NEII's popular Going Up infographic was updated to include data to 2020. 

Click the graphic below to download a PDF.

TOPEKA, KS. (SEPTEMBER 15, 2020)

September 14-18, 2020 was the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration's 7th Annual  Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction Week. 

Many resources have been developed for safety stand-down events and toolbox talks. 

Safety STand-Down REsources

• OSHA Safety Stand-Down Homepage
• OSHA Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls Resources
• Fall Prevention Fact Sheet

Toolbox Talks

• Aerial Lifts
• Floor Holes
• Hazard Communication
• Ladders and Trenches
• PFD Inspection
• Personal Protective Equipment
• Pit Repair

Everyone is trying to figure out what will be the new “normal” in the era of Covid-19, and we have seen lots of questions related to the use, cleaning and design of elevators and escalators within discussions about the types of services our industry can offer. One thing is certain: Transmission of the disease occurs when people are in close proximity to one another, and the space in elevators and on escalators presents opportunities for meeting the challenges of the pandemic.

We also know that many routine tasks and others aspects of commerce have changed – people are queued six feet apart to check-out of retail stores, mail packages, etc.; wearing masks is socially expected in public places; and sanitizing  surfaces and surroundings has become the norm.

The building transportation industry has the opportunity to shape the debate around the regulation and use of our equipment, and we need to take assertive action. In order to ensure the appropriate management of issues related to elevators and escalators and to assist states in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic and related recovery, NEII is proposing the following: 

COVID-19 Response and Beyond (Long-Term Recommendations)

Encourage the use of “touchless” phone and app-based systems so passengers can call elevators and/or select floors from a personal device through the internet without a need to push the standard elevator buttons from the lobbies or within the car.

• Jurisdictions should ensure that all such systems providing users a method to call cars and/or select floors from a personal device (or other alternative means), including those that connect through the internet, can be utilized.

Adopt the most recent edition of the A17.1 model elevator code (ASME A17.1/CSA B44, Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators) so that the safest and most cost-effective standards are in place and to support a strong economic recovery.

• Jurisdictions following older versions of A17.1 are encouraged to update their elevator code to the most recent edition (2019).
• Adopting the most recent code will significantly reduce the number of variances that may be needed each year. Variances add costs and delays, many of which can be avoided by adopting the most recent codes.
• Manufactures design to the most recent code nationally. Building owners benefit from the economies of scale by purchasing these pre-engineered models, as well as the on-time installation of standard elevators rather than devoting resources to troubleshooting changes specific to any one jurisdiction.

Allow elevator companies to self-attest to the completion of specific work identified by inspectors during annual and other required inspections.

• Jurisdictions across the U.S. and Canada all face challenges of managing increasing workloads with limited resources.
• Deficiencies identified during annual inspections are often related to non-life-safety items, many of which are minor such as elevator button lights, etc.
• Self-attestations related to the completion of the work related to items such as these will reduce the time inspectors dedicate to re-inspections, freeing resources for the completion of annual and other required inspections.
  • Spot-checks can be done to confirm compliance, or those items can be verified during the next scheduled inspection.
• Citizens need to be confident that all elevators will be inspected every year, especially when equipment will be returned to service after being idle or  shut-down during the COVID-19 Stay-at-Home orders, and some, if not all, will be operating under different conditions and/or be modified moving forward in response to measures aimed at responding to the pandemic.

Implement video inspections to reduce the need for inspectors to travel to multiple sites.

• Elevator service companies have utilized video inspections in various jurisdiction across the U.S. effectively during the COVID-19 Stay-at-Home orders and restricted operations.
• Inspectors can perform on-site inspections if specific locations if issues are identified during the video inspection or other factors deem it necessary.
• Moving forward through re-opening and beyond, video inspections would be a way for jurisdictions to maximize its resources without compromising safety.
• Video inspections can also reduce the need for inspectors to travel to various locations and interact with numerous people, reducing the risk of exposure to COVID-19 for inspectors, elevator personnel and others.

