Subchapter G. MANLIFTS
GENERAL Sec.
7.211. Applicability.
7.212. Removal from service.
7.213. Approval and operation.
SPECIFICATIONS
7.221. Locked doors.
7.222. Floor openings.
7.223. Landings.
7.224. Landing guards.
7.225. Floor opening guards.
7.226. Protection of entrances and exits.
7.227. Bottom arrangement.
7.228. Top clearances.
7.229. Emergency exit ladders.
7.230. Illumination.
7.231. Machines.
7.232. Exhibits—safety diagrams.
7.233. Speed.
7.234. Steps.
7.235. Handholds.
7.236. Stops.
7.237. Safety.
7.238. Signs required.
7.239. Carriage of materials and tools.
7.240. Acceptance tests.
GENERAL
§ 7.211. Applicability.
This subchapter applies only to new manlifts installed in parking garages and industrial buildings, such as grain and feed mills, chemical and alcohol distilleries, cement storage towers and similar industries, for the exclusive use of certain designated operating or maintenance employes, when transportation of the persons is required for a distance of several floors. No persons other than the employes may be permitted to ride thereon.
§ 7.212. Removal from service.
Manlifts shall be removed or sealed out of service upon the termination of the service for which they were originally installed.
§ 7.213. Approval and operation.
Plans and specifications for manlifts shall be filed with the Department and an erection permit secured in accordance with § 7.31 (relating to submission and approval of plans) and section 11 of the act of May 2, 1929 (P. L. 1518, No. 452) (35 P. S. § 1351), before the work of installation is started. On the completion of the elevators, they shall be inspected and tested by the Department and not placed in regular operation until the Department issues a certificate of operation. The elevators shall be subject to reinspection at least every 6 months, in accordance with § § 7.15 and 7.16 (relating to inspection; and inspectors), and section 7 of the act of May 2, 1929 (P. L. 1518, No. 452) (35 P. S. § 1347).
SPECIFICATIONS
§ 7.221. Locked doors.
When manlifts are located in buildings, such as parking garages, to which the public has access, they shall be located in an enclosure protected by self-closing, spring-locked doors, at all floors to which the public has access. Keys to the doors shall be limited to employes. In lieu of spring-locked doors, which require a key, a magnetic-type lock is permitted. If the actuating pushbutton is located at least 7 feet above the floor in an inconspicuous location.
§ 7.222. Floor openings.
(a) Floor openings for a manlift shall be uniform in size, be approximately circular and be located vertically above the opening below it.
(b) Floor openings for both up and down runs shall conform to the following:
Belt
(in inches)Floor Opening Width
(in inches)12 28—32 14 34—38 16 36—40 (c) Floor openings shall extend not more than 24 inches nor more than 28 inches from the face of the belt.
Cross References This section cited in 34 Pa. Code § 7.223 (relating to landings).
§ 7.223. Landings.
(a) The clearance between the floor or mounting platform and the lower edge of the conical guard required by § 7.224 (relating to landing guards) shall be not less than 7 feet, 6 inches. When such clearance cannot be obtained, no access to the manlifts shall be provided and the manlift runway shall be enclosed where it passes through such floor.
(b) Adequate lighting of not less than three foot-candles shall be provided at each floor landing at all times when the manlift is in operation.
(c) The floor space adjacent to floor openings shall be free from obstruction and kept clear at all times.
(d) The landing surfaces at the entrances and exits to manlifts shall be so constructed and maintained as to provide safe footing at all times, with a coefficient of friction of not less than 0.05.
(e) When there is a travel of 50 feet or more between floor landings, one or more emergency platforms shall be provided so that there is a landing, either floor or emergency, for every 25 feet or less of travel. Such emergency landings shall be accessible from both runs of the manlift and shall give access to the ladder required in § 7.229 (relating to emergency exit ladders). Emergency platforms shall be enclosed with a standard railing and toeboard, which shall correspond in size and position to the floor openings required by § 7.222 (relating to floor openings). Such platforms may be arranged to give access to vertical bucket conveyors or other equipment for the purpose of inspection, lubrication, and repair. Runways to such equipment are considered part of the emergency platform and shall be provided with standard railings and toeboards.
Cross References This section cited in 34 Pa. Code § 7.230 (relating to illumination).
§ 7.224. Landing guards.
(a) On the ascending side of a manlift, landings shall be provided with a bevel guard or cone meeting the following requirements:
(1) The cone shall make an angle of not less than 45 degrees with the horizontal. An angle of 60° or greater shall be used where ceiling heights permit.
(2) The guard shall extend at least 36 inches outward from the face of the belt, but not beyond the upper surface of the floor above.
