Short Time Pickup
Short time pickup is a shop-floor term referring to a condition where electrical or mechanical equipment is energized or loaded for a brief duration below its continuous duty rating, either by design (e.g., short-time rated circuit breakers or motors) or by work practice (e.g., intermittent tasks). It is not defined in WorkSafeBC regulations but is governed by requirements for equipment ratings, protective settings, and risk assessment.
On a manufacturing shop floor, short time pickup applies to electrical protection devices like motor circuit breakers with short-time pickup settings to allow inrush current without tripping, and to short-time duty motors or tools used intermittently. It also affects hoists and cranes used for brief lifts, welding processes with high current bursts, and work planning for short-duration tasks. Employers must ensure equipment duty cycles are respected, protective settings limit fault duration, and safe work procedures address risks from brief, high-intensity operations, aligning with WorkSafeBC requirements for electrical safety, mobile equipment, and general conditions.
Does WorkSafeBC define 'short time pickup' anywhere?
No, the term does not appear in WorkSafeBC OHS Regulation or Guidelines. However, WorkSafeBC regulates related concepts like short pickup runs for mobile equipment, short duration work in traffic control, and electrical equipment safety, requiring risk assessment and procedures for hazardous conditions.
How should we document 'short time pickup' in an electrical safety program under WorkSafeBC?
Integrate it into protective device coordination studies documenting short-time pickup settings, equipment duty ratings specifying maximum operating and cool-down times, and safe work procedures for testing and commissioning with explicit limits on energization duration and PPE requirements.
When is a short-time pickup situation considered 'short duration work' under WorkSafeBC Part 18?
Brief duration work is planned work requiring 15 minutes or less in a work zone, while short duration work requires more than 15 minutes during a single daylight period. Short-time pickup operations in traffic-exposed areas must comply with Part 18 requirements for written procedures and risk assessment.