COVID-19 Response for Building Owners (Short-Term Recommendations)

As part of the detailed risk assessment and site-specific protection plans required by most, if not all re-opening efforts, building owners and managers should have a section specifically related to building transportation equipment to be followed for a specific length of time and discontinued thereafter.

The following recommendations are components of a multi-factor approach for this section of the site-specific protection plan. Specific measures may or may not be adopted depending on requirements, considerations or circumstances.

A. Implement physical distancing protocols in elevators. Each site will need to review the size of its cars and number of elevators in a bank to assess distancing between passengers. 

Examples include: 

• 2500# cars: no more than two people in opposite corners.
• 3000# & 3500# cars: no more than three people with two in back corners and one in center by door.
•  Larger service cars (which may have limited access by the public) greater than 72”x 72” can accommodate four.
• These guidelines were developed based on the “standard” dimensions of elevator cars and are not appropriate in all circumstances. All factors should be considered when determining the appropriate number of persons per elevator, including what type of other preventative measures are being utilized at the location.

B. Space passengers on escalators.

• At least four steps should remain empty in between passengers.

C. Other passenger traffic control measures, such as:

• Markings on lobby floors and/or in elevator cars and escalator steps.
• Stanchions (for lobbies only; not recommended for use inside cars)
• Destination dispatch systems* (to increase efficiencies of elevator rides and reduce time spent in elevator cars). 

D. Communicate information to passengers and building tenants.

• Signage plan for content and placement.
• Other.

E. Cleaning methods and frequency recommendations or alternatives to traditional cleaning methods for each elevator car, escalator railing and all the call buttons.

• Other measures to comply with current CDC guidance, including but not limited to:
• Face masks and other coverings.
• Sanitizer stations.
• Staggered arrivals, departures and break times of workers and tenants.

G. Other options may also be considered as long they meet all applicable codes, laws and regulations, and they do not restrict accessibility, create unsafe conditions, or hinder performance of the elevators and/or escalators. Examples include:

• Additional air ventilation for elevator cars and elsewhere in the building.
• Alternative floors selection options (i.e., “no touch” screens, foot pedals, etc.).
• Additional elevators.

*Destination Dispatch systems can be either a short-term or a long-term solution. We recommend building owners interested in exploring destination dispatch systems should discuss options with their elevator service companies.

Download a PDF of NEII's recommendations.

August 29, 2019

In light of a recent tragic and highly publicized accident in the U.S., the National Elevator Industry, Inc. (NEII) feels it is important to reaffirm the many measures our industry undertakes to provide a consistently high standard of safety.

Safety is the Elevator and Escalator Industry’s First Priority

NEII and its member companies are committed to the promotion of safe building transportation and continue to aggressively work toward improving and ensuring adoption of stringent safety codes, developing safer products and helping to educate the public on safe riding practices. While we cannot prevent every accident, we strongly believe that accidents such as these should never happen, and that it is our responsibility – from manufacturers, owners, managers and inspectors to the riding public – to uphold this overall commitment to safety.

Elevator Safety Codes Ensure Safe Equipment, Regular Maintenance and Inspections

The industry does have stringent codes in place to help ensure the safety of its products, and to make certain that machinery is maintained and inspected according to its respective codes. In addition, NEII fully supports licensing requirements for elevator and escalator mechanics across North America. 

Safety Features Keep Elevators From Moving While Doors are Open

Basic protections from elevators moving while their doors are open have in fact been in place since the 1920s. These simple electromechanical systems, which have continued to be improved over the years, are known as “interlocks” in later elevator codes, and exist on virtually all elevators in operation in the U.S. today. To better protect passengers from possible harm, the 1980 edition of the ASME A17.1 Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators implemented a provision that would lock the elevator car doors (door restrictors) when the car was more than 18 inches above or below the floor. This distance was recently changed to 7 inches. 

