Liftinstituut Magazine International 2013

magazine int Rijksmuseum Amsterdam restored to its former glory and provided WITH 23 new lifts

> EN 81-72 revised > Evacuation from high-rise buildings > PESSRAL up and coming

LEGISLATION AND POLICY

Chairman CEN/TC 10 informs you

INSTRUCTIONAL

Energy measurements requested

LIFTINSTITUUT INFO

Lift sector information

SECTORNEWS

Production and assembly of stairlifts

F ORE WORD

Lift industry in full motion Focus on higher user safety and lower production costs The expectation is that almost half of the lifts that will be produced over the coming years will end up in China. No wonder that the lift industry worldwide would like to capitalise on this too.

It would seem that the best way of achieving this would mean producing the lifts there, in accordance with the local market’s requirements.

High rise In general, the Chinese market requires traction lifts in high-rise buildings, incorporating energy efficiency and cage dimensions geared to Chinese taste. Most of the lift manufacturers operating worldwide choose to have the design of these lifts carried out in European labs and have them

Foreword

produced and assembled on site in China. A good example of such a development is the presentation of a new type of bearing equipment for high-rise lifts.

Globalisation in standardisation Important in this is globalisation in standardisation. After all, as the same safety requirements apply worldwide, a developed product can be safely applied anywhere in the world. For this reason, the arrival of the new standards EN 81-20 and EN 81-50 is so valuable, also as everyone is focused on possibly making them the international standards for lift safety worldwide. Liftinstituut is closely involved in this too and is obviously in favour of this.

PESSRAL In order to apply the safety requirements as incorporated into new safety standards EN 81-20 and EN 81-50 to lift designs, the application of PESSRAL is virtually unavoidable. The new standards, but their predecessors too, standards EN 81-1 and -2:A3, offer the necessary room for this. This issue features the necessary information on the new standards, on PESSRAL and on the training sessions offered by Liftinstituut in this area.

As always, Liftinstituut is pleased to share its knowledge with you via this magazine, but also via training sessions and workshops and lectures during Elevcon and Interlift. We would love to meet you at international lift conferences.

Koos van Lindenberg, editor in chief

2

Liftinstituut Magazine international

CONT ENT

LIFTINSTITUUT MAGAZINE INTERNATIONAL EDITION

EN 81-20 and EN 81-50 leads

16 to PESSRAL

A17.7 offers manufacturers in

Liftinstituut Solutions

34 North America opportunities 23 delivers lift consultancy

L EGI SL AT ION AND P OL IC Y

IN PR AC T ICE

Developments with respect to the EN 81-20 and 81-50 and other standards Lifts in wind turbines Revision of standard EN 81-72 for fire-fighter lifts Liftinstituut represented in main international standardisation committees Stairlifts and a free fall of over 3 metres PESSRAL: a big revolution in the lift industry?

4 8 10 12 14 16

18 19 20 23

M ANAGEMENT Rijksmuseum restored back to its former glory

Liftinstituut guides with certification according to ASME A17.7/CSA B44.7

34

INS T RUC T IONAL Energy measurements provide clarity

36

S AF ER Use of lifts always necessary for full evacuation from high-rise buildings 38

L IF T INS T I T UUT INF OR M AT ION Introducing... our people Safety knowledge is the great power of Liftinstituut International developments in the lift industry Partnership: Characteristic of Liftinstituut Solutions

CEOC: independent product

40 certification essential

26

SEC TOR NE W S CEOC makes itself strong for product safety in Europe The shortest escalator in the world UltraRope hoisting technology from Kone Otis launches GeN2 Switch Handicare ensures accessibility

40 43 43 43 44

colofon Liftinstituut Magazine is issued

by Liftinstituut: your guide when it comes to safety and quality in vertical transport.

Safety and quality become more and more important for your daily operational management. Which requirements should your processes, systems, products, services, working conditions and competencies now legally meet? What are your obligations? What should be recommended? Which path should you follow to obtain the required certification fast and efficient?

Liftinstituut will point out the path in the current jungle of legislation, knowledge and safeguards.

This magazine will help you as well

with this. We will offer you full support. Not just as a simple service provider but as an involved and participating partner which continuously helps you to find the right solution. From start to certification.

Office Liftinstituut Solutions Gedempt Hamerkanaal 35 1021 KL Amsterdam Tel. + 31 (0)20 – 494 27 40 Fax + 31 (0)20 – 494 26 77 E-mail: contact@liftinstituutsolutions.com

Offices Head Office Liftinstituut Buikslotermeerplein 381 P.O. Box 36027 1020 MA Amsterdam The Netherlands Tel. + 31 (0)20 – 435 06 06 E-mail: contact@liftinstituut.com www.liftinstituut.com. www.liftinstituutsolutions.com.

Branch office in Turkey Liftinstituut Turkey Tavuçuyolu Çetin Cd. Yunus Emre Sk. No.2 Inspecco Plaza Yukari Dudullu Ümraniye - Istanbul Turkey Tel: + 90 216 499 50 75 + 90 216 499 50 85 + 90 216 499 50 95 E-mail: contact@liftinstituut.com.tr

Management Bas Mulder managing director John van Vliet technical director Albert Jan van Ommen manager business unit Certification Dennis Lindeboom international account manager Oebele van Foeken international account & engineering manager This magazine reports about: • new safety regulations • safety interpretations • new developments • standards and codes

Copyright Reproduction of articles is only admitted if requested in writing to the Liftinstituut.

Disclaimer The contents of this magazine have been assembled with the greatest care. Still, we cannot completely rule out incorrect or incomplete information. The Liftinstituut hereby rejects any liability for any errors or omissions contained within this magazine.

Editorial staff Els Jelierse and Koos van Lindenberg

Liftinstituut Magazine international

3

L EGI SL AT ION AND P OL IC Y

Developments with respect to the EN 81-20 and 81-50 and other standards Market surveillance becomes more and more important Esfandiar Gharibaan is the chairman of CEN/TC 10 (the technical committee for lifts, escalators and moving walks). Therefore, he has a broad overview of developments in codes and standards. When asked, he was gladly willing to share his knowledge and views with this magazine and its readers.

Two standards instead of one There are more than 400 CEN-committees. CEN/TC 10 is the oldest one that is still active. CEN/TC 10 Working Group 1 (WG1) focuses on lifts and has more than 30 members from National Standardization Bodies that are member of CEN. EN 81-20 and 81-50 are the main standards that WG1 has focused on in the last few years. Those standards will replace EN 81-1 and EN 81-2 standards. While EN 81-20 formulates the safety and technical requirements for electric and hydraulic lifts, EN 81-50 describes calculation, testing and examinations of lift components. Gharibaan explains the reason for this change: “By this structure many redundancies of the text between the standards have been removed and it also makes it easier to find information within those standards. I believe they have become more user-friendly and more flexible to revise or amend in the future. But of course CEN/TC 10 will be careful with the number of amendments and their timing, to avoid unnecessary disturbance for the industry.’’

Development of the EN 81-20 and -50

Esfandiar Gharibaan, chairman of CEN/TC 10: “Much of my working time is spent on my responsibility as the chairman of CEN/TC 10 and all related activities.’’

Gharibaan states that much of his working time is spent on his responsibility as the chairman of CEN/TC 10 and all related activities. He, for instance, also attends several meetings of other CEN- and ISO-committees, working groups and task forces. “I can only do my job as a chairman if I know about the on-going issues and if I am well-informed about the discussions and position of stakeholders on those issues.’’

4

Liftinstituut Magazine international

Development of these standards took a long time. Gharibaan explains why: “These are the main and most comprehensive standards for lifts. We wanted to make sure that the revision includes needs and requirements of the users and stakeholders of those standards as much as possible.’’

Considering that requirements of EN 81-1/-2 are widely used for new lifts around the world, experts from outside Europe have been involved from the beginning of the EN 81-20- and 50-development. Gharibaan: “We have utilized the cooperation agreement between CEN and ISO and ISOexperts from China, Japan, Korea and the USA have participated in the preparation process. During the public enquiry, in which we asked for comments on the draft of those standards, we received comments from fourteen non-European countries, mostly from the Asian-Pacific region. This clearly shows that there is a worldwide interest for the EN 81-20 and -50. We have considered every single comment seriously and most of them have been accepted.’’

L EGI SL AT ION AND P OL IC Y

Major changes/highlights 81-20 When asked about the major changes/highlights of the EN 81-20 with respect to the EN 81-1/-2, Gharibaan divides this into two main aspects: safety of the passengers and safety of the workers.

■■ From the passenger’s safety perspective he mentions, for example, the changes made for landing and car doors. “All the landing doors need to fulfill a pendulum shock test and the forces that they have to withstand are increased. These changes are necessary to limit the deformation of the doors. There are also additional retainers requested for the doors, to hold the doors when the main guiding elements of the door fail.’’ Furthermore, the EN 81-20 describes the measures to be taken to prevent lift passengers from being hit by the closing doors. “People may lose their balance when hit by the closing doors, which can also lead to fall and its consequences. These measures apply to doors of all lifts.’’

■■ Related to the safety of workers, the EN 81-20 requires larger refuge spaces on the car roof and in the pit. “The new requirements relate to the number of persons that may be present on the car roof and in the pit. Each person must have his own refuge space. The refuge space therefore can become bigger, depending on the number of persons expected to be present. Labels on the car roof and in the pit should indicate the number of persons allowed in those areas.’’ A new requirement in EN 81-20 is to provide a control station in the pit. This allows the maintenance mechanic in the pit to move the car under own control and prevents unnecessary risks while the car is moved by someone else outside the pit.

Another very import change is the addition of a ‘bypass operation’ for the car and landing door locks. “The main cause of disruption of lifts is the door locks. Workers sometimes need to over connect contacts to determine the cause of the failure in the lift, but there is a risk that they may forget to remove those over connections.

This is a cause of a great risk when the lift is in normal operation. In the EN 81-20 a clear bypass operation for the lift is described.’’

“The transition period for the EN 81-20 and -50 of three years is the absolute maximum. The industry needs to be ready on time.’’

Risk management is leading His several remarks regarding preventing accidents, lead to our question whether accidents were leading to come to new standards. Gharibaan’s answer is that the accident reports are important input, but in addition CEN/TC 10/WG1 has focused on avoiding risks in preparing the new standards, using risk assessment methods. “Of course we all want to prevent accidents as much as possible.’’

Consequences for notified bodies Gharibaan states that the content of the EN 81-50, which also has to be implemented before July 2017 at the latest, remains mainly the same compared to what is stated about certification in the EN 81-1/-2. “The certification procedures and processes are not changed. But some certificates and testing documents, for instance, have to be adjusted.“

Gharibaan: “We received comments from fourteen non-European countries on the draft of the EN 81-20 and -50. This clearly shows that there is a worldwide interest for these standards.”

Expected implementation date Based on the current status, it is expected that EN 81-20 is to be published by CEN in June 2014. However, EN 81-1 and EN 81-2 will remain valid until June 2017. The implementation of EN 81-20 standard implies that all lift installations and components have to meet the requirements of the new standards as per end of June 2017 at the latest. This is the date that the lift is made available to be used. Gharibaan’s advice is: “Do not wait until that moment, but take care of the design and product adjustments as soon as possible.

Testing and certification of installations and/or components takes time. It is also possible that clients will ask for lifts and components in compliance with EN 81-20, before this deadline. So it is better to be ready as soon as possible.’’

Financial consequences Gharibaan states that the changes in the standards may also have some financial consequences. That’s why he recommends using the transition period to have a good look at the economics of the implementation as well and, if necessary, to adjust contracts. “Try to avoid business risks as much as possible by taking also these matters into account in an early stage.’’

Liftinstituut Magazine international

5

L EGI SL AT ION AND P OL IC Y

Related to the safety of workers, the EN 81-20 requires larger refuge spaces on the car roof and in the pit. These new requirements are related to the number of persons that may be present on the car roof and in the pit.

“The 81-20 and -50 are more flexible to update.”

Accreditation and market surveillance

About CEN and its working groups CEN (an abbreviation for Comité Européen de Normalisation, or European Committee for Standardization) is a European independent non-profit organization. There are more than 400 CEN-committees, with their own working groups, covering many different industrial sectors. The only sectors that are not covered by CEN are the telecom and electrotechnical sector. CEN established in 1975, in Brussels, and develops European standards as well as harmonized standards, in support of the European regulations.

CEN/TC 10 CEN/TC 10 covers a large scope of products for lifts, escalators and moving walks. Currently, there are twelve working groups under CEN/TC 10. Gharibaan emphasizes that lifting appliances covered by CEN/TC 10 have one thing in common: “They are carrying persons and/or travelling through multiple fixed floors. As there are common risks within those products, our intention is to share experiences of the working groups and make full use of the expertise of the members to achieve a high level of safety common to all standards we produce.’’

Members Members of CEN/TC 10 committees are representatives of their National Standardization Bodies. Apart from the expertise of the members, Gharibaan says that the members also are engaged and passionate about codes and standards. “Our committee members are very interested in this subject or have this topic ‘in heart’; otherwise it’s very difficult to give time and optimal contribution. As a member, you have to deal with a lot of different views, so you need to have a drive to exchange views and have an open mind to ideas from others. In the end, we need to achieve consensus. If everyone sticks to his own point of view, it will be impossible to get that consensus. The work in committees and working groups also takes a lot of time and patience. Even a relatively small standard takes at least three years to develop.’’

Call for SMEs to participate Gharibaan would like to take the opportunity to encourage small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to consider taking more active part in the standardization work. “One of our objectives is to involve SMEs as much as possible.

This will not only help reflecting SMEs needs within the standards, participation of SMEs bring also a high level of technical know-how and expertise to the standardization committees and working groups.’’

