34 Pa. Code § 405.12 - Lumber elevators

(a) A lumber elevator is a platform that is used to raise or lower stacked lumber under the requirements of this section. An individual may not ride a lumber elevator.

(b) The shaftway is enclosed on all sides that are not used for loading or unloading with flush partitions that are at least 6 feet high. Movable bars or railings are required to protect all points of loading and unloading, unless gates are provided. Flaring is at an angle of at least 75° from the horizontal and shall protect all shearing points in the shaftway excluding each loading and unloading landing.

(c) Gates are required to protect all points of loading and unloading when the platform's vertical travel exceeds 6 feet or when there are two or more landings. The following types of automatic and semiautomatic gates may be used:

(1) Semiautomatic vertical-rising gates.

(2) Fully automatic vertical-rising gates only at terminal landings.

(3) Manually operated swinging or horizontal gates with locking devices and electric brakes.

(4) Department-approved, power-operated horizontal gates.

(d) A locking device shall comply with the following requirements:

(1) An automatic locking device shall be placed on, or attached to a manually operated gate. The locking device shall prevent the normal operation of the platform when the gate is open and unsecured. The locking device shall prevent the opening of the gate when the car is away from the landing.

(2) A shield shall be installed on openwork gates and shall be of sufficient size to prevent access to the lock from the outside of the shaftway.

(e) The shaftway shall have a pit with a depth of at least 2 feet from the lowest point of the underside of the platform framing to the pit floor or highest projection when the platform is at its lowest limit of travel. Toe guards, guide shoes or rollers attached to the platform and buffers or bumpers may extend into this space.

(f) Substantial guides of either wood or steel are required for installation on lumber elevators.

(g) Lifting capacity shall equal a live load of at least 50 pounds per square foot of platform floor area. The gross weight of the movable platform shall include railings, aprons, wirings, conduits, outlets and every item that is permanently attached to the platform and its rated lifting capacity.

(h) The lifting speed of a lumber elevator may not exceed 15 feet per minute.

(i) A lumber elevator shall be equipped with operating switches that meet the following requirements:

(1) An operating switch shall be located where the entire shaftway is visible when gates are not installed.

(2) An operating switch shall be a continuous pressure switch.

(3) A manually operated emergency stop switch shall be placed adjacent to the elevator's operating switches, driving machines, pit entrances, machine controller and landings. An emergency stop switch shall be a manually reset switch and cannot be dependent upon springs for proper operation.

(4) An emergency stop switch shall be red. No other switch may be red.

(5) Operating switches shall be labeled by function.

(j) Reverse phase protection is required when alternating current is used.

(k) Elevator screws shall be directly connecting with worm or beveled gears. Gears shall be enclosed in a housing.

(l) A lumber elevator that is not supported or operated by screws, plungers or similar means shall have approved platform safeties capable of stopping and holding the platform at any point of its travel and its rated lifting capacity.

(m) The motor, controller and brake shall be located in a lighted room outside of the shaftway, unless the devices are located in the pit. The lumber elevator shall be equipped with stone or masonry piers or columns capable of absorbing the impact of a full-loaded platform when the motor and controller are located in the pit.

(n) A lumber elevator shall be equipped with normal terminal limit switches located in the shaftway or stop motion devices on the operating machine and arranged to automatically bring the platform to rest at either terminal landing.

(o) Final terminal limit switches shall be installed and connected so the switch will function if a lumber elevator runs by the normal terminal limit switch. Final terminal limit switches will automatically shut off the power, apply the brake and prevent the operation of the lumber elevator in either direction until adjustments are made to return the lumber elevator to normal operation. Final terminal limit switches shall be located in the shaftway.

(p) A slack cable or slack chain device shall be installed on all winding drum or sprocket power-driven lumber elevator machinery. The device shall automatically shut off the power, apply the brake and stop the machinery when the platform is obstructed in its descent.

(q) A lumber elevator shall be equipped with an approved and enclosed fused main line switch or an approved and enclosed circuit breaker switch. The switch shall be located adjacent to the entrance door in the machine room when the motor and controller are located in a machine room. The switch shall be located outside of the shaftway and adjacent to the pit access door when the motor and controller are located in the pit.

(r) A motor or controller shall be equipped with a second device for disconnection when the motor or controller is not visible from the disconnection equipment required in subsection (q). The second disconnection device shall be equipped to accept a padlock that can lock the device in an "open" and "off" position.

(s) Lighting shall be provided in all machine spaces and pits within the shaftway and landings. The light switch shall be mounted at the entryway to a machine space and pit.

(t) A lumber elevator shall be equipped with a door that allows access to the pit when the motor or controller is located in the pit. A pit access door is to meet all of the following requirements:

(1) A pit access door shall be located below the bottom of the platform when the platform is at its lowest limit of travel.

(2) A pit access door shall be at least 30 inches by 30 inches in size, self-closing and self-locking.

(3) A pit access door shall have a switch to prevent operation of the elevator while the pit access door is open.

(4) An emergency stop switch shall be installed on the strike side of each pit access door.

(5) A switch for operating the pit lights shall be installed on the strike side of all pit access doors.

(6) A sign shall be located on the exterior strike side of each pit access door with the notation, "CAUTION-Elevator Pit Access Door-Authorized Personnel Only." The sign lettering shall be a minimum of 1/4 inch in width and 1 1/2 inches in height. The color of the lettering shall contrast with the color of the access door.

(7) An owner or owner's agent shall have sole possession of keys to each pit access door.

(u) A lumber elevator platform shall have a steel frame designed with a minimum safety factor of six based on the highest rating of either the rated lifting load or the rated static load, uniformly distributed.

(v) A platform shall be equipped with an apron on all its sides. When the travel distance of a lumber elevator extends above the top of the surrounding floor level, the apron shall have sufficient depth to enclose the space between the floor level and the under side of the platform when the platform is at its travel limit.

(w) As part of the initial inspection, the elevator shall be loaded to rated lifting capacity and operated throughout its entire travel. Platform safeties are to be tested with the maximum rated lifting capacity.

Notes

34 Pa. Code § 405.12