Introduction

From September 26 through November 3, 2023, Technical Safety BC engaged with the elevating devices industry on the following proposals:

• adopting the most recent editions of the elevating devices codes;
• adopting a new series of codes for mast climbing transport platforms;
• proposing certification to formalize permissions for individuals such as supervisors and consultants to access elevator hoistways; and
• formalizing maintenance requirements for driving machine brakes into regulation.

This report summarizes the feedback we heard throughout the consultation.

Outreach and Participation

Before the consultation, we formed three code review advisory groups, made up of 20 industry experts who helped identify major impacts in each of the codes. In total, 79 participants provided feedback during the consultation period.

Note: This table counts the number of participants in each method, regardless of whether they participated through multiple feedback methods, were members of multiple advisory groups, or attended multiple meetings.

Participant Type

The intended participants for this consultation were mainly elevating devices contractors and mechanics, as they would be most impacted by the code and proposed regulatory changes. In total, 19 contractors (representing about 33% of licensed elevating devices contractors) and 22 certificate holders (representing less than 1% of elevating devices certificate holders) participated in this consultation. This table shows the number of participants who provided feedback during the consultation period.

Note: “Other” includes contractor licence applicants, members of the public, or unknown. Individual participants are categorized under one participant type.

Feedback

TSBC invited participants to read summaries of the most impactful code changes and regulatory proposals on TSBC's Engage site. Participants responded to an online survey asking about the impacts of various changes and attended virtual meetings with technical experts presenting the code changes.

CSA B44:19 Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators

56% support for adoption

(based on 36 survey participants)

• 70% of participants rated the impact of 3D object detection for elevator doors as positive or minimal. Participants expressed concerns about:
  1. cost vs benefit of this technology;
  2. doors opening unintentionally as people pass by in high traffic areas; and
  3. personal safety if elevator users cannot override the 3D object detection with door close button.
• 71% of participants rated the impact of visual two-way communication systems as positive or minimal. Participants expressed concerns about:
  1. cost of implementation; and
  2. privacy for people with sensitive business, such as jury members.
• 79% of participants rated the impact of taking defective equipment out of service as positive or minimal. Participants asked for clarification on what kinds of equipment would affect the "safe operation" of an elevating device.
• Some participants suggested that TSBC adopt the CSA B44:22 instead of the CSA B44:19.

CSA B355:19 Platform lifts and stair lifts for barrier-free access

75% support for adoption

(based on 12 survey respondents)

• 75% of participants rated the impact of alteration requirements as positive or minimal.
• 59% of participants rated the impact of two-way communication for unenclosed vertical and inclined platform lifts as positive or minimal. Participants expressed concerns about challenges to retroactively implementing two-way communication to existing lifts.

CSA Z185:23 Safety code for personnel hoists

80% support for adoption

(based on 10 survey respondents)

• 79% of participants rated the impact of maintenance and record-keeping requirements on their operations as positive or minimal. Participants made the following comments:
  1. maintenance requirements improve safety;
  2. potential delays because only a few companies can perform non-destructive testing; and
  3. interest in potential future changes to the hoist operator training program.

CSA B354.12:17, B354.13:17, B354.14:17 for mast climbing transport platforms (MCTPs)

33% would consider using MCTPs

(based on 9 survey and discussion & feedback session participants)

EDSR proposal: Hoistway access

92% consider it important to restrict hoistway access to certified individuals

(based on 38 survey respondents)

• Participants commented that restricting the scope of work is very important to safety of elevator mechanics working in the hoistway, including clarifying what an individual can or cannot do.
• 95% of participants rated specific training on hoistway safety and protocols as important. Participants commented:
  1. training should be similar to the level of training as an elevator mechanic; and
  2. specific training may be needed for various types of equipment, as different hoistways have different access procedures.

EDSR proposal: Driving machine brake maintenance

(based on 20 survey respondents)

• Most participants had no concerns about moving the driving machine brake maintenance requirements into regulation.
  

Next Steps

After a code consultation, TSBC reviews and considers the feedback we receive. We then recommend to the Province of BC whether to adopt the codes and make the proposed changes to the Elevating Devices Safety Regulation. We will provide an update to the elevating devices industry on the outcomes and the effective date of any changes.