6

Liftinstituut Magazine international

When asked about the quality and accreditation of notified bodies, Gharibaan says: “Every country has its own accreditation system and its own accreditation body. The recast of the Lift Directive and the new legislative framework will also have an effect to the accreditation and notified bodies, as it will be more stringent about the way the accreditation and auditing of the notified bodies takes place.

This is a good development and it is beneficial for the entire profession. What won’t be changed, is that accreditation will remain a national matter, as well as market surveillance. Market surveillance will also become more and more important.’’ He thinks that more stringent market surveillance will also lead to a better communication between the national parties and improves compliance of the products in the market. “I also hope that notified bodies will participate more and more in the already existing national and European forums for notified bodies.’’

Globalization All CEN members are committed to adopt the EN 81-20 and -50 standards in their countries. Furthermore, fourteen CEN affiliate countries may do the same. Gharibaan also expects that Asian-Pacific and possibly South-American countries will take these standards into account. “Working together with ISO and all other interested national and international standardization organizations, the ultimate goal is that a certified product, which meets the requirements of EN 81-20 and -50, will be recognized and can be applied around the world.’’

Other developments in standardization There are also other standards under development. A new standard is coming for lifts with inclined paths (EN 81-22).

Also under preparation is a standard for lifts in seismic environment (EN 81-77). Gharibaan: “We are also preparing a new standard, EN 81-42, for lifting appliances with enclosed cabins and low speed.’’ Asked for new standards regarding evacuation lifts, he states that a technical specification, CEN/TS 81-76, has already been published. “This specification focuses on the evacuation of disabled persons in mid-rise buildings using lifts. In the near future this may become a European standard. ISO is focusing on evacuation from high rise buildings using lifts. When that standard is ready, we could adopt it as a European standard.’’ Many existing standards refer to the EN 81-1-/2, so with the new EN 81-20 and EN 81-50 those standards have to be aligned as well. Gharibaan: “Furthermore, all standards are subject to periodic review and they may need to be revised.”

L EGI SL AT ION AND P OL IC Y

Future developments in lifts Considering the high rate of innovations in the lift industry in the recent years, it is very difficult to predict the future. However, Gharibaan thinks that there are a few trends that may give some indications. For example, use of electronic systems in lifts is increasing. “Electronic systems are developing very rapidly and becoming smaller and also more economical to apply. Use of such systems may improve safety, accessibility, comfort and performance of lifts.” Integration of lifts in the rest of the services in the building and in building management and access systems is becoming a common place. “So a lift will no longer be a stand-alone device”. Sustainability and focus on energy consumption in the entire delivery chain for lifts will also remain important. This may not only affect manufacturing, logistics and installation, but also how the maintenance of lifts is carried out. “There is certainly a strong commitment from the industry to improve energy efficiency for lifts”. Although there are no specific regulations on this subject for the lift industry yet, it is expected that the future regulatory development may include lifts in the scope of the regulations such as ErP (Energy related Product) Directive in the future.

“This is a framework directive. Lifts and escalators are, up till now, not included in the implementing measures related to this directive. But maybe this will change in the years to come.’’

Electronic systems are developing very rapidly and may improve safety, accessibility, comfort and performance of lifts.

Gharibaan: “The recast of the Lift Directive will also have an effect on the accreditation and notified bodies, as it will be more stringent. This is a good development and it is beneficial for the entire profession.”

Energy consumption When asked, Gharibaan emphasizes that EN 81-20 and EN 81-50 are safety standards. “But environmental issues, such as energy consumption, have also been taken into account.

For example, EN 81-20 requirements for ventilation of the lift well has been described in such a way that allows the building designer to find the optimal solution based on the input given by the lift installer. This will be especifically useful with high energy performance buildings providing safe environment while minimizing loss of energy.’’ Speaking about standards related to energy consumption, he tells us that CEN and ISO are working together on this topic. ISO is leading the work. “It’s better to have a set of global standards on this subject from the beginning. Therefore, CEN/TC 10 and ISO/TC 178 decided to have a joint project. The result of the project will be published as CEN and ISO-standards at the same time. The standard with respect to energy measuLow energy consumption rement (EN ISO 25745-1) is already published and the EN ISO 25745-2 with respec t to emergenc y performance classification of lifts and the EN ISO 25745-3 with respect to emergency performance classification for escalators are under developHigh energy consumption ment.’’

■

“Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are very welcome at CEN/TC 10.’’

Liftinstituut Magazine international

7

L EGI SL AT ION AND P OL IC Y

Lifts in wind turbines Driven by the sustainability objectives, wind turbines are being placed across the whole of Europe. Wind turbines from 60 metres in height are often equipped with a lift as standard. In this article you will find more information on these lifts and the safety requirements that apply to them.

Sustainability is a hot item in Europe.

The development of alternative energy sources is taken more and more seriously by the industry. Ever better use is made of solar and wind energy, which is why more and more wind turbines are appearing both on land and in the sea.

These wind turbines also deliver increasingly higher amounts of Megawatts while becoming ever bigger and higher too. Wind turbines with heights of over 150 metres and with a rotor diameter measuring in excess of 100 metres are no exception.

Maintenance It goes without saying that these machines require maintenance too. Accessibility is an important item there. Plus the heart of this machine (turbine) is

positioned at height. In order to reach this ‘heart’, merely a ladder used to be provided in the past. These days, wind turbines of a height exceeding 60 metres are often provided with a lift as standard, in combination with a ladder though, in case the lift is out of action and for emergencies. The ladder is often provided with a climbing aid.

Area of tension

Carl van den Einden, author of this article and product manager Machines at Liftinstituut.

The ‘wind turbine market’ is predominantly determined by the manufacturers of the towers in the wind turbines.

These manufacturers are generally geared towards European requirements.

They, together with the client for the construction of the wind turbines, determine what happens in the towers and which installations will be fitted there.

So the lift manufacturers have no say in what happens in the towers. There are standards both for the construction of the towers and for the installation of the lifts, although they may be conflicting. This can therefore lead to tension, which demands a fair amount of consultation.

Machinery Directive rather than Lift Directive Lifts in wind turbines are not covered by the Lift Directive. Excluded from the Lift Directive are lifts moving at a pace slower than 0.15m/s, as well as lifts used for reaching work areas. Lifts in wind turbines fall into the latter category. Characteristic for these lifts is also that they are only used by instructed authorised users. In addition, they are used in a confined environment, so that there is no risk of children, for example, getting inside the lifts. Lifts in wind turbines still comply with the essential safety requirements, although the specifics are different. After all, the risks are less significant.

Type inspection As there is a risk in lifts in wind turbines, according to Appendix IV of the European Machinery Directive, of people falling more than 3 metres, a type inspection of these lifts is mandatory.

This inspection can be carried out in two ways: By the supplier themselves, providing they are ISO module H certified, or by a notified body for type inspections, such as Liftinstituut. In time, there will likely also be type inspections based on a standard harmonised worldwide, but this is not available as yet. At the close of the commercial phase, national legislation is defining.

No product standard (as yet) For this type of lift installations there is no harmonised product standard

8

Liftinstituut Magazine international

L EGI SL AT ION AND P OL IC Y

available in Europe as yet. However, a standard for lifts in wind turbines (EN 50308) is being worked on.

Special RFU At the moment, there are various manufacturers with EC certified wind turbine lifts providing various safety facilities.

As a result, the Machinery Directive Working Group of the European Commission has drawn up a ‘Recommendation for Use’ (RFU). This is a working document for notified bodies.

Main requirements of the RFU for wind turbine lifts The main requirements of this RFU are: ■■ In order to prevent impact and trap risks at the stops and if the distance from the platform to the ladder is less than 0.5 metre, both the bottom and top of the platform must be provided with a safety feature.

■■ The stops must be provided with doors or fencing, complemented by the above-mentioned impact and trap risk safety feature. If the distance from the platform to the stop is greater than 0.5 metre, fencing only will suffice.

■■ It must not be possible for the barriers to be opened at the stop before the platform has reached the required floor level.

■■ It must be possible to use additional facilities to open the barriers for when the ladder is used (if provided) when the platform is not there.

■■ It must not be possible to open the platform door between the floor levels. If this is essential for maintenance purposes, it must not be possible to lift/lower the platform any further and additional measures must be taken for the user to prevent falling from height.

■■ Due to a lack of space and the risk of falling objects, the platform must generally be fully closed.

■■ Measures must be taken to be able to evacuate the users in an emergency.

■■ The lifting and lowering speeds of this type of installations may not exceed 0.15m/s.

Wind turbines are usually provided with a lift these days. Their safety is laid down in the Machinery Directive (2006/42/EG).

More information?

Liftinstituut has been appointed as notified body for this specific work area and is well informed. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

■

Developments of wind turbines in North America North America too has many wind turbines featuring lifts. There is also a dedicated ‘Wind Turbine Elevator Committee’ in which Liftinstituut is represented too (by senior specialist Robert Kaspersma).

He indicates that the European standard is not used in North America. Instead, section 5 of American standard ASME 17.7/ CSA B44.7 (or A17.7 in short) is indicative. This section specifically deals with wind turbine lifts. Canada, which is the largest market in North America in terms of wind turbine installation as well as inspection, however, uses its own standard for lifts in wind turbines. This Canadian standard is thus completely independent from A17.7. However, this may change as soon as the 2013 version of A17.7 is accepted by Canada.’’

Robert Kaspersma, senior specialist, represents Liftinstituut in the American ‘Wind Turbine Elevator Committee’.

The Wind Turbine Elevator Committee has also approached ISO and proposed that the American standard for lifts in wind turbines will be used as the guideline worldwide. According to Kaspersma, this is not going to be straightforward: “The American standard is not compliant with the European Machiner y Directive, whereas the European standard for lifts in wind turbines in development, EN 50308, will be. I therefore expect that the European standard will continue to apply in Europe. Perhaps ISO and CEN will reach one worldwide standard in the longer term though.’’

Liftinstituut Magazine international

9

L EGI SL AT ION AND P OL IC Y

Revision of standard EN 81-72 for fire-fighter lifts An explanation of the reasons and main changes In 2003, the first version of standard EN 81-72 for fire-fighter lifts arrived. This standard for lift manufacturers, not mandatory though leading in practice, had therefore been around for over ten years in 2013. Time for a revision.

Willem Kasteleijn, product manager Lifts at Liftinstituut: “One of the main wishes from lift manufacturers was a cage with two-sided access.”

Willem Kasteleijn, product manager Lifts at Liftinstituut, comments: “The standard EN 81-72 is at the same level as another European standard, EN 81-1/-2, which has also been revised. All fire-fighter lifts in Europe comply with this.

Requests for improvements to be made to this standard had been voiced earlier. One of the main wishes from lift manufacturers was a cage with two-sided access. However, the original standard was based on a cage with one access point only, in order to prevent disorientation for fire fighters.

Also, fire brigades urged for improvements to be made to escape routes from the lift, as they were actually too limited. In the new standard, both requests have been met.’’’

Good use made of period for comments In April 2013, design standard Pr-EN 81-72 was published by the preparatory CEN workgroup who specifically deal with fire-fighter lifts. Up to the end of September 2013, comments were invited via a public inquiry. Good use has been made of this. Liftinstituut too has given its input.

Main changes ■■ The original standard disregarded the installation of new fire-fighter lifts in existing buildings. This has been changed in the new standard. So the new standard not only applies to new fire-fighter lifts in new buildings but also to new fire-fighter lifts in existing buildings.

■■ Another change is that revised standard EN 81-72 lists a number of structural requirements to the building (such as fire separations) to be applied when installing a firefighter lift in an existing building. National legislation for the environment of fire-fighter lifts is normative there.

■■ The earlier-mentioned two-sided access to cages is now allowed too.

■■ It is no longer essential for the fire-fighter lifts to reach every floor level. In practice, fire fighters prefer to take the stairs to the basement and the top floor of a building.

“The revised standard EN 81-72 also applies to new fire-fighter lifts in existing buildings.’’

10

Liftinstituut Magazine international

L EGI SL AT ION AND P OL IC Y

Revised standard EN 81-72 prescribes that the accessibility of the escape hatch must be clearly indicated. After all, this may be the difference between life and death for fire fighters.

■■ The dimensions of the escape hatch in the lift have been increased, giving fire fighters more room to escape from the cage if the lift fails. The standard also prescribes that accessibility of the escape hatch must be clearly indicated. After all, this may be the difference between life and death for fire fighters. Manufacturers may for example put up signs on the lift cage ceiling.

■■ The description of the correct operation and use of the fire-fighter switch is more detailed. Prescribed is a standardised switch that has a clear on and off position.

These positions must also be sufficiently stable so that fire fighters cannot make mistakes with them. Proposed is to provide visual feedback for the positions, for example a green and a red light.

■■ Another new element is that a schedule of requirements has been made mandatory. This is focused on the preparatory stage of the installation of a fire-fighter lift, although it may also contain agreements for inspections.

The schedule of requirements will be the responsibility of the party applying for the permit, who will need to liaise with the fire brigade on this. When everything is in order, the permit provider will pass its stamp of approval. Then the lift installer and inspection body will come into the picture. This schedule of requirements should ideally be kept in the vicinity of the lift, so that, if the permit is

granted, it will be feasible to check that all the lifts as well as the lift environment continue to comply with the requirements for the entire duration of the lifts’ service life. The notified body carrying out the end check and inspections on these lifts must be able to consult this information too and test it on normative points. However, this excludes purely structural matters.

Kasteleijn expects that there will be a two-year transition period when this standard is introduced. “After all, the change is not as large-scale as with the EN 81-1/-2 which will be replaced by the EN 81-20 and -50-standards.”

