1.  The step high does not remain constant and the young, elderly and persons with poor eyesight may trip
2.  The height of each escalator step is likely to be greater than the local code allowance.(Please refer to Building Regs.)

When an escalator is used as a staircase it should be mechanically locked in position to prevent an overload situation causing uncontrolled movement.

Any escalator repair should be carried out in accordance with EN115 part 2 (assuming the unit is based in the European Union). This code includes advice to installers, maintainers and building owners.

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Lift companies generate most of their profits from maintenance repairs. It is the most profitable side of the business. Some leading companies charge £180 per hour for works carried out on this basis. LOLER inspection reports only record items affecting the safe use of a lift. A lift service inspection report should detail all defects including those relating to reliability which as a duty holder may be of some importance as well. The problem is how do you filter out unnecessary work and how do you prioritise work that is necessary?The problem is made worse because the language used in service reports is often full of jargon or meaningless abbreviations and can be inconsistent.

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There are no legislative or code bench marks for this issue as laws and codes address safety rather than reliability. Most lift companies have their own targets for response time and time between failures but these are not absolutes and may simply invoke an internal escalation procedure. There seems to be very little work done at an industry level on defining limits for lift availability. Lift maintenance contracts produced by lift companies are unlikely to allow penalties for long periods of down time. Nor will alternative methods of access (temporary stair lifts?) be provided for.

In new lift and lift modernisation specifications we specify a maximum of two call outs per quarter and 99% lift availability which includes for routine preventative maintenance. On top of this we can expect four hours per year for LOLER inspections. For busy 24 hour access buildings this allows up to 90 hours per annum down time. For small office buildings 08-00 to 18-00 5 days a week this falls to 30 hours per annum. These are sensible and achievable bench marks. In the Lerch Bates maintenance contract up to 40% of the contract premium can be deducted by the Building Manager for failure of the contractor to achieve these KPI.

Clearly older lifts are more likely to suffer from failures which result in extended down times. This may be due to the failure of a major component like the lift machine or controller. It could also be due to the failure of a small but essential obsolete component which in turn requires the replacement of further components to maintain compatibility. In buildings where there is more than one lift the issue of the failure of a single lift is less important. It is prudent therefore to focus on buildings with one lift with components that are over 15 years old. These lifts have the greatest risk of failure and such failure may have the most impact on the operation of the building. Regular maintenance audits by an independent lift consultant can ensure that the high risk lifts are identified and where necessary preventative works commissioned to reduce the risk of a failure.

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The proper design, commissioning, risk assessment and control, preventive maintenance, testing, inspection and thorough examination of escalators and moving walks are all critical to ensure longevity, reliability and, above all, safety.

Why a New Guide?
The industry has been pressuring Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to update a number of Plant and Machinery (PM) documents. Technology has changed and will continue to change and therefore the guidelines need to reflect this.

The aim
SAFed’s aim is to provide guidelines for owners and other duty holders so that they can understand and discharge their responsibilities and duties in a safe, cost-effective and consistent manner.

Scope of the Guide
The guidelines are for the selection and design consideration, safe operation, maintenance, management, thorough examination and supplementary testing of all (new and old) escalators and moving walks in service.

EMW’s Design is Subject to what Regulations?
For the product itself it is primarily machinery coming under the Machinery regulation with design guidance being provided by BSEN115.

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En 81-20 Passenger and goods passenger lifts  

Contains requirements for complete passenger or goods passenger lift installations independent of the driving system, taking over the general design requirements from EN 81-1/2:1998 and all their amendments.

EN 81-50 Examinations, calculations and tests of lift components

Contains description of the examinations, calculations and tests of lift components used in any type of lift (passenger, goods passenger, goods only, etc).

EN 81-20

The following is a summary of the likely impact on existing products:

• Car panel strength
• Heat output calculations to determine if ventilation is required
• Shaft lighting levels
• Pit ladder
• Provisions if distance between floors exceeds 11m
• Headroom and pit safety spaces
• Pit inspection controls
• Car and landing doors strength
• Car door safety edge
• Door unlocking
• Fire tested materials in car
• Car top balustrade
• Car lighting levels
• Rope requirements
• Un-controlled movement
• Brake release
• Controller redesign
• Information for owner
• Test documentation
• Top Of Car Inspection signs
• Retest of safety component
• Revise declarations of conformity

EN81-50

Design rules, calculations, examinations and tests of lift component

This details the requirements for type examinations, calculations and pendulum shock tests. This used to be combined with EN 81-1 and EN81-2.

