Lifts and lifting equipment
Policy and best practice note
Introduction
Passenger/goods lifts and powered lifting platforms (for the use of disabled persons) 1
Aims 1
Meeting those aims1
Overhead track hoists, lifting beams, eyebolts and other equipment secured to buildings and structures for the purposes of lifting 2
Aims 2
Meeting those aims 2
What equipment is covered by the regulations? 2
Further guidance3
Appendices 4
Best practice note for passenger/goods lifts, powered lifting platforms (for the use of disabled persons), overhead track hoists and lifting beams 4
Brief specifications 9
Additional guidance and definition of equipment covered by LOLER 1998 26
Lifts and lifting equipmentPolicy and best practice note1
Version 1.0
Introduction
- Lifting equipment is defined as equipment used for lifting or lowering loads. This includes the attachments used for anchoring, fixing or supporting the equipment and the lifting accessories that attach the load to the machine, as well as the equipment which carries out the actual lifting function. It is covered by legislation with specific requirements for design, construction, installation and maintenance. The policy outlines the actions that need to be taken to ensure compliance with legislation.
Passenger and goods lifts and powered lifting platforms (for the use of disabled persons)
Aims
- Passenger and goods lifts are specialist items of plant that play a vital part in the movement of people and goods around a building to ensure smooth operation of services and provide access to services. Poor selection or inappropriate specification of installations can significantly impact on how services operate, as well as put Cornwall Council at risk in terms of statutory breach, loss of reputation or financial loss.
- This policy seeks to address such risks by stating what services and their technical advisors need to consider when addressing the need for a lift installation in a building.
Meeting those aims
- In designing, procuring, commissioning and maintaining passenger and goods lifts the Council will seek to ensure that;
•The installation is fit for the purpose to which it is intended - in other words a lift installed specifically for the use of wheelchair users or ambulant disabled is used purely for those purposes and no other
•Any installation is designed and procured with its whole life cost in mind, not simply on the basis of lowest capital cost
•That the specification of an installation meets standards of robustness that match the demands put on the installation by the building occupiers
•No product or installation is installed that cannot readily allow the release of trapped occupants by locally trained staff
•Installations comply with relevant legislation and the applicable British standards
•Suitably competent, qualified and experienced professionals are employed in the design, selection and procurement of lift plant and supporting electrical infrastructure and building structures
Overhead track hoists, lifting beams, eyebolts and other equipment secured to buildings and structures for the purposes of lifting
Aims
- Wherever possible the Council will seek to minimise, or ideally avoid, the use of equipment that requires permanent beams or fixtures attached to a building or structure. All such fixtures fall under the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) 1998 and as such place an additional burden on the Council’s resources in terms of risk assessment and regular statutory inspection.
- Particularly resource intensive are the provision of eyebolts for window cleaning[1]and rails required for window cleaning cradles.
Meeting those aims
- Wherever there is a need for lifting equipment in delivering council services, an assessment shall be made of alternative solutions that avoid permanent fixture to a building. If no other solution can be found, then the Council will ensure that:
•A complete and thorough risk assessment is carried out for the operations concerned
•Lifting equipment is specified which takes full account of the risk assessment and method statements for the lifting operation
•Equipment suppliers’ specifications for the installation are fully complied with
•Fixtures to buildings and structures are designed by a competent qualified structural engineer
•All other requirements of LOLER 1998 are complied with
What equipment is covered by the regulations?
- Lifting equipment includes any equipment used at work for lifting or lowering loads,including attachments used for anchoring, fixing or supporting. The regulationscover a wide range of equipment including cranes, fork lift trucks, lifts, hoists,mobile elevating work platforms and vehicle inspection platform hoists. The definition also includes lifting accessories such as chains, slings, eyebolts etc.
Further guidance
This will be contained in guidance documents developed through property services.
NOTE: This policy does not cover mobile lifting equipment, including forklift trucks, mobile lifts for workshops, elevating platforms and cherry pickers which nonetheless are covered by LOLER 1998.
Appendix A
Best practice note for passenger/goods lifts, powered lifting platforms (for the use of disabled persons), overhead track hoists and lifting beams
Introduction
Lifting equipment is defined as equipment used for lifting or lowering loads. This includes the attachments used for anchoring, fixing or supporting the equipment and the lifting accessories that attach the load to the machine, as well as the equipment which carries out the actual lifting function. It is covered by legislation with specific requirements for design, construction, installation and maintenance.
Feasibility stage
An option appraisal will be carried out to inform the access statement and the clients brief.