■

Evacuation lifts Kasteleijn emphasises that evacuation lifts are separate from fire-fighter lifts. “For evacuation lifts there is no standardisation in place yet, although there is a technical regulation (EN 81-76) in force. This EN 81-76 generally states something about the use of lifts in the event of an evacuation, but this does not specifically relate to fire-fighter lifts and is also separate from EN 81-72. So a fire-fighter lift is not an evacuation lift!”

Symbol of a firefightinglift.

Liftinstituut Magazine international

11

L EGI SL AT ION AND P OL IC Y

Liftinstituut represented in main international standardisation committees Pieter Schaareman, CEN TC 10 and ISO TC 178 member and NOBO consultation on lifts Pieter Schaareman combines his tasks as senior specialist at the business unit Certification of Liftinstituut with the position of product manager Codes & Standards. As part of this, he participates in standardisation consultations at both national and international levels.

Schaareman has been involved in various international workgroups since 1999, so taking part in international standardisation consultations is not new to him. For quite some time now, he has also been taking part on behalf of

Liftinstituut in the main two international standardisation committees: CEN TC 10 and ISO TC 178. Here, standard developments are discussed at European and world level respectively and international standards are established here too.

Aim He explains why this is important: “As we bring our vast knowledge and experience to the discussions at these committees, we can influence the decision-making process. Plus we are directly informed of any new developments, allowing us as Liftinstituut to signal matters sooner and put them onto the agenda. This is also important for how our knowledge is perceived by the market. Thus we remain one of the key players in the area of worldwide certification for vertical transport.’’

Added value for our customers An added value of Lif t inst ituut ’s participation in consultations such as CEN TC 10 and ISO TC 178, according to Schaareman, is also that it guarantees input again from the notified bodies (NoBos, internationally operating inspection bodies, ed.). “CEN TC 10 and ISO TC 178 are predominantly represented by lift companies who are not only driven by safety, but may also have commercial interests. We as Liftinstituut are one of the few independent NoBo’s to join the discussions and particularly monitor the safety aspects

Pieter Schaareman, product manager Codes & Standards at Liftinsituut: “I believe it is important to share consequences of certain decisions about standards with colleagues and customers.”

12

Liftinstituut Magazine international

L EGI SL AT ION AND P OL IC Y

too.’’ He is glad that Liftinstituut’s participation in these committees also guarantees that knowledge of standardisation developments remains intact and is added to. “It is good to have continuity in this.’’

Driving forces Asked about his personal driving forces for attending these and other standardisation consultations, he replies: “Since the implementation of the Lift Directive, a lot has changed in the area of standardisation. This is when my interest in developments of standards was first raised. I believe it is impor-

tant to stay well informed and I also like to contribute to the further development of standards from real-life situations. Furthermore, I believe it is important to share consequences of certain decisions about standards with colleagues and customers. After all, they too need to know what those consequences will mean to them. This is certainly what I will be working towards in the near future. And so it is not just a question of attending meetings and studying meeting documentation and standards. I will be sharing the outcome of the discussions and will be actively following things up too.’’

“As Liftinstituut, we are one of the few notified bodies taking part in CEN TC 10 and ISO TC 178.’’

Others too take part in the standardisation consultations Schaareman is not the only one to take part in the standardisation consultations on behalf of Liftinstituut. His colleagues Willem Kasteleijn, Carl van den Einden, André van den Burg, Robert Kaspersma, Roy Bahadour and Wietze Visser take part in these too.

Good to combine Schaareman believes that his activities will be good to combine with his activities for the BUC (business unit Certification at Liftinstituut, ed.). “The work I do for the BUC is generally flexible to fit in, so that is a bonus.’’

■

Standards affected by the publication of EN 81-20/50

By Pieter Schaareman, product manager Codes & Standards at Liftinstituut

The implementation of EN 81-20 standard implies that all lift installations and components have to meet the requirements of the new standards as per end of June 2017 at the latest. But how to act with standards related to EN 81-20/50?

After implementing the EN 81-20 and EN 81-50 a task for CEN/TC10/ WG1 is still there. Many existing standards refer to the EN 81-1 and the EN 81-2, with the new EN 8120 and EN 81-50 those standards have to be aligned as well. For

some of them the revision only needs to be done to correct the references.

For some others the impact might be very big because some technical requirements originally based on the EN 811/2 are now completely changed in EN 81-20. Also we should not forget that

new requirements in EN 81-20 possibly also need to be introduced in other standards. Finishing the EN 81-20 and EN 81-50 was a tough and excellent job, now we need to go on and continue this good work.

■

Standards affected minimal by introduction of EN 81-20/50 e.g. change of references

EN 81-3, EN 81-10, EN 81-28, EN 81-31, EN 81-40, EN 81-41, EN 81-43, EN 81-58, EN 81-70, EN 81-72, EN 81-73, EN 81-76, EN 81-77, EN 81-82, TS 81-83, EN 12015, EN 12016 and EN 13015

Standards affected deeply by introduction of EN 81-20/50 e.g. change of technical requirements, values for distances, volumes and control functions.

TR 81-11, EN 81-21, EN 81-22, EN 81-71 and EN 81-80

Liftinstituut Magazine international

13

L EGI SL AT ION AND P OL IC Y

Stairlifts and a free fall of over 3 metres EU Working Group makes binding statement Based on a recent statement made by the European Working Group for the Machinery Directive, stairlifts are placed in Appendix IV of the Machinery Directive if the displacement distance covers a height of more than 3 metres. What consequences does this raise for stairlift manufacturers?

By Carl van den Einden

Appendix IV of the Machinery Directive (2006/42/EC) lists machines that pose an increased risk to users. As a result, the legislator has drawn up additional requirements that apply when this type of machinery is taken into use. The risk of a ‘free fall’ of over 3 metres is such a risk. In this case, the manufacturer must have a full quality assurance system certified by a notified body, in accordance with Appendix X. Another option is to instruct a notified body (NoBo) to carry out an EC-type examination, in accordance with Appendix IX, if there is no harmonised product standard available or if the relevant product standard is deviated from. Whether mandatory or not, manufacturers increasingly choose to have an EC-type examination carried out by a NoBo, such as Liftinstituut, in order to reduce risks in respect of safety and liability. And to prevent negative publicity.

Stairlifts with a displacement height of more than 3 metres now fall under Appendix IV of the Machinery Directive.

Examples Machines with such an increased risk include hoisting and lifting equipment for lifting passengers or passengers and goods where a danger exists of a free fall of over 3 metres.

Examples of this type of installations are suspended access equipment, cherry pickers, lifting ramps for disabled people, platform lifts and stairlifts.

Interpretation of ‘free fall’ notion Something that has been a topic for discussion with this type of machines for many years is the interpretation of a free fall of more than 3 metres. Should this only include the free fall in vertical direction or a fall in a combination of

14

Liftinstituut Magazine international

vertical and horizontal directions too, such as a fall from stairs, via steps? This question was discussed at the European notified body consultation for this work area (in which Liftinstituut is an active participant). It was decided to put this question to the Machinery Directive Working Group. This workgroup discusses practical issues that arise when the Machinery Directive is applied and advises the Machine Committee. This committee has representatives from the member states, policy workers from the European Commission and representatives of stakeholders.

Statements from this committee are not noncommittal by nature.

L EGI SL AT ION AND P OL IC Y

Statement by Machinery Directive Working Group This Working Group has indicated that the vertical height should be interpreted as ‘the vertical distance from the carrier from which passengers are to be lifted and the level to which these passengers could fall’. This means that in the case of a fall from a stairlift chair, for example, partly down the steps (covering a total distance of over 3 metres), the installation comes under the increased-risk machines as included in Appendix IV of the Machinery Directive. So the additional requirements for commissioning will be relevant too.

Carl van den Einden, product manager Machines at Liftinstituut: “This statement is relevant for all mechanical transport systems for passengers via stairs.”

Consequences for the manufacturer This may have consequences for stairlift manufacturers, as the installation must be regarded as an Appendix IV machine when the displacement distance covers a height of more than 3 metres? For stairlifts, a harmonised product standard is available: NEN-EN 81-40 ‘Safety requirements for manufacturing and installing stairlifts for the disabled.” If the stairlift is built fully in accordance with this standard, the statement will not have any consequences.

This is because the product standard already takes the relevant risks into consideration. If a manufacturer deviates from the harmonised standard and the height covered is more than 3 metres, it will, however, be necessary to call in a notified body or have a certified quality assurance system in place, in accordance with Appendix X of the Machinery Directive.

Converting certificates On the statement provided with the installation, the manufacturer is required to indicate one of either options (see Appendix II of the Machinery Directive). If installations being delivered now have already had a type examination done by a notified body and the height covered is more than 3 metres, the certificates for this still need to be converted into an EC-type certificate.

Escalators and cherry pickers You may possibly wonder whether the same applies to escalators. After all, these installations often cover a vertical height of over 3 metres. However, this type of installations is not categorised as hoisting or lifting equipment in the Machinery Directive, which is why the issue being discussed is not relevant for escalators. However, for a manufacturer of a cherry picker with a hoisting height of less than 3 metres, this statement may be relevant. This is because it can be foreseen that the installations may be used in locations where the falling height is greater than the hoisting height. For example, it they are used on a slope or at a site with various height levels.

■

Feedback from a manufacturer When asked, Dick Beerepoot, product manager at Handicare, indicates that he thinks it is fine and no surprise that installations presenting a falling risk of more than 3 metres, such as stairlifts, come under Appendix IV of the Machinery Directive. He is also of the opinion that an EC type inspection by an independent notified body in respect of such installations will always present added value. “However, the question is what is more dangerous: a vertical fall of 3 metres, or a fall of 3 metres via a staircase which has a tubular rail attached to it”, he says.

Liftinstituut is pleased to help you Liftinstituut has been appointed as notified body for this specific work area and will be pleased to help you with all the information that is available. And particularly for questions whether you do or do not need a new or amended certificate in view of this new falling height interpretation.

Liftinstituut Magazine international

15

L EGI SL AT ION AND P OL IC Y

PESSRAL: a big revolution in the lift industry?

Interest of manufacturers increased since introduction EN 81-1/-2 + A3 The introduction of PESSRAL (Programmable Electronic System in Safety Related Applications for Lifts) in the EN 81 standards increases innovation space for the lift industry. It offers for example reduction of production costs and improvement of reliability and safety.

In the elevator-/escalator-industry, more and more systems are comprised out of electrical and/or electronic elements which are used to perform safety functions in the installation. In the conventional elevator- and escalator installation safety is managed by mechanical forced opened switches and/or electrical safety circuits. Not so often also electronic safety circuits are used there to perform a safety function.

Increase reliability The wish to increase reliability and to reduce production and maintenance costs has the effect that control- and safety systems more and more are developed with the help of programmable electronics. Safety related programmable electronics are applied today in many areas, such as the machine sector, automotive and process industry.

The strange thing is that during the years also in the lift sector big electronic developments have been made, e.g. for drive systems sophisticated electronics are used, but in general the basic safety chain is more and less still the same as 25 years ago.

Pieter Schaareman, product manager Codes & Standards at Liftinstituut: “New requirements in the standard EN 81-20 will increase the need for PESSRAL.”

16

Liftinstituut Magazine international

History After many years of development CEN (the Comité Européen de Normalisati-

on, or European Committee for Standardization) issued the standard EN 81-1/2 A1 in 2003. In our experience, most companies kept distance from applying this standard and some companies tried to develop a safety component for commercial use but also in order to learn how to deal with it and get acquainted with this new chapter in our industry. By introducing the EN 81-1/2 + A3 in 2010 the interest of manufacturers increased, due to the introduction of the uncontrolled car movement protection (UCMP) where specif ically the detection of the UCMP perfectly can be done by PESSRAL. The standard EN 81-20, which will replace the EN 81-1 and -2, will be harmonized in 2014. New requirements in this standard will increase even more the need for PESSRAL, think of multiple inspection control stations, monitoring of bridged door-switches, car and door landing bypassing functionality, et cetera.

Open question for PESS requirements Schaareman thinks that one question is still unanswered. Are PESSRAL and PESSRAE (Programmable Electronic System in Safety Related Applications for Escalators) at this moment suitable tools for developing the electronic safety components for lifts and escalators? He thinks that at this moment it is a good start, but the standards PESSRAL and PESSRAE are not complete clear yet. For example these standards do not clearly require a failure rate calculation to verify if the design meets the required SIL (Safety Integrity Level). A lot of requirements and documentation are referenced to the IEC 61508-series, which leaves it open for interpretation.

In general, a programmable electronic

L EGI SL AT ION AND P OL IC Y

safety function has an input, processing unit and an output. When a function needs to stop the lift, the lift brake system would need to be part of the safety function. This is out of the scope of PESSRAL and PESSRAE, since PESSRAL and PESSRAE are developed in such a way that the safety function is limited to a function to open the safety chain. For these safety functions the failure rate requirements are given, presented as a SIL-level in Annex A of the EN 81-1/2+A3 respectively table 6 of the EN 115-1+A1.

General PESS standards in relation to lift and escalator standards The related standards EN 81-series and EN 115-1 give SIL-requirements for safety functions or make reference to standards as the IEC 61508-series. If these systems are to be effectively and safely exploited, it is essential that

those who are responsible for the design have sufficient guidance on the safety aspects to make the right decisions. These kinds of systems require a totally different approach compared to the development of a conventional safety system.

PESSRAL is up and coming because of the need to increase reliability and to reduce production costs.

Guidance What is the safety integrity level (SIL), what is PESSRAL and what is PESSRAE, what is the relationship with IEC 61508, IEC 62061 and ISO 13849-1/2? From their experience, Liftinstituut Solutions know that manufacturers of lifts and machines in this sector have difficulties in understanding and starting these kinds of programs. By working together with the consultants of Liftinstituut Solutions from the start of the project, they will know if designs are feasible in an early stage and will be able to develop a design in a good way the first time.