(3) The cone shall be made of not less than No. 18 U.S. gage sheet steel or material of equivalent strength or stiffness. The lower ledge shall be rolled to a minimum diameter of 1/2 inch and the interior shall be smooth with no rivets, bolts, or screws protruding.
(b) It should be noted that cones on the down run of the belt serve as fairly effective fire stops and tend to prevent the loss of warm air from lower floors.
Cross References This section cited in 34 Pa. Code § 7.223 (relating to landings).
§ 7.225. Floor opening guards.
(a) The floor opening at each landing shall be guarded on sides not used for entrance or exit by a standard railing and toeboard or by panels or wire mesh of not less than No. 10 U.S. gage, expanded metal of not less than No. 13 U.S. gage or sheet metal of equivalent strength or metal on a frame of angle iron not less than 1 1/4 inch by 1 1/4 inch by 1/8 inch or of 1 1/4 inch iron pipe.
(b) Such rails or guards shall be at least 42 inches in height on the up-running side and 66 inches on the down-running side. If a guardrail is used the section of the guard above the rail may be of the construction specified in subsection (a), or may consist of vertical metal bars which will reject a ball 6 inches in diameter. Rails or guards shall be located not more than one foot from the edge of the floor opening.
§ 7.226. Protection of entrances and exits.
(a) The entrances and exits at all floors or landings affording access to a manlift shall be guarded by a maze (staggered railing) or a handrail equipped with self-closing gates.
(b) Such rails shall be standard guardrails with toeboards meeting the requirements of a standard railing and toeboard as prescribed in this chapter.
(c) Gates, if used, shall open outward and be self-closing. Corners of such gates shall be rounded.
(d) Maze or staggered openings shall offer no direct passage between enclosure and outer floor space.
(e) Rails shall be located at least 2 feet from the edge of the opening, measured at right angles to the face of the belt and on at least one side parallel with the face of the belt. If lesser clearance exists on the opposite side it shall be uniform throughout the travel of the manlift. The intersection of the top rail and the end post at openings shall be a bend or standard long sweep ell.
(f) Entrances at all landings shall be in the same relative position, except where the building layout prevents.
§ 7.227. Bottom arrangement.
(a) At the bottom landing the clear area shall not be smaller than the area enclosed by the guardrails on the floors above, and any wall in front of the down-running side of the belt shall be not less than 48 inches from the face of the belt. Such space shall not be encroached upon by stairs or ladder.
(b) The lower, or boot pulley shall be installed so that it is supported by the lowest landing served.
(c) A mounting platform shall be provided in front or to one side of the up-run at the lowest landing, unless the floor level is such that the floor or platform is at or above the point at which the upper surface of the ascending step assumes a horizontal position.
(d) An allowance for belt stretch shall be made in the original layout.
§ 7.228. Top clearances.
(a) A top clearance shall be provided of at least 11 feet above the top terminal landing. Such clearance shall be maintained from a plane through each face of the belt to a vertical cylindrical plane having a diameter of 2 feet greater than the diameter of the floor opening, and extending upward from the top floor to the ceiling on the up-running side of the belt. No encroachment of structural or machine-supporting members within such space is permitted.
(b) There shall be a clearance of at least 5 feet between the center of the head pulley shaft and any ceiling obstruction. The center of the head-pulley shaft shall be not less than six feet above the top terminal landing.
§ 7.229. Emergency exit ladders.
A fixed metal ladder accessible from both the up and down-run of the manlift shall be provided when the vertical distance between landings exceeds 20 feet, and be in accordance with existing laws governing ladders. An enclosing cage shall not be provided.
Cross References This section cited in 34 Pa. Code § 7.223 (relating to landings).
§ 7.230. Illumination.
Both runs of a manlift shall be illuminated at all times when it is in operation. An intensity of not less than 1 foot-candle shall be maintained at all points. Landings shall be illuminated as provided in § 7.223 (relating to landings).
§ 7.231. Machines.
(a) Types. Machines shall be of the direct-connected type or shall be driven by multiple V-belts. Cast iron gears shall not be used.
(b) Brake. A mechanically-applied, electrically released brake shall be applied to the motor shaft for direct connected units or to the input shaft for belt-driven units. The brake shall be capable of stopping and holding the manlift when the descending side is loaded with 250 pounds on each step.
(c) Belt. Belts shall conform to the following:
(1) Material. The belts shall be made of hardwoven canvas, rubber-coated canvas, leather, or other material meeting the strength requirements of paragraph(s) of this subsection, and having a coefficient of friction such that when used in conjunction with an adequate tension device it will meet the brake test specified in subsection (b).
