ESW - 27 : Safety Practices for Installation and Dismantling of Elevator (Lifts)/Escalators

www.safetygoodwe.com

Elevator, Escalator & MovingWalk

Safety Practices for Installation and Dismantling of Lifts/Escalators

The installation and dismantling of lifts/escalators involves many activities similar to those as others in construction industry. In the following, only those practices peculiar to the lift/escalator industry are highlighted:

1. Installation, major overhaul, maintenance, repair or dismantling of lifts and escalators quite often involves the use of scaffolds. The scaffolds provided with suitable working platforms should comply with the requirements stipulated in the Standards, Rules & Regulation for Scaffolding Safety issued by the Countries . Besides, additional requirements on the safe erection, use and dismantling of metal scaffolds should also be complied with.
2. For major alteration works of lifts in occupied buildings, which involve welding and cutting, the scaffolds used should be constructed of non-combustible materials. Hoarding of one hour fire resisting period should also be provided for any lift door opening where the lift door is removed as required by the Buildings Department.
3. If the foundation support for the scaffold has to be removed for the lift works, other supporting means such as the provision of substantial steel brackets should be provided. The steel brackets should be strong enough to withhold the imposed load and the scaffold.The aforesaid alternative means of support should be designed and approved by a professional engineer in structural discipline or equivalent.
4. The scaffold used inside the lift wells or other locations in the workplace should be inspected before use and thereafter at regular intervals as required mentioed  in Countries Rule & regulation.
5. The provision of a safe working place for workers, such as a suitable working platform, should always be the first choice. However, if it is impractical and there is a risk for a worker to fall more than 2 m, a safety net should be provided or the workers should wear a safety harness/ belt with suitable lanyard securely attached to an independent lifeline or an anchorage as an alternative.
6. If suspended working platform is used for lift work, requirements in the Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Suspended Working Platforms) Regulation should be observed.
7. Temporary Protection at Lift Landings
• New Buildings under Construction
• Safety protection for landing entrance openings in buildings under construction is required to prevent working personnel or objects falling through the openings. The type of protection provided should be identical to that used elsewhere on construction sites.
• Existing Buildings
• When modernising or dismantling existing lifts, landing doors should be retained in place and kept locked until replaced. If more than a single lift door is removed at the same time, hoardings of one hour fire resisting period should be provided for lift door openings and no scaffolds made up of combustible materials should be allowed inside the lift well as required by the Buildings Department.