The new national standard is about to be promulgated
Recently, China is about to take an important measure in the field of escalators - the promulgation and implementation of a new national standard for escalators. Chen Fengwang, the secretary-general of the National Elevator Standardization Technical Committee, revealed the relevant situation yesterday. At the beginning of this month, the approval draft of the new escalator standard was completed and submitted. This new national standard has been revised in accordance with the new European standard and is expected to be released soon as planned. The update of this standard is an important manifestation of the alignment of China's escalator industry with international advanced levels and will also lay the foundation for the safe operation and quality improvement of domestic escalators.
Revision process of the new national standard
The current national standard for escalators in China is based on the European standard from 1995. With the passage of time and technological development, this standard can no longer fully meet the current needs. In view of this, the National Elevator Standardization Technical Committee spent about one and a half years on research and drafting. After widely collecting industry data, listening to opinions from all parties, and referring to the latest international standards, it finally completed and submitted the draft for approval at the beginning of July this year. The new national standard is based on the European standard at the end of 2009, which enables China's escalator standards to keep pace with international trends and adapt to the new development of the industry.
Technical highlights of the new national standard
Chen Fengwang believes that the new version of the escalator standard currently being revised in China features relatively advanced technology. One of the major highlights is the addition of safety requirements in relevant technical fields. For example, clearer requirements are put forward for the interface between the escalator and the building. The interface between the escalator and the building is a place prone to potential safety hazards. The new standard specifies details such as the size of the interface and the connection method, which can effectively avoid safety accidents caused by interface problems. At the same time, the safety protection between the step treads and the skirt panels has also been strengthened. If the gap between the step treads and the skirt panels does not meet the safety standards, it may trap passengers' clothing or limbs. The new national standard reduces such risks through optimized design and additional protective measures.
International escalator standards situation
Currently, apart from China, there are mainly two escalator standards being implemented internationally, namely the European EN115 series of standards and the American ASME standard. Among them, the European EN115 series of standards are the most widely used globally due to their rigor and wide applicability. Many countries and regions refer to the European EN115 series of standards when formulating their own national or regional escalator standards. This time, China is amending the new national standard based on the new European standard in order to better integrate into the international market and enhance the international competitiveness of China's escalator products.
Key factors for elevator safety
Industry experts unanimously emphasize that improving the levels of safety management and maintenance is the fundamental and key to ensuring the safe operation of elevators. As a special type of equipment, the safe operation of elevators is related to the lives of many passengers. Good safety management can ensure that elevators meet safety standards in all aspects such as design, manufacturing, installation and use, while high - quality maintenance can promptly detect and eliminate faults and potential hazards that occur during the operation of elevators.
Problems in the elevator maintenance market
Mei Shuilin, the vice president of the Shanghai Elevator Industry Association and a senior engineer, pointed out the prominent problems existing in the current elevator maintenance market. On the one hand, the service quality of maintenance units is not guaranteed. Most maintenance units are small - scale, with limited capabilities and poor treatment, which makes it difficult for them to train and retain high - level technical workers. The shortage of technical workers directly leads to the difficulty in guaranteeing the quality of maintenance work. Some minor faults of elevators may not be dealt with in a timely and effective manner, and over time, they may evolve into major problems. On the other hand, some property management companies do not attach importance to elevator maintenance. In order to earn more profits, they blindly suppress the maintenance price. After collecting property management fees including elevator maintenance from the owners, they do not invest sufficient funds in elevator maintenance and also lack the due supervision and management of maintenance quality.
Elevator maintenance basis and current situation
The main basis for elevator maintenance in our country is the "Rules for Elevator Use Management and Maintenance". According to the regulations, the maintenance unit, entrusted by the property management company, needs to carry out maintenance on the elevator once every 15 days. However, due to the problems of the aforementioned maintenance units and property management companies, this regulation may not be fully implemented in practice. Some maintenance units may simplify the maintenance process and reduce maintenance items in order to cut costs. Meanwhile, the property management companies' pursuit of low - cost maintenance services also makes it difficult for maintenance units to provide high - quality services.
The measures taken by the regulatory authorities
To address the issues in elevator safety management and maintenance, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine is formulating the Regulations on Elevator Safety Supervision. The regulations will further clarify and promote the implementation of the primary responsibilities of elevator users and maintenance units. By clarifying responsibilities, elevator users and maintenance units will attach greater importance to elevator safety and strengthen the management and maintenance of elevators. At the same time, it also provides a more powerful basis for supervision for regulatory authorities, which helps to improve the overall safety level of elevators in China.