Lifts, escalators and conveyers
Whether we travel for business or pleasure we are bound to use lifts, escalators or travellators. I for one, being afraid of heights, often wonder when last the lift I am in has been serviced and if the technician did his job properly.
I have been told and I am sure it is so, that lifts are designed to be almost fail proof. Never the less, lifts and escalators can cause injury and as such must be properly serviced and maintained in order to work safely.
In these financially hard times where everyone is strapped for cash there are many short cuts, fortunately there is legislation that protects us against unscrupulous individuals that potentially risk injury and the lives of innocent people.
The Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1993 (Act No. 85 of 1993) deems it necessary for a “competent person” to service, operate and maintain such equipment. Such a person needs to be well qualified, highly trained and very experienced in the operation and maintenance of machinery, in this case lifts, escalators and travelators. The servicing and maintaining of lifts and escalators is serious business that requires skills and expertise.
Believe it or not every lift or escalator we use has a specific number allocated to it by the regional director; each lift even has a permit. An escalator or a lift may not be in use unless a comprehensive report is issued by a registered person and the report may not be older than 36 months. Each time a lift or an escalator has a “breakdown” a comprehensive report must be completed by a registered person who will be held legally accountable for any accidents on the lift or escalator.
Then there are certain “rules” that relate to the name of the manufacturer, the year of installation, the official number contemplated in regulation 2(1)(a), the rated speed and the rated load in kilograms to be marked in a conspicuous place.Even an up-to-date electrical wiring diagram must be kept in a safe place.In terms of regulation 6(1), the name and telephone number of the competent person or firm appointed must be visible at a main landing of every lift and at every escalator and passenger conveyor.When we travel in a lift, we can rest assured that we are far safer than we realise. An inspector may at any reasonable time inspect any lift, escalator or passenger conveyor in accordance with SABS 1545-10 or the SABS 1543 specification. These inspections may not exceed intervals of 36 months.A record of the person responsible for every lift, escalator or passenger conveyor must be kept, it must have his name, address and telephone number as well as the name, address and telephone number of the firm designated to carry out the servicing in terms of regulation 6(1). The reports are to be kept for a period of at least 10 years.
Despite all the horror stories we hear about lifts, escalators and travellators, we can rest assured that they are far safer than travelling in a car.
Lifts, escalators and conveyers
Whether we travel for business or pleasure we are bound to use lifts, escalators or travellators. I for one, being afraid of heights, often wonder when last the lift I am in has been serviced and if the technician did his job properly.
I have been told and I am sure it is so, that lifts are designed to be almost fail proof. Never the less, lifts and escalators can cause injury and as such must be properly serviced and maintained in order to work safely.
In these financially hard times where everyone is strapped for cash there are many short cuts, fortunately there is legislation that protects us against unscrupulous individuals that potentially risk injury and the lives of innocent people.
The Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1993 (Act No. 85 of 1993) deems it necessary for a “competent person” to service, operate and maintain such equipment. Such a person needs to be well qualified, highly trained and very experienced in the operation and maintenance of machinery, in this case lifts, escalators and travelators. The servicing and maintaining of lifts and escalators is serious business that requires skills and expertise.
Believe it or not every lift or escalator we use has a specific number allocated to it by the regional director; each lift even has a permit. An escalator or a lift may not be in use unless a comprehensive report is issued by a registered person and the report may not be older than 36 months. Each time a lift or an escalator has a “breakdown” a comprehensive report must be completed by a registered person who will be held legally accountable for any accidents on the lift or escalator.
Then there are certain “rules” that relate to the name of the manufacturer, the year of installation, the official number contemplated in regulation 2(1)(a), the rated speed and the rated load in kilograms to be marked in a conspicuous place.Even an up-to-date electrical wiring diagram must be kept in a safe place.In terms of regulation 6(1), the name and telephone number of the competent person or firm appointed must be visible at a main landing of every lift and at every escalator and passenger conveyor.When we travel in a lift, we can rest assured that we are far safer than we realise. An inspector may at any reasonable time inspect any lift, escalator or passenger conveyor in accordance with SABS 1545-10 or the SABS 1543 specification. These inspections may not exceed intervals of 36 months.A record of the person responsible for every lift, escalator or passenger conveyor must be kept, it must have his name, address and telephone number as well as the name, address and telephone number of the firm designated to carry out the servicing in terms of regulation 6(1). The reports are to be kept for a period of at least 10 years.
Despite all the horror stories we hear about lifts, escalators and travellators, we can rest assured that they are far safer than travelling in a car.