Code of Practice for Safety at Work (Lift and Escalator)

1 code of PracticeforSafety at work (Lift and Escalator) Occupational Safety and Health BranchLabour DepartmentOctober 1997 of Proprietors or of Workers6-75 Training, Information and System for Safety and for work on of Persons Working Keeping Safety Assessment12-157 Basic Safety at and of Warning Signs/Notices308 Facilities and Electrical Safety34-379 Safety practices for Working on Safety practices for Working on practices for Working on Car practices for Working below a Lift practices for Working at Lift practices for Working in Lift Machine and42-44 Pulley practices for Working on Observation or45 Partially-enclosed practices for Working on Dumbwaiters45-4610 Safety practices for Working on Escalators47-4911 Safety practices for Installation and Dismantling50-51of Lifts/Escalators12 Safety practices for Special Overhaul/52-54 Repair Works on Lifts/Escalators13 References55-56

2 Appendices57-64 SectionPage1 ForewordThis code of Practice focuses on workers Safety and itrecommends safe practices for those proprietors or contractorsto protect their employees engaging in lift and escalator works, installation, commissioning, alteration, examination,inspection, testing, servicing/maintenance, repairing anddismantling work on lifts and escalators (excluding fabricationof lifts/ escalators during manufacturing process).This is an approved code issued by the Commissioner for Labourunder Section 7A(1) of the Factories and industrial UndertakingsOrdinance (FIUO), Cap. 59. It is important to note thatcompliance with this code does not of itself confer immunityfrom legal obligations in Hong Kong. Proprietors and contractorsare also reminded to observe other government departments requirements, such as the Electrical and Mechanical ServicesDepartment s Codes of Practice and regulations so as todischarge their legal duties in respect of lift and escalator this code , we have quoted the relevant safetystandards of the British Standards Institution.

3 However, if thereare some other national, international standards or provisionswhich are equivalent, they would be acceptable as addition, statutory provisions referred to or cited in this Codeare those in force as at 1st October is to acknowledge the British Standards Institution forpermission to make reference to the relevant British Standardson lift and escalator Safety in this the lift/escalator trade, the Safety of the persons engaged inlift/escalator work is the responsibility of the proprietors/contractors, the supervisors and the persons working on lifts/ escalators . Besides, the persons having effective control of thosepremises containing the lifts/ escalators also have their role inthe persons working on lifts/ escalators are expected to take duecare and pay attention to potential hazards, make proper use ofsafeguards provided and follow defined working proceduressuch that accidents and ill health can be Proprietor/Contractor They are defined in Section 2(1) of the FIUO as follows.

4 - Proprietor in relation to any industrial undertaking ornotifiable workplace includes the person for the time beinghaving the management or control of the business carriedon in such industrial undertaking or notifiable workplaceand includes a body corporate and a firm and also theoccupier of any industrial undertaking or notifiableworkplace and the agent of such occupier. Contractor in relation to construction work , means anyperson or firm engaged in carrying out construction workby way of trade or business, either on his own account orpursuant to a contract or arrangement entered into withanother person, including the Government of the HongKong Special Administration Region or any public section of the code , the following terms have thesame meaning as those defined in Regulation 3 of theFactories and industrial Undertakings (Lifting Appliances& Lifting Gear) Regulations [FIU(LALG)R].

5 - Competent examiner Competent person for the definitions of the following terms foundin the code can be made to the code of Practice on theDesign and Construction of Lifts and escalators publishedby the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department(EMSD): lift works Counterweight Landing Lift car Lift machine Machine room Main switch Multiple installation3 Pit Pulley room escalator works Combs Handrail Main is the general duty of a proprietor of an industrialundertaking or a contractor of a construction site incarrying out work concerning lift or escalator installation,maintenance, repair, alteration or demolition in existingbuilding or construction site to ensure, so far as isreasonably practicable, the health and Safety at work ofall persons employed by him at the industrial undertaking(Section 6A of the FIUO).