(2) Width. The width of belts shall conform to the following:
Minimum Width
(in inches)Total Travel
(in feet)12 0—100 14 100—150 16 More than 150 (3) Strength. The strength of belts shall be not less than 1,500 pounds per inch of belt width for belts having a distance between pulley centers not in excess of 100 feet and 1,800 pounds per inch of belt width for belts having a distance between pulley centers of over 100 feet but in excess of 200 feet for over 200 feet, 2,450 pounds per inch of belt width.
(4) Belt fastenings. Belts shall be fastened by a lapped splice or shall be butt-spliced with a strap on each side of the belt as follows:
(i) For lapped splices, the overlap of the belt at the splice shall be not less than three feet when the total travel of the manlift does not exceed 100 feet and not less than four feet if the travel exceeds 100 feet.
(ii) When butt splices are used the straps shall extend not less than 3 feet on one side of the butt for a travel not in excess of 100 feet and 4 feet for a travel in excess of 100 feet.
(iii) For 12 inch belts, the joint shall be fastened with not less than 20 special elevator bolts, each of a minimum diameter of 1/4 inch. Such bolts shall be arranged symmetrically in five rows so arranged as to cover the area of the joint effectively. Reference should be made to Exhibit B of § 7.232 (relating to exhibits—safety diagrams).
(iv) The minimum number of bolts for a belt width of 14 inches shall be not less than 23 and for belt widths of 16 inches, the number of bolts shall be not less than 27.
(5) Pulleys. Drive pulleys and idler or boot pulleys shall have a diameter of not less than 20 inches.
(d) Pulley protection. The machine shall be so designed and constructed as to catch and hold the driving pulley in the event of shaft failure.
§ 7.232. Exhibits—safety diagrams.
The following diagrams identified as Exhibits A—C show safety standards for manlifts:
EXHIBIT A
EXHIBIT B
EXHIBIT C
Cross References This section cited in 34 Pa. Code § 7.231 (relating to machines).
§ 7.233. Speed.
No manlift designed for a speed in excess of 80 feet per minute shall be installed.
§ 7.234. Steps.
(a) Steps or platforms shall be not less than 12 inches nor more than 14 inches deep, measured from the belt to the edge of the step or platform.
(b) The width of a step or platform shall be not less than the width of the belt to which it is attached.
(c) The distance between steps shall be equally spaced and not less than nine feet, measured from the upper surface of one step to the upper surface of the step above it.
(d) The surface of a step shall approximately make a horizontal position with the up and down-run of the belt.
(e) The upper or working surfaces of steps shall be of a material having inherent nonslip characteristics or be covered completely by a securely fastened nonslip tread.
(f) When subjected to a load of 400 pounds applied at the approximate center of the step, step frames or supports and their guides shall be of adequate strength to prevent any of the following:
(1) The disengagement of any step roller.
(2) Any appreciable misalignment.
(3) Any visible deformation of a step or its support.
(g) No step shall be provided unless there is a corresponding handhold above or below it meeting the requirements of § 7.235 (relating to handholds). If a step is removed permanently for repairs, the handholds immediately above and below it shall be removed before the lift is again placed in service.
§ 7.235. Handholds.
(a) Handholds attached to a belt shall be provided and so installed that they are not less than four feet nor more than 4 feet 8 inches, above the step tread, and shall be so located as to be available on both the up and down-run of the belt.
(b) The grab surface of handholds shall be not less than 4 1/2 inches in width. Fastenings shall not come within 1 inch of the edge of the belt.
(c) Handholds shall be capable of withstanding without damage a load of 300 pounds applied parallel to the run of the belt.
(d) No handhold shall be provided without a corresponding step. If a handhold is removed permanently or temporarily, the corresponding step and handhold for the opposite direction of travel shall also be removed before the lift is placed in service.
(e) Handholds shall be of the closed type.
Cross References This section cited in 34 Pa. Code § 7.234 (relating to steps).
§ 7.236. Stops.
(a) Up limit stop. Two separate automatic stop devices shall be provided to cut off the power and supply the brake when a loaded step passes the upper terminal landing, in accordance with the following:
(1) One automatic stop device shall consist of a switch mechanically operated by the belt or step roller. The other shall consist of one of the following:
(i) A roller switch placed above and out of line with the first limit switch.
(ii) A photocell and light source (electric eye).
(iii) A switch actuated by a lever, rod or plate, the latter placed above the head pulley so as to just clear a passing step.
(2) After the manlift is stopped it shall be necessary to reset the automatic stop manually. The device shall be so located at the top landing that a person resetting it shall have a clear view of both the up and down-runs of the manlift. It shall not be possible to reset the device from any step or platform.