During the years also in the lift sector big electronic developments have been made, but in general the basic safety chain is more and less still the same.

Programmable Electronic Systems in safety related applications Liftinstituut Solutions helps with training of your employees Terms like safety integrity level (SIL), random failures, systematic failures, safe failure fraction, hardware fault tolerance, PFH-values and more are used in designing programmable electronic safety components and are mentioned in the PESSRAL- and PESSRAE- standards. The procedure for developing an electronic safety component requires verification and validation of the steps in the process of the (programmable) electronic safety component. What needs to be done by verification, what is required for validation?

Training courses gives the information you need The Liftinstituut PESSRAL- and PESSRAE-training courses set out a general approach explaining all these terms and facilitate the responsible person(s) and/or department(s) with the knowhow to deal with all the necessary steps in developing an (programmable) electronic safety device. The training consists a.o. of practical examples regarding PESS-development related

aspects. Our focus is to provide a step by step systematic approach, where all aspects of the development process are integrated. This training brings you the fundamentals of functional safety and provides you with the road map how to deal with the key issues which you will encounter during the development of a PESS system.

For more information visit LiftinstituutSolutions.com. ■

A Liftinstituut SolutionsPESSRALtraining in Istanbul.

To the required level Efforts and resources are required in creating documentation and managing the complete process. The standards give SIL-values for electric safety devices, but what if the control system itself becomes the electronic safety device? How to determine the required SIL when deviating from the harmonized standard?

How to accomplish a specified SIL and, also very important, how can you be sure the required level is achieved?

Liftinstituut Magazine international

17

L IF T INS T I T UUT INF OR M AT ION

Introducing...

Liftinstituut operates at an international level for quite some time now. We work with a team of experts, each of whom is specialised in a particular field. We are pleased to introduce some of them to you by quoting them on statements made in their field of expertise.

18

Bas Mulder, managing director:

Albert Jan van Ommen, manager business unit Certification:

Dennis Lindeboom, international account manager:

Robert Kaspersma, senior specialist:

“We are genuinely considered safety specialists in vertical transport. This is what sets us apart from other inspection institutes that work in a far more generic manner.”

“We are looking forward to a worldwide acceptance of the EN 81-20 and 50 standard. This will bring the same safety level for lift users and lift mechanics everywhere.”

“For the benefit of our customers, we constantly work on not just the thoroughness, but also the speed of our way of working.’’

“Performance-based safety offers market opportunities to manufacturers in North America. The ability to deviate from A17.1 helps to be a lot more innovative.’’

Oebele van Foeken, international account engineering manager:

John van Vliet, technical director:

Süleyman Özcan, regional manager at Liftinstituut and technical expert for lifts:

Pieter Schaareman, productmanager Codes & Standards:

“We train people in first-line troubleshooting and how to rescue locked-in passengers.”

“Lifts are indispensable for evacuation from high-rise buildings. Proper organisation and communication are essential elements in that respect.”

“I always enjoy sharing my knowledge of lifts and lift safety with others.”

“In order to meet the EN 81-20 and EN-50 PESSRAL will increasingly find its application.’’

André van den Burg, senior specialist:

Wietze Visser, senior specialist:

Jeroen Kooij, specialist in PESSRAL:

Eric Verkaik, product specialist:

“The lift industry is focused on saving costs in addition to increasing safety.’’

“Whether mandatory or not, calling in a good notified body at an early stage will prevent a lot of trouble afterwards, such as accidents and claims.”

“Interest in PESSRAL is growing fast. This is why our PESS training, especially for lifts, is so popular.”

“Lift buyers want security regarding energy consumption.

Our Energy Performance Certificate offers this.”

Liftinstituut Magazine international

L IF T INS T I T UUT INF OR M AT ION

Safety knowledge is the great power of Liftinstituut Market needs it because of EN 81-20 en 81-50 and PESSRAL Bas Mulder, managing director of Liftinstituut Holding, likes to share some Liftinstituut news. In this article he tells why more and more contacts are collaborating with Liftinstituut worldwide.

Bas Mulder, managing director of Liftinstituut Holding: “Our greatest strength is the enormous specific knowledge.

Clients are happy to make use of this.”

“It is not so that we introduced a completely different market approach”, explains Mulder. “The emphasis of international activities lies upon the maintenance of contacts with the major international players. “We aim to serve them worldwide. We are trying to get ‘under the skin’ of our clients as far as possible. Our international team therefore visits many clients and is also present at many exhibitions to hear and see what is happening in the market.’’

subject. One example of this are the developments surrounding the GCAP (the globalisation of lift standards). We are genuinely regarded as the safety specialist in vertical transport. That distinguishes us from other inspection institutes that work much more generically. Furthermore, it is characteristic to us that we continue to fight for quality and safety and make no concessions in these areas.’’

Specific knowledge greatest strength

“We continue to fight for quality and safety.”

According to Mulder, the greatest strength of Liftinstituut is the enormous specific knowledge it has. “Clients are happy to make use of this. For example, we are regularly invited to research & development centres of international lift companies to train them in the field of safety knowledge. Of course, we also contribute this knowledge via product certification. We are conducting an increasing number of type approvals for lifts and lift components. This allows us to be involved in innovative technical developments from the start. Our specific knowledge of lifts and lift components, but also of escalators, is highly valued in this field. Just like the fact that we are outstanding up to date with international standards and international regulations and can be in the forefront of the dialogue on this

Increase in training and coaching A new development is that the demand for training and coaching by the Liftinstituut is increasing sharply. Mulder: “Of course, we are responding to this”. Mulder expects that there will also be a worldwide demand for training guidance in connection with the new standards 81-20 and 81-50 and in connection with PESSRAL. “We are ready for it.“ ■

Liftinstituut Magazine international

19

L IF T INS T I T UUT INF OR M AT ION

International developments in the lift sector User more and more centre-stage Liftinstituut supports and guides the lift industry worldwide in certification.

Which international developments are there and how does the lift industry respond?

We discuss this with Albert Jan van Ommen and Dennis Lindeboom, manager of the business unit Certification and international account manager respectively at Liftinstituut. Van Ommen indicates that lift users are becoming more and more centre-stage. “The lift users need to feel well and safe in a lift and that they are transported through the building without delay. And comfort plays an important role too. If a lift ‘rattles’ in the shaft, it may still be safe, however ‘strange noises’ may leave a lift user feeling uncomfortable and less safe as a result.’’

Safe, durable, not too expensive and fast He adds: “For anyone purchasing a lift, price is particularly important. For the ultimate owner or manager, other matters are important too. Here the main thing is a lowest possible ‘total cost of ownership’. Maintenance costs, but also use and energy consumption play a role here too. Durability is increasingly important but receives particular attention from the need for a low connection value and said low energy consumption.

For lift installers, the requirement is that the installation time of a lift into a building needs to be ever reduced. So assembly needs to take place as quickly as possible and be as simple as possible. The most recent development is that one mechanic can do everything alone. That has already been achieved, though with smaller standard lifts. Malfunctions too must be resolved ever more quickly. After all, the transport via lifts needs to be problem-free, as this is of ten crucial for a building.

Another thing I see is that installers prefer lift installations equipped with PESSRAL (Programmable Electronic System in Safety Related Applications for

20

Liftinstituut Magazine international

Lifts), as it saves production costs and speeds up assembly. Modern electronics are less fault-sensitive too, requiring less frequent hardware replacements to lift installations.’’

Product innovation Manufacturers, in turn, must ensure that lifts can meet all these different requirements. In addition they are expected to pay attention to product innovation. On the one hand, to improve

In particular Albert Jan van Ommen and Dennis Lindeboom look after the contacts on behalf of Liftinstituut with the ever more internationalising market.

the lifts at a technical level, and on the other hand, to lower their cost price.

After all, their products must remain competitive. Van Ommen observes that the materials used are getting lighter all the time. “This obviously also makes a difference to a lift’s total weight,

“Do not wait with EN 81-20/-50 until the last minute, as implementing product amendments and the associated certification processes invariably take some time.’’

L IF T INS T I T UUT INF OR M AT ION

Assembly efficiency is becoming increasingly important.

Kone has developed an installation system enabling one mechanic to install a complete lift on his own.

which is another bonus in terms of energy saving.’’ He and Lindeboom also note that in product innovation, the focus is mainly on the continuing development of existing lift types. “This is comparable to the car industry, where existing models (such as the VW Golf) receive new additional features all the time. Completely new lift types have been coming onto the market less and less over recent years.’’ As countries/regions who are leaders in innovations and new technologies, they name Europe and Japan. “However, the focus is on different things. In Europe, reducing costs is paramount. In Japan, a lot of attention is paid to making lifts earthquake-proof. Al-though major developments are happening in India, the main focus there is on the design and construction of the more mainstream lifts, but it will soon be going further there too. China is predominantly into production. This is where the products developed within Europe, especially for the Chinese market by the large multinationals, are being produced and installed.’’

Upcoming markets According to Van Ommen and Lindeboom, upcoming markets are particularly China, Brazil, Argentina and India.

“Although there are mainly local producers in these countries. The thing you do see is that manufacturers originally

“In product innovation, the focus is mainly on the continued development of existing lift types.

Just like in the car industry.’’ from Europe, and the odd American manufacturer too, are trying to get a foot in the door in these countries, by building their own factories and producing there too. By using lower paid staff than in Europe, they can do more for less money. However, export of lifts from these countries is rare. Everything is intended for the home market.’’

Amendments to standards Although the consequences of the amendments to standards EN 81-20 and -50 for the lift industry are not particularly significant, it is important to take notice in good time. As stated in the interview with Esfandiar Gharibaan too, there is a maximum transition period for these standards up to June 2017. Further extensions will not be given. Van Ommen and Lindeboom therefore advise manufacturers to start taking measures in good time to comply with these

Scoot mobiles Van Ommen says that there is no standard with respect to preventing accidents with scoot mobiles in or around lifts. “And I don’t expect that there will be one in the future either. It’s rather difficult to characterise these mobile devices, because they are developing fast and have different speeds. It’s obvious that a wrong use of these vehicles can lead to a lot of damage and accidents, sometimes even fatal. But it is not possible for any sliding door to withstand the force when being hit by a scoot mobile. This is why we think that it is not useful to adapt or reinforce sliding doors. In my opinion, the building owner is responsible for taking measures to prevent accidents with scoot mobiles, in other parts of the building too. Furthermore, users of scoot mobiles should be trained to use this device properly, both outdoors and inside buildings.’’

Door manufacturer Meiller pays a lot of attention to developing lift doors that are better at withstanding impact from scoot mobiles.

Liftinstituut Magazine international

21

L IF T INS T I T UUT INF OR M AT ION

Added value

Albert Jan van Ommen, manager business unit Certification: “This business unit at Liftinstituut consists of, in addition to some ‘old codgers’, a lot of young talent, which is very important for continuity.”

Asked about the possibilities of getting Liftinstituut to help and possibly guide manufacturers with product certification and prepare them for the new European standards EN 81-20 and -50 in good time, Van Ommen replies: “Due to our broad knowledge and experience, we are very familiar with standards, laws and legislation and also know possible deviations which may exist. This applies both worldwide and at a national level. We can also provide guidance in the case of a manufacturer’s specific problems, carry out risk analyses and reality checks and arrange training sessions in the area of standardisation, the law and legislation.’’ Lindeboom adds that Liftinstituut is known for completing product certification processes very quickly. “And this is a great advantage of course, as every day that a lift product reaches the market later, is costly and means a turnover loss for the manufacturer. So calling in Liftinstituut offers added value in several aspects, both to large manufacturers and to medium-sized companies.’’

standards. “As a manufacturer, ensure at least that a reality check is carried out of where you are right now and what you still need to do to get your products to comply with the new standard. And get a notified body on board in good time too, such as Liftinstituut. So do not wait until the last minute, as implementing product amendments and the associated certification processes invariably take some time.

It will be the case anyway that a lot will still be happening at the last minute and then you can avoid having to join the back of the queue. Liftinstituut is already familiar with all the ins and outs of the new standard. We are ready to serve the market.’’ Lindeboom also emphasises that complying with standards EN 81-20 and -50 quickly can also be a marketing tool. This is because: “The sooner you meet these standards, the sooner you can use it to strengthen your position in the market and respond to customers who ask for products that comply with these new standards.’’

Accidents with dogs in lifts Accidents with dogs in lifts happen more and more often in the Netherlands and probably elsewhere as well, when the dog leash is not ‘detected’ when the sliding door closes before the dog is in or out of the lift. Mostly with fatal consequences for the dogs, which are strangled as a lift comes up or goes down. And sometimes also with consequences for people who want to prevent this from happening. Van Ommen says that this subject has been discussed, but thinks that the detection problem is hard to resolve. “Because only objects of approximately 15mm are visible by the detection device. There is no technology at present to detect objects of 3 to 4mm in lifts, which most dog leashes are. But the door lock being lifted by the dog leash could perhaps be prevented by an extra obstacle. A pictogram to instruct dog owners to keep a good eye on their dog when entering and leaving the lift may also help. Also, instructional leaflets about this subject could be distributed to tenants of residential buildings. After all, dog owners also have their own responsibility to prevent accidents.’’

22

Liftinstituut Magazine international

Dennis Lindeboom, international accountmanager at Liftinstituut: “Every day that a lift manufacturer’s new product reaches the market later, practically means loss of turnover for the manufacturer. This is something we seem to understand pretty well at Liftinstituut.’’

