Occupational Safety Training Document for Elevator Maintenance

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This occupational safety training document for elevator maintenance helps workers equip themselves with safety knowledge and prevent hazards when operating and repairing elevators.

I. General Regulations

1. Scope of Application in the Elevator Maintenance Safety Document

• This standard applies only to electric-driven elevators, with a vertical or inclined movement angle of less than 15 degrees from the vertical, and with a working speed of up to 2.5m/s. The subjects of this standard are classified into the 5 types below:
  • Type 1: Elevators designed for transporting people.
  • Type 2: Elevators designed primarily for transporting people but also accommodating goods carried by people.
  • Type 3: Elevators designed to transport beds (stretchers) for use in hospitals.
  • Type 4: Elevators designed primarily for transporting goods, but usually accompanied by a person.
  • Type 5: Dumbwaiters controlled from outside the car, used only for transporting goods – this type must have its car size restricted during design so that a person cannot enter.

• This standard does not apply to goods lifts with limited technical features, simple drive structures (such as hand-cranked vertical shafts), and temporary working nature (such as lifts for construction purposes).
• For elevators with a working speed above 2.5m/s or operating under strict conditions, with special scope (e.g., chemicals, explosives, etc.) and operating in unusual environments, in addition to complying with the provisions of this standard, a separate agreement from the competent safety authority is required for installation and use.

2. Elevators Eligible for Installation

• Imported elevators must meet the following conditions:
  • Have original technical documentation.
  • The elevator is manufactured according to international standards or the standards of the country of origin and must be compatible with Vietnam’s safety standards.
  • Accompanying parts and details must be from a single manufacturer, or if manufactured as a collaboration of multiple companies from multiple countries, the assurance of technical specifications is the responsibility of the named elevator company, with special attention to the specifications of important parts and details such as:
    • Steel cables, load-bearing chains
    • Guide rails for the car and counterweight
    • Driving and guiding pulleys.
    • Control and leveling brake system
    • Safety gear system
    • Safety control mechanisms, protective signals

• Domestically manufactured elevators
  • Elevators must be manufactured by legally recognized units that have been permitted by the competent authorities.
  • Elevators must be manufactured in accordance with current technical standards and must comply with the provisions of this standard.
  • Mass-produced elevators must conform to the tested model and have complete original technical documentation.
  • Important parts and details that are not manufactured domestically must be imported or manufactured in collaboration, with their basic parameters and technical specifications clearly stated in the documentation.

3. Requirements for the Installation Unit in the Elevator Maintenance Safety Document

• Units permitted to install, adjust, maintain, and repair elevators must meet the following conditions:
  • Be a legally recognized entity and have been issued an operating license by the competent authorities.
  • Have technical staff who have been trained in the specialized technical field.
  • Have a team of skilled technical workers who have received basic and periodic training in technical safety.
  • Have adequate technical conditions and technological capabilities for installation, adjustment, and repair work, including processing equipment, testing, calibration, and measurement equipment.
• The installation unit must strictly follow the manufacturer’s installation, operation, and usage instructions and must ensure all parameters, dimensional tolerances, and technical characteristics of the elevator comply with the original technical documentation.

• Based on the original technical documentation, the installation unit must prepare a set of technical documents to hand over to the user, as follows:
  • Elevator logbook.
  • Safe operation and usage guide for the elevator.
  • Guide for regular and periodic maintenance and inspection schedules, and measures for handling emergency incidents such as power loss or incorrect leveling.
  • Allocation of responsibility and definition of adjustment and maintenance cycles with the elevator user.
• The installation and repair unit is responsible for organizing the testing of the elevator after installation and repair according to the procedures and rules of this standard.
  • The testing must be conducted by a technical council with the following main components:
    • The authority that updates the elevator’s usage registration
    • A representative of the elevator installation unit
    • A representative of the elevator user (entity or individual)
  • The test results must be recorded in a report signed by the members and stamped by the responsible installation unit.

