Escalator and moving walkway testing
Escalators and moving walkways fall under the “machine” category and as such, in order to design, market, and apply the CE marking, reference must be made to the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC (incorporated in Italy with Lgs. Decree 17/10). At this time, only tests of a voluntary nature have been indicated.
Dating back to the 1940s, the maintenance obligations for escalators, lifts, and moving walkways in Italy were formalised over time until the enactment of the current law, the Presidential Decree 30 April 1999 and its successive modifications and amendments (Presidential Decree 5 October 2010 n. 214 and Presidential Decree 19 January 2015, n. 8).
Every system must be declared to be in conformity with laws and pass an unavoidable series of technical and bureaucratic verifications before being able to begin working; two main players are involved: the builder of the system (responsible for the same and for its installation in its final destination) and the owner of the building (or a legal representative) who stipulates the maintenance contract and guarantees the periodic inspection of the system every two years.
The necessary steps follow:
- obtain the EU declaration of conformity issued by the manufacturer
- hire the ASL (local public health care office) or another competent body in periodic safety controls
- stipulate the maintenance contract with a specialised company
Once these requirements have been met, the commissioning of the system can be communicated to the competent Town, City, province, within 60 days of the EU declaration of conformity.
Routine and extraordinary maintenance
The law indicates which activities are included in the maintenance intervention in order to ensure proper functioning of the system. The periodic activities that must be carried out by the maintenance technician or team are:
- verify the correct functioning of the mechanical, hydraulic, and electrical parts of the system, including the insulation of the electrical system, and provide the necessary maintenance and cleaning activities
- check the condition of the cables, chains, attachments, and safety systems (parachutes, speed limiters, etc.) and alarms
- prepare a written report of the activities carried out in the system log booklet
- repair and replace damaged or worn components and verify the functioning of the replacement parts installed
- stop the system if danger is detected and notify the owner and the ASL (local public health care office) or another subject designated to follow periodic controls
- carry out emergency manoeuvres when necessary
Controls
ECO Certificazioni, thanks to extensive experience in the field of machinery and lifts, carries out controls on mobile installations for the purpose of verifying effective compliance with the safety requirements established by law.