FEATURE


THE STAIRWAY TO SAFETY Jeff Kennedy, Technical Manager of Lifts & Escalators at Bureau Veritas,


explores the application of Provision of Use of Work Equipment (PUWER) and how to navigate through grey areas, where both employees and the public will be using escalators in the same building.


Escalators and moving walks provide a convenient, practical and relatively safe way of transporting people. However, this type of transportation does create potential hazards; accidents and incidents that involve users are much greater from escalators and moving walks than with lifts.


One reason is inherent in the functionality of escalators and moving walks. Potential hazards include; loose clothing, type of footwear, carried goods and equipment misuse, all of which the duty holder must take into consideration. A second factor, which can be widely overlooked is the location, this can cause a grey area for the owner as to which regulations apply.


Once an escalator is installed, a robust risk assessment, preventative maintenance, testing, inspection and thorough examination are all critical to ensure longevity, reliability and, above all, safety. However, the extent to which these are carried out can depend on the regulations governing the equipment.


Escalators and moving walkways are predominantly in public places, rather than workplaces, and they are not a statutory item covered under the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER). This means that they are


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often overlooked from a thorough examination point of view and are just maintained rather than inspected.


Depending on location, building owners will have to consider; PUWER, Regulation 19 of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 and the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974.


Escalators provided for use by workers in workplaces are subject to inspections governed by PUWER. This means firms must ensure their escalators are maintained in an efficient state, are in working order and in good repair; keep maintenance logs up to date; inspected after installation and before being put to use, and if exposed to deteriorating conditions liable to result in dangerous situations, they must be inspected to ensure faults are detected in good time so the risk to health and safety is managed.


In cases where escalators are not used by people at work, such as shopping centres and airports, PUWER is not applicable. However, the duty holder still has responsibility for health and safety for people they don’t employ, under the Regulation 19 of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 and the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974.


To assist businesses and organisations, the Safety Assessment Federation in


consultation with HSE, has prepared guidelines for the safe operation of escalators and moving walks. The guidelines provide owners and other duty holders’ recommendations on risk control, and reduction to help prevent accidents as well as technical advice on testing and examination, reporting formats and suitable periodicities between examinations and tests.


A key element is the call for a thorough examination of escalators and moving walkways, normally at six-monthly intervals. The scope and regularity is the responsibility of the competent person undertaking the thorough examination. Owners and duty holders should note that when selecting this individual, as well as ensuring they have the required practical and theoretical knowledge of the equipment, they should confirm that the person is sufficiently independent and impartial. For this reason, it is not advisable for the same person who performs maintenance to carry out the examination.


The mix of private and public regulations have left many businesses in the dark on the regulations covering escalators and moving walks. However, by seeking independent advice and following guidelines, organisations will be well placed to ensure longevity, reliability and, above all, safety.


www.bureauveritas.co.uk www.tomorrowshs.com


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