4. Person Responsible for Managing Safe Operation

The elevator operator must receive basic training in the duties they are responsible for, specifically:

• Understand the technical features of the elevator they are in charge of (rated load, working speed, etc.)
• Know the safety standards related to the elevator
• Know how to handle emergency incidents according to the instructions of the installation unit

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II. Installation in the Elevator Maintenance Safety Document

1. Preparation Work

• The elevator installation unit must inspect the construction part and only proceed with the installation work after confirming that the construction part has been completed and meets the technical requirements of the design.
• Arrange wooden work platforms from the bottom up the entire height of the hoistway, with a distance between them not exceeding 3m, with hand ladders for movement between platforms; the work platforms must be sturdy, capable of withstanding a load of not less than 2.5KN/m² per platform.
• Cover all landing door openings and assembly openings (if any) from the landing floor up to a height of not less than 1.1m, and cover snugly from the floor up to a height of not less than 150mm; the covers must be securely fixed to the wall.
• Run temporary lighting to each floor in the hoistway and into the machine room. Temporary lighting must use a power source with a voltage not exceeding 42v, and the illumination should not be less than 50 Lux. Incandescent bulbs must be placed above the work platforms, in locations that do not obstruct the installation work.
• When repairing or renovating elevators in occupied buildings, warning signs stating “Elevator Under Repair” must be hung on all floors, and barriers must be erected. Do not allow unauthorized persons to approach the landing doors or reach the wall-mounted buttons. If repairing one of two elevators installed in the same hoistway, the partition between the two elevators must be completely covered for the entire height.
• The completion level of the construction, the wooden work platforms in the hoistway, and the coverings must be reflected in a report signed by the client and the installer.
• Before starting the elevator equipment installation work, in addition to the requirements mentioned above, the following conditions must be ensured:
  • Have complete and synchronized elevator equipment of guaranteed quality.
  • Have all necessary materials, equipment, tools, and fixtures for installation; electrical equipment must be tested for electrical safety before use.
  • Have the complete technical and assembly documentation for the elevator.
  • Have labor protection equipment, fire prevention equipment, and the elevator installation safety regulations.

2. General Requirements

• No other parts or equipment (water pipes, electrical wires, etc.) unrelated to the elevator may be installed in the hoistway or machine room.
• The machine room must be well-ventilated, dry, and protected from dust. The pit must be dry, with no groundwater or wastewater seeping into the pit.
• The entrance to the machine room must have a lock and must be installed before the installation of equipment in the machine room begins.
• The clearance between the cables and the edge of the cable holes in the machine room floor must not be less than 25mm.
• The gap between the landing sill and the car sill must not exceed 25mm for elevators controlled from the car and for cars without doors, and not exceed 45mm for other elevators.
• The leveling accuracy of the car at each stopping point must be within a limit of 20mm for hospital elevators and elevators loaded by cart, and 50mm for other elevators.
• The distance between the nearest points of elevator components must not be less than the following values:
  • 50mm between the car and the counterweight.
  • 50mm between the car, counterweight, and a steel mesh partition;
  • 25mm between the car, counterweight, and a solid hoistway wall on the side without a car door (15mm for a hoistway wall without protrusions).
  • 10mm between the landing sill and the car sill, between protruding parts of the landing door and the car door, excluding landing door lock components and related parts on the car.
  • 10mm between protruding parts of the car (counterweight) and the guide rail structures, including rail clamping components.
• The distance between the landing door panel and the car door panel must not exceed 120mm.
• The distance from the lowest parts of the hoistway ceiling, or equipment installed under the ceiling, to the top of the car, when the counterweight is resting on solid buffers or fully compressed buffers, must not be less than 750mm.
• The space below the car to the bottom of the pit, when the car is resting on solid buffers or fully compressed buffers, must not be less than 500mm.

