New Elevator Safety Rules in Spain To Have Big Impact

The Spanish Government has introduced new legislation that will force building owners to modernize between 35 and 40% of the nation’s elevators, Murcia Today reports. Spain has the most lifts installed per person with more than 400,000 having been in service for more than 30 years. The standard for the new safety requirements — Complementary Technical Instruction ITC AEM 1 for Elevators, as published in the Official State Gazette on April 13 — will come into force on July 1 and indicates that all elevators will have to have improved leveling, protection against door closing during entry and exit, protection against uncontrolled movements, a two-way communication system in case of emergency, replacement of wooden or cylindrical guides and the implementation of load control devices to avoid exceeding the cabin weight limit. Additionally, the standard stipulates how the commission of a new elevator must be carried out and regulates the frequency of inspections, according to NUWE.