Safety Standard for Platform Lifts and Stairway Chairlifts

AN A MERICAN NA TIONAL S T AND ARD

ASME A18.1-2017

(Revision of ASME A18.1-2014)

ASME A18.1-2017

(Revision of ASME A18.1-2014)

Safety Standard for Platform Lifts and Stairway Chairlifts

AN AMERICAN NA TIONAL S T AND ARD

Two Park Avenue • New York, NY • 10016 USA

Date of Issuance: October 5, 2017

The next edition of this Standard is scheduled for publication in 2020. This Standard will become effective 6 months after the Date of Issuance.

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The American Society of Mechanical Engineers Two Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016-5990

Copyright © 2017 by

THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS

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CONTENTS

FOREWORD

The consensus committee that approved the Standard was balanced to ensure that individuals from competent and concerned interests have had an opportunity to participate.

This Standard is intended to serve as the basis for state, municipal, and other jurisdictional authorities in drafting regulations governing the installation, testing, inspection, maintenance, alteration, and repair of platform lifts and stairway chairlifts. It is also intended as a standard reference of safety requirements for the guidance of architects, engineers, insurance companies, manufacturers, and contractors, and as a standard of safety practices for owners and management of structures where equipment covered in the Scope of this Standard is used.

This Standard is available for public review on a continuing basis. This provides an opportunity for additional public input from industry, academia, regulatory agencies, and the public-at-large. Safety codes and standards are intended to enhance public health and safety. Revisions result from committee consideration of factors such as technological advances, new data, and changing environmental and industry needs. Revisions do not imply that previous editions were inadequate. It should be pointed out that any governmental jurisdiction has authority over any particular installation. Inquiries dealing with problems of a local character should be directed to the proper authority of such jurisdiction. It is recommended that, prior to adoption, all pertinent state and local laws or ordinances be reviewed and where there is a conflict with any of the requirements of this Standard, an exception to such conflicting requirement be noted, quoting the section of

the law that applies.

Equipment covered by this Standard was originally incorporated as a 1983 supplement to ANSI/ASME A17.1–1981, Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators. In ANSI/ASME A17.1b–1983, a new Part XXI covering private residence inclined stairway chairlifts and inclined and vertical wheelchair lifts was added. Part XX was added to cover these same devices installed in buildings other than private residences.

In 1996, as a result of the effort to harmonize the ASME A17.1 Code and the CAN/CSA-B44 Safety Code for Elevators, a new Main Committee on Platform Lifts and Stairway Chairlifts was established. The Committee developed the first edition, which incorporates Parts XX and XXI, as well as the applicable cross-references in ASME A17.1–1996, up to and including ASME A17.1a–1997.

The first edition of this Standard was approved by The American Society of Mechanical Engineers’ Committee on Platform Lifts and Stairway Lifts, was approved and designated as an ASME Standard by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) on June 21, 1999, and issued on July 26, 1999. The A18.1a-2001 Addenda was approved on January 30, 2001 and issued on March 26, 2001. The A18.1b-2001 Addenda was approved on December 11, 2001 and issued on April 11, 2002.

The second edition of this Standard was approved by ANSI on July 29, 2003 and was issued on September 12, 2003.

The third edition of this Standard was approved by ANSI on May 6, 2005 and was issued on November 29, 2005.

The fourth edition of this Standard was approved by ANSI on July 3, 2008 and was issued on August 28, 2008.

The fifth edition of this Standard was approved by ANSI on August 31, 2011 and was issed on October 31, 2011.

The sixth edition of this Standard was approved by ANSI on July 10, 2014 and was issued on September 12, 2014.

The seventh edition of this Standard was approved by ANSI on August 3, 2017 and was issued on October 5, 2017.

ASME A18 COMMITTEE

Safety Standard for Platform Lifts and Stairway Chairlifts

(The following is the roster of the Committee at the time of approval of this Standard.)