3. Safety Techniques in the Elevator Maintenance Safety Document

• When installing an elevator, it is necessary to strictly comply with the technical safety regulations in construction TCVN 5308:1991, the standard for electrical safety in construction TCVN 4086:1985, the technical safety regulations for lifting equipment TCVN 4244:1986, the general safety requirements for electric welding TCVN 3146:1986, and fire safety TCVN 3254:1979, and at the same time, strictly adhere to the provisions below.
• Finishing construction work such as plastering must be carried out after the elevator equipment has been installed; plastering the hoistway walls (if included in the design) must be done before the elevator equipment is installed.
• Test runs, start-ups, and adjustments of mechanical equipment, electrical equipment, control systems, and inspection and signal systems must be carried out after the finishing construction work is completed.
• Do not carry out elevator installation work simultaneously with the construction work of other construction or machine installation units at different heights within the hoistway.
• When carrying out adjustment work, the temperature in the machine room and in the hoistway must not exceed 40°C and must not be lower than 5°C.
• Welding work in elevator installation must be performed by a certified welder of grade 4/7 or higher. When welding, the elevator equipment must be covered and protected from the effects of heat and welding slag. Do not weld electrical wires after they have been laid.
• Do not leave elevator parts, equipment, tools, gear, or construction materials… occupying hallways, courtyards, stairs, and other passageways.
• Elevator equipment may only be temporarily stored on floors or roofs in places agreed upon by the main construction contractor.
• While installation is in progress, at least two people must be present at the regular work site.
• Workers in the hoistway must wear hard hats for protection; if using electrical tools, they must wear insulated gloves and shoes.
• Absolutely do not climb on the iron frame of the guide rails or cables to move between platforms; a ladder must be used. Do not throw metal fragments, welding rod stubs, or any other objects into the hoistway.
• Work is only permitted in the hoistway below the car provided that the car is chocked by the cable (the cable must be tightly pressed into the sheave groove), secured by the safety gear, securely chocked, or placed on non-removable iron supports.
• Do not work in or on top of the car while it is moving. No person is allowed in the car when testing the safety gear. Do not use the electric motor of the drive unit to release the car from the safety gear.
• Work is only permitted on the car roof provided that the car has been securely suspended by the cables, the safety gear has been adjusted and tested. No more than 2 people are allowed on the car roof, and do not sit on the roof with legs dangling in the hoistway.
• When a worker is on the car roof, the car is only allowed to move downwards at a speed not exceeding 1m/s and must be accompanied by another worker inside the car, controlling the car’s movement with the button on the roof.
• Do not perform tasks on the car roof that can be done outside the hoistway, such as washing or cleaning cables and machine parts.
• Do not stand in the hallway and reach through the landing door and car door to start the elevator.
• Lifting devices such as hoists, chain blocks, pulleys… can be hung from the hoistway structure according to the design and must be fixed, not moving during operation.
• Only operate the hoist/chain block on the command of the responsible person; any unclear command is to be understood as a “stop” command.
• When lifting or lowering in the hoistway, the load must be securely clamped and suspended; only release the load after it has been safely placed in a position where it cannot fall.
• Absolutely no person is allowed below the load or in the path of the load being lifted or lowered.

4. Post-Installation Acceptance Rules in the Elevator Maintenance Safety Document

• The elevator installation unit must complete the following preparations for acceptance:
  • Finalize the documentation set.
  • Prepare the elevator to be ready for operation.
  • Together with the client, prepare the load and ensure the conditions for acceptance.
• The purpose of post-installation acceptance of the elevator is to determine:
  • The conformity of the elevator’s parameters and dimensions with the data recorded in the technical documentation.
  • The elevator is in a condition for safe operation.
• The technical parameters to be checked include:
  • Rated load
  • Working speed and slow speed
  • Leveling accuracy at the floors
  • Car floor area of passenger elevators
• Acceptance of the elevator for safe operation must include:
  • Visual inspection
  • No-load test
  • Static load test
  • Dynamic load test

• During visual inspection, the condition of the following must be checked:
  • Drive unit
  • Electrical equipment
  • Safety devices
  • Control, lighting, and signal units
  • Hoistway enclosure protection
  • Car, counterweight, guide rails
  • Car door and landing doors
  • Cables (Chains) and their end fastenings
  • Electrical protection
  • Insulation of electrical equipment and wiring
  • In addition, it is necessary to check safety clearances, electrical diagrams, necessary tools in the machine room, and factory labels.
• During the no-load test, the operation of the following parts needs to be checked:
  • Drive unit (heat generation, oil leaks, brake operation)
  • Car door and landing doors
  • Control, lighting, and signal units
  • Safety components (limit switches, “STOP” button, automatic landing door locks, movable car floor)
• The static load test aims to check the strength of the drive unit components, the reliability of the cable brake, that there is no slipping on the drive sheave, the strength of the car, the car and counterweight suspension structure, and the reliability of the cable end fastenings.
• The static load test is performed with the car at the lowest floor, holding the load for 10 minutes with a specified load exceeding the rated load by:
  • 50% for elevators with a winding drum and elevators using chains as traction
  • 100% for elevators with a traction sheave
• The static load test can be replaced by moving the car down 3 times with a load exceeding the rated load by 50%.
• The dynamic load test aims to check the reliability of the elevator under load and to check the operation of the safety gear, the overspeed governor, and the buffers, by loading the car with 110% of the rated load and running it up and down 3 times.

