Purpose of the Act

The Act was introduced to:

• Ensure public safety by preventing accidents due to poorly installed or maintained lifts and escalators.
• Ensure only licensed professionals install and maintain such equipment.
• Give regulatory power to a government authority to inspect, test, and approve these systems.
• Create a formal licensing and inspection system.

Various compliances required under Gujrat Lift and Escalators Act, 2000 read with Gujrat Lift and Escalators Rule, 2001 are as under:

1. Permission for installing lift or escalator or for making alterations or additions [Section 3, Rule 3]: – Any owner intending to install a lift or escalator, or to undertake any additions or alterations to an existing installation, must submit an application to the Chief Inspector prior to commencement of any work:
   • For installations, the application must be made in Annexure I (for lifts), and in Annexure II (for escalators)
   • The application must be accompanied by three copies of the installation or modification drawings, and declaration in Annexure III from the person proposed to carry out the work.
2. License to use a Lift or Escalator [Section 4, Rule 4]: – The owner of a place who is permitted to install a lift or escalator shall within one month after the lift or escalator is installed make an application to the Chief Inspector for a license for operating the lift or escalator. Every such application is to be accompanied by the original receipt showing the payment of the necessary fee as prescribed in Rule 16
3. Terms on which lift or escalator shall be operated [Section 7, Rule 9]: –No lift or escalator shall be operated except under and in conformity with the terms and conditions of the license granted in respect of the same as specified in Rule 9 of Gujarat Lifts and Escalators Rules, 2001
4. Declaration of the authorised person maintaining a lift / escalator [Section 7, Rule 9(a)]: –Owner is responsible to get lift / escalator maintained through a person holding authorisation under Rule 11. The declaration of the person accepting the same shall be furnished in the prescribed form in Annexure XI within one month from the date of grant of license or renewal.
5. Authorization for erection, maintenance and inspection of lifts or escalators [Rule 11]: –No person shall be authorized under Section 13 of the Act to carry on erection and maintenance of lifts or escalators unless such a person fulfils the requirements contained in Annexure XIII and XIV and Annexure XV for inspection and testing of such lifts or escalators. Further, Authorization is valid for a year and is renewable every year.
6. Appointment of Lift Attendant [Rule 12]: –A Lift Attendant for a passenger and hospital lift operating in every premise other than residential premise shall be appointed in writing by the owner and the attendant shall be on duty when the lift is in use. The attendant must be educated up to 4th standard, mentally and physically fit and shall be conversant with the operation of the lift and rescue operation in case of emergency and has attained 18 years. Name of the attendant to be reported to the Chief Inspector. In residential premises, attendant is required only when the lift is put in attendant mode.
7. Intimation of accidents [Section 14, Rule 13]: – Where an accident occurs in any lift / escalator which results in or is likely to result in loss of human life or injury, the owner or agent appointed u/s 14(1) shall inform the Electrical Inspector under the Electricity Act, 2003 immediately about the occurrence of the event of accident and a detailed Report in Annexure XVI to be submitted within 48 hours of knowledge of occurrence of fatal and all other accidents.
8. Detailed Report of accident [Section 14, Rule 13]: – A detailed Report in Annexure XVI is to be submitted within 48 hours of knowledge of occurrence of fatal and all other accidents by the owner / agent appointed u/s 14(1) to the Electrical Inspector under the Electricity Act, 2003.
9. Unused Lift or escalators [Rule 14]: – Where lift or escalator ceases to be used, the owner or the agent shall give a notice in writing to the Chief Inspector / Inspector / Assistant Inspector and shall either remove it or maintain it in safe condition to prevent any danger to the persons after disconnecting it from all sources of power. All gates and doors of such lift shall be locked to prevent entry of unauthorized persons and all directions if any issued by Chief Inspector / Inspector / Assistant Inspector to be complied with.
10. Name of Agent to be communicated, where owner does not reside in the building where lift or escalator is installed [Section 14 (3), Rule 14(3)]: – Name of every agent appointed under Section 14(2) in cases where owner does not reside in the building where lift or escalator is installed shall be communicated in writing to the Chief Inspector / Inspector / Assistant Inspector. Such an agent shall be a resident in the town or village in which the building is situated.
11. Conformity with the Indian Standard Specifications [Rule 17]: –All materials, fittings, appliances, etc used in lift or escalator installations shall conform to the specifications of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). Cases where standards do not exist, materials shall be of approved workmanship and quality. Various guidelines prescribed by BIS shall also be followed by the person to whom they are applicable.
12. Conformity with the National Building Code [Rule 18]: –The provisions of the National Building Code of India relating to installations of lifts and escalators shall be followed.
13. Installation, operation and maintenance of lifts or escalators [Rule 19]: –Every lift or escalator shall be of sufficient mechanical strength for the purpose for which it is installed, protected, operated and maintained in such manner so as to prevent danger.
14. Conformity with the Indian Electricity Act and Rules [Rule 20]: – All electrical works in connection with installation of electrical lifts or escalators shall be carried as per the provisions of the Indian Electricity Act 1910 and the Indian Electricity Rules 1956.
15. Factor of safety [Rule 21]: – The factor of safety for any fabricated part of the lift or escalator shall not be less than five. Higher factor of safety for various other mechanical parts shall be applicable where specified by Bureau of Indian Standards.
16. Instructions for restoration of persons suffering from electric shocks [Rule 22]: – Instructions in English, Hindi or Gujarati for the restoration of persons suffering from electric shocks shall be affixed by the owner or his agent in a conspicuous place in the lift or escalator machine room in which the electricity is used.
17. Initial and periodical inspection of lifts or escalators [Rule 23 (1)]: – Every lift or escalator shall be inspected before the grant of license and once in every 5 years.
18. Periodical inspection and testing of lifts or escalators [Rule 23 (2)]: – The owner of every lift or escalator shall at interval of every one year from grant of license should get his lift or escalator inspected and submit the Report to the Chief Inspector regarding the condition of lift/ escalator in Annexure XVIII for initial and periodical inspection of lift and Annexure XIX for escalator.