Continuity As another positive aspect of Liftinstituut, Lindeboom mentions that Liftinstituut offers continuity in the longer term too. “Our businessunit Certification consists of, in addition to some ‘old codgers’, a lot of young talent. This is because we pay a lot of attention to educating and training our staff. This ensures continuity for when the old codgers will partly retire in a number of years.” This continuity is also apparent from the fact that Liftinstituut has been taking part in international standardisation committees for decades, where the younger generation has been represented too. “This way we are familiar from the start with what is going on in the area of standards.’’

■

L IF T INS T I T UUT INF OR M AT ION

Partnership: Characteristic of Liftinstituut Solutions “We don’t sit opposite the client, we sit by his side.”

Manager Imro Garcia sees himself and the team members of ‘Liftinstituut Solutions’ as filling the roles of consultant, trainer and coach. “We advise and train manufacturers, project developers, and building owners and managers in design, production, installation and management of lifts and transport installations.”

There are a number of ways in which clients works together with Liftinstituut Solutions to reach the best solution for their problem or project. Always based upon the knowledge of Liftinstituut Solutions in the field of lift- and vertical transport technology and upon their knowledge of standards and regulations and their application in practice.

questions. It is worth noting that the reasons may not be related to technical problems. Often shortcomings in the internal design process also play a role.

So the proper establishment of a product often depends not only upon professional skill but also on organisational aspects.

Custom made at the right moment

Garc ia sees manufac tures’ limited knowledge regarding the application of standards and regulation as a possible pitfall in product development. “It is often not easy for developers to understand the intention of a standard. The correct interpretation and application of standards requires a great deal of experience and knowledge. If companies do not develop this knowledge themselves, they will make the same mistakes time and time again, and will have to hire in ever more people from outside the company to rectify the errors. That is like banging your head against a wall. We want to avoid this by sharing knowledge and setting up processes for the client so that this knowledge can be used and anchored within the client’s own organisation. This initially costs money, but will ultimately deliver great benefits due to cost savings. It is also much more motivating for staff if investment is made in staff knowledge and the proper harmonisation of processes.”

Garcia indicates that this support can take place at various times. “We can collaborate with manufacturers right from the start of product development to ensure that all codes and standards are correctly applied so that certification runs smoothly. We can help architects to make the right choices when producing a transport plan for a new building to be designed: the most suitable installations, the capacity of these installations, and so on. And we can support building owners by helping them to manage their transport installations. We are happy to help in bringing safety, availability and reliability up to the right level. How we do this varies for each customer, based upon their wishes, but two things are always at the forefront: quality and continuity.”

Help by questions about certification He adds: “manufacturers regularly approach us with specific questions about certification. This often occurs before they start the design and certification process, but sometimes happens after rejection. We are happy to work with them to try to establish the real reason why products were rejected by asking

Possible pitfalls

ISO certification not always the answer ‘Liftinstituut Solutions thus not only supplies technical knowledge but also advises on process matters. This quickly brings ISO certification to mind. When

Liftinstituut Solutions manager Imro Garcia Bsc, MBA: “Clients choose for us because of our knowledge and independence.”

Liftinstituut Magazine international

23

L IF T INS T I T UUT INF OR M AT ION

asked about his opinion on this, Garcia is very positive: “In itself, ISO certification is a good tool, but it is not the beall and end-all and certainly not always the answer. Obtaining the ISO certificate must not be the objective in itself.

The goal of the introduction of a management system should be the assurance and improvement of the quality of the product. Certification is not directly necessary for achieving this. However, if a company does decide to go down the certification route, this is only helpful if it provides added value. For example, this could be the case if certification is mandatory or if it delivers commercial benefits. If this type of benefits do not exist and companies are focussed solely upon the obtaining of the certificate and not upon quality improvements, then the investment in an ISO certification is not worth the money.”

Each client and each country is different

Long-term relationship

Lifts are a purchase that is meant to last for 20+ years and so demands a well-considered decision. Many options are possible, with considerable differences in price and quality. In this process, it is therefore important to establish a good ‘schedule of requirements’ beforehand and then translate it correctly into a specification. Garcia: “Liftinstituut Solutions is pleased to help with this and can also arrange the subsequent invitation to tender. Our preference is to adopt a principle of keeping the ‘total cost of ownership’ as low as possible. We also give our clients an understanding of these costs – from installation to dismantling. Perhaps we find that lifts that are expensive to purchase ultimately cost less over a longer period. When clients dare to invest into the future, they can save a lot of money with these insights.’’

Liftinstituut Solutions works together with the client to build up a long-term relationship, but Garcia emphasises that this does not mean clients must be dependent upon the advisors. “Quite the contrary: we want to make our clients more independent so that they can stand on their own two feet. Of course, our clients can always contact us again if they need to. For example, if complex issues come up that they cannot deal with themselves.” As an example he mentions the implementation of amendment A3 to the standard EN 81-1/-2 and the application of standards EN 81-20 and EN 81-50.

Independently offered knowledge According to Garcia, one reason why clients choose to collaborate with ‘Liftinstituut Solutions’ is its independence.

“We do not originate from a lift company, we have built up our years of knowledge and experience independently. The fact that we are part of the Liftinstituut organisation is also a benefit because we use the same knowledge centre and a great deal of mutual exchange is possible. It also means that we know everything about ‘people flow’ systems. The Liftinstituut is accepted as the authority in this field on all continents.’’

Liftinstituut Solutions is active throughout the world. Garcia sees a number of striking differences between countries. “Not only do the countries themselves and their cultures differ, the way the industry is organised in the different countries is different too. In some countries the industry is dominated by a number of large parties, whereas in others there are a lot of small players. Expectations of lift users also differ. One example of this is the comfort level of lifts that users will accept. Lifts that are unsellable in one country because they ‘jerk’ too much are a success in other countries because the jerking falls within the bounds of what users will accept. So users have a great influence upon the products that are offered in various countries.”

Total cost of ownwership

Commissioning check It is often important to check that completion is delivered in accordance with the assignment or the specification. In other words, do the clients receive what they have paid for?

Liftinstituut Solutions carries out this check on behalf of many clients. Our consultants therefore regularly attend the building site. In this process, Liftinstituut Solutions works closely together with the lift company, whereby discussions take place on equal technical level.

■ The importance of traffic-analyses During the design stage of new buildings, Liftinstituut Solutions tries to make architects aware that the number of lifts and the capacity of said lifts present a final choice. Once the lifts have been installed, the opportunities to make changes are limited, or even impossible.

The consequences of insufficient lift capacity can be disastrous for the usability of the building. Making accurate traffic calculations for lifts is therefore a very precise and thorough process, where the importance for the owner to achieve the largest possible number of sellable square metres needs to be weighed up against the importance for users to have the maximum transport capacity within the building.

Liftinstituut Solutions performed traffic calculations and simulations to obtain the best possible lift configuration for a health centre in Ankara.

24

Liftinstituut Magazine international

L IF T INS T I T UUT INF OR M AT ION

Süleyman Özcan, consultant at Liftinstituut Solutions: “Lift owners, like Metro Istanbul, but also architects ask us more and more for help. An example is Zorlu Levent offices in Istanbul. The project incorporates Turkey’s first double-deck lifts. Liftinstituut Solutions is the consultant for the transport installations.”

Focus on maintenance with “Liftassist” A lift’s service life is partly dependent on its maintenance. Effective maintenance can considerably extend this service life. Liftinstituut Solutions is specialised in managing this maintenance, which helps to prevent malfunctions, extend the service life and reduce the running costs. We offer this under the product name of ‘Liftassist’. Under this name, Liftinstituut Solutions takes care of its clients’ total lift management or offers management support, for example by supervising lift renovations. Ultimately, with this investment, our clients are financially a lot better off. In our workshops, which we have held in locations such as Istanbul, Dubai and Amsterdam, we explain how this works.

Please visit www.liftinstituutsolutions.com for dates and locations where you can attend these workshops.

Liftinstituut Solutions-manager Imro Garcia during a ‘Liftassist’ workshop in Dubai.

Local for local So is it an advantage that the Liftinstituut is originally a Dutch organisation? “The Netherlands has a long history of lift safety, with a high safety level. Moreover, the Dutch have always been very active abroad and they have learned to adapt themselves to different cultures, so I think yes”, is his answer. “But in the end it is better to have local people everywhere because they will have a better understanding of a country’s culture. We also want to use this approach to reduce the influence from the Netherlands. Our motto is thus ‘local for local’. Of course, support is still given from the Netherlands.”

Training courses as personal as possible One type of support of Liftinstituut Solutions is training.

Garcia has a clear opinion about this too: “Just like consultancy and coaching, we like to keep our training events too as personal as possible. So fairly small groups, with each course participant receiving as much attention as possible. Here, too, we strive to stay as close to the client as possible.”

■

Liftinstituut Magazine international

25

M ANAGEMENT

Rijksmuseum restored back to its former glory But then equipped with the latest technologies, including new lifts The restoration of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, known for Rembrandt’s famous painting The Night Watch, has been completed. It included the installation of 23 new lifts. In this article, the installer, everyone involved from the Rijksmuseum and the Rijksgebouwendienst (the Dutch state buildings service), the technical advice bureau and Liftinstituut recount what was involved.

The primary objective of the restoration was to restore this museum building, internationally famous too, to its former glory but then adapted to the requirements demanded from museums in the 21st century. Part of this was that measures had to be taken to renew the technology and to improve the museum’s accessibility.

Art now done more justice The Rijksgebouwendienst manages and develops all state buildings in the Netherlands, which Rijksmuseum is one of.

To our question whether this museum, as a historic monument, still leaves room for the museum’s objective of showing works of art to the public as beautifully and impressively as possible, Hendrik Duijts, project manager of the Rijksgebouwendienst, replies: “In 1885, when the original museum opened, it was a daylight museum. After the recent refurbishment, the museum halls have deliberately been almost obscured from daylight. This is because day-

26

Liftinstituut Magazine international

light has a wrong impact on the colour of paintings. Also, daylight causes incoming energy that disturbs the climate, whereas the climate should be as constant as possible. The historic tile tableaus on the outsides and the wall hangings in the Front Hall and high up in the Honorary Gallery by painter Georg Sturm have been restored to their former glory again too”. Willy Buurman, technical advisor at Royal Haskoning DHV, also believes that the changes to the museum have been a great success. “Over the years, the building had substantially become congested, doing less and less justice to its original design. The building is now fully in harmony again with the art and paintings.’’

From zero to 24 lifts In the original design of architect Pierre Cuypers from 1885, no lifts had been incorporated. No wonder, as lifts were a rarity in those days. Later, a lift was fitted in the – equally famous – Cuypers library. This has now been restored and technically adapted.

“The building is now fully in harmony again with the art and paintings.”

M ANAGEMENT C A SE S

“We looked in all reasonableness at the balance between design and feasibility.’’

Liftinstituut Magazine international

27

M ANAGEMENT

Over the years, the necessary lifts were installed which have been renewed during the restoration, bringing the total number of lifts to 24. The lifts are distributed over the museum’s main building and the adjacent buildings: the Teekenschool, the entrance building, the Villa and the Asian pavilion. According to Nico Stoop, head of technical matters at Rijksmuseum, there are two main lifts in towers 6 and 7 of the main building. “These are meant for the transport of both heavy goods (such as paintings and display cabinets) and passengers. These lifts offer access to practically all of the halls in the museum. The option to go for dual-purpose lifts was deliberate, as this is the most functional. Passenger lifts are meant for use by visitors and staff, although staff can reach more places than visitors, thanks to the use of a special card reader system. Then there are also a number of goods lifts and three platform lifts.’’

Quite challenging Royal Haskoning DHV translated the new-build and renovation plans from Spanish architect CyO (Cruz y Ortiz) into various specifications, such as the specification of the lifts.

Buurman comments: “The project was quite challenging, in view of the architect’s wishes and the restrictions of the building. Fortunately, the original architect of the museum had already had a ‘progressive outlook’ by fitting a number of shafts into the building. These were originally meant for other matters, but later served well as lift shafts. He really had vision.’’ Buurman continues: “We also had to take the standardisation of lifts into account, requirements from the fire brigade and the technical feasibility. Plus based on the traffic flow prognosis, we calculated beforehand the capacity that the lifts should offer. After all, that part of the two million visitors wishing to use the lifts should not need to wait too long. Based on this, we have determined the capacity, speed and locations of the lifts.’’

European tender Next, the project bureau put out a European tender for the lifts. In this tender, consideration was given to quality, capacity as well as price. Plus, in addition to meeting the specification, the lift companies also had to indicate relevant reference projects. Quite a number of lift suppliers were approached. Some of them, however, withdrew as they could not comply. Finally there were two suppliers left and Möhringer Lifts came out on top. Rijksgebouwendienst awarded them the project.

Reliability and operational assurance centre-stage Hans Vreeken, technical manager at Möhringer Lifts, indicates that the specification for the lifts as established by Royal Haskoning DHV was very manageable and technically feasible too. “Reliability and operational assurance of the lifts were centre-stage in that. However, we knew that we would come up against a number of challenges in this project. For example, the measurements we carried out showed that every shaft was different. The shaft walls often sloped too. As a result, every lift had to be custom-made. Sometimes we had to significantly improvise. In one case, a large post was in the way in a shaft, requiring a special steel lift pit to be fitted. Only the lifts in the atrium were reasonably easy to fit, as there was a new shaft.’’

The renovated lift at the Cuypers library.

28

Liftinstituut Magazine international

M ANAGEMENT

Round lifts real eye catchers ■■ Hans Vreeken, technical manager at Möhringer Lifts: “I love the old paintings in the Honorary Gallery. From the first moment that I was involved in this project, I have seen restorers working on them. They too have done a lot of work.’’