In 2000, the first harmonized edition of the ASME A17.1/CSA B44 code for new elevator installations was published it has incorporated the latest advances in technology, making additional protection possible and providing redundant protections against unintended elevator car movement. Elevators installed under the 2000 and later editions of the code contain these safety features:

• A means to detect unintended car movement with the doors open  due to a failure in the drive machine, motor, brake, gearing, control system, hydraulic pressure, etc. that will immediately stop the car;
• An independent, secondary emergency brake that is activated when unintended car movement is detected;
• Application of this brake when a loss of power is detected; and
• A requirement that the emergency brake be manually reset before the car is permitted to run again, requiring a qualified elevator mechanic to diagnose and correct the problem before the elevator is placed back in service.

For those elevators that predate the safety features introduced in the past 20 years, the ASME A17.3 Safety Code for Existing Elevators and Escalators contains basic requirements for rider safety in these older systems. These include requiring door restrictors and prohibiting the driving machine that moves the car from operating with passengers on the car if the elevator doors are not in a closed position. NEII has consistently advocated for the adoption of the ASME A17.3 within every jurisdiction nationally, to ensure that a designated minimum standard of safety is met, regardless of the age, model or manufacturer of the equipment.

Regular Inspections and Maintenance are Critical

As with any electrical and/or mechanical system, it is critical that elevators be inspected and maintained on a regular basis to ensure that these safety features are functional. The ASME A17.1/CSA B44 Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators prescribes regular maintenance and periodic testing and inspection for all elevators. Of course, their success relies on building owners that retain adequate elevator maintenance, elevator contractors and technicians that are proficient in their work, and jurisdictions that require qualified elevator inspectors to help ensure the safety of the equipment. Proper preventive maintenance plays a critical role in eliminating the potential for equipment malfunctions and addressing any prospective difficulties.

Unfortunately, accidents can still occur even with all of these measures and the protections contained in our safety codes. This is why the NEII member companies remain committed to developing new technology to further enhance passenger protection in both new and old elevators. NEII remains a strong advocate of elevator and escalator safety by continually improving the systems in place to help ensure rider safety, endorsing the adoption of current model codes by local government agencies, and assisting our national and international code-writing bodies in the improvement of rules that affect the installation, maintenance and operation of this equipment.

As elevator technology continues to evolve, these safety codes also encourage the efficient and safe adoption of the latest technical developments, resulting in elevator equipment that remains on the leading edge of safety, innovation and reliability.  

Elevators Are One of the Safest Forms of Transportation

Though elevators are one of the safest forms of transportation with over 18 billion passenger trips per year in the United States alone, following simple guidelines can help further improve passenger safety. We encourage everyone to review these guidelines regularly for more information on these topics. Please visit the elevator and escalator safety pages on the NEII website at www.neii.org.

NATIONAL ELEVATOR INDUSTRY, INC. MARKS NEW ERA 

AS INDUSTRY LEADER WITH NEW VISUAL IDENTITY

NEII reveals new logo and website, and sets standards in motion

with renewed purpose for greater industry impact 

CENTREVILLE, VA (May 1, 2019) – The National Elevator Industry, Inc. (NEII) unveiled a new visual identity at their annual meeting last week, culminating years of organizational changes. Their new image reflects an expanded role as a leader of the building and vertical transportation industry and as a universally trusted resource for safety, codes and innovation in a fast evolving field.

“Key stakeholders in the industry turn to NEII for technical information and data regarding safety, codes updates and guidance on new technologies,” said Kevin Brinkman, Vice President of Codes and Safety. “Our new identity and comprehensive website is much easier to navigate and provides a better understanding of the role we play in advancing safe and innovative products and technologies.”

This rebrand follows several major events for NEII in recent years, including:

•  The hiring of Penafiel, a veteran of the buildings industry, as Executive Director.
• Expanding the staff from one full time employee just 2.5 years ago to six full time employees today.
• Partnering with other stakeholders to update the ASME A17.1/CSA B44 Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators as well as relevant NFPA and ICC building codes every three years.
• Implementing a comprehensive government affairs program to influence elevator safety legislation and regulations across the country.
• Launched Elevator and Escalator Industry Cybersecurity Best Practices to provide a guideline to aid elevator and escalator manufacturers in designing systems that protect and manage against network based cyber-attacks. 

Penafiel added, “This is truly an exciting time for NEII. Our fresh image and vibrant website provide important content to propel the industry in these rapidly changing times.”