Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (SOR/86-304)

• 14.45 (1) In any passageway that is regularly travelled by motorized or manual materials handling equipment, the employer shall ensure that

  • (a) an overhead clearance is at least 150 mm above

    • (i) that part of the materials handling equipment or its load that is the highest when the materials handling equipment is in its highest normal operating position at the point of clearance, and

    • (ii) the top of the head of the operator or any other employee required to ride on the materials handling equipment when occupying the highest normal position for the operator or employee at the point of clearance; and

  • (b) a side clearance is sufficiently wide to permit the motorized or manual materials handling equipment and its load to be manoeuvred safely by an operator, but in no case less than 150 mm on each side measured from the furthest projecting part of the equipment or its load, when the equipment is being operated in a normal manner.

• (2) Where an overhead clearance measured in accordance with subparagraph (l)(a)(i) or (ii) is less than 300 mm, the employer shall cause

  • (a) the top of the doorway or object that restricts the clearance to be marked with a distinguishing colour or mark; and

  • (b) the height of the passageway in metres to be shown near the top of the passageway in letters that are not less than 50 mm in height and are on a contrasting background.

• (3) Subparagraph (l)(a)(i) and subsection (2) do not apply in respect of

  • (a) motorized materials handling equipment whose course of travel is controlled by fixed rails or guides;

  • (b) that portion of the route of any motorized or manual materials handling equipment that is inside a railway car, truck or trailer truck, including the warehouse doorway leading directly to it; or

  • (c) a load the nature of which precludes compliance with that subparagraph or subsection if precautions are taken to prevent contact with objects that may restrict the movement of the equipment.

• 14.46 (1) Where, because of the weight, size, shape, toxicity or other characteristic of materials, goods or things, the manual handling of materials, goods or things may be hazardous to the health or safety of an employee, the employer shall issue instructions that the materials, goods or things shall, where reasonably practicable, not be handled manually.

• (2) For the purposes of subsection (1), the employer shall take into account the frequency and duration of manual lifting and the distances and terrain over which an object is to be manually lifted or carried in deciding whether the manual handling of the materials, goods or things may be hazardous to the health or safety of an employee.

14.47 No employer shall require an employee who is an office worker and whose primary tasks do not include manual lifting or carrying to manually lift or carry materials, goods or things in excess of 23 kg.