(3) The stopping device shall function so that the manlift is stopped before the loaded step has reached a point 24 inches above the top terminal landing.
(4) Electrical requirements are as follows:
(i) When switches open the main motor circuit directly they shall be of the multiple type.
(ii) When photoelectric devices are used they shall be so designed and installed that the failure of the light sources, light sensitive element, or of any other vacuum tubes employed in the circuit will result in shutting off the power to the driving motor.
(iii) Unless of the oil-immersed type, controller contacts carrying the main motor current shall be copper to carbon, except when the circuit is broken at two or more points simultaneously.
(iv) Electric manlifts, operated by polyphases alternating current motors, shall be provided with relays of the potential type or other approved devices, which prevent starting the motor if the phase rotation is in the wrong direction, or if there is a failure in any phase.
(b) Down limit stop. An automatic stop device shall be provided to cut off the power and apply the brake if a loaded step passes the bottom terminal landing.
(c) Emergency stop. An emergency stop means shall be provided, in accordance with the following:
(1) The stop means shall be within easy reach of the ascending and descending runs of the belt.
(2) The stop means shall be so connected with the control lever or operating mechanism that it cuts off the power and applies the brake when pulled in the direction of travel.
(3) The stop may consist of a cotton rope with a wire center, manila or sisal rope, or may be made of suitable lengths of metallic pipe or tubing. If rope is used, it shall be not less than 3/8 inch in diameter. Wire rope, unless marlin-covered, shall not be used.
(4) The emergency stop may be used for normal starting and stopping where the manlift does not run continuously.
§ 7.237. Safety.
All parts of the machine shall have a factor of safety of six based on a load of 200 pounds on each horizontal step on the up and down-runs. Any stresses set up during acceleration or stopping are presumed to be taken care of in such factor of safety.
§ 7.238. Signs required.
(a) Instruction signs. Signs of conspicuous and easily read style giving instructions for the use of the manlift shall be posted at each landing or stenciled on the belt. Such signs shall be of letters not less than one inch in height and of a color having high contrast with the surface on which it is stenciled or painted, such as white or yellow on black or black on white or gray. The instruction shall read approximately as follows:
Face the belt. Use the handhold. To stop—pull rope. (b) Top floor warning. At the top floor an illuminated sign shall be displayed, and shall conform to the following:
(1) It shall bear the words, ‘‘Top floor—get off.’’
(2) Such signs shall be in block letters not less than 2 inches in height.
(3) The sign shall be located within easy view of an ascending passenger and not more than 2 feet above the top terminal landing.
(4) As an alternate for such sign, a red light of not less than a 40-watt rating may be provided immediately below the upper terminal landing and so located as to shine in the face of a passenger.
(c) Visitor warning. A conspicuous sign having the legend: ‘‘Employes only—visitors keep off,’’ shall be displayed at each landing. Such sign shall be of block letters not less than 2 inches in height and of a color offering high contrast with the background color.
§ 7.239. Carriage of materials and tools.
(a) No freight or packaged goods shall be carried on a manlift.
(b) No pipe, lumber or other construction material shall be carried on a manlift.
(c) No tools, except those which fit entirely within a pocket in usual working clothes, shall be carried on a manlift, except as provided in subsection (d).
(d) Tools may be carried in a canvas bag not larger than 11 by 13 inches and provided with carrying loops or handles. Such bag shall be provided with a leather bottom, and not provided with shoulder straps, but shall be carried in the hands of passengers while riding the manlift.
§ 7.240. Acceptance tests.
(a) Up capacity. A manlift with 200 pounds on each horizontal step of the up-run shall show no appreciable slip of the belt when standing or running at rated speed.
(b) Down capacity. A manlift with 200 pounds on each horizontal step of the down-run shall show no appreciable slip of the belt when standing or running at rated speed. The brake shall stop and hold the belt with test load.
(c) Loaded step deflection. Each step shall be subject to a 400-pound proof load applied to the center of the step with the machine stationary. The guides shall not be displaced and there shall be no visible deformation or misalignment of the step or its support during the test.
(d) Strength of handhold. Each handhold shall support a load of 300 pounds without appreciable deformation or injury to its fastenings. Such test shall be made with the machine stationary.
(e) Final limit stop. The ‘‘up’’ final limit shall be tested by placing a weight of 100 pounds on the approximate center of the step or platform and running the machine in the ‘‘up’’ direction until the lift is stopped by the limit stop.
(f) Emergency stop. The machine shall be stopped on both the up and down-run by means of the emergency stop.
(g) Speed. Speed shall be taken and checked against specified (rated) speed. It shall not exceed the rated speed by more than 10% when running empty.
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