A lot of time and attention was spent on two round glass lifts: the ‘eye catchers’ in the central entrance, in the public underpass. Buurman: “Originally these were going to be two ordinary lifts, but the architect really wanted something more impressive. He would have preferred a lift like at the Louvre: a lifting platform operated by a liftboy. But that would have been unaffordable for the museum. As alternative, two round glass lifts were designed.’’ Vreeken: “The architect expressed the wish that the height of the lifts should match the turnstiles via which visitors enter the museum. However, this would have meant a cage door height of 2.30m and a shaft head height of 2.50m, i.e. no more clearance above the lift cage. Normally the shaft head height is 3.90 metres. Finally we reached a compromise of 2.90 metres and the turnstile height has been amended accordingly.’’ Another of the architect’s requirements that deviated from the specification was that he did not want two-sided centrally opening doors at the round lifts but a single-sided opening lift door. As a result the glass lift doors in the two round lifts have become rather large and heavy, although the performance of these lifts is fine despite the heaviness of the doors and the glass roof and the lifts look great. They really are a showpiece.’’

Test beforehand For testing of all building installations between the moment of completion and the official opening of the museum, a format was developed initiated by Rijksgebouwendienst.

Buurman indicates that this was very usable to test installations on safety, in emergencies too. Richard de Vries, regional service manager at Möhringer Lifts, adds: “Such a test, based on simulated numbers of visitors to be expected, is a real eye opener, for real life too.’’

Maintenance Since 13 July 2013, Möhringer Lifts has also been in charge of maintaining the 24 lifts. Ben Bruin, safety advisor at Rijksgebouwendienst, specifies it is a four-year contract, involving a consultation with Möhringer Lifts once every quarter. “In our maintenance contracts, we strive to leave more and more matters up to the maintenance firms, such as the maintenance and monitoring planning for the duration of the contract. And so, contrary to how things were in the past, it is the maintenance firms who determine how often en when maintenance is carried out. We also ask them to establish a ‘monitoring plan’ and a ‘replacement plan’, in the framework of scheduled maintenance. Part of the maintenance contract for lifts is also that Möhringer Lifts regularly carries out performance checks in the lifts based on NEN-EN 2767, for which we demand a sound itemisation of the performance scores’’.

Materials used in the lifts Re: Supplier Doors Sematic, Selcom Operation Kollmorgen Drives and controls Ziehl-Abegg Tableaus Schaefer Speed limiter and catch Bode en Schlosser Bearing cables Drako

Liftinstituut Magazine international

29

M ANAGEMENT

THE NEW RIJKSMUSEUM Technical specifications

[#]

[m]

Special considerations lift

[#]

Construction lift

Cage accesses

[mm]

Fire-fighter lift

Shaft accesses

[mm]

Lifting height

Door dimensions (WxH)

[m/s]

Cab dimensions (WxD)

[kg]

Nominal speed

Lifting capacity

Building

Lift installation type

Lift

[NEN-EN 81-72]

Lift M6 Traction, with machine room Main building 2500 1,00 1500 x 3140 1400 x 2500 6 2 22,82 Yes Yes Lift M7 Traction, with machine room Main building 3500 0,50 2000 x 3140 1800 x 2700 5 2 19,61 Yes No Lift M2.2 Traction, without machine room Main building 1000 1,00 1400 x 1600 900 x 2300 6 1 18,90 Yes No Lift M3.2 Traction, without machine room Main building 1000 1,00 1400 x 1600 900 x 2300 6 1 18,90 Yes No Lift M5 Traction, without machine room Main building 630 1,00 1100 x 1300 900 x 2300 5 1 16,89 No No Lift M8 Traction, without machine room Main building 630 1,00 1100 x 1250 900 x 2300 5 1 19,92 No No Lift M2.1 Traction, without machine room Main building 450 1,00 950 x 1250 900 x 2300 8 2 27,33 No No Shallow pit Lift MC1 Traction, without machine room Main building 1000 1,00 1300 x 1550 900 x 2300 5 2 6,75 No No Lift MC4 Traction, without machine room Main building 1000 1,00 1300 x 1550 900 x 2300 5 2 6,75 No Yes Lift MC2 Traction, without machine room Main building 2000 0,50 1400 x 2250 1100 x 2300 3 2 4,80 No No Lift MC3 Traction, without machine room Main building 2000 0,50 1400 x 2250 1100 x 2300 3 2 4,80 No No Lift MP1 Hydraulic, central plunger Main building 2000 0,50 Diameter 2650 1100 x 2300 2 2 3,50 No No Fully glazed cab,

including roof.

One-sided

opening round doors.

Lift MP2 Hydraulic, central plunger Main building 2000 0,50 Diameter 2650 1100 x 2300 2 2 3,50 No No Lift D1 Traction, without machine room Teekenschool 630 1,00 1100 x 1400 900 x 2300 3 1 9,16 No Yes Lift S1 Traction, without machine room Entrance building 2300 0,63 1300 x 2100 1100 x 2300 4 2 7,03 No Yes Outside access Lift S2 Traction, without machine room Entrance building 630 1,00 1100 x 1400 900 x 2300 4 1 12,21 No No Lift A2 Traction, without machine room Asian Pavilion 630 1,00 1100 x 1400 900 x 2300 2 1 5,55 No No Lift MC5 Small goods lift, Grand Café Main building 300 0,15 600 x 1000 600 x 1700 3 2 6,75 No No Lift MC6 Small goods lift, Grand Café Main building 300 0,15 600 x 1000 600 x 1700 3 2 6,75 No No Lift Mve Lifting platform, Vermeer extension Main building 500 0,15 960 x 1400 850 2 -- 1,72 No No Lift LG Lifting platform Main building 500 0,15 1200 x 1600 -- -- -- 0,30 No No Lift D2 Lifting platform Teekenschool 500 0,15 1050 x 1500 1050 n/a -- 1,36 No No Lift V1 Traction, without machine room Villa 450 0,63 950 x 850 750 x 2100 4 1 12,60 No No Lift CuyBib Traction, with machine room Main building 300 0,50 1000 x 730 600 x 2000 4 1 12,00 No No Existing lift

■■ Head of technical matters at Rijksmuseum Nico Stoop: “For me, the atriums that have been incorporated into the old building are the most extraordinary. It makes the entrance very beautiful and open and makes visitors feel good from the start. Old and new have been very beautifully combined.’’

Left to right: Ben Bruin, Hans Vreeken, Johan van Dijk, Marco Schoen, Willy Buurman, Richard de Vries and maintenance mechanic Salah Abdel-Rasoul.

30

Liftinstituut Magazine international

The round lifts, really a showpiece

Liftinstituut Magazine international

31

M ANAGEMENT

Collaboration with Liftinstituut on lift safety Despite state-of-the-art technical features (e.g. the door drives of the round lifts in the entrance building were placed below the c age f or e x ampl e), t he lif t standards could not be complied with everywhere in the design.

The designers at Möhringer lifts therefore developed alternative safety facilities for the deviations from the standards, supported by an extensive risk analysis. This applied to four lifts. Vreeken: “We consulted with Liftinstituut about these deviations, extensively covering the topic of how we could meet the architect’s specific wishes and a lower shaft head height and resulting restricted clearance.

This coordination deliberately took place at the early stages in order to minimise any risks of rejection and delay in the completion of the deviating installations.

With regard to the other lifts, he indicates that Möhringer Lif ts could have certified them itself as the company is ISO 9001 module H certified. “However, the specification prescribed that Liftinstituut be called in for this. Large clients often have a preference for inspections to be done by an independent party. Fortunately, the time required for the inspections was short, which we had requested too. As such, the periodical follow-up inspections can be carried out as much simultaneously as possible too.’’ Willem Kasteleijn, product manager lifts at Liftinstituut, adds: “The consultations bef orehand went wel l ; it w a s definitely advantageous that this took place at an early stage. When questions arose, we could switch very quickly. And this, in view of the time pressure, was very important. The fact that we did the unit inspections and the end checks gives some extra assurance not only to the client, but to the manufacturer too.’’

■

32

Liftinstituut Magazine international

“Every lift had to be custom-made’’

Liftinstituut Magazine international

33

IN PR AC T ICE

Liftinstituut guides with certification according to ASME A17.7/CSA B44.7 Product innovation in North America is often faster then Liftinstituut has been appointed AECO (Accredited Elevator/Escalator Certification Organization) in North America since 2009. Remarkable is that Liftinstituut is the only AECO in this area that is specifically geared to lifts and escalators.

Robert Kaspersma, senior specialist at Liftinstituut, has been involved in the AECO activities from the start, both in product certification and as a participant in AECO consultations. He also takes part in various American standardisation committees. He explains that in lift innovations requiring deviations from regular standard ASME A17.1/CSA B44, these must comply with standard ASME A17.7/CSA B44.7, or A17.7 in short, in North America. “In order to achieve approval, there are two possibilities: as manufacturer you can choose the variance procedure or the A17.7 route.’’

Robert Kaspersma, senior specialist at Liftinstituut: “In order to achieve approval for lift innovations, there are two possibilities: as manufacturer you can choose ‘the variance procedure’ or the A17.7 route.’’

More chance of approval with additional step He adds: “With a variance procedure, you as manufacturer report directly to the AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction, see box text too, ed.) of a state, explain the respects in which the lift deviates from A17.1 and provide the documentation yourself. Next, the AHJ indicates whether this is acceptable or not. With the A17.7 route, an additional step is done beforehand by approaching an independent AECO (such as Liftinstituut) first for information and who will provide guidance with carrying out a risk analysis beforehand to check that the innovated product complies with standard A17.7, based on performance-based safety. If this is the case, Liftinstituut provides an A17.7 certificate. With this certificate and Liftinstituut’s associated reports, you as manufacturer will be in a much stronger starting position if you then approach the AHJ. It is our experience that the AHJs will give the ‘green light’ more easily then. So by taking the A17.7 route, you can lower the threshold of reaching approval for products.’’

Research of importance Furthermore, he stresses the importance of carrying out good research into the additional requirements posed by the AHJs in the various states of North America. “Liftinstituut can help in this research. Our advice is to always start with the AHJs with the toughest requirements.’’

Advantages for manufacturers Dennis Lindeboom, international account manager, indicates the opportunities that A17.7 offers to manufacturers in North America. “By being able to deviate from the A17.1, they can be a lot more innovative. This standard certainly will also help them to create more market opportunities.

For instance in the area of buffers. Based on the A17.7, it is possible to use polyurethane buffers instead of the usual steel springs and hydraulic buffers as described in the A17.1. The advantage of these alternative buffers is that they can be much more compact. The elevator pit can therefore be somewhat shallower. In addition, polyurethane buffers cannot rust.’’ He also sees advantages for manufac-

34

Liftinstituut Magazine international

IN PR AC T ICE

AHJs Characteristic for North America is that every state has a separate AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction) which must approve product innovations. These AHJs are often rather critical, which is logical too. Lindeboom explains: “The AHJ’s are ultimately responsible for admitting products after certification, and they often come up with additional notes. Fortunately, we notice a growing trend of them accepting the A17.7 and the corresponding certification procedures. The fact that an objective third party like Liftinstituut is involved gives them often great joy, since it allows them to share their responsibility.”

turers in Europe: “In the past it was rather difficult for them to gain access to the North American market with their existing products, as they were not allowed to deviate from the A17.1. That is now no longer the case. Deviations are allowed, as long as the safety level is equivalent or higher and this fact is underpinned by a risk analysis. And in accordance with the A17.7.’’ As an example he mentions a vacuum lift, which has been introduced on the North American market. “As this type of lift is not suspended on suspension ropes and vacuum is the actual means of support, it is impossible to meet the A17.1. If the equivalence of the safety level is underpinned by a risk analysis, and this has been confirmed by an Accredited Elevator/Escalator Certification Organization (AECO) after a stringent inspection (based on the A17.7), the path is free for approval by the local authorities in the individual states in both USA and Canada.’’

Dennis Lindeboom, international account manager: “A17.7 offers great opportunities to manufacturers in North America.“

From North America to Europe Working with the A17.7 also offers good opportunities for American manufacturers seeking to expand to the European market, of course. After all, this will automatically pave the way to more affiliation of their products with the European Lift Directive.

Experiences of manufacturers with A17.7 A number of manufacturers operating in North America have already called in Liftinstituut for certification according to the A17.7 method. And to full satisfaction. Kaspersma: “Their positive reactions prove their enthusiasm in terms of certification by Liftinstituut, making the associated capital expenditure certainly their money’s worth.’’

Globalisation To the question whether globalisation plays a role in North America too, Kaspersma answers that many major European manufacturers who focus on the American market, have established themselves there. “But then there are not so many of them either.” He provides the following reasons: “The American market is relatively small and getting a product onto the market demands for a lot of investment. This may put them off. However, the advantage of the American market is that there is a larger margin on lifts sold. American manufacturers, apart from the odd one, are less focused on globalisation and export but more on production and particularly geared to the home market. They also prefer their own standardisation, although they are open to standardisation from Europe and the more European way of working with performance-based safety engineering.“ Lindeboom: “The North American approach gets closer and closer to the earlier established European approach in accordance with the Lift Directive. In Europe, conducting a risk evaluation and taking measures are also part of product design and certification.’’

■

Added value from Liftinstituut When asked about the added value from Liftinstituut for both the European and the North American manufacturers, Lindeboom replies: “In Europe, we gained much experience in practising performance-based safety, together with the associated risk evaluations. We now also use this experience worldwide, like in North America. In regard to North America, we are the only AECO fully dedicated to evaluating and certifying lifts and escalators. So we know all the ins and outs of these products, as well as the issues involved.”

