New ANSI/ASSE Standard Focuses on Personal Hoists, Employee Elevators
THE American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) recently announced the approval of a standard for the safety of workers engaged in occupations that require the use of personnel hoists or employee elevators.
The American National Standard Institute (ANSI)/ASSE A10.4-2007 standard, Safety Requirements for Personal Hoists and Employee Elevators in Construction and Demolition Operations, is one of a series of standards that focus on construction and demolition operations. The standard applies to the design, construction, installation, operation, inspection, testing, maintenance, alterations and repair of hoists and elevators that are not a vital part of buildings; are installed inside or outside buildings or structures during construction, alteration, demolition or operations; and are used to raise and lower workers and other personnel connected with or related to the structure. These personnel hoists and employee elevators may also be used for transporting materials under specific circumstances defined in this standard.
"With this new standard, we are addressing new issues within the industry in order to keep pace with changing technologies and to establish a checklist for inspectors as well as establish criteria for hoist personnel," said John Quackenbush, A10.4 subgroup chair. "The ANSI/ASSE A10.4 standard is a valuable tool that encourages and supplies employers and workers with practical guidelines for providing a safer workplace."
ASSE serves as the secretariat for the A10 Accredited Standards Committee on construction and demolition operations. The A10 standards serve as a guide to contractors, labor and equipment manufacturers in the construction and demolition industry.
The standard, which was approved by ANSI on May 3, will be available in June in both print and electronic format. For more information, contact ASSE Customer Service at 847-699-2929 or visit http://www.asse.org.