📚 Guide by Safety Mom · Allstar Enviro Safety — The Amphibious Excavator is an online workplace safety course delivered by Safety Mom · Allstar Enviro Safety, Calgary’s Energy Safety Canada Authorized Training Provider. Self-paced, mobile-friendly, same-day certificate upon exam completion. Available across Canada.
🔗 Related Safety Mom courses & guides: H2S Alive Calgary · Standard First Aid Calgary · Oil Sands Safety Certs · Instructor: Arliss Levine, CRSP, CHSC
COURSE OVERVIEW
An Canada-Compliant Training Class Online for Digger Derricks. I-CAB Recognized. This course satisfies Canada’s requirements for the classroom portion of operator safety training. Quiz questions along the way prepare you for the final written exam. Upon completion, you will gain access to your certificate and a checklist which can be used by your employer to administer the required practical observation.
COURSE TOPICS
This online Amphibious Excavator (CAN) course covers the following topics:
- Balance & Leverage
- Navigating Slopes
- Floatation Mode
- Engine Check
- Rotation Bearings
- Slings & Lifting
- Avoid Undercutting
- PPE
- Emotions/Physical Health
ONLINE COURSE DURATION
Approximately 90 minutes
UNIVERSALLY COMPATIBLE
This course was created using standards that will allow playback on most internet capable devices with standard web browsing capabilities including Apple’s iTouch, iPad, and iPhone, as well as most other smart phones and tablets including those with Android and Windows operating systems.
PASS MARK
Testing conducted throughout this online course is designed to reinforce the information presented. A mark of 80% must be achieved in order to pass this course. The course is able to be taken three times in efforts to achieve the pass mark. Printable resources are available in the form of a comprehensive student manual. The manual is a valuable resource for future use and knowledge retention.
CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION
Upon successful completion of this online course, a certificate of completion will be available for download and printing.
COURSE PREVIEW
Additional Safety Knowledge
Crane Operator Qualifications in Alberta
Alberta OHS Code Part 21 requires crane operators to be competent, and for mobile cranes with a rated capacity over 5 tonnes, the operator must hold an Alberta Journeyperson or Provisional Journeyperson Crane and Hoisting Equipment Operator certificate. Boom trucks, tower cranes, and overhead cranes each have specific certification pathways. Employers must verify operator credentials before work assignment.
Load Charts and Capacity Planning
Every lift must be planned using the manufacturer’s load chart specific to the crane configuration in use. Key variables that reduce lifting capacity include:
- Boom length and angle
- Load radius (horizontal distance from centre of rotation to load)
- Counterweight configuration
- Ground conditions and outrigger extension
- Wind speed — most cranes require shutdown at 32–40 km/h sustained wind
Operators must never exceed the load chart rating for the specific configuration and radius in use. A load exceeding chart capacity by even 10% can cause tipping or structural failure.
Rigging and Signal Person Requirements
Riggers must select slings rated for the load weight with an appropriate safety factor (typically 5:1 for synthetic slings). Wire rope slings, chain slings, and synthetic web slings each have distinct inspection criteria and rejection standards. A certified signal person is required whenever the operator’s view of the load is obstructed or when directed by the site safety plan. Standard hand signals must be used unless voice communication is established and verified.
Amphibious Excavator — Ground Conditions
The most common cause of crane tipping is soft or unstable ground under outriggers. Ground bearing capacity must be verified before setup. Timber pads or steel plates are required to distribute point loads. Slope, buried utilities, and proximity to excavations all affect ground stability. A daily pre-shift inspection of the setup is required in Alberta.
Content reviewed by Arliss Levine, CRSP, CHSC — lead safety instructor at Safety Mom · Allstar Enviro Safety Calgary, an Energy Safety Canada Authorized Training Provider.
