Bill Improving Elevator Safety Passes Pennsylvania Senate

The Pennsylvania Senate has passed legislation to improve elevator safety standards in Pennsylvania, according to the bill’s sponsor Sen. Lisa Baker (R-20), PA Senate Republicans reports. In 2016, a correctional officer died during an altercation with an inmate where the pair hit a faulty elevator door and fell down an elevator shaft. In response, measures were introduced through Act 68 of 2018, which established the Elevator Safety Board to address critical issues surrounding elevator construction, maintenance and inspection. Pennsylvania’s elevator code has remained outdated since 2002 with the national code having been revised seven times since then. The Elevator Safety Board submitted recommendations to the Department of Labor and Industry in late 2020 to update the code. Senate Bill 1230 requires the Department of Labor and Industry to adopt an updated safety code, effective July 1, 2025. Prior to adoption, the Elevator Safety Board may recommend modifications.