In response to the highest level of construction activity since the 1970s, the Halifax Regional Municipality has enacted a set of construction mitigation guidelines.
The guidelines are designed to minimize the impact of construction activities in the municipality on businesses and citizens. While the guidelines do include a reference to crane operations, city officials say that there will be little change for crane operators within the city.
Peter Duncan, manager of infrastructure planning for the regional municipality, says that functionally it requires construction operations to submit a construction management plan before applying for a permit. The purpose of the guidelines, however, is more consultation.
“Really, what the administrative order compels you to do is talk to your neighbours and find out what your neighbours needs are,” Duncan said. “I don’t think it’s anything that’s not already law. It just stipulates that you have to have clearances from surrounding structures. If you’re going to pass a load over a public right of way, that you have to shut the street down. That you not pass loads over private citizens.”
Duncan said the guidelines don’t signal a change in process, simply a change in knowing the needs of the community. But, practically, it won’t change anything for crane operations in the municipality.
“There’s nothing new in terms of safety,” Duncan said. “There wasn’t a lot in the construction management guidelines that would affect the lifting and hoisting of overhead loads. It just codified what I would expect would already be normal operating procedures and normal safety procedures anyway.”
— Matt Jones
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