Best Practices for Building and Working Safely on Ice Covers in Ontario ihsa.ca IHSA has additional information on this and other topics. Visit ihsa.ca or call Customer Service at 1-800-263-5024 The contents of this publication are for general information only. This publication should not be regarded or relied upon as a definitive guide to government regulations or to safety practices and procedures. The contents of this publication were, to the best of our knowledge, current at the time of printing. However, no representations of any kind are made with regard to the accuracy, completeness, or sufficiency of the contents. The appropriate regulations and statutes should be consulted. In case of any inconsistency between this document and the Occupational Health and Safety Act or associated regulations, the legislation will always prevail. Readers should not act on the information contained herein without seeking specific independent legal advice on their specific circumstance. The Infrastructure Health & Safety Association is pleased to answer individual requests for counselling and advice. The basis for this document is the 2013 version of the Government of Alberta’s Best Practices for Building and Working Safely on Ice Covers in Alberta. The content has been used with permission from the Government of Alberta. This document is dedicated to the nearly 500 people in Canada who have lost their lives over the past 10 years while crossing or working on floating ice. Over the period of 1991 to 2000, there were 447 deaths associated with activities on ice. Of these, 246 involved snowmobiles, 150 involved non-motorized activity, and 51 involved motorized vehicles. Most of the deaths associated with activities on ice were related to recreational activities. (Canadian Red Cross Society, 2006) © Infrastructure Health and Safety Association, 2014 All rights reserved. This material may be used, reproduced, stored or transmitted for non-commercial purposes. The source of this material must be acknowledged when publishing or issuing it to others. This material is not to be used, reproduced, stored or transmitted for commercial purposes without written permission from the Infrastructure Health and Safety Association. January 2014 Best Practices for Building and Working ii Safely on Ice Covers in Ontario Table of ConTenTs ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .............................................. vi 3 ICE COVER HAZARD CONTROLS ..................14 GLOSSARY .................................................................... vii 4 ICE COVER DESIGN, MONITORING, AND MAINTENANCE ............................................16 1 INTRODUCTION ...........................................................1 4.1 Design Controls ................................................16 1.1 Background ...........................................................1 4.1.1 Gold’s Formula .....................................16 1.2 Purpose and Scope ...........................................1 4.1.2 Effective Ice Thickness .....................19 1.3 Limitations ........................................................... 2 4.1.3 Recommended Short-Term 1.4 How to Use This Best Practice ................... 2 Working Loads on Ice Covers ......19 1.4.1 Use the Best Practice 4.1.4 Effect of Sudden and Extreme as a Planning Tool ................................ 2 Temperature Changes..................... 20 1.4.2 Attach the Best Practice 4.1.5 Stationary Loads ............................... 20 to Contracts ............................................ 2 4.1.6 Lane Dimensions .................................21 1.4.3 Use the Best Practice to Develop an Ice Safety Plan and Standard 4.1.7 Dynamic Effects of Vehicle Operating Procedures ....................... 3 Speed on Ice Covers .........................22 1.4.4 Use the Best Practice for Hazard 4.1.8 Other Load Capacity Methods ....23 Recognition Training........................... 3 4.2 Ice Cover Monitoring Controls .................23 1.4.5 Use the Best Practice to Reduce Recreational Risk .................................. 3 4.2.1 Measuring and Recording Ice Thickness ........................................23 4.2.2 Monitoring Ice Cracks ......................26 2 ICE COVER HAZARDS AND FACTORS TO CONSIDER ............................................................. 4 4.3 Maintenance Controls ...................................27 2.1 Background ......................................................... 4 2.2 Ice Cover Type ................................................... 4 5 DEVELOPING YOUR ICE SAFETY PLAN .....28 2.3 Types of Ice Cover Cracks ............................ 7 5.1 Ice Safety Plan .................................................28 2.4 Types of Loads ................................................... 