Full account should be taken of fire risk management.
The principal building services engineerwill be advised of the proposals, which must be planned, organised and carried out by a competent person taken from the Council’s pre-accredited register of contractors (please note this register contains details of contractors who have been successfully vetted by the Council with regards to their health and safety procedures only and does not relate to performance standards).
Tendering stage
Performance specifications (see appendix b) have been produced by property services and must be followed for the addition of:
•Wheelchair platform stairlifts
•Disabled person lifting platforms
•Typical passenger lifts (including refurbishments)
•Goods lifts
•Electrical supplies (for standard lifts and lifting platforms)
All passenger lifting equipment must comply with part m of the building regulations, current DDA regulations and BS5776 and BS5600.
Goods lifting equipment must comply with BS EN 81 or BS6440 and LOLER 1998.
Installation stage
The principal building services engineer will be advised of the proposed programme of work and the anticipated commissioning date.
All lifting equipment must be positioned and installed to minimise any risks and prevent the risk of injury (e.g. from the equipment or the load falling or striking people).
Prior to the handover date being set, the lift installation contractor will provide the principal building services engineerwith the name and details of the commissioning engineer and testing procedure and provide a copy of the commissioning certificates for comment and approval and the relevant British standards. The principal building services engineerwill forward this information to the Council’s insurance section and obtain confirmation that the procedures and details are correct, at which point a handover date can be set.
Two weeks prior to practical completion, the principal building services engineerwill be provided with the:
•EC conformity certificate
•Commissioning certificates; certificates differ according to the British or European standards that apply to the specific lifting equipment being installed and the correct form must be used. There are usually two certificates; a technical form and a form certifying that the lift users have been shown how to use the system.
•Maintenance manual
•Log book
•Operations manual
A copy of the maintenance manual, log book, operations manual and a simplified maintenance guide (to allow the necessary procedures to be followed by site staff) are to be provided by the lift installation contractor and kept on site by the premises co-ordinator. All records and certification will be maintained in the log book by the premises co-ordinator, together with the necessary training.
The principal building services engineerwill ensure that a recorded procedure for the maintenance requirements is in place, to be managed by the premises co-ordinator.
Commissioning/practical completion
Once the certification (as above) has been received and reviewed, the principal building services engineerwill inspect the lifting equipment and complete a written report with a copy to be held in the log book.
The principal building services engineerwill witness the commissioning of the lifting equipment, during which the lift installation contractor will demonstrate its operation (including all systems, safety devices and the safe rescue of a passenger) to site staff and undertake a weight test.
The lift installation contractor will ensure site staff are aware of their maintenance obligations.
Practical completion (handover of the lifting equipment) will take place in the presence of the lift installation contractor, site staff and the principal building services engineer. The lift installation contractor will produce a fully completed certificate of test and examination (taking the form as required by the brief specifications in appendix b) for the principal building services engineerwith a copy to be held in the log book.
Any unique tools or programming devices required for maintenance purposes will be included in the handover package.
The lift installation contractor will provide call out details for the event of a breakdown.
The principal building services engineerwill advise the Council’s insurance section of the addition of the lifting equipment to be added to the insurance policy, allowing inspection by a competent person at least every six months (reports of inspections will be forwarded to site staff by the insurance section and are to be held in the log book).
The lift can now be put into service.
Defects liability period
The lift installation contractor will undertake servicing, as per the manufacturer’s guidelines (which should comprise of not less than four three monthly service visits and all breakdown calls with a 24 hour cover arrangement (excluding vandalism), over the 12 months defects liability period, with the final service being undertaken immediately prior to handover.
Any service, defects or repairs required to the lifting equipment in this period must be entered into the log book.
Records of services and works undertaken in this period will be held and maintained in the log book.
End of defects liability period/handover
The lift installation contractor and the principal building services engineerare to conduct a joint inspection on site, during which they will review the service log, record any defects and formally handover the lifting equipment into the Council’s care. A written report of the inspection will be produced by the principal building services engineerwith a copy to be held in the log book.
Handover test and examination certification will be produced by the lift installation contractor and held by the principal building services engineerwith a copy held in the log book.
When all defects have been rectified and the contract is completed, the principal building services engineerwill add the lifting equipment to the Council’s periodic inspection, service and testing contract, for which records and certificates are held and maintained as follows:
•Inspection certificates – certificates will be produced on a quarterly, one, five and ten yearly basis and will be held in the log book, with the principal building services engineerholding copies of the one, five and ten year certificates
•Service details – equipment will be maintained in line with the manufacturers’ recommendations and details of services/works will be recorded in the log book by the engineer and made available to the principal building services engineer via a computerised system
Testing certificates – original certificates will be held by the principal building services engineer with a copy held in the log book.