6 Following summarizes the responsibilities of variousparties involved in carrying out work concerning lift orescalator installation, maintenance, repair, alteration ordemolition in fulfilling the provisions under the generalduties clauses, Sections 6A and 6B of the FIUO whichare set out in Appendix I for of Proprietors or carrying out work concerning lift or escalator installation,maintenance, repair, alteration or demolition, the proprietoror contractor has the direct responsibility for ensuring, sofar as is reasonably practicable, the health and Safety ofall persons employed by him (Section 6A of the FIUO). responsibilities of the proprietors or contractorsinclude:-a)planning and carrying out an assessment of the worksincluding selection of appropriate methods of carryingout such works;b)appointing suitable supervisors and engineers inwriting to take charge of immediate control of the workon lift/escalator;c)employing sufficient number of workers who arecompetent in lift/escalator works to carry out the works,and that they should be over age of 18 years with theexception for those under the apprentice trainingscheme or the approved training course of theConstruction Industry Training Authority;d)ensuring that the training and experience of all teammembers are commensurate with the assigned taskand providing training if necessary.

7 E)ensuring that necessary tools, plant and equipmentare properly maintained and are available for immediateuse and that a plant/equipment register is kept up-to-date containing maintenance records and test andexamination certificates;f)providing and ensuring the maintenance of a JobRecord Book;g)providing necessary information, drawings, manuals,instructions and training to the workers on all aspectsrelated to the works including the use of tools, plant/equipment, safe practices and emergency procedures;h)ensuring that adequate number of persons trained infirst aid are included in the site working personnel andthat necessary first aid equipment such as the first aidbox, etc. are provided and maintained in accordancewith the requirements under the Construction Sites( Safety ) Regulations [CS(S)R];i)ensuring that the work is carried out in a suitable andsafe place with the consent of persons having controlof that place; andj)ensuring that effective communication exists betweenthe place at which the work is being carried out, thepersons having control of that place, and theemergency services including police, fire andambulance of workers have the general duty of care for their ownsafety at work as well as for other members working nearby(Section 6B of the FIUO).

8 Before conducting any work onlift/escalator, the worker should:-a)have understood the instructions and informationprovided by his immediate supervisors; understandhis own duties in the works;b)inform his supervisor if he judges himself to be unfit orincapable to carry out such works and terminate hiswork immediately;c)prepare and check his own tools and equipment; andreport to his supervisor of any defects or abnormalitiesfound; worker should attend any training or briefing sessionsarranged by his worker should carry out works in accordance withthe instructions of his supervisor, and should follow closelythe safe practices and any emergency procedures thathave been set worker should maintain the Job Record Book up-to-date and containing the required specific information.

9 Heshould sign every entry and ensure that it is countersignedby his , Information andInstruction[This section and the following sections 6 to 12 providepractical guidance on the requirements of Sections 6A and6B of the FIUO.]Under the general duties provisions of the FIUO, the proprietorsor contractors engaging in lift/escalator works should, amongother requirements, provide Safety training, information andinstruction to their employees. For example, training should beprovided for the workers involved in safe manual handlingoperations or safe use of the lifting appliances and lifting gearfor mechanical handling, and also for all workers on the properusage and maintenance of the personal protective training should also be provided to them for the sakeof maintaining their Safety awareness and updating theirknowledge on occupational Safety and health.

10 Safety informationand instruction should be provided to the employees whichinclude the hazards of the work , the information leading to safemanual handling operations, and other relevant informationcontained in the manufacturer s manual. Besides, changes inlift/escalator technology impose a need for the personnel beingemployed in the lift/escalator industry to receive appropriateadditional training, information and PersonnelAll personnel, including workers, supervisors andengineers, who might at any time be authorized by theproprietors or contractors to work on a lift/escalatorinstallation should be instructed in appropriate basicsafety procedures, including those recommended inthis code , and any other code (s) produced by EMSD inthis area. Also the information on appropriate first-aid treatment should be given to the worker, withpractical training including in the event of receivingelectric addition to the basic Safety training as described insection above, it is recommended that all theengineers/supervisors should receive further safetytraining relating to the hazards associated with theinstallation, thorough examination, inspection, testing,services/maintenance, repair, and dismantling of lifts/ escalators and knowledge of safe working practices tobe adopted to avoid those hazards, the statutory safetyregulations, standards and codes [which include thisCode and any other code (s) produced by EMSD in thisarea].