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All new lift alarm systems must provide two-way communication between the lift car and the rescue service and must also operate in the event of a power failure from a suitable back-up power supply source.

British Standard EN 81-28 Remote alarm on passenger and goods passenger lifts is a harmonised standard which provides a means of conforming to current legislation (Lifts Regulations 1997). The standard describes in detail how the lift alarm system should be designed and how it should operate.

Rescue Service
The rescue service is the organisation in charge of receiving alarm information and rescuing users who are trapped in the lift. They can be your own company, external service providers or your lift maintenance company.

The rescue service in charge of receiving alarms must have the correct reception equipment to handle the alarm information from the lift alarm system and they must be capable of handling two-way communication. Additionally they need to be able to perform the periodic testing of the alarm system.

The rescue service must be available whenever the lift is in use and there exists a possibility of someone being trapped inside the lift car. E.g. if the building is open 24hrs and the lift is in use then the rescue service must be available 24hrs.

It is also essential that the rescue service have the information to determine the address of the building and identification of the lift from which the alarm has originated. This may also include additional instructions for accessing the building outside normal hours or information on any hazards related to gaining access to the lift.

Markings, controls and indicators
Inside the lift suitable marking shall be provided to allow the users to easily understand and identify how to operate the alarm. As a minimum there must be indication that the car is equipped with an alarm system and is linked with a rescue service.

The alarm initiating device/button shall be yellow in colour and identified by an alarm bell symbol.

The lift alarm system shall have visible and audible signals in or above the lift car control/operating panel consisting of the following:

a yellow illuminated pictogram in addition to the audible signal for the emergency alarm transmission to indicate that the alarm has been given.

a green illuminated pictogram in addition to the audible signal normally required (voice link), to indicate that the emergency call/alarm has been registered.

The audible signal (voice link) shall have a sound level between 35 dB(A) and 65 dB(A), adjustable to suit the site conditions. In addition where users may have impaired hearing an induction loop system should be fitted to ensure that clear communication is possible.

Periodic Testing
The alarm system shall also be capable of automatic self-testing and setting up a connection to the rescue service or reception equipment for testing purposes as frequently as required by the safety of users when the lift is used as intended, but at least every 3 days.

As the alarm systems are also required to have a battery back-up in the event of a power failure the alarm systems must also be capable of checking that the battery has a minimum life of 1hr. Where a problem with the battery is detected the system must be capable of initiating a signal to inform the rescue service of the problem.

Owners should arrange for periodic checks of their lift alarm systems to ensure that the systems are operating correctly. Where the alarms are found to be faulty the lift should be removed from service until the alarm is repaired to avoid the risk of someone becoming trapped in the lift without an alarm.

Different systems, different software, different risks
As not all alarm systems are exactly the same the rescue service which is in place needs to have the correct reception equipment to handle the alarm information and be capable of handling two-way communication. Additionally they need to be able to perform the periodic testing of the alarm system.

When lift maintenance service providers or rescue services are changed it is imperative to ensure that your alarm systems are re-programmed to dial the correct rescue service telephone numbers.

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(1) Every employer shall ensure that before lifting equipment is put into service for the first time by him it is thoroughly examined by a competent person for any defect unless:

(a) the lifting equipment has not been used before; and

(b) in the case of lifting equipment for which an EC declaration of conformity could
or (in the case of a declaration under the Lift Regulations 1997) should have been drawn up, the employer has received such declaration made not more than 12 months before the lifting equipment is put into service.
(2) Every employer shall ensure that, where the safety of lifting equipment depends on the installation conditions, it is thoroughly examined:

(a) after installation and before being put into service for the first time; and

(b) after assembly and before being put into service at a new site or in a new location,

to ensure that it has been installed correctly and is safe to operate.

(3) A thorough examination is required after substantial or significant modification or repair.

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