Liftinstituut Magazine international

35

INS T RUC T IONAL

Energy measurements provide clarity Saving on peripheral equipment particularly lucrative Energy saving and CO2 reduction are high on the agenda of large organisations. In part due to this, these subjects are very important for lift manufacturers. Liftinstituut gladly shares its knowledge related to the energy consumption of lifts with you, acquired during the many energy measurements on lifts which we carried out over the past few years.

The attention to sustainability and energy savings is increasing. National governments, large project developers and banks also force the lift industry to give more attention to energy saving measures. This applies to new construction, but also to renovation projects.

Building owners are also paying more attention to the energy consumption of their lifts. The lift industry is responding well to this development. By applying new drive technologies, lighting systems and control technology, the energy consumption of lifts can actively be reduced. The sustainability of lifts – their effect on the environment – is mainly determined by the energy consumption when in use (75%). For that reason, it is understandable that the lift manufacturers are mainly focused on lowering the energy used. For the customer, it is important that this is demonstrable. To this end, VDI standard 4707:1 is being applied in Europe and becoming the more and more accepted standard in other countries all over the world. This standard indicates the measuring methods that can be used to assign an energy label to a lift.

Global standards related to energy consumption Eric Verkaik , product specialist Certification at Liftinstituut: “The rate of energy saving is increasingly becoming task-setting in large lift renovations.”

36

Liftinstituut Magazine international

CEN/TC 10 and ISO/TC 178 are working together on a standard related to energy consumption. ISO is leading the work. The result of the project will be published as CEN and ISO standards at the same time. The standard with respect to energy measurement (EN ISO 25745-1) is already published and EN ISO 25745-2 with respect to emergency performance classification of lifts and

INS T RUC T IONAL

Providing clarity about the energy consumption of your lift With a Liftinstituut Energy Perfomance certificate

More and more organisations make demands on the energy consumption of lifts. They want the guarantee of the lift company that the promised energy reduction is actually realised.

With advanced measuring methods Liftinstituut helps you to make the energy performance visible to your customers.

Afterwards Liftinstituut provides you with a detailed report, an Energy Performance Certificate and an energy label.

EN ISO 25745-3 with respect to emergency performance classification for escalators are under development.

How to measure energy VDI standard 4707:1 is based on the fact that lifts are not provided with a par ticular energy label ex-factor y.

Measuring energy is only meaningful once the lift has been installed, as the result depends partly on the construction environment, the installation method, and the nature and use of the lift.

In practice, the consumption is measured once the lift has been installed using the so-called standby mode as well as while it is riding up and down once, during which the doors open and close once. The energy consumption,

Based on measurement in the actual situation The energy consumption of an elevator depends on the architectural environment, the type of lift and the way it is used. Therefore Liftinstituut measures the energy consumption of the lift after installation by the lift company. Measurements are carried out both during use and standstill, and in accordance with the stipulations of VDI 4707:1.

Saving energy on peripheral equipment particularly lucrative Look carefully at ventilation and heating A lot of energy can be saved by effective shaft ventilation. Eric Verkaik, product specialist Certification at Liftinstituut: “This is often neglected. In particular in shafts of somewhat older fire-fighting lifts, you sometimes see enormous ventilation air flows. Usually, the shaft is ventilated via the machine room. When the machine room heating is turned on, you waste a lot of energy by heating the ventilation air before it leaves the building. In the machine room, you can also ‘score energy points’ by monitoring the heating. Currently, the mechanic regularly leaves the heating permanently set to 20 degrees Centigrade (68 degrees Fahrenheit) or higher. You can also consider the nature of the heating in the machine room.

This is normally provided by electric heaters, but it is much cheaper to run the building’s central heating through to the machine room. In addition, you can insulate machine rooms better. In particular those on the roof of a building.”

related to the elevation height and the permitted load, results in a reference value. This is, in turn, converted into an energy label.

The influence of peripheral equipment It is possible that the energy consumption of the lift itself is favourable, but that the amount of energy consumed by shaft ventilation or machine room heating has a negative effect. VDI labelling does not take this into account, but it should be stated in the measurement report. This choice was probably made because peripheral equipment is already included when the energy consumption of a building is measured (for instance by applying the BREEAM system).

■

Liftinstituut Magazine international

37

INS T RUC T IONAL / S afer

Low energie consumption

ISO standard versus VDI 4707:1

High energy consumption

One of the reasons why the energy measuring methods in accordance with VDI 4707:1 are so popular is the fact that on the basis of measurements after installation of the lift, in relation to the conditions of use, an energy label is attributed. And this is what the market is after.

Willem Kasteleijn,

We asked Willem Kasteleijn, product product manager Lifts manager Lif t s at Lif t inst ituut, at Liftinstituut: “ISO about the differences between VDI standard 25745-1 4707:1 and ISO standard 25745-1. additionally describes Kasteleijn explains: “ISO standard periodical reference 25745-1 for energy measuring on measurements, to lifts closely resembles VDI 4707:1. check that the energy In both cases, inspection takes placonsumption will not ce per individual lift rather than per increase over the lift type. Also, measuring only takes place on lifts that are already opeyears.” rating on site, i.e. not in the factor y. However, there is one major difference: The ISO standard does not lead to a lift being labelled, whereas this would be of particular interest to lift manufacturers who could use it as a marketing tool. In part 2 of this ISO standard, labelling is likely to return. Part of the measurements according to ISO standard 25745-1 is also keeping a number of relatively simple reference measurements. These reference measurements can be carried out on the lift every year again. This takes a relatively small amount of time and gives a good idea of how a lift is doing at that specific moment in time and whether it still meets the figures of use measured originally. With the VDI standard, the measurement takes place once and so not again after that.’’

Use of lifts always necessary for full evacuation from high-rise buildings Evacuation time almost always shorter and chance of survival greater The English translation of the impressive report ‘Evacuatie van hoogbouw met liften en trappen’ (‘Evacuation from high-rise buildings using lifts and stairs’) appeared recently. It is the result of a comprehensive study into backgrounds and options for evacuation from high-rise buildings in the Netherlands, with the emphasis on the use of lifts. The most important conclusion is that lifts are always necessary.

Experience regarding evacuation from high-rise buildings abroad was also taken into consideration in the creation of this report. Evacuation using lifts is still the exception in the Netherlands.

Internationally, however, the use of evacuation lifts is increasingly common, as the report shows.

Objectives of the study In addition to providing clarity regar-

38

Liftinstituut Magazine international

ding the various evacuation options, the purpose of the study was to develop a calculation model to make it possible to determine the optimal evacuation strategy for high-rise buildings in different scenarios.

Calculation model and scenarios What is special about this report is that it not only investigates the technical and other prerequisites, it also focuses

upon the use of the lifts in evacuation and of fers a calculation model for evacuation times. Based upon five scenarios (see the next page) and the calculation model, it becomes clear under which scenario a building can be evacuated most quickly and safely.

Fire-fighting lifts and in-house emergency officers Although the need to use lifts varies,

S afer

the authors of the report nevertheless argue for always providing the option of using as many lifts as possible, as an alternative to stairs, in the evacuation of high-rise buildings. They also argue for the use of in-house emergency officers, who are firstly familiar with the building and its users and secondly can inform and reassure users and alert them to the various alternatives for getting out of the building. These emergency officers can also coordinate amongst themselves to establish whether everyone is out of the building. The conduct of those present in a building also plays a role here. It has been shown that people remain calmer, and that there is therefore less panic, if you offer them various options for leaving a building and if they can practise regularly. One more reason for holding evacuation exercises (and preferably accompanied ones) so that people know what they have to do and don’t stay in the building too long. Then if a genuine evacuation situation arises, everyone is better prepared.

Appeal The authors conclude with an appeal to architects, designers and building owners to do everything to make highrise buildings as safe as possible. They also suggest to hold regular evacuation practices, even though there is no statutory obligation to do so, and ensure that the lifts are suitable for evacuation.

Five scenarios Five scenarios were compared in the study. These were: ■■ scenario 0: full evacuation using staircases alone. With people with disabilities being dependent upon assistance on the staircases; ■■ scenario 1: full evacuation using lifts alone; ■■ scenario 2: fractional evacuation using lifts and stairs, with only people with disabilities taking the lift and everyone else taking the stairs; ■■ scenario 3: full evacuation with stairs or lifts to refuge and transfer levels, with the lifts being used as shuttles from these levels; ■■ scenario 4: full evacuation, with people given a free choice between the use of lifts or stairs.

How do you get hold of this report?

The study and the report ‘Evacuatie van hoogbouw met liften en trappen’ (‘Evacuation from high-rise buildings using lifts and stairs’) by Deerns and Peutz could be concluded by a financial contribution from the Charity foundation of Liftinstituut. The English-language version of this report is now available. If you are interested in this, please send an email with your details to contact@liftinstituut.com. We will be happy to mail you the report in due course.

■

Buildings are getting higher and higher. The use of lifts for evacuation in the event of fire and disasters is therefore becoming ever more important. These lifts and their vestibules must be designed with this in mind.

Liftinstituut Magazine international

39

SEC TORNE W S

CEOC makes itself strong for product safety in Europe And helps notified bodies who in turn help manufacturers restrict liability risks Since 1961 the European sector organisation CEOC has been making itself strong for product safety in Europe, which includes the product safety of machines, lifts and cranes. What is its vision on this subject and what is CEOC’s added value?

We are talking about this with Drewin Nieuwenhuis, who has been CEOC’s secretary general for the past five years now. This international independent not-for-profit organisation is based in Brussels for good reason: Europe’s decision-making hub. The conversation also covers a number of concrete tips for manufacturers, lift companies and notified bodies.

Under the magnifying glass Nieuwenhuis explains that product safety, and its associated liability, has been under the magnifying glass more and more. “And with good reason, as the safety of products must not be compromised, whether it is in the area of lifts, wind turbines, ships, cars or food. The negative publicity surrounding products that appear not to be functioning

Drewin Nieuwenhuis, CEOC’s secretary general: “Product safety, and its associated liability, has been under the magnifying glass more and more.”

40

Liftinstituut Magazine international

SEC TORNE W S

About CEOC CEOC’s members are 24 inspection bodies from seventeen European countries, including Liftinstituut. The added value of membership for CEOC members can be summarised as follows: ‘information about current developments, influencing activities of international organisations and institutions, involvement in joint activities and informal contacts between organisations of our sector and other sectors’. CEOC, which promotes itself as ‘the voice of the independent safety professionals’, is represented in various European consultation bodies and also has representatives in the CEN and ISO standards committees (from the CEOC committees).

correctly or even cause accidents is often enormous too.

Product certification may be a way of preventing this.’’

Independent product certification essential CEOC pleads that product certification should be carried out as much as possible by independent bodies. Nieuwenhuis: “This is essential. The risk of manufacturers arranging certification processes themselves as well as carrying out these certifications will be that this is done a lot less objectively. This is why we believe that they should seek collaboration with a notified body. Although calling in a third

“Manufacturers call in independent notified bodies more and more for product certification.’’ party for product certification is not always mandatory, manufacturers, fortunately, tend to go for this more and more and also take the time for this. Even though the competition is sometimes breathing down their necks.’’

Added value of notified bodies So the demand for independent product certifications is increasing. Nieuwenhuis: “Across the entire testing, inspection & certification (TIC) sector, manufacturers call in a notified body in some 40% of cases.’’ Despite the increasing demand, he believes that notified bodies could definitely emphasise their added value in product certification a fair deal more. “At the moment, some manufacturers predominantly view calling in notified bodies for product certification as an extra expense. However, the costs are really not that high – particularly if you consider the total costs of developing a product and the income the product will generate once it is on the market. And if you can prevent a lot of trouble afterwards, such as accidents and claims, by calling in a good notified body at an early stage, the added value becomes clearly evident.’’

Verify quality and reliability “Product safety is, however, not just the manufacturer’s responsibility”, Nieuwenhuis says: “Suppliers of components, such as catches and speed limiters, but also lift installers, need to ensure this’’, he emphasises. But how do you as installer know whether a notified body that a lift or safety feature manufacturer has called in offers sound qua-

About the CML workgroup Within CEOC, there are various sectors, such as the cranes, machines and lifts sector (CML). This sector also has its own workgroup, which deals with matters such as incident statistics, CEN and ISO standards, the impact of globalisation and matters in the area of certification and inspections. It also covers the importance of sound and reliable CE marking. “But also the importance of sound communication to the outside. In addition, as organisation, it is important to bring out position papers to try and convince local governments of the European thoughts on safety.’’

Liftinstituut Magazine international

41

SEC TORNE W S

lity and reliability? Nieuwenhuis recommends to always verify this. He indicates that all notified bodies who are CEOC members will meet strong criteria in any case. “There is also a code of conduct that our members must adhere to, which will commit them to act reliably and with integrity.’’

Accreditation still highly variable Nieuwenhuis indicates that CEOC also tests by which accreditation bodies its members are and have been assessed.

Asked about the method used by the various accreditation bodies in Europe, he acknowledges that, unfortunately, they do not all adopt the same accreditation standards and when they do, they do not always interprete them the same way. This means that, unfortunately, there is a difference in quality among the notified bodies. “In Eastern Europe, but also in Southern Europe, the quality of notified bodies sometimes lags behind.’’

Harmonisation as THE solution “The solution for the differences’’, according to Nieuwenhuis, “is harmonisation, just as in the case of the European guidelines for lifts and machinery at the time. This will not only create clarity and impact the quality of the notified bodies, but will also save costs for manufacturers.’’ CEOC is therefore committed to having a say in this desired harmonisation. This happens in its own CEOC committee for accreditation (of f icially called the JTCPTC, the joined technical committee on product testing and certification), but also by taking part in the European Accreditation Advisory Board EAAB. This board exists to coordinate and lead the European accreditation infrastructure to allow the results of conformity assessment services in one country to be accepted by regulators and the market place in another country without further examination, for the benefit of the European community and the global economy.

