Feedback welcome on proposed revision of safety requirement for lifting tables

Established in 1973, the Association of Loading and Elevating Equipment Manufacturers (ALEM) represents the interests of UK manufacturers and suppliers of loading bay equipment including dock levellers, scissor lifts, tail lifts and dock shelters. In this role, the Association is a member of the British Materials Handling Association which itself is the UK national member of FEM - the European Federation of Materials Handling and Storage Equipment.  

The CEN/TC 98 European standards committee has released its draft revision of the European Standard on Safety requirements for lifting tables (Part 1) – preEN1570-1: 2020. This is now open for public comment with responses required by 13 October 2020.

The revised standard, which applies to lifting tables serving up to two fixed landings, represents a wholesale restructure of the standard, last published in 2011. 

Key revisions proposed are:  

• the inclusion for lifting tables in non-industrial applications; Static Elevating Work Platforms and lifting tables used in Skillet lines or Autonomous Ground Vehicles
• the ability to pass a fixed landing and to carry authorised persons when under operator control
• the introduction of rated and structural loads
• the replacement of EN 1570-1:2011+A1:2014, Table 3 – Lift installation safeguard requirements with new flow charts within Annex I – Guide to travel zone risks
• where appropriate, risk of falling is now associated with the height of fall rather than the travel height of the machine
• greater emphasis on protection of the public when the lifting tables are used in public accessible areas
• the reintroduction of boom barriers and clarity on interlocking and locking requirements for removable guardrails
• locking of the lift table when at an upper fixed landing
• the relaxation of overload monitoring limits due to the lack of appropriate state of the art equipment
• restrictions on the use of pipe rupture protection devices in hydraulic systems
• the introduction of rigid / pusher chains and the removal of pneumatic drives

CEN Committee member Tim Rose, of Loading Bay Lifts, and ALEM’s technical advisor states: “A lot of committee time has been dedicated to this rewrite. We believe the new version is more user-friendly and includes some much needed updates in terms of scope and technical requirements. All comments from stakeholders will be reviewed by the CEN/TC 98 committee, so that we can start the process of moving to final approval.”

Copies of the draft are available via the ALEM offices. Contact [email protected]

For more information, visit www.alem.org.uk