The equipment used for the transport of material such as elevators,
cranes, freight elevators, swing cranes, hoists, stacking devices, jacks,
conveyor belts and conveyors of various types are designed and built-in
such a way as to offer all the necessary guarantees of resistance and
safety.
The lifting devices must, in all their constituent parts as well as their
supports, be able to withstand the stress resulting from their use, and, if
necessary, the forces due to the winds.
Means of chocking, mooring, or braking are used to immobilize lifting
equipment mounted on wheels, such as bridges, gantry cranes, cranes
and, if necessary, to prevent their movement under the action of the
wind.
From their workstation and on the way they are authorized to go
there, the workers must be protected from any accidental contact with
the bare electric wires under tension.
Access to the cabins must be easy and carried out in the best possible
safety conditions. Where there are no gangways served by stairs with
handrails, fixed ladders with handrails, or equivalent devices shall be
placed to lead to landings with guardrails, at the level of and set
back from the cabs or the track.
Raceways may not be used as normal access passageways.
There shall be no free space above the void in the path normally used
by the worker to get to or from his workstation.
Appropriate measures must be taken to avoid the fall of objects from
the top of equipment or tracks and to protect the personnel from the
dangers resulting from these falls.
Removable parts such as covers, casings, and enclosures must be
connected to the frames in such a way as to prevent them from falling
off.
The suspension hooks must be of a type that prevents the accidental
unhooking of the loads.
The slings are calculated, chosen, arranged, and maintained in such a
the way so as not to break, slip, or be cut.
They must not be in direct contact with the sharp edges of the loads
they support.
The angle formed by the strands of the slings connected to the hooks is
permanently such that the risk of breaking the strand is excluded.
All the lifting devices mechanically moved are provided with brakes or
any other equivalent devices able to stop the load or the apparatus in
all their positions.
It is forbidden to lift a load superior to the one marked on the
apparatus, taking into account the conditions of use.
It is forbidden to carry loads above the personnel.
It is not permitted to use lifting devices for the transport of personnel.
It is prohibited to balance loads to deposit them at a point
that cannot be reached by the lifting device.
However, in case of absolute necessity, this can only be done under the
responsibility of a chief operator, all precautions being taken to avoid
accidents.
To carry out checks, lubrication, and maintenance operations,
the following are provided access reserved for the personnel in charge
and allowing them to reach the various points where they are called to
work without having to make dangerous maneuvers.
The chains, cables, ropes, lifting beams, and suspension hooks must be
checked to ensure their solidity at least twice a year and at an
the interval of 6 months at most.
The results of these checks are recorded in a register opened for this
purpose.
Instructions are established by the heads of establishment after
consultation with the members of the health and safety committee. These
instructions must specify;
a) The safety measures to be taken during normal operation of the
equipment and in particular the obligation to interrupt the power
supply when the operator leaves his workstation;
b) The precautions to be taken to prevent objects from falling, whether
they are carried by the lifting equipment or are struck by it or by its
load during its movements;
c) The safety measures to be imposed to ensure the safety of the
personnel involved in the inspection, lubrication, cleaning, maintenance
or repair operations.
The instructions are posted on the premises or places where each one of
them applies and in the operating cab of the lifting equipment.
In addition, each device is visibly marked with the maximum load that it
is allowed to lift in different cases.
The shafts of the elevators and elevators will be closed, on all the
height, using resistant materials, except for the posts and the
necessary grids on the floor.
When the car of an elevator is not at ground level, the opening will be
protected by traps or other appropriate devices.
The starting and driving of machines, lifting devices, circulating
machines must only be entrusted to personnel duly instructed by the
employer and judged capable of carrying out their tasks incomplete
safety after appropriate examinations.
Appropriate measures must be taken to ensure that staff not
authorized by the employer cannot use such equipment and
machinery.
The aisles of circulation of the devices and machines must be
sufficiently broad and lit, and provided with adequate signaling.