Goods lift cabling

[SheffSimon]

I have a goods lift where I work which is being overhauled, part of which will involve some rewiring of the control circuits to upgrade the safety controls. The existing door and travel limit switches etc are cabled in pyro.

The lift is only used for shifting goods between two floors, and is not a personnel lift, and is only operable from a pushbutton fascia on the upper floor.

Is there any requirement to use fireproof/fire resistant cable on a goods lift? I can't think of one, my design risk assessment for the safety controls doesn't require it and Google can't either, so any experience/knowledge of UK standards would be welcome.

Edit - A bit of further googling tells me that this lift isn't actually a lift as defined by the Lifting Regulations, because it is for goods only, has no controls inside the lift, and those outside are not in reach of anybody inside the lift.

 

[Darkwood]

Lifts fall outside the scope of the BS7671 and I would seriously think about getting someone in competent to do the lift electrics here, I was allowed to wire the power supply only on a project and the lift contractors/engineers did all the lift and controls- regardless of it been goods or personel, it still poses high risks of injury or death so I would expect design would incorporate a fail safe nature so a faulty limit wouldn't pose a risk.

I feel a little uneasy you are attempting to move into this kind of install with the aid of google... I take it we are talking about a lift in a shaft from you post and not a loading ramp or similar.

PS check out - BS 5655-6:2011

You maybe correct but I would be reading the actual regulations as oppose to pulling snippets of the tinteweb.

 

[SheffSimon]

Cheers Darkwood. It doesn't fall under the Lift Regulations for the reasons mentioned above, and also it's travel speed, but I will confirm that by getting outside assistance.

That being the case, it is therefore just a piece of machinery with guard doors etc which I can risk assess and design/install the safety controls for in the normal way. Just as you would with any other machine with a hoist, like a palletiser or similar.

That's my current take on it anyway, but will get the appropriate advice.

 

[ruston]

It will still need to have comply to safety standards to protect the operators.
You need to check what requirements affect you.
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg422.pdf

 

[Darkwood]

Cheers Darkwood. It doesn't fall under the Lift Regulations for the reasons mentioned above, and also it's travel speed, but I will confirm that by getting outside assistance.

That being the case, it is therefore just a piece of machinery with guard doors etc which I can risk assess and design/install the safety controls for in the normal way. Just as you would with any other machine with a hoist, like a palletiser or similar.

That's my current take on it anyway, but will get the appropriate advice.

Fair enough as long as your confident its falls outside the BS5655-6 then it probably is as you say, my other thoughts are about fire safety too which are also implemented into the wording of the BS5655-6, now even if your not under those regs you may want to find out the requirement this service lift has to meet in the event of a fire, will the shaft allow the spread of the fire and what would the lift be required to do in the event of one to limit the spread.

You may only have to get someone in to ensure your design complies and meets any fire regulations but better protect your butt at the small fee of a consultation.

 

[SheffSimon]

Fair enough as long as your confident its falls outside the BS5655-6 then it probably is as you say, my other thoughts are about fire safety too which are also implemented into the wording of the BS5655-6, now even if your not under those regs you may want to find out the requirement this service lift has to meet in the event of a fire, will the shaft allow the spread of the fire and what would the lift be required to do in the event of one to limit the spread.

You may only have to get someone in to ensure your design complies and meets any fire regulations but better protect your butt at the small fee of a consultation.

Thanks all for your comments, have now decided to drop the whole thing in the lap of a local lift engineering company, who specialise in modernising lifts.

Let someone else put their name to it, as difficult as that sometimes is for engineers who like to get involved in stuff!!

 

[ruston]

Best thing. I had a similar one last year with a ' Dumb Waiter' . It was really old but in good condition, I decided to pass on it too.
All the previous certs were with it right up to when it stopped working about 15 years ago. It was a simple fix but I left it to the experts.

 

[SheffSimon]

Just by way of an update....lift engineer has been out....has condemned a number of things, type of door, things like that. So it's either a new lift or an equally costly refurb.

All that remains is to run that past those holding the purse strings

 

[Darkwood]

Was a good call to get those lift engineers in then, any of these points they pulled up may have been missed by yourself and left you with a large H&S burden on your shoulders just waiting for an accident...

Always know your limits and respect them, this way you protect yourself and the company you work for... thanks for the feedback ...

 

[ruston]

Especially the doors, being able to open them if the lift is in motion doesn't bear thinking about.