📚 Guide by Safety Mom · Allstar Enviro Safety — The Chip Spreader 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
Our Chip Spreader Safety Training course is regulation compliant, and our online version fulfills classroom training requirements. Each class contains sections on anatomy, safe operations, and common hazards.
This presentation includes intermittent practice quiz questions to prepare for the final written exam included with the course. In addition to the written exam, this course also includes a checklist for employers to use when administering a practical exam as required.
Though you will still need to familiarize yourself with all other applicable federal, state, and local standards, this training encompasses the following standards for asphalt safety:
- CLC Part II Sec 124
- CLC Part II Sec 134 – Personal
Protective Equipment - CLC Part XIV Sec 14.12 – Fire Extinguishers
- CLC Part VII Sec 7.3 – Occupational Noise
COURSE TOPICS
Course topics:
- Anatomy & Inspections
- Safe Operations
- Common Hazards
ONLINE COURSE DURATION
Approximately 75 minutes
PASS MARK
The pass mark for this course is 80% and you will have 2 opportunities to complete the course.
CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION
There will be a certificate available to download and print upon completion of this course.
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.
Chip Spreader — 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.
