The new version of standard EN 81-31 has been published

An important note to this article: the indications given relate to what the draft of the standard currently indicates, but only the text to be published will be valid, which might (difficult but might) differ from what the current text is.

The EN 81-31 - Safety rules for the construction and installation of lifts - Lifts for the transport of goods only - Part 31: Accessible goods only lifts successfully passed the ‘Formal Vote’ step that took place between July and August this year. A total of 18 national CEN committees approved the standard, while no committee voted against (100% against a required minimum of 55%). The so-called weighted vote was also a success, with 100 % in favour (minimum required 65 %).

We are therefore on the verge of the possible publication in the OJEU of the update of the previous version dating back to 2010.

What is it about?

EN 81-31 specifies the safety rules for new accessible goods only lifts with traction, positive or hydraulic drive,

• permanently installed and only used by users,
• serving fixed and permanent landing levels,
• having a carrier made of a single load carrying area,
• designed for the transportation of goods only,
• moving along a fixed path by rigid guide rails and inclined not more than 15° to the vertical,
• with rated speed not exceeding 1 m/s and
• covers accessible goods only lifts with rated load exceeding 300 kg and not intended to transport persons.

For the purpose of the EN 81-31, a goods only lift carrier is regarded as accessible where one of the following conditions is satisfied:

1. floor area of the carrier is greater than 1,0 m²;
2. depth of the carrier is greater than 1,0 m;
3. clear height of the carrier is greater than 1,20 m.
4. In case the carrier is without a roof, it is considered accessible when the clear height of the landing doors is greater than 1,20 m.

Two types of accessible goods only lifts are addressed:

1. Type A, where the intended use is bound to the maximum rated speed of 0,30 m/s;
2. Type B, where the intended use is bound to the maximum rated speed of 1,0 m/s.

In the previous version, Type A accessible lifts had to fulfil two conditions simultaneously:

1. maximum travel 12 m;
2. maximum rated speed of 0.30 m/s.

The first condition is no longer required in the newly approved (but not still published) version.

The standard has been updated with respect to the latest drafting rules. E.g. Chapter 3.2 on units of measurement and symbols has been deleted, Chapter 4 ‘list of significant hazards’ has been moved to Annex L (information).

Chapter 4 thus becomes the most important chapter of the standard, as it sets out the safety requirements and protective measures.

• Appendix B - normative - concerning the triangular release key has been deleted because it is redundant with EN 81-20.
• Annex K - informative- concerning the machine interface with the building is new. Along the same lines as EN 81-20, this Annex deals with topics such as the exchange of information between the machine manufacturer and the building owner, and the ventilation of the machine space and the well.

Finally, the exclusions. Like the 2010 edition, the standard does not cover:

This document does not cover:

1. accessible goods only lifts:
   1. with more than one lift machine;
   2. where loading and unloading is automated, or the carrier floor is fitted with mobile devices (e.g. rollers) for loading and unloading purposes;
   3. intended to carry bulk loads (such as loose sand, gravel, etc.);
   4. with drive systems other than those stated in 4.8;
2. lifting tables according to EN 1570-1 and EN 1570-2;
3. lifting appliances, such as appliances with more than one carrier, skips, goods only lifts for construction sites, for underground applications, mine winding gear, goods only lifts on seagoing vessels and mobile offshore units, construction and maintenance appliances in wind turbines, goods only lifts specially designed and constructed for research purposes for temporary use in laboratories, goods only lifts specially designed and constructed for military or police purposes;
4. safety during operation of transport, erection, repairs and dismantling of accessible goods only lifts;
5. the use of translucent material for the walls of the well and machinery spaces, for the carrier with the exception of the landing doors vision panels;
6. the use of programmable electronic systems in safety related applications for lifts (PESSRAL);
7. hydraulic lifts where the setting of the pressure relief valve exceeds 50 MPa;
8. any form of radiation except EMC;
9. fire propagation;
10. energy dissipation type buffers;
11. the possibility of two simultaneous acts of imprudence and/or the abuse of instructions for use.
12. ambient temperature in the well and machinery spaces lower than +5 °C and higher than +40 °C;
13. health and safety of animals.

However, this document can usefully be taken as a basis.

Noise and vibrations are not dealt with in this document as they are not considered a significant nor relevant hazard for the actual type of the accessible goods only lifts.