Worksafebc Notice Of Project
A WorkSafeBC Notice of Project (NOP) is a mandatory written notification that an owner, prime contractor, or employer must submit to WorkSafeBC before starting certain construction, forestry, or crane-related projects. It identifies who is responsible for health and safety, the work being done, and when and where it will occur, enabling WorkSafeBC to screen activities and plan inspections.
In a manufacturing or shop floor setting, an NOP is required for capital projects such as plant expansions, major renovations, or installation of large machinery that meet OHSR Part 20 thresholds (e.g., cost > $100,000, engineer-designed modifications, deep excavations > 1.2 m). It ensures coordination between EHS, maintenance, and engineering teams, and identifies the prime contractor responsible for safety. The NOP must be submitted at least 24 hours before work begins, and crane activities may require two weeks' notice. Compliance involves screening all projects against NOP criteria, integrating with internal permitting, and maintaining a registry of active NOPs for audit readiness.
- Failing to file an NOP at all, often by misclassifying construction-like work (e.g., machinery installation, major renovations) as maintenance, leading to stop-work orders and financial penalties.
- Submitting the NOP late or with incomplete/incorrect information, such as underestimating project cost to avoid thresholds or missing crane technical details, resulting in enforcement actions.
- Mismanaging prime contractor responsibilities and multi-employer coordination, where the NOP identifies a prime contractor but actual safety coordination is lacking, causing confusion during incidents or inspections.
Does a manufacturing facility need an NOP for installing a new process line inside an existing building?
It depends on whether the work meets construction criteria in OHSR Part 20. WorkSafeBC defines construction broadly to include installation of any machinery. If the project has total labour + material cost > $100,000, is engineer-designed (supports, platforms, structural changes), or involves structural alteration/repair of a building > 2 storeys or > 6 m, then an NOP–Construction is required. Minor, non-structural installations below thresholds may not require an NOP but must still comply with OHSR provisions.
How should an industrial site coordinate NOP obligations with permitting and contractor controls?
Best practice involves a screening step for every project request against OHSR s.20.2 triggers (cost, engineer involvement, structure height, excavation depth, trench length, blasting, crane use). NOP submission should be a pre-condition to issuing internal work permits or contractor start authorization for projects meeting criteria. The prime contractor and health-and-safety responsible person from the NOP should be mirrored in internal documentation, signage, and pre-job meetings. Maintain a registry of active NOPs cross-checked with site activity.
When does the 24-hour minimum notice apply, and can there be exceptions?
For construction projects under OHSR Part 20, the owner or prime contractor must ensure the Board receives the NOP at least 24 hours before work begins. For forestry operations under Part 26, the NOP must be submitted not more than 30 days and not fewer than 24 hours before start of work. An exception exists for forestry if immediate work is needed to prevent injury or property damage, allowing work to begin immediately with the NOP submitted at the earliest possible time. There is no general emergency exception for routine construction in industrial settings.