STANDARDS COMMITTEE OFFICERS

K. L. Brinkman, Chair

D. W. Boydston, Vice Chair

R. Mohamed, Secretary

P. D. Barnhart, Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.

F. A. Belio, Jr., IUEC Local Number 18

STANDARDS COMMITTEE PERSONNEL

S. Mercier, Re´gie du Baˆtiment du Que´bec

J. L. Meyer, National Elevator Inspection Services

D. W. Birdsall, Lift-U Division, Hogan Manufacturing, Inc.

M. Ramos, Alternate, Lift-U Division, Hogan Manufacturing, Inc.

D. W. Boydston, Handi-Lift, Inc.

K. L. Brinkman, Kevin L. Brinkman & Associates

J. H. Burpee, State of Maine

P. Chance, Elevator Ready, Inc.

S. Collins, State of Ohio

P. Edwards, EHLS – To The Top Elevators & Lifts

G. L. Harmon, Retired

G. E. Hedman, University of Illinois at Chicago

J. T. Herrity, U.S. Department of the Navy

F. M. Hoch, Inclinator Company of America

R. S. Hultstrom, Elevator Industry Work Preservation Fund

T. A. Kassens, Bruno Independent Living Aids, Inc.

S. Leathley, Stannah Stairlifts

M. K. Mazz, U.S. Access Board

W. M. McKinley, McKinley Elevator Co.

C. VanderHill, Jr., Alternate, McKinley Elevator Co.

S. J. Mehalko, Harmar Mobility, LLC

R. Mohamed, The American Society of Mechanical Engineers

R. J. Munch, Hoveround Corp.

A. DiGiovanni, Alternate, Hoveround Corp.

J. E. Newstrom, Symmetry Elevating Solutions

S. Novak, State of New Jersey

G. L. Nuschler, Otis Elevator Co.

W. R. Page, Bruno Independent Living Aids

T. E. O’Brien, Alternate, Bruno Independent Living Aids

J. Rearick, Rearick & Company, Inc.

W. Richardson, Savaria Concord Lifts, Inc.

C. Robinson, Elevator Inspection, LLC

C. W. Rogler, Retired

J. R. Runyan, State of Washington

S. Z. Sanossian, SZS Consulting Group, LLC

P. B. Seidel, Precision Lift Industries

M. Townsend, Garaventa (Canada) Ltd.

R. J. Murphy, Alternate, Garaventa Lift

R. B. Weber, Accessibility Systems, Inc.

E. Zuercher, Ascension, a Division of AGM

CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE A18 COMMITTEE

General. ASME Standards are developed and maintained with the intent to represent the consensus of concerned interests. As such, users of this Standard may interact with the Committee by requesting interpretations, proposing revisions, and attending Committee meetings. Corre- spondence should be addressed to:

Secretary, A18 Standards Committee

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers Two Park Avenue

New York, NY 10016-5990

https://go.asme.org/Inquiry

Proposing Revisions. Revisions are made periodically to the Standard to incorporate changes that appear necessary or desirable, as demonstrated by the experience gained from the application of the Standard. Approved revisions will be published periodically.

The Committee welcomes proposals for revisions to this Standard. Such proposals should be as specific as possible, citing the paragraph number(s), the proposed wording, and a detailed description of the reasons for the proposal, including any pertinent documentation.

Interpretations. Upon request, the A18 Standards Committee will render an interpretation of any requirement of the Standard. Interpretations can only be rendered in response to a written request sent to the Secretary of the A18 Standards Committee.

Requests for interpretation should preferably be submitted through the online Interpretation Submittal Form. The form is accessible at https://go.asme.org/InterpretationRequest. Upon sub- mittal of the form, the Inquirer will receive an automatic e-mail confirming receipt.

If the Inquirer is unable to use the online form, he/she may mail the request to the Secretary of the A18 Standards Committee at the above address. The request for an interpretation should be clear and unambiguous. It is further recommended that the Inquirer submit his/her request in the following format:

Subject: Cite the applicable paragraph number(s) and the topic of the inquiry in one or two words.

Edition: Cite the applicable edition of the Standard for which the interpreta- tion is being requested.

Question: Phrase the question as a request for an interpretation of a specific requirement suitable for general understanding and use, not as a request for an approval of a proprietary design or situation. Please provide a condensed and precise question, composed in such a way that a “yes” or “no” reply is acceptable.

Proposed Reply(ies): Provide a proposed reply(ies) in the form of “Yes” or “No,” with explanation as needed. If entering replies to more than one question, please number the questions and replies.

Background Information: Provide the Committee with any background information that will assist the Committee in understanding the inquiry. The Inquirer may also include any plans or drawings that are necessary to explain the question; however, they should not contain proprietary names or information.

Requests that are not in the format described above may be rewritten in the appropriate format by the Committee prior to being answered, which may inadvertently change the intent of the original request.

