Section 53: Hoists and lifts

53. Hoists and lifts (1) Every hoist or lift shall be of good mechanical construction, sound material and adequate strength, and shall be properly maintained. (2) Every hoist or lift shall be thoroughly examined by a registered machinery inspector at least once every 6 months, and an original report of the result of such examination in the form set out in the Fifth Schedule, shall be sent by the owner to the Director, Occupational Safety and Health within 28 days of the completion of the examination. (3) Every hoistway or liftway shall be efficiently protected by a substantial enclosure fitted with gates so as to prevent, when the gates are shut, any person falling down the way or coming into contact with any moving part of the hoist or lift. (4) Any such gate shall be fitted with an efficient interlocking or other device so as to secure that the gate cannot be opened except when the cage or platform is at the landing and that the cage or platform cannot be moved away from the landing until the gate is closed. (5) Every hoist or lift and every enclosure shall be so constructed as to prevent any part of any person or any goods carried in the hoist or lift being trapped between any part of the hoist or lift and any fixed structure or between the counter-balance weight and any other moving part of the hoist or lift. (6) There shall be marked conspicuously on every hoist or lift the maximum working load which it can safely carry and no load greater than that load shall be carried on any hoist or lift. O2 – 37 [Issue 1] Occupational Safety and Health Act (7) The following additional requirements shall apply to hoists or lifts used for carrying persons, whether together with goods or otherwise— (a) efficient automatic devices shall be provided and maintained to prevent the cage or platform from overrunning; (b) every cage shall, on each side from which access is afforded to a landing, be fitted with a gate, and in connection with any such gate efficient devices shall be provided to secure that, when persons or goods are in the cage, the cage cannot be raised or lowered unless the gate is closed and will come to rest when the gate is opened; (c) the maximum number of persons or amount of load that can safely be carried shall be marked conspicuously; (d) where the platform or cage is suspended by rope or chain, there shall be at least 2 ropes or chains separately connected with the platform or cage, each rope or chain and its attachments being capable of carrying the whole weight of the platform or cage and its maximum working load, and efficient devices shall be provided and maintained which will support the platform or cage with its maximum working load in the event of a breakage or failure of the ropes or chains or any of their attachments. (8) The owner or an employer making use of a lift shall cause a notice relating to the examination of the lift in the form set out in the Eighteenth Schedule to be affixed inside the cage or near the cage station in such a manner as not to be easily removed or tampered with by any person.