Advancements in technology, architecture and engineering have increased the demand for eleva-tors to travel higher, faster, quieter, and be more efficient than ever before. With between 700,000 and 800,000 elevators alone in use in the United States, these mechanisms play a vital role in the everyday lives of most individuals, yet safety for most people is an afterthought.

To continue its worldwide, exemplary safety record, the National Elevator Industry, Inc. (NEII) identified the need for a new safety code for elevators to provide a uniform structural approach, to effectively evaluate the safety of new products – ASME A17.7/CSA B44.7.

TÜV SÜD America is an Accredited Elevator Certification Organization (AECO): The Safety Code for Elevators, ASME A17.7/CSA B44.7, is a joint American and Canadian standard that will have accreditation administered through both ANSI for the U.S. and the SCC for Canada.

TÜV SÜD America has received accreditation as an Accredited Elevator Certification organization (AECO), and offers certification to ASME A17.7/CSA B44.7, the new performance-based code (PBC) for elevators, which provides an objective and structured method for establishing design and product safety.

Why ASME A17.7/CSA B44.7?The first elevator code, known as ASME A17.1, was published in 1921, with numerous revisions throughout the years; yet the intent of the new PBC code is to allow new technologies to be implemented faster and model Europe and Asia where the implementation of PBC codes like the Lift Directive 95/16/EC were adopted in 1995, and have allowed for faster adapta-tion of new technologies and product to market. If not regulated by safety codes, these machines could present a safety hazard.

About ASME A17.7/CSA B44.7The ASME A17.7/CSA B44.7 code covers the design, construction, operation, inspection, testing, mainte-nance, alteration, and repair of the following:

• Hoisting and lowering mechanisms, equipped with a car that moves between one or more landings.

• Hoisting and lowering mechanisms that are equipped with a car that serves two or more land- ings, and are restricted to the carrying of material by their size or limited access to the car.

As an AECO, TÜV SÜD America Inc. will help you through certification of your product (elevator, sub-system, component or function) to the PBC ASME A17.7/CSA B44.7 to gain acceptance of your product by the Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJ). To

TÜV SÜD America Inc.

Elevator Services: AECO & Lift Directive

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TÜV SÜD America Inc. 10 Centennial Drive l Peabody, MA 01960 l 1.800.TUV.0123

ensure that the applicable GESRs have been met, your comprehensive Risk Assessment will then be evaluated by TÜV SÜD to verify that the pro-cess has been appropriately executed, the risk identification and mitigation process is complete, safety parameters have been applied as needed, and residual risks have been addressed.

After careful evaluation of your product and Code Compliance Documents (CCD), TÜV SÜD America will issue a Certificate of Conformance. TÜV SÜD will then audit the process in ongoing surveillances / factory inspections to verify that the certified equipment is being manufactured to the requirements defined in the CCD.

Benefits of ASME A17.7/CSA B44.7Elevator performance can be one of the most critical aspects for businesses today when selecting a location for operations. In addition to being comfortable, convenient, and rapid, elevators allow employees and visitors, including deliveries to come and go with maximum efficiency. Additional cost-saving benefits include:

• Energy Efficiency and Green Technology – new technologies including advanced motors and drives and control software could reduce elevator energy up to 30-40%.

• Space Savings – new system designs without elevator machine rooms, or base control or top-mounted shaft controls to maximize, or use of “double-decker” cars in one shaft space.

• Speed/Capacity – The PBC allows manufactur- ers to use strong, lightweight synthetic or com- posite materials in construction, state-of-the-art computerized control devices, and evolutionary drive designs to move lifts, allowing for lighter and faster elevators.

• Safety – PBC Code allows for manufacturers’

compliance with GESRs and performance test- ing to avoid elimination of risks for new designs, and to continue exemplary safety records.

• Security – Addition of new destination-based control panels for password or swipe-card access to specific floors.

As a leading ISO 9001 Registrar in North America, Asia and Europe, TÜV SÜD America is also capable of providing the following services:

• ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 Certification • Supplier Auditing Services • Retail Supplier Inspections • Product Safety Testing

About TÜV SÜD America Inc.TÜV SÜD America is a subsidiary of TÜV SÜD AG. TÜV SÜD Industry Service GmbH is a Notified Body as defined in the Lift Directive, accredited for all safety components listed in Annex IV and recog-nized by the European Commission (Identification Number 0036).

TÜV SÜD’s test laboratory experts carry out EC Type Examination in line with the Lift Directive, Annex V/A (Module B) of all safety components listed in Annex IV/A and model elevator Annex V/B.

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POS #5018 05/11

Industry Service