Lift, Escalator and Passenger Conveyor Regulations, 1994

2. Permission to install and use

1) No person shall install or permit the installation of a lift, escalator or passenger conveyor unless -

  1. he has notified the regional director hereof in the form of Annexure 1, who shall allocate an official number for the lift, escalator or passenger conveyor; (The forms are all available in Word for Windows format. See the Forms section for more details.)
  2. he has been allocated the official number contemplated in paragraph (a); and
  3. such installation meets the requirements of these regulations and complies with the standards and specifications incorporated into these regulations in terms of section 44 of the Act.

2) Subject to the provisions of subregulation (4), no person shall put into use or require or permit the use of a lift, escalator or passenger conveyor unless he is in possession of a comprehensive report issued in terms of regulation 5(1) : Provided that such report is completed by a registered person and is not older than 36 months: Provided further that a new comprehensive report shall be compiled after each modification to or failure of, such lift, escalator or passenger conveyor.

3) Whenever there is a change in the designation of the competent person or firm designated to examine and maintain a lift, escalator or passenger conveyor in terms of regulation 6.(1), the user shall obtain a new comprehensive report.

4) Subregulation (2) shall apply only after 1 May 1997 to a lift, escalator or passenger conveyor registered with the Department prior to the commencement of these regulations.

5) The user of a lift which does not operate automatically, shall appoint the operator of such lift in writing and instruct him in the dangers of its operation.

3. Design and Construction

1) No person shall use or modify or permit the use or modification of any lift, escalator or passenger conveyor unless -

  1. such lift, escalator or passenger conveyor has been designed or constructed or modified in accordance with the relevant standard or specification pertaining to such lift, escalator or passenger conveyor and which is incorporated for this purpose in these regulations in terms of section 44 of the Act; and
  2. the requirements of The National Building Regulations, if applicable, have been complied with:

Provided that a lift, escalator or passenger conveyor installed prior to 1 May 1994, shall be deemed to comply with these regulations or said specifications if it complies with the regulations or specifications which were in force at the time such lift, escalator or passenger conveyor was installed.

2) The user shall ensure that all electrical components of a lift, escalator or passenger conveyor installed in a location where there is a danger of fire or explosion due to the presence, occurrence or development of explosive or flammable atmospheres, or where explosive articles are manufactured, handled or stored, is in compliance with regulation 8 of the Electrical Machinery Regulations, 1988, published under Government notice R 1593 of 12 August 1988.

4. Particulars of lifts, escalators or passenger conveyors

1) The user shall ensure that every lift, escalator or passenger conveyor is marked in the machine room or machine compartment, as the case may be, in a conspicuous place, with the following particulars:

  1. the name of the manufacturer;
  2. the year of installation;
  3. the official number contemplated in regulation 2(1)(a);
  4. the rated speed; and
  5. the rated load in kilograms.

2) Where machinery of more than one lift, escalator or passenger conveyor is installed in one room or compartment, as the case may be, the user shall ensure that all machinery and switchgear of each unit are distinctly and permanently marked with the same distinguishing mark which shall differ from the distinguishing mark of machinery and switch-gear of any other unit in that room or compartment.

3) The user shall keep an up-to-date legible schematic electrical wiring diagram in respect of every lift, escalator or passenger conveyor in a safe place in the machine room or machine compartment, as the case may be.

4) The user shall affix or cause to be affixed in a conspicuous place at the main landing of every lift and at every escalator and passenger conveyor, the name and telephone number of the competent person or firm appointed in terms of regulation 6(1).

5. Inspections and Tests

1) The user shall ensure that every lift, escalator or passenger conveyor is inspected and tested in accordance with SABS 1545-10 or the SABS 1543 specification, as the case may be, before such lift, escalator or passenger conveyor is put in use for the first time or after modifications have been affected and at intervals not exceeding 36 months thereafter, by a registered person who shall complete the comprehensive report separately for each lift, escalator or passenger conveyor so inspected and tested and such registered person shall date and sign such report and submit said report within 30 days to the user who shall keep the report in a safe place in the machine room or machine compartment.

2) An inspector may at any reasonable time inspect any lift, escalator or passenger conveyor and the user shall place free of charge at the disposal of the inspector, any workmen and equipment as may be reasonably required by the inspector for the purposes of making such inspection.

