Global Elevator Safety Codes: Comprehensive Codes and Regulations

Elevator design, both mechanical and electrical, must adhere to a variety of safety standards. These standards can be international, national, or localized to specific states, regions, or cities. Traditionally, these standards were prescriptive, detailing exact requirements for compliance. However, there has been a shift towards performance-based standards, placing the responsibility on designers to ensure elevators meet or exceed these benchmarks.

Elevator Safety Codes

ISO 22559-1:2014

Defining GESRs for lifts (elevators), their parts, and their operations, this document also creates a framework and offers solutions for reducing potential safety hazards associated with operating, using, and maintaining lifts (elevators).

Applications of ISO 22559-1:2014 include lifts meant to move people or products that can.

a) be situated in any long-term, stationary structure or facility, with the exception of elevators found in transit vehicles (such as ships);

b) possess any rated load, the load-carrying unit’s (LCU) size, speed, journey distance, and number of landings; c) be impacted by an earthquake, flood, weather, or fire;

c) be foreseeable overused (overloaded, for example), but not damaged.

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The absence of ISO 22559-1:2014 covers

1. All requirements of users with disabilities; or
2. hazards associated with
   • maintenance, testing, or disassembly work on lifts;
   • elevator use for emergency evacuation and firefighting;
   • vandalism; and
   • fire outside the LCU.

The above ISO 22559-1:2014 standard has been withdrawn and revised to the newly published ISO 8100-20:2018, which is also described below for your easy understanding.

• specifies GESRs for lifts (elevators), their components and functions, and
• establishes a system and provides methods for minimizing safety risks that can arise in the course of, the operation and use of, or work on, lifts (elevators).

NOTE 1 Hereinafter, the term “lift” is used instead of the term “elevator”.

NOTE 2 See Clause 5 regarding the use and application of this document.

This document is applicable to lifts that are intended to carry persons or persons and goods that can:

a) be located in any permanent and fixed structure or building, except lifts located in means of transport, (e.g. ships);

b) have any

1. rated load, size of load carrying unit and speed, and
2. travel distance and number of landings;

c) be affected by fire in the load-carrying unit (LCU), earthquake, weather, or flood;

d) be foreseeably misused (e.g. overloaded) but not vandalized.

This document does not cover

a) all needs of users with disabilities; [1] or

b) risks arising from

1. work on lifts under construction, testing, or during alterations and dismantling;
2. use of lifts for fire fighting and emergency evacuation;
3. vandalism; and
4. fire outside the LCU.

[1] Although the GESRs specified in this document have been identified and evaluated by risk assessment, not all disabilities or combinations of such disabilities of users have necessarily been addressed.

1. US: ASME A17, converged with the ISO 22559 series, which includes:

Part 1: Global Essential Safety Requirements (GESRs)

Part 2: Safety Parameters Meeting GESRs

Part 3: Global Conformity Assessment Procedures (GCAP): Prerequisites for Certification of Conformity

Part 4: GCAP: Certification and Accreditation Requirements ISO/TC 178 serves as the Technical Committee for Lifts, Escalators, and Moving Walks.

2. Canada: CAN/CSA B44
3. Australia: AS1735
4. Europe: EN 81 series (including EN 81-20, EN 81-21, EN 81-28, EN 81-70, EN 12015, EN 12016, EN 13015, etc.)
5. India: Indian Standard – Installation and Maintenance of Home Lifts (Code of Practice 2002)

Compliance with Building Codes

Elevators must also comply with building codes that cover earthquake resilience, fire safety, electrical wiring, and more. In the US, the American National Elevator Standards Group (ANESG) mandates a standard elevator capacity of 1,000 kg (2,200 lb).

Accessibility Requirements

Laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act may require additional accessibility features. Elevators capable of accommodating a stretcher are indicated with a Star of Life.

Specific Standards in the US and Canada

The ASME A17.1, Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators, is applicable to passenger elevators in the US and Canada. In Canada, this standard is harmonized with CAN/CSA B44. Furthermore, local authorities may mandate that elevators fulfill the A17.3 standard for structures that already exist. As required by local laws, elevators must undergo testing on a regular basis.

Ancillary Building Codes

Elevators are also subject to various ancillary building codes, including those related to fire safety, plumbing, and HVAC systems. They must comply with civil rights legislation regarding accessibility, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Residential and Specialized Elevators

Residential elevators must meet ASME A17.1 standards, while platform and wheelchair lifts should comply with ASME A18.1 in most US jurisdictions.

Permit and Inspection Requirements

Elevators typically have a permit that must be displayed or available upon request, indicating compliance with operational standards. Some jurisdictions may allow this permit to be kept in a maintenance office or a similar location, with notices posted in the elevator informing passengers of this arrangement.