Directive: Elevating Devices Mechanic Continuing Education Requirements

This Directive is being issued by a provincial safety manager pursuant to section 30 of the Safety Standards Act.

General Details

This directive is issued to all certified elevating devices mechanics, licenced elevating devices contractors, and training providers including manufactures and trade/industry associations in order to clarify the requirements outlined in the Elevating Devices Safety Regulation, specifically section 4.3(4) and 4.3(5).

Section 4.3(4):

“A certificate of qualification may be renewed only if the applicant provides proof, acceptable to a provincial safety manager, of having completed at least 24 hours of continuing education, within the term of the certificate of qualification that is to be renewed, that the provincial safety manager recognizes or evaluates as being relevant to the scope of the certificate.”

Section 4.3 (5):

“For the purposes of subsection (4), continuing education may be offered through an educational body, the British Columbia Safety Authority, a manufacturer, a licensed elevating device contractor or a trade or industry association.”

Specific Details

Part 1

The EDSR requires all certified elevating devices mechanics complete 24 hours of continuing education for renewal, which is recognized or evaluated as being relevant to the scope of the certificate. The following outlines what is recognized as being relevant for the purposes of renewing all mechanic certification classes (Class A, H, C, & MR) and defines the requirements of training in each category.

1. Trade-specific safety training: 6 hours.
2. Act, Regulations and code training: 6 hours.
3. Technical training: 12 hours.

Note: The hours stated for each category are maximums that will be accepted, if more are submitted, only up to the maximum will be credited. Hours cannot be carried over to future renewals.

For the content of the training to be deemed relevant, it shall address the following:

1. Trade specific safety training content shall be directly related to regulated activities certificate holders are required to perform within the scope of their certificate class. Content may be created from issued industry safety bulletins, incident reports, the Elevator Employee Hand Book, and company required safe work training.
2. Act, regulations and code training shall include updates to Safety Standards Act, Safety Standards General Regulation, Elevating Devices Safety Regulation, directives, safety orders, information bulletins, and the latest adopted codes and standards.
3. Technical training shall be directly related to technical competencies listed in the program outline for the class of certificate. Manufacturer product specific training, other than that intended for promotional or sales use is also acceptable.

When specific areas for training are identified though investigations, audits, or other means, the Provincial Safety Manager may issue special training requirements as mandatory for certified elevating devices mechanics.

Note: It is the certificate holder’s responsibility to obtain a record of course completion for each course they attended and maintain such records for the purposes of renewing their certificate of qualification.

Part 2

All training courses for the purpose of continuing education must be recognized prior to delivery. Failure to do so, may result in the course not being accepted for credit during the certificate of qualification renewal process. For training to be recognized, the training provider must complete an application and follow the requirements detailed at: https://www.technicalsafetybc.ca/technologies/elevating-devices/elevating-devices-mechanic-certification/become-a-training-provider

The provincial safety manager may revoke the recognition of continuing education training provider if, in the opinion of the provincial safety manager, the continuing education training is no longer adequate for the stated purpose of the training.

Nav Chahal,
Provincial Safety Manager - Transportation

References:
Safety Standards Act
Elevating Devices Safety Regulation
Safety Standards General Regulation