Calgary construction and public safety

Addtional resources:

Practical guide for construction sites in Calgary  
On-site construction safety best practices

The Advanced Weather Forecasting System (AWFS) has two formats;

• The site-specific version is mandatory for construction, repair and maintenance of high-rise buildings five storeys or taller.  This version is to advise contractors with advance notice of impending wind events which may consist of sudden gusts as well as higher velocity, sustained wind which would have the potential of causing injury or damage due to windborne items.
• The city-wide version is intended for residential, low-rise construction. It provides owners, contractors and the public with advance forecasts of expected wind gusts or higher velocity wind speeds in Calgary by quadrant. As with the site-specific version, it is intended to help builders reduce the likelihood of incidents of building materials being blown off construction sites, decreasing safety risks to the general public.

Providing information on who has care and control of a construction site, and making it easily available to the public, is a key part of a well-managed construction project.

The City has developed standardized signage, to improve public safety. Commonly referred to as “the orange sign”, it provides an immediate site contact, in the event of a concern, incident or hazard.

The City’s Public Protection Site Safety Plan requires contact information signs be posted on any construction site that requires fencing. Signs need to be clearly visible and legible.

Although builders and developers may use their own signage, we recommend The City’s standardized sign as a best practice.

Residential construction, though certainly smaller in scale as compared to commercial high-rise buildings, have their own unique challenges. In outer areas of the city, suburban residential developments can be massive, sprawling projects with workers and suppliers seemingly everywhere and often with very little impact on residents and neighbors.  Another type of residential construction is infill construction, where there is a much higher impact on the community and neighbors. Both types have their challenges.

Public Protection Site Saf​ety Plans (PPSSP)

The Public Protection Site Safety Plan, a requirement since 2012, is part of the building permit and plans review process. City of Calgary Building Regulations worked closely with the construction industry to develop technically feasible requirements for protecting the public during demolition and/or construction.

The Public Protection Site Safety Plan applies to new construction and exterior remodeling, repairs or maintenance. For new construction, partial building permits for work below grade may be issued prior to a complete review of the Public Protection Site Safety Plan by The City.

A Public Protection Site Safety Plan is required if a project meets one of the following criteria:

• The scope of work is on a building 5-storeys or greater regardless of which floors are or are not involved,
• The project is designated as a high building as per article 3.2.6 of the current Alberta Building Code, or
• As required by the City of Calgary for unique situations.

​

Please note: any construction activity, regardless of whether there is a Public Protection Site Safety Plan in place, is required to comply with Part 8 of the Alberta Building Code and Section 5.6 of the Alberta Fire Code for public safety.

Minimum application requirements for public protection​ site safety plan

1. Provide one copy of a Site Plan, 1:100 metric scale is preferred.
   • Your site plan must indicate the following:
     • Two copies of plans and specifications shall be provided using a scale that is legible, showing:
     • Points of entry
     • Site offices
       • Access Route
       • Location
     • Building Information
       • Location of required sidewalk/roadway hoarding. When applicable, the following must be shown on the site plan:
         • All underground ENMAX vaults. Two (2) meters of clear access to the vaults must be maintained during construction.
       • Location of temporary walkways
       • Location of street and sidewalk closing(s)
       • Location of perimeter site fencing and/or barricades
       • Location of vertical excavation cuts adjacent to roads or laneways. These must be protected with concrete Jersey barriers or Engineered extensions of the shoring piles, which must also be shown on the site plan. 
       • Location of foot bridges and motor vehicle ramps
       • Sidewalk and roadway widths
       • Protection of adjoining property
       • Location of overhead power lines
       • Muster points
       • Location of standpipes, hydrant and siamese Fire Department Connections (FDC)Identify on the plan, the location of all standpipes. These are required in all exit stairwells in buildings four (4) stories or more. 
         • A FDC is required between three (3) and 15 meters from the principal entrance,
         • A charged hydrant is required within 45 meters of the FDC. 
         • The stairwell(s) containing the standpipe are to also be identified on the plan.  
         • The hydrant, FDC and stairwell containing the standpipe are to always be clearly signed on site and accessible.
       • Locations and written procedures of flag persons
          
2. General information
   • Issued street use permit or lane closure permit must be confirmed prior to application and available for site Inspections
   • If applicable, provide a phased occupancy plan. Indicate progressive occupancy and detailed attention to public safety over and around occupied spaces as a building is commissioned into service. Refer to Standata 06-BCB-002-R1 for more.
   • Location of surrounding buildings, indicating occupancy, height, and type of roof. Any building in the neighbouring vicinity must be indicated on the plan, whether they are occupied or not.
   • For projects within the Downtown or Beltline:
     • Method or system to be used for Advanced Weather Forecasting System
   • Location of construction site contact information signs
   • Provide emergency contacts, such as the site supervisor, project manager, etc.
      
3. Hoisting and lifting
   • Identification and location of overhead cranes and their swing radius.
   • Crane Swing Limitations (No Fly Zones) are to be clearly marked on the PPSSP at time of application.
   • Approximate location of materials and loading/staging areas.
   • Location of personnel hoist(s) – skips.
   • Location of all constructors exterior staging area and debris containers.

Contact 311 prior​ to commencing construction to arrange for a construction site safety Inspection. You will need to provide your building permit number, site address, builder representative’s contact name and daytime phone number. You will then be contacted within one business day to coordinate the site safety meeting.

For commercial construction, renovation or maintenance work on buildings five storeys or greater and located in the downtown core and Beltline district, or where required by The City, the Advanced Weather Forecasting System is a mandatory requirement. This system is site specific and modeled to the individual structure, factoring in surrounding properties.

Features include:

• Available 24 hours a day
• Forecast conditions are displayed hourly and are updated every three hours
• Forecast can be delivered by email at predefined times (e.g. 6 a.m. and 3 p.m.)
• Provide advanced warning of up to 48 hours
• Compatible with multiple web browsers and optimized for mobile devices
• Customizable alerts that allow users to specify wind gust thresholds at different working heights and who should receive them
• Registered users can access their site specific forecasts for high rise construction and building maintenance
• Relay of Environment Canada weather alerts
• Advanced auditing that keeps a record of each weather forecast, alert, and the recipients

Having a location and site specific AWFS remains mandatory for any construction site in the downtown core or beltline that is five stories or greater. For all other construction projects, it is recommended but optional for contractors or owners to utilize the mobile app.

​To register for this system, please contact:

RWDI City of Calgary Wind Warning System
email: support@rwdi.com
Phone: 403-232-6771 ext: 6270