6. Maintenance

1) The user shall designate a competent person or firm employing a competent person to examine and maintain a lift, escalator or passenger conveyor at least once a month or at such longer intervals as may be prescribed by the manufacturer of such lift, escalator or passenger conveyor: Provided that an inspector may prescribe any examining intervals he deems necessary.

2) At an examination referred to in subregulation (1), the competent person shall examine the parts as prescribed by the relevant manufacturer or an inspector: Provided that in the case of a lift he shall test all the gate and the door locks at each examination: Provided further that the suspension ropes of a lift shall be examined at six monthly intervals.

3) If an inspection, test or examination carried out in terms of subregulation (1), (2) or regulation 5.(1) shows that a weakness or defect exists whereby persons are endangered, the competent or registered person, as the case may be, shall report the weakness or defect forthwith to the user and the regional director and no person shall be conveyed or be allowed to be conveyed in or on such lift, escalator or passenger conveyor until such defect has been rectified to the satisfaction of a competent or registered person.

4) The user of a lift, escalator or passenger conveyor shall forthwith take steps to stop the working thereof, and to prevent the starting thereof if its use is or is likely to be dangerous.

5) The user of a lift, escalator or passenger conveyor and the person or firm responsible for the examinations referred to in subregulation (1) shall forthwith notify the regional director in writing of the name and address of the person or firm carrying out such examinations.

7. Record keeping

1) The user of a lift, escalator or passenger conveyor shall keep in a safe place in the machine room or machine compartment, as the case may be, a record for every such lift, escalator or passenger conveyor in which he shall enter or cause to be entered -

  1. his name, address and telephone number;
  2. the name, address and telephone number of the competent person or firm designated by him to carry out the examinations in terms of regulation 6(1);
  3. a report of the results of every examination referred to in regulation 6.(1) including any modification, repair work, adjustment and test carried out;
  4. a copy of the latest comprehensive report referred to in regulation 2(2);
  5. the results of the examination referred to in regulation 6.(2) on the conditions of the ropes in the case of a lift suspended by ropes; and
  6. a copy of each report made in terms of section 24(1)(c)(iii) and (iv) of the Act.

2) The user shall keep the reports referred to in subregulation (1) for a period of at least 10 years in the machine room or machine compartment, as the case may be.

8. Offences and Penalties

Any person who contravenes or fails to comply with a provision of these regulations shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine or imprisonment for a period not exceeding 12 months and, in the case of a continuous offence, to an additional fine not exceeding R200 for each day on which the offence continues or to additional imprisonment of one day for each day on which the offence continues: Provided that the period of such additional imprisonment shall not exceed 90 days.

9. Repeal of regulations and Annexures

The following regulations and Annexures are hereby repealed:

  1. Regulations C.113 to C.172, published under Government Notice No. R. 929, dated 28 June 1963;
  2. Regulations C.131A, C.156A, C.160A and Annexure F25(A), published under Government Notice No. R. 2262 of 4 November 1977; and
  3. Annexures F19, F20, F21, F22, F23, F24 and F25 published under Government Notice No. R. 929 dated 28 June 1963.

Annexure 1

The forms are all available in Word for Windows format. See the Forms section for more details.
Form LER-1.

Incorporation of Safety Standards

Government Notice No. R. 875

Department Of Labour
Occupational Health And Safety Act, 1993
Withdrawal of Government Notice and Incorporation of Health
and Safety Standards: Lift, Escalator and Passenger Conveyor Regulations

Under section 44 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1993 (Act No. 85 of 1993), I, Faiza Salie, appointed as chief inspector in terms of section 27 (1) of the said Act, and by virtue of the power delegated to me by the Minister of Labour in terms of section 42 (1) of the Act, after consultation with the Advisory Council for Occupational Health and Safety, hereby withdraw government notice and incorporate in the Lift, Escalator and Passenger Conveyor Regulations, 1994, the health and safety standards specified in the Schedule.

F. Salie
Chief Inspector

SCHEDULE

1) Withdraw Government Notice R. 798 as published on 29 April 1994

2) Incorporate South African Bureau of Standards, standard specifications SABS 1543 Escalators and passenger conveyors.
SABS 1545 Safety rules for the construction and installation of lifts
Part 1 Electric lifts
Part 2 Hydraulic lifts
Part 10 Testing and inspection documents for lifts

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