Regulations on Escalators and Moving Sidewalks
National standards require yearly inspections of escalators and moving sidewalks by certified, qualified elevator inspectors to check they meet federal safety standards. Failure to comply can result in fines and shutdown of the equipment.
Other People Are Reading
-
Federal Safety Regulations
-
The approximately 30,000 escalators in the United States are used about 90 billion times annually, moving more passengers than airplanes. The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) sets minimum inspection standards for escalators and moving sidewalks under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA's) workplace safety regulations.
Detailed engineering specifications are set out in Section A17.1 of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators, while Section A17.3 governs older escalators, many of which have been in operation for up to 100 years.
State and Local Standards
-
State and local jurisdictions may also impose standards under public health and safety codes, labor codes and building codes.
-
Yearly Inspections
-
Moving sidewalks and escalators require constant safety monitoring and repair by qualified engineers. The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) requires records of yearly inspections and load limits be posted near the equipment. Violations of minimum safety standards can result in fines or shutdown of the escalator or moving sidewalk.
Qualifications of Inspectors
-
To assess escalator or moving sidewalk safety an inspector must be certified as a qualified elevator inspector by the National Association of Elevator Safety Authorities.
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit escalator image by Cédric Bogdanski from Fotolia.com