9 5.2 Standard Operating Procedures for Ice Covers ....................................................28 2.5 Load Duration .................................................. 10 5.2.1 Approved Use of Ice Covers .........28 2.6 Schedule and Operating Window .......... 10 5.2.2 Verifying Vehicle and Equipment 2.7 Owner/Employer/Contractor Weights ...................................................29 Capability.............................................................. 11 5.2.3 Stationary Loads on 2.8 Route and Site Conditions ........................... 11 Ice Covers ..............................................29 2.8.1 Previous Local Experience ..............11 5.2.4 Minimum Distances Between Vehicles and Equipment .................29 2.8.2 Local Climate ......................................... 11 5.2.5 Maximum Speed When 2.8.3 Route Selection Over Lakes, Travelling on Ice Cover ....................29 Ponds, and Muskeg Terrain ............12 5.3 Ice Cover Closure ........................................... 30 2.8.4 River and Stream Covers .................12 Best Practices for Building and Working iii Safely on Ice Covers in Ontario Table of ConTenTs 5.4 Emergency Response Planning .............. 30 APPENDICES .................................................................. 34 5.5 Emergency Procedures ................................31 Appendix A Using an Auger to Measure Ice Thickness while on Foot .............. 34 Appendix B Guide for GPR Ice Profiling ..........37 6 PERSONAL PROTECTION EQUIPMENT ......32 Appendix C Safety Equipment ............................38 Appendix D Emergency Procedures .................39 7 REFERENCES ............................................................33 Appendix E Planning for Ice Covers .................42 7.1 Government References ..............................33 7.2 Technical References ....................................33 7.3 Miscellaneous References ...........................33 7.4 Photo and Illustration Credits ...................33 Tables anD fIGURes lIsT Tables Table A-3 Ice Cover Profile Template ...........36 Table 1 Ice Types and Their Variability ..... 6 Table F-1 Ice Cover Inspection Template... 43 Table 2 Load Duration .................................... 10 Table 3 Allowable Loads in Kgs for fIGURes A-Values and Effective Ice Thickness ...............................................17 Figure 1 Clear blue lake ice .............................. 5 Table 4 A-Values and Hazard Controls ....18 Figure 2 Clear blue river ice ............................. 5 Table 5 Minimum Ice Thickness Figure 3 White (snow) ice ................................ 5 for Lighter Loads ...............................19 Figure 4 Frazil ice (slush ice) .......................... 5 Table 6 Minimum Ice Thickness for Figure 5 Jam ice .................................................... 5 Stationary Loads up to 5,000 Kg ................................................21 Figure 6 Radial and circumferential cracks ...................... 7 Table 7 Recommended Minimum Road Dimensions .............................22 Figure 7 Breakthrough on circumferential crack ........................ 7 Table 8 Suggested Maximum Speed Limits ...................................... 30 Figure 8 Normal longitudinal cracking ....... 7 Table A-1 Recommended Maximum Figure 9 Longitudinal cracks – Spacing of Auger Test Holes ......35 block popping out ............................. 8 Table A-2 Recommended Minimum Figure 10 Wet cracks ............................................. 8 Frequency Of Auger Figure 11 Pressure ridge ...................................... 8 Test Holes .............................................35 Best Practices for Building and Working iv Safely on Ice Covers in Ontario Tables anD fIGURes lIsT Figure 12 Hinge crack ........................................... 9 Figure 26 40-metre lane with low snowbanks ..................................22 Figure 13 Blowout from speeding vehicles ............................... 9 Figure 27 Dynamic Waves .................................23 Figure 14 Recommended Minimum Figure 28 Pine trees as markers .....................23 Ice Thickness ...................................... 10 Figure 29 Ice measurement with Figure 15 Right-of-way over an auger ................................................24 muskeg terrain ....................................12 Figure 30 GPR ice profiling equipment.......24 Figure 16 A scar of a winter road on peatland ..........................................12 Figure 31 Assessing Ice Cracks ......................26 Figure 17 Winter road access over a Figure 32 Flooding crew repairing an river bank ..............................................13 ice road ..................................................27 Figure 18 Flow Chart for Hazard