Newsletter 82 – December 2006
AHERA 2007 Re-inspection Reminder Update:
The Federal Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA), 40 CFR 763.85(b), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) require all public and nonpublic elementary and secondary schools to re-inspect previously identified asbestos-containing building materials (ACBM) in all facilities every three years. This rule applies to all buildings that are owned, leased, or otherwise used as a school building. The actual 2007 AHERA triennial re-inspection process must be completed no later than July 9, 2007.
In conjunction with the AHERA triennial re-inspection cycle, New York State public schools must submit an asbestos reporting form to the Commissioner of Education on a triennial basis (§3602-a of Chapter 53 of the Laws of 1990). The State Education Department 2007 AHERA triennial re-inspection report will be electronic; however the exact reporting format has not yet been determined.
To assist you with the AHERA requirements, the EPA has developed the following documents: http://www.epa.gov/region02/ahera/ampauditchecklist.pdf 
http://www.epa.gov/region02/ahera/modelamp.pdf
http://www.epa.gov/asbestos/asbestos_in_schools.html
For additional assistance on AHERA and the triennial re-inspection requirement, please contact your local BOCES Health and Safety Office or Laura Sahr of Facilities Planning at lsahr@mail.nysed.gov or 518-474-3906.
Elevator and Platform Lift Maintenance, Inspection and Testing:
This article is intended to clarify State Education Department requirements regarding maintenance, inspection and testing of elevators and platform lifts. These requirements apply to all elevators and platform lifts installed in public school buildings (Grades K-12), excluding those located in New York City. Our use of the term elevators includes all elevators, dumbwaiters and escalators. Our use of the term platform lifts includes all platform lifts and stairway chair lifts.
All elevators and platform lifts must be maintained. All elevators and platform lifts must be inspected and tested to demonstrate compliance with the standard in effect at the time of the original installation. If an installation has been altered, the portions altered must comply with the standard at the time the alterations occurred. All elevators were originally installed under one of the editions of the following standard: ASME/ANSI/ASA A17.1. All platform lifts were installed under ASME A18.1. All inspection and test results must be provided in writing to the building owner.
Elevator Specific Requirements:
Building owners should determine which edition their elevator installation was provided under, and research the specific requirements for their elevators. Each installation should have a code data plate located on the equipment, indicating the edition of the standard at the time of installation, the edition of the standard at the time of alteration, and the items altered. The following documents and/or document sections may help in determining specific elevator requirements:
- ASME A17.1-2000, “Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators
- Section 8.6, “Maintenance, Repair, and Replacement”
- Section 8.11, “Periodic Inspections and Tests”
- SME A17.2-2004, “Guide for Inspection of Elevators, Escalators, and Moving Walks”. This document is helpful in that it calls out the different inspection and testing procedures for previous editions of ASME A17.1 back to the 1955 edition, and includes some requirements from editions of ASME A17.1 prior to 1955. There are some earlier editions of this document that may be available, and would be acceptable to assist in determining inspection and testing procedures for installations prior to the date of issuance. These are: ASME A17.2-2001, “Guide for Inspection of Elevators, Escalators, and Moving Walks”; ASME A17.2.1-1996, “Inspectors’ Manual for Electric Elevators”; ASME A17.2.2-1997, “Inspectors’ Manual for Hydraulic Elevators”.
The time intervals for inspections and testing of elevators, as determined by the NYS Department of State (Table N1, Appendix N of ASME A17.1, 2000 edition) will apply to all elevators. In general, elevators must be inspected every six months. Various elevator devices must be tested every one, three or five years, depending upon device being tested.
Persons performing elevator inspections must be certified by an organization in accordance with the requirements set forth in the Standard for the Qualification of Elevator Inspectors (ASME QEI-1). The tests must be witnessed by persons holding the same qualifications as inspectors.
Maintenance, repair and replacement activities performed on elevators must be performed by elevator personnel. Elevator personnel are persons who have been trained in the construction, maintenance, repair, inspection or testing of equipment. Although they may have the certification that they meet ASME QEI-1, it is not a requirement to hold this certification for maintenance, repair and replacement activities.
Platform Lift Specific Requirements:
The following document sections may help in determining specific platform lift requirements:
· ASME A18.1-2003, “Safety Standard for Platform Lifts and Stairway Chair Lifts”
§ Section 10, “Routine, Periodic, and Acceptance Inspections and Tests”
The schedule for inspections and testing of platform lifts must comply with ASME A18.1. In general, routine inspections and tests must be performed every six months. Periodic inspections and tests must be performed every one, three or five years, depending upon device being inspected/tested.
Persons performing platform lift inspections and tests.
· Persons performing routine inspections and tests must be employed by an accredited insurance company, which is the primary insurer of the equipment to be inspected, or meet the same requirements as an elevator inspector.
· Periodic inspections and tests must be witnessed by a person employed by an accredited insurance company, which is the primary insurer of the equipment to be inspected, or meet the same requirements as an elevator inspector.
Maintenance, repair and replacement activities performed on platform lifts must be performed by authorized personnel. Authorized personnel are persons who have been instructed in the operation and maintenance of the equipment and have been designated by the building owner to maintain the equipment.
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