulations exist across Canada, but expectations for competency vary. According to the release, that leads to inconsistencies in how workers are trained, assessed and verified, and serious incidents involving rigging and hoisting continue to occur as equipment and lifting operations grow more complex. “National standards help create a common understanding of what safe work looks like,” said Kay Penn, director of health and safety standards at CSA Group.
The standard is expected to define competency requirements scaled to task complexity and support certification programs built on valid, reliable and practical competency assessments. It would also clarify that employers must assess competency in the specific work environment and verify that it stays current. CSA Group’s national committee process would keep it updated.
WorkSafeBC has provided funding to accelerate development, though the release does not give a dollar figure. The agency is also conducting a comprehensive review of Part 15 (Rigging) of the B.C. Occupational Health and Safety Regulation. It anticipates revisions to rigger training, assessment and qualification requirements, but no date for those changes was given.
What It Means for Subcontractors
- Audit rigger records before spring 2027. Crane, steel erection, pipeline and industrial maintenance outfits in B.C. should list each rigger’s certification, who assessed them, when, and for what type of lift. The standard scales competency to task complexity, so records tied to specific lift types will matter more than a single blanket ticket. Signalers are not named in the source, so confirm scope when the draft appears.
- Put a training line in the 2027 budget. Implementation is targeted for late 2027, and WorkSafeBC expects changes to rigger training and qualification under Part 15. Neither the cost nor the transition period is public. Our inference: crews with undocumented or informal training are the likeliest to need reassessment.
- Build a “current competency” check. The standard is expected to make employers responsible for verifying competency in the specific work environment and confirming it remains current. Set up a recurring site-specific sign-off, such as at mobilization, instead of relying on a card issued years ago.
- Plan to comment during the spring 2027 consultation. Assign one person, such as a safety manager or lift supervisor, to watch for the CSA Group draft and submit input. Standards committees draw on industry, labor, government and technical experts, so practical feedback on assessment burden can shape the final text.
- Flag multi-province crews. Competency expectations differ across Canada today. A national baseline could ease moving riggers between provinces. The source does not say how provinces will adopt it, and the Part 15 revision timeline is unspecified, so hold off on retraining spend until both are clearer.