New legislation and regulation

“Particularly in Eastern Europe, but also in Southern Europe, the quality of notified bodies sometimes lags behind unfortunately.’’

Drewin Nieuwenhuis: “Product certification should be carried out as much as possible by independent bodies.”

Nieuwenhuis further indicates that CEOC also keeps an eye on developments in legislation and regulation and joins in the discussions. In this context, he refers to the so-called Blue Guide, which explains how the various guidelines (such as the Lift Directive and the Machinery Directive) should be used. CEOC also follows the developments in respect of the tightening of market surveillance. “By about 2018 there must be a watertight system. This will yet be quite a challenge.’’

Globalisation It goes without saying that lifts are no longer just produced in Europe, but across the globe. Legislation and regulation as well as matters such as product certification are often arranged differently overthere. Nieuwenhuis indicates as an example that there is regular contact ‘from Europe’ with the Chinese lif t sector plus governments to coordinate things well in this area. “Visits to Chinese companies take place too. The fact that product safety is paramount is appreciated more and more there too. The penalties for non-compliance in China are anything but insignificant. In the worst case, the person responsible for the product error can even face the death penalty. Fortunately, this is not the case everywhere in the world, although claims for product errors do occur regularly. So best to avoid it by ensuring sound product certification in good time!’’

■

Striking conclusion Striking is that the ten largest inspection bodies (notified bodies), according to CEOC’s figures, are all from Europe. However, together they ‘control’ a mere 15-20% of the market. This leads to the conclusion that at least 80% of the market is served by smaller notified bodies. The chance that a smaller notified body is chosen to collaborate with is therefore greater than a large notified body. However, Nieuwenhuis expects that ultimately a lot less smaller notified bodies will remain. “In any case, the large manufacturers tend to only work with larger qualified notified bodies.’’ Like Liftinstituut.

42

Liftinstituut Magazine international

SEC TORNE W S

The shortest escalator in the world If you ever happen to be near Yokohama in Japan, make sure you visit the More’s department store. This is where you will find the shortest escalator in the world.

This ingenious piece of technology takes you as much as 83 centimetres up. ■

UltraRope hoisting technology from Kone Liftinstituut signs for certification Kone developed a new high-rise elevator technology that enable future elevator travel heights of 1 kilometer - twice the distance currently feasible.

The Kone UltraRope(TM) is a completely new hoisting technology that eliminates the disadvantages of conventional steel rope and opens up possibilities in high-rise building design - an important consideration as urbanization brings increasing numbers of people to cities.

carbon fiber core Comprised of a carbon fiber core and a special high-friction coating, Kone UltraRope is very light. That means that elevator energy consumption in high-rise buildings can be cut significantly. The drop in rope weight means a reduction in elevator mov ing masses - the

weight of everything that moves when an elevator travels up or down, including the hoisting ropes, compensating ropes, counterweight, elevator car, and passenger load. Due to the significant impact of ropes on the overall weight of elevator moving masses, the benefits of Kone UltraRope increase exponentially as travel distance grows.

Long lifetime Kone UltraRope is very strong and high resistant to wear and abrasion. Elevator downtime caused by building sway is also reduced as carbon fiber resonates at a completely different frequency to steel and most other building materials. Kone UltraRope has a long lifetime - at least twice that of conventional steel rope - and thanks to the special coating, no lubrication is required in maintaining it, enabling further cuts in environmental impact. ■

Otis launches GeN2 Switch First hybrid residential lift powered by 230 Volt Otis has launched a new residential lift worldwide that is simple to install, sustainable to operate, and powered by 230 Volts. Or solely by battery when the power fails.

The GeN2 Switch lift is built based on the GeN2-product family. The lift operates on has a battery that is charged by the 230 Volts single phase current or renewable power from resources such as solar panels or wind turbines and stores energy which is regenerated du-ring operation. It can also be used in the event of a power failure, the lift can make another 100 rides then. The lifting capacity starts at 630 kg.

Sustainable Otis explains: “Like other Otis GeN2lifts with Otis’ patented flat-belts and ReGen™ drives, the GeN2 Switch lift is up to 75 percent more efficient than traditional lifts. In addition, the GeN2 Switch lift is the first low-power GeN2 system. The system requires 12 times less installed power from the power grid, compared to a standard GeN2 residential lift.”

■

Liftinstituut signs for certification The Kone UltraRope hoisting technology was developed and thoroughly tested in both existing lift installations and test laboratories. Liftinstituut carried out an EG-type examination in accordance with the European Lift Directive.

Liftinstituut Magazine international

43

SEC TORNE W S

Handicare ensures accessibility and deliberately opts for type inspections by a notified body In this day and age, people grow older all the time which everyone is please about. However, this may be at the expense of their mobility. Handicare offers a helping hand and ensures that people can continue to live at their home for as long as possible. By installing stairlifts in homes for example.

“This may mean that we adapt our stairlifts, but also that we are going to develop new products.’’

All facets in the industry.

“The great thing about this company, I think, is that we deal with all the facets that occur within the industry’, according to Beerepoot. “We make both ‘specials’ and standard products and in addition to production, we also deal with product development, sales, assembly and maintenance. The fact that Handicare is an international company, which gets us dealing with various cultures, gives the work an additional dimension. In order to be able to communicate well with everyone, our front desk employees speak various languages.’’

Always an independent CE marking

Handicare is originally a Norwegian company that operates worldwide. The company’s ‘core business’ consists of developing and delivering products (in and around the home) that enable senior citizens and disabled people to continue to live at their home for longer.

Examples of these products are scoot mobiles and stairlif ts, but adapted baths and toilets too. Under Handicare’s ‘Accessibility’ division come stairlifts for the retail market. The production of the small components for the stairlifts takes place at Handicare in China. Vital parts, such as motors and PCBs for the lifts, come from German manufacturers.

The single and double track systems for the lifts are produced in the Netherlands and England respectively. Straight rails for stairlifts can be made too, if they are fitted to a straight staircase.

44

Liftinstituut Magazine international

Worldwide, Handicare sells some 34,000 stairlifts per annum, with America and England being the largest buyers.

Visit to the Dutch site We are paying a visit to the company’s Dutch site where the production of all single rail systems for stairlifts as well as the assembly of these lifts take place. Also, Handicare Netherlands with its 25 mechanics ensures the assembly and maintenance of the stairlifts, which are delivered to its Dutch customers. Elsewhere in the world, this is done by mechanics from the approximately one thousand dealer organisations that is collaborated with. Product manager Dick Beerepoot indicates that his task consists of ensuring that needs from the market are as much as possible translated into products.

Product manager Handicare Dick Beerepoot indicates that his task consists of ensuring that needs from the market are as much as possible translated into products.

Beerepoot emphasises that Handicare’s products are not brought onto the market just like that. In Europe, they get a CE marking, which is prescribed as mandatory by the Machinery Directive. “For installations presenting a falling risk of less than 3 metres, we are allowed to carry out the certification ourselves, but we don’t. We deliberately choose to have this certification done by an independent notified body via a type inspection on a voluntary basis. For years now, we have been calling in Liftinstituut for this. As such we know for sure that the safety features of our designs are critically scrutinised. This is very reassuring. Safety comes f irst and we want to sleep well at night, without worr ying that something will go wrong with our lifts. Liftinstituut also has regard for our interests. For example when, for production-technical reasons, we propose alternative safety solutions that deviate from the harmo-

SEC TORNE W S

New developments In order to make measuring of stairlifts easier and faster, Handicare has recently started using photogrammetry. This is a method where the shape and dimensions of the staircase and any objects are determined based on the interpretation of photos.In practice, this means that ‘measuring cards’ are placed on the steps of the staircase, making it easier to measure and calculate how and where the rails will need to be fitted. Another new development is that Handicare works with ‘augmented reality’ to give the end users a better insight into the ef fects of having a stairlif t in their home. Using Handicare Visionsoftware, the lift sales representative shows the end users in 3D on a tablet at their home what the lift will look like in and how it can be best installed.

Handicare makes both ‘specials’ and standard products and in addition to production, also deals with product development, sales, assembly and maintenance.

nised standard. This always results in a safe product, but also, where other aspects are concerned, in a market-focused product.’’

‘Better together’ Beerepoot continues: “In the event of standard deviations, Liftinstituut also assesses the risk analyses we make to display the safety implications of such deviations. And ensures a sound justification.’’ In product development, Liftinstituut is also an important partner for Handicare. “Their ‘better together’ concept, where Liftinstituut inspects the very first draft design on the drawing table, works brilliantly for us. Furthermore, Liftinstituut has a great deal of knowledge at hand and it is great that we always deal with the same contact person (product specialist Wietze

Visser, ed.). Another advantage is that Liftinstituut can certify products for our market worldwide. So in America too. It is also very practical for us to collaborate with Liftinstituut. We can supply the technical documentation in Dutch without having to get it translated first.

Although delivering the files in German or English would of course not pose any problem either”, he indicates.

European standard 81-40 indicative Handicare’s products are always marketed in Europe first. Beerepoot indicates that standard EN 81-40 is indicative in this, although ISO standard 9386-2 for stairlifts as used in other countries is complied with too. “He explains: the EN 81-40 is the most recent standard for stairlifts. The ISO norm is a lot older

Using Handicare Visionsoftware, the lift sales representative shows the end users in 3D on a tablet at their home what the lift will look like.

Liftinstituut Magazine international

45

SEC TORNE W S

and dates back to before the introduction of the European Machinery Directive. Liftinstituut also inspects our stairlifts to American standards ASME A18.1, which Handicare complies with now too. The content of the various standards is more or less identical, but also differs on a number of points. For example, the ASME standard poses more stringent demands on safety features, such as the break strength. The requirements in the area of fire resistance used to be different too, but have been harmonised now.” For the EN 81-40 to come about, as many as ten years of consultations in an international committee were required. Beerepoot himself took part in this committee too. Why did it take this long? “You are dealing with representatives from various different countries. Before you all reach one line of thought takes ‘a while’.’’

Not skimping on safety and certification Asked whether a company can be competitive when it has all their products certified, Beerepoot indicates that one must never skimp on safety. “For us, safety comes first. The costs involved in product certification are not up for discussion with us. Plus a certificate does not only cost money but has a commercial value too. Many customers ask for this, particularly in the case of costly purchases. We also notice sometimes that, despite the fact that a product is certified and carries an inspection mark or a type inspection indication, customers ask for the type inspection repor t s too. In consult at ion w it h Liftinstituut, we are able to provide these. Furthermore, if customers ask for this, Liftinstituut can give them some additional information sometimes. But then these are never competition-sensitive details.’’

End users focused on reliability For the users of stairlifts, however, a certificate is less important, Beerepoot indicates: “They are less focused on safety and ‘just’ want a dependable means of transport to be able to move about better. They presume the product will be safe and sometimes see safety features on the lift even as tricky. In practice, the majority of stairlift users do not wear the seatbelt for example.

The emergency stop too is seen as ‘threatening’ sometimes.’’ Beerepoot believes that the safety demands for stairlifts are rather stringent, “Particu-

46

Liftinstituut Magazine international

The lead time for a Handicare stairlift is only four to five days.

Beerepoot: “For a part of our installations we are allowed to carry out the certification ourselves, but we deliberately choose to have this certification done by an independent notified body via a type inspection on a voluntary basis. For years now, we have been calling Liftinstituut in for this.”

SEC TORNE W S

An old codger in the profession Dick Beerepoot has been ‘involved with stairlifts’ for 28 years now and is therefore certainly no novice in the profession. But then there is always someone to exceed this. Production worker Simon Pastor has been making stairlifts since 1961, i.e. for 52 years. He is still actively busy in the company, with plenty of pleasure and expertise, as this photo shows.

larly if you compare them with other products. Perhaps standardisation and regulation have gone a little too far here. After all, all these safety demands and features should not put the user off using the lift.’’

Tour After the interview, Beerepoot gives us a tour around the company, where some one hundred and fifty people work. Our tour includes a visit of the production and assembly departments. He proudly tells us that the lead time for a seated stairlift is only four to five days. “We produce tens of lifts per day.’’ It is buzzing with activity in the production hall: welding, shaping, sawing, polishing, all to great precision. In the end the rails are provided with a powder coating, wrapped up and put in place for transport. Assembly is a quick process too, without losing sight of quality assurance: “Nothing gets out of the door without extensive checks.’’ ■

Beerepoot: “Assembly is a quick process, without losing sight of quality assurance: nothing gets out of the door without extensive checks.’’

Liftinstituut Magazine international

47

Accredited by RvA and registered as Notified Body in Brussels

Your certification partner for Now also your North America and Europe certification partner

for North America

Safety and quality.

We make it obvious.

Which requirements must your products and competences meet? What are your obligations in Europe, North-America and the Middle-East? What should be recommended? As the leading international expert centre in safety and quality, Liftinstituut - as NoBo and AECO - points out the path in the jungle of laws, knowledge and safeguards.

Certifying your products. Liftinstituut can boast of having many years of experience in product certification on lifts, suspended access equipment, escalators and moving walks. We collaborate with you right from the start of product development.

Sharing our knowledge with the world. The hands-on experience and knowledge of Liftinstituut are also available for your organization. Besides coaching and consultancy our special division Liftinstituut Solutions offers training concerning codes and standards for lifts and training in risk assessment.

The advisors of Liftinstituut Solutions are also there to ensure that all codes and standards are applied so that the certification runs smoothly.

Would you like more information? Please call our international account manager Dennis Lindeboom on (+31) (0)20 435 06 06 or go see our websites:

www.Liftinstituut.com for product certification www.LiftinstituutSolutions.com for consultancy and training

ANSI Accredited Program PRODUCT CERTIFICATION #0842