End Of Life/Obsolete Elevator Equipment – Dover DMC Elevator Update 3/27/22

 

We published information on this in July of 2021, but got some new more specific information that 100% indicates that Dover/TKE will not be supporting the Dover DMC platform any longer.  This is very important for my buildings in the Chicago area that have Dover DMC equipment, when the boards are gone, they will be gone.  There are some 3^rd party companies that may continue to support the system, but now is the time to start considering elevator control modernization if you have a Dover DMC.

What’s the story?  Dover Elevator installed elevators from 1955 to 1999 and was the 3^rd largest elevator company prior to selling to Thyssen Krupp[now known as TKE].  After Thyssen Krupp bought Dover, they branded the TK name on it prior to moving to a totally different platform called the TAC 20.  The Dover DMC was a wonderful, very reliable software-based elevator control system. While the Dover DMC had some drawbacks, it has been a very reliable work horse for many buildings. Recently Thyssen, or TKE, decided to discontinue support for the Dover DMC and will no longer manufacture solid state boards.

Who this impacts – If you have a Dover DMC control system you should begin putting money away for a control modernization.  There are still parts available, we have parts, but when they are gone, they are gone. 

Are parts still available? – Yes and no.  There are 3^rd party manufacturers that stock some of the boards.  There are a few elevator solid state board repair shops that will repair the boards.  The warning with any board repair is that while the intention is to be successful, sometimes board repairs are not successful or take a few tries.  If you don’t want these challenges, replace the elevator controller prior to going down this painful road. 

Take away – If you have one of these controllers in your building get a plan together with your elevator contractor.  See if they have replacement parts and how many.  If your CLC board, selector board, door board or any other board goes out, do they have a replacement?  How many?  When it rains it pours, be aware that there are a lot of these out there and if a few have issues at the same time and require spare parts, you are pulling from the same spare part pool which is finite.  

If you have any questions or would like additional information feel free to contact me at CraigZ@colleyelevator.com or 630-766-7230 ext. 107. 

Pressure Sensitive Pit Ladders – Elevator Safety That Will Save Lives

We had one of our first in-person regional elevator safety meeting at the IUEC 2, which is a collaboration of our local, EIWPF and companies, on Thursday 3/17/22.  Since the inception of these meetings, we have had some good discussions and share ideas in a safe space to improve our overall safety.

There are some new safety ideas coming from EIWPF[Elevator Industry Work Preservation Fund], one of which is the pressure sensitive pit ladder.  We have had too many fatalities with workers on a pit ladder being crushed. Scott Russel recognized these hazards and provided a solution.

Watch EIWPF video on pressure sensitive pit ladder

The proposed new code language shall read:

2.2.4.2.7 The ladder shall have a ladder electrical device(see 2.26.2.38) that shall cause the electric power to be removed from the elevator driving machine motor and brake when a person is detected on the ladder.  The device is permitted to detect the person directly by their weight, by movement or removal of guard to enable use of the ladder, or by other detection means.  If detecting directly by weight, the device shall remove power when more than 20lbs is applied to any rung of the ladder.  If a guard or other detection means is used, the device shall remove power when the guard is moved or removed, or the other detection means is opened or activated.

I did not expect to hear about this item when I was driving to the meeting. I’m very glad I went, I learned something new.  Saw some old acquaintances, met some people I just talk to on the phone so I was able to put a face with a name and met some new people.  I am always encouraged when we have a collaborative environment and we can get together on a regular basis and develop strong relationships that further our industry goals, in this case, the safety of the elevator constructor.

If you have any questions or would like additional information feel free to contact me at CraigZ@colleyelevator.com or 630-766-7230 ext. 107.

Consumer Product Safety Commission [CPSC] and Three Leading Residential Lift Manufacturers Announce Recall

Colley Elevator does not service very many residential lifts but we support any effort to make the residential market a safer environment.  A great next step would be to mandate annual inspections by a licensed elevator/lift contractor.  Currently residential lifts do not need to have any safety inspections other than when they are installed in most jurisdictions. 

Main issue - The main issue that is being addressed is the gap between the hatch door and lift gate since a small person can get stuck between them. If the interlocks make up, there is a good chance of the car running while that person is stuck as the image above depicts.  

Recall Details

Description:

Manufacturers Providing Free Safety Devices to Address Hazardous Gap Spaces between Home Elevator Doors

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Bella Elevator, LLC, Inclinator Company of America, and Savaria Corporation, are announcing three separate voluntary recalls of about 69,000 residential elevators.

Young children can become entrapped in the space between the exterior landing (hoistway) door and the interior elevator car door or gate if there is a hazardous gap, and suffer serious injuries or death when the elevator is called to another floor.

Consumers should keep unsupervised young children away from the recalled residential elevators and contact the manufacturers for instructions on how to measure for space guards to correct any hazardous gap. Space guards will be provided free of charge and assistance with space guard installation will be provided on request.

Bella, Inclinator and Savaria have agreed that all current manufacturing and distribution of future residential elevators will comply with applicable voluntary safety standards to eliminate the young child entrapment hazard. CPSC previously warned consumers about residential elevators in July 2021.

Statement of Alexander Hoehn-Saric, Chair of the CPSC

“I am pleased that the CPSC and these three residential elevator companies, Bella Elevator, Inclinator Company of America, and Savaria Corporation have come to an agreement to rectify a dangerous hazard for consumers who use residential elevators in their own homes, the homes of relatives, or in rental or vacation homes. This is an important step that will prevent further harm from potentially tens of thousands of residential elevators. Industry and the CPSC still have work to do. We have not yet been able to reach agreements with all of the elevator companies to fix their residential elevators that pose the same potentially fatal entrapment hazard and in one case sued a company to force a fix. As long as this hazard persists, I am committed to continuing this work and preventing future entrapment injuries and deaths."

Joint statement from Bella, Inclinator and Savaria:

“We are pleased to be working with the CPSC on this recall, in which we are providing free space guards where needed to increase the safety of our residential elevators. Today’s announcement also reflects our three companies’ firm, continued commitment to working with our installer partners so that future residential elevators will be installed consistent with voluntary safety standards to eliminate hazardous gaps between home elevator car doors or gates and hoistway doors. We are proud to be leaders in the residential elevator industry in addressing this important issue, in cooperation with the CPSC.” 

Bella Elevator information

Savaria information

Inclinator information

Recall number:

22-048

Work cited - CPSC website

If you have any questions or would like additional information feel free to contact me at CraigZ@colleyelevator.com or 630-766-7230 ext. 107.