§ 7.14. Tests.
(a) New passengers and freight elevators shall be tested in the presence of a Department inspector to see that the car safeties, speed governors, brakes, bumpers, limit switches, and the like, perform their proper functions. The car safeties shall be tested with the elevator car carrying the maximum allowable load. In making the final test the hoisting cables shall be detached from the car, while at a height sufficient to indicate the efficiency of the car safeties. A runaway test is acceptable in lieu of the free drop test when approved safety devices are installed. For reostatic control elevators, the safeties shall be tested by tripping the governor. Broken rope safety devices shall be tested as such.
(b) Existing installations shall be tested as follows:
(1) The car safety of existing installations shall be tested with rated load in the car by tripping the governor by hand at rated speed, within five years of effective date and at least every five years thereafter by a reputable elevator company. Results of the test shall be certified by the elevator company on forms furnished by the Department, indicating the load for which the elevator was tested and a record of such test shall be filed with the Department.
(2) A metal data plate furnished by the company performing the test shall be fastened to the car crosshead and show the date of the test and the company performing the test.
(3) The governor shall be tested and the trip speed measured by a tachometer and, if necessary, adjusted to conform to the requirements of this section. Governors shall be resealed after each test. Speed governors for car safeties shall be set to trip at over speeds as follows:
(i) At not less than 115% of rated car speed.
(ii) At not more than the tripping speed listed opposite the applicable rated speed in the following table: Maximum Speeds at which Speed Governor Trips
and Governor Overspeed Switch Operates
Rated Speed
(in feet per minute)Maximum Governor
Trip Speed
(in feet per minute)Maximum Speed at which
Governor Overspeed
Switch Operates
(down feet per minute)0—125 175 175 150 210 190 175 250 225 200 280 252 225 308 277 250 337 303 300 395 355 350 452 407 400 510 459 450 568 512 500 625 563 600 740 703 700 855 812 800 970 921 900 1085 1031 1000 1200 1140 1100 1320 1254 1200 1440 1368 1300 1560 1482 1400 1680 1596 1500 1800 1710 (4) Speed governors, where provided for counterweight safeties, shall be set to trip at an overspeed greater than, but not more than 10% above, that at which the car speed governor is set to trip.
(5) Broken rope safeties shall be drop tested.
(6) The provisions of this subsection do not apply to hand-powered freight elevators.
(c) New escalators shall be tested in the presence of a Department inspector. The test shall consist of a physical examination of the escalator parts together with a running test of the escalator without load, including a test of all the safety features prescribed in § 7.324 (relating to safety equipment).
(d) On the completion of any device provided for by this chapter, the owner, builder, contractor, manufacturer, or other responsible party or parties, shall file with the Department notice in writing that such installation has been constructed and installed in accordance with the plans as approved. Upon receipt of such notice the Department may arrange for inspection of the installation by a Department inspector.
(e) New elevators, escalators, dumbwaiters, gravity elevators and hoists shall not be operated temporarily pending final completion without permission of the Department.
Source The provisions of this § 7.14 amended through June 21, 1974, 4 Pa.B. 1282. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (8047) and (8048).
Cross References This section cited in 34 Pa. Code § 7.251 (relating to general).
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