ASME procedures provide for reconsideration of any interpretation when or if additional information that might affect an interpretation is available. Further, persons aggrieved by an interpretation may appeal to the cognizant ASME Committee or Subcommittee. ASME does not “approve,” “certify,” “rate,” or “endorse” any item, construction, proprietary device, or activity.

Attending Committee Meetings. The A18 Standards Committee regularly holds meetings and/or telephone conferences that are open to the public. Persons wishing to attend any meeting and/or telephone conference should contact the Secretary of the A18 Standards Committee.

ASME A18.1-2017 SUMMARY OF CHANGES

Following approval by the ASME A18 Standards Committee and ASME, and after public review, ASME A18.1-2017 was approved by the American National Standards Institute on August 3, 2017.

The 2017 edition of ASME A18.1 includes revisions that are identified by a margin note, (17). The following is a summary of the latest revisions and changes.

Page Location Change

1, 3, 4 1.3 (1) Definition of authorized personnel

revised

(2) Definitions of lift personnel, portable equipment, and relocatable lift added

INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK

ASME A18.1-2017

SAFETY STANDARD FOR PLATFORM LIFTS AND STAIRWAY CHAIRLIFTS

1. INTRODUCTION

   1. Scope

      1. Equipment Covered by This Standard. This safety Standard covers the design, construction, installa- tion, operation, inspection, testing, maintenance, and repair of inclined stairway chairlifts and inclined and vertical platform lifts intended for transportation of a mobility impaired person only. The device shall have a limited vertical travel, operating speed, and platform area. Operation shall be under continuous control of the user/attendant. The device shall not penetrate more than one floor. A full passenger enclosure on the plat- form shall be prohibited.

      2. Equipment Not Covered by This Standard. Equipment not covered by this Standard includes, but is not limited to, the following:

         1. elevators, escalators, moving walkways, material lifts, and dumbwaiters within the scope of ASME A17.1–1997 and later edition

         2. personnel hoists within the scope of ANSI/ASSE A10.4

         3. manlifts within the scope of ASME A90.1

         4. powered platform and equipment for exterior and interior building maintenance within the scope of ASME A120.1

         5. portable equipment

         6. amusement devices

         7. stage and orchestra lifts

      3. Application. This Standard applies to new installations only, except section 10, which applies to new and existing installations.

      4. Effective Date. The requirements of this edi- tion to the Standard are effective as of the date estab- lished by the local regulations of the authority having jurisdiction. Where the Standard has not been adopted by local regulation and a specific edition has not been stipulated by contractual agreement, compliance with this edition is recommended as of the effective date listed in the front of the document.

         
         

   2. Purpose and Exceptions

      The purpose of this Standard is to provide for the safety of life and limb, and to promote public welfare.

      
      

      The provisions of this Standard are not intended to prevent the use of systems, methods, or devices of equiv- alent or superior quality, strength, fire resistance, effec- tiveness, durability, and safety to those prescribed by this Standard, provided that there is technical documen- tation to demonstrate the equivalency of the system, method, or device.

      The specific requirements of this Standard shall be permitted to be modified by the authority having juris- diction based upon technical documentation or physical performance verification to allow alternative arrange- ments that will assure safety equivalent to that which would be provided by conformance to the correspond- ing requirements of this Standard.

   3. Definitions

This section defines various terms used in this Standard.

alteration: any change to equipment other than mainte- nance, repair, or replacement.

approved: acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction.

authority having jurisdiction: organization, office, or indi- vidual responsible for approving equipment. Where compliance with this Standard has been mandated by law, the “authority having jurisdiction” is the federal, state, or local department or individual so designated in the enacting legislation or administrative regulation.

authorized personnel: persons who have been instructed in the operation of the equipment and designated by the owner to manage the use of the equipment.

building code: an ordinance that sets forth requirements for building design and construction, or where such an ordinance has not been enacted, the International Code Council (ICC), International Building Code (IBC), and International Residential Code (IRC) are the code standards.

cable, traveling: see traveling cable. capacity: see rated load.

certified: a certification by a testing laboratory, a profes- sional engineer, a manufacturer, or a contractor that a device or an assembly conforms to the requirements of this Standard.

combination mechanical lock and electric contact: a combina- tion mechanical and electrical device with two related but entirely independent functions that are

(17)

1