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III. Use of the Elevator in the Elevator Maintenance Safety Document

• Only use the elevator if it is in good technical condition and has been registered for use.
• Elevator operators and users must be in a normal state of health.
• Persons who are intoxicated or mentally unstable are prohibited from being in the control operation position or entering the car to use the elevator.
• In case of a power outage or during repair and maintenance, a notice of temporary suspension of operation must be hung at the stopping floors, and the main circuit breaker to the elevator must be switched off.
• Goods elevators with simple controls (manual floor leveling) must have strict operating rules to ensure safety during operation and use.
• These rules must be approved by the head of the unit and hung in a visible place at the operating location.
• Absolutely do not transport a load without knowing its weight.
• When transporting loose or fragmented goods, do not place the goods directly on the car floor but must pack them in bags or containers.
• Goods may only be poured onto the floor of elevators specifically designed for bulk transport with a standard container-type car structure.
• It is forbidden to carry people in an elevator designed for carrying goods (Type 5).
• Unauthorized persons are strictly forbidden from entering the following locations:
  • Machine room
  • Hoistway
  • Standing on the car roof
  • Using a key to open landing doors, access doors, inspection doors, or the machine room door
  • Main circuit breaker cabinet, fuse box

• The keys to the locations mentioned above are kept by the person responsible for the safe operation of the elevator; a second key is handed over to the on-duty operator in rotation.
• The load in the car must be arranged securely, stably, and distributed evenly on the floor surface. It is forbidden to transport bulky, stacked goods together with people.
• When transporting flammable, explosive, or toxic goods, special preventive measures must be taken. It is forbidden to transport these types of goods together with people.

Appendix 1: Definitions and Classifications of Elevators

1. Car: The elevator compartment for carrying people or goods.
2. Rated Load: The maximum allowable lifting mass of the elevator, measured in kilograms (kg).
3. Capacity: The maximum number of people allowed to be carried in the elevator; capacity depends on the car floor area. This parameter, recorded in the elevator’s technical documentation, is for reference only.
4. Hoistway (Well): The space enclosed by the surrounding walls, the pit floor, and the hoistway ceiling. The hoistway is the space where the moving parts of the elevator: car, counterweight, cables, chains, etc., move.
5. Stop: The position for entering and exiting the elevator car at each service landing.
6. Pit: The part of the hoistway below the lowest stop.
7. Headroom: The part of the hoistway above the highest stop.
8. Working Speed: The designed operating speed measured in m/minute or m/second (m/min, m/s). A working speed above 2.5m/s (150m/min) is called high speed.
9. Inspection Speed: A slow speed used only during inspection and repair processes.

Appendix 2: Steel Cable Discard Criteria

• Maximum permissible number of broken wires per rope lay

Initial rope safety factor	Rope construction, number of wires
	6 x 19 = 114		6 x 37 = 222
	Cross lay	Lang’s lay	Cross lay	Lang’s lay
9	14	7	23	12
9 : 10	16	8	26	13
10 : 12	18	9	29	14
12 : 14	20	10	32	16
14 : 16	22	11	35	17

 

• Ropes must be discarded due to wear (reduction in diameter) of 10% compared to the original.
• This appendix applies to the following types of ropes:
  • Suspension ropes for the car (counterweight)
  • Safety gear operating ropes
  • Vertical sliding door suspension ropes, etc.
• Periodic replacement or discard of ropes may be based on the manufacturer’s specific regulations.

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IV. FURTHER REFERENCE

1. Group 3 Certified Safety Training Services

2. Group 3 Occupational Safety Test

• Group 3 Occupational Safety Multiple Choice Test

3. Price Quote for Occupational Safety Training Services

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