Use of equipment
Installed lifting equipment will be used only in accordance with its design purpose.
All lifting operations must be planned, supervised and carried out in a safe manner by competent persons.
All necessary precautions will be taken by site staff to eliminate or reduce risks and to ensure the equipment is safe for purpose.
A risk assessment will be carried out by site staff, held and maintained in the log book and will consider the following:
•How often the equipment will be used
•Where the equipment will be used
•The nature and characteristics of the load the equipment will lift
•Any limitations on its use as specified by the manufacturer or the supplier
If the risk assessment reveals a significant risk from the use of the lifting equipment then a suitable inspection will be carried out (including visual checks and functional tests where appropriate). The frequency and extent of the inspections will depend on the potential risks and should be carried out by a competent person.
In the event of an exceptional circumstance occurring, site staff must contact the principal building services engineer for guidance.
If it is proposed to change, reconfigure or re-site the equipment, the principal building services engineer must be consulted in the first instance. If the proposal goes ahead then the equipment must be thoroughly examined (and a written report produced) by a competent person before use.
Lifting beams should be marked and certified and any queries should be clarified with the principal building services engineer.
Appendix B
Brief specifications
Output Specification for Wheelchair Platform Stair LiftsPrincipal function
For transportation of wheelchair users and restricted to prevent unauthorised operation. The carriage will be a wheelchair platform, not a seat. The stair lift will operate on a guide rail system to either the left or right hand side of the staircase and around the inside radius (if a curved rail system is required).
General
Standards
Programme
Handover
Certification
Handbook
Maintenance / This specification is based on BS5776 and must be read alongside the said document, part m of the building regulations (for wheelchair platform stair lifts) and the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998. Equipment must be CE marked in accordance with EMC Machinery Directive (certification must be produced). This specification sets out particular requirements, responsibilities and finishes for lifts installed in Cornwall Council properties.
It is anticipated that suppliers will have a suitable lift within their normal range, but should check to ensure all of the following is supplied within their tender price.
The supplier/installer must state in their tender documents the time periods required from receipt of order to:-
a) Produce drawings for approval
b) Following drawing approval to delivery on site
c) Installation to prepared site
d) Setting to work
The supplier/installer will be required to fully demonstrate the operation of the lifting platform to the building user and/or commissioning and certification engineer, this will include safe rescue of a passenger. The supplier/installer will be required to fully demonstrate all systems and safety devices and complete the Council’s commissioning schedule, including a weight test.
A fully completed certificate of test and examination is to be provided.
A user handbook and full technical service handbook are to be provided in duplicate at handover.
The lifting platform should have open protocol controls and be maintainable by any lift maintenance specialist. Any unique tools or programming devices required to achieve this are to be included in the handover package.
The first 12 months maintenance, comprising of not less than two six monthly service visits and all breakdown calls (excluding vandalism) are to be included for and carried out by the supplier/installer.
Size
Dimension
Control system
Lifting capacity / Minimum of 1250mm long by 800mm wide
Constant pressure push buttons
250kg rated
Finishes
Car floor
Lighting / Slip resistant black
Will rely on the normal room lighting with the provision of emergency lighting
Controls
Key operation
Car controls
Emergency call / Although the lifting platform is to comply with part m of the building regulations, current DDA regulations and British standards for accessibility, when installed in schools, the landing call point will require a key to prevent unauthorised use. Once the platform reaches the landing it is called to by the key and the key removed, the doors will remain open until an on-platform control is used to initiate travel.
Controls onboard the platform are to comply with part m of the building regulations, current DDA regulations and British standards for accessibility.
An emergency call button if required on the platform shall activate an audio-visual alarm in a public area in the vicinity of the lift*.
A notice alongside the alarm is to read “Assistance Required on Lifting Platform”.
Other requirements
In addition to the platform, liftway and controls, the supplier is to include the provision and installation of -
Safe rescue of trapped passengers
General / 1) H&S signage:
a) Warning -
- To minimise the risk of persons falling, ensure the stair lift is parked such that the platform is raised into the folded position.
- Emergency operation is to be undertaken only in accordance with correct procedure.
- The electrical supply is to be switched off and the carriage is to be under constant surveillance whilst in emergency operation.
c) Load plate.
d) “Assistance Required on Lifting Platform” alongside alarm.
2) Builders work drawings.