Elevator Rulemaking - Revision of Elevator Safety Orders

The Division of Occupational Safety & Health - Elevator Unit (Division) is proposing new language consisting of revisions to Group I and the addition of a new Group V to the Elevator Safety Orders, for commercial elevators in the state of California.  The Division, including Debra Tutor, Principal Engineer and Dan Barker, Senior Engineer, will be hosting an Advisory Committee Meeting on Tuesday, April 22nd, 2014, 10 AM to 3:30 PM at the Elihu Harris State Building, 1515 Clay Street, 1st floor Auditorium, Oakland California.

More information is available on the Division's website page:  http://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/elevator_rulemaking.html.  The Proposed Draft Language, Meeting Notice and Agenda can be downloaded at that site.  If you are not already on it, you might want to consider getting on the Division's email list so you will receive notices, such as these, directly from them.  To get on the list, email
Melissa Lockett at mlockett@dir.ca.gov.

The proposed new language will have far reaching consequences for the industry.  The changes to Group I of Elevator Safety Orders includes the implementation of the long awaited (long dreaded by some) Plan Review process as a required part of obtaining a permit for new installations and alterations.  The language includes very specific requirements for the submittal process, which will include job specific, scaled and dimensioned drawings.  There are drawing requirement beyond what I typically provide in my service at RCB Elevator Consulting, LLC.

The greatest change will be the addition of a Group V to the Elevator Safety Orders, which reference the ASME A17.1-2013/CSA B44-13 Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators.  Those of us that are finally comfortable working with the A17.1-2004 code will be in for a workout to get our arms around this new code.  It incorporates requirements for MRLs and other new technologies throughout, making the code vastly more complicated.  It commonly cross references section-to-section, making sorting things out a lot more difficult.  It will be a leap for us considering there have been previous upgrades to A17.1 including 2007 and 2010.  As I'm sure you know, the ASME codes must be purchased and are available from Elevator World, Techstreet (http://www.techstreet.com/products/1865958), and directly from ASME (https://www.asme.org).

Now, to add a level of complication geometrical to comprehending the A17.1-2013 code, the Division is proposing approximately 35 pages of Group V language that supersedes A17.1-2013.  Whole sections are "not adopted" and other sections are completely rewritten.  To help me get through attempting to reconcile the two documents, I completely red-lined a copy of A17.1-2013, lining-out the "not adopted" sections and word strike-outs.  I wrote in in red the new Division language, where there was sufficient room.  Otherwise, I added references back to the CCR Title 8 document.  There's a lot to comprehend!

The proposed Division changes to A17.1-2013 covers a lot of issues and I won't go into them all in this article.  I'll mention a few:

• The Performance Based Code A17.7-2007 is not adopted.
• Vast changes to MRL elevators regarding access to equipment.
• Controllers are not allowed in the hoistway, overhead, pit or entrance frames.  They must be in a dedicated machine or control room.
• Work platforms, stationary or retractable, are not allowed to service equipment in the overhead.
• If the drive machine or emergency brake are to be serviced from the car top, the cat top must be level with the access landing and locked at that location (how's that going to work?).  

Certainly don't rely upon my opinion - get a copy and work through it on your own.  I would recommend attending the Advisory Committee Meeting on Tuesday, April 22nd.  Unfortunately, I have to be in Denver on that day, attending the International Association of Elevator Consultants (IAEC) Annual Forum, as I serve on the Board.  My wife, Margaret will be there, taking notes, as well as a number of my spies.  It will be an interesting one...

Your Code Reporter,

Rich Blaska

D. A. Swerrie

It is with great sorrow that I report the passing of a true giant of the elevator industry, D. A. Swerrie.  In his 21 years of service at the State of California, DOSH-Elevator Unit, culminating with its highest position, Principal Safety Engineer, Dee was known and respected for his thorough knowledge of elevators and codes.  Moreover, Dee was appreciated for his fairness and understanding in the application of those codes, especially when dealing with the more gray areas in the ultimate balance between the letter of the code and the intent for assuring the safety of workers and the general public.  His example set the standard for all that followed him in this position.

Dee was an educator throughout his life.  Mentoring younger workers at Otis, helping fellow safety engineers, informing those at elevator companies as to the meaning of the code, his brilliant lectures, his ASME Code Seminars, his authoritative book Defensive Elevatoring (click here to purchase), and more recently his monthly quizzes he provided at our NCEIG meetings (I loved those).

I got to know and respect Dee through our time together at NCEIG, where he encouraged me in my work and to become active in the industry.  I can think of no one who I've met in our industry who has inspired me more than my friend, Dee Swerrie.  We will miss him...


Please read below Dee's obituary as provided by his family, the information provided by Dee himself:

 DEE ALLEN ERIKSEN SWERRIE

1925 - 2014

Commonly known as D. A. Swerrie by acquaintances and Dee by good friends and family, he left us on the next step of his journey quite peaceably on January 9, 2014.  He came to us as the son of Alexander Eriksen Swerrie (Sverre Aleksander Eriksen his name at birth in Norway) and his wife Olive Agnes Swerrie nee Westrom (of the Spencer family, Minnesota).  Dee was born March 21, 1925 in San Francisco. 

Following Dee's graduation from Balboa High School in the fall of 1942, and when he turned 18, he became a member of the Army and participated in the European Theater of WW II.  His anti-aircraft unit was attached to the 10^th Armored Division, in the 3^rd army under General Patton after securing the landing when Patton was ordered to Normandy.  From the invasion at Normandy, in the hedgerow area on the cliffs above the beaches, which was so difficult to cross, under Patton’s leadership they proceeded to re-take France, the Battle of the Bulge, the Siege of Bastogne, and the taking of Treir.  Crossing the Rhine River, they led the way across Germany to Bamberg, Dachau and Munich.  The war ended, and then, as a 2^nd Lieutenant in the Infantry he was rotated back to America and was relieved from active duty for his 21^st birthday. 

While working at numerous endeavors, Dee attended UC Berkeley and was awarded his BS in 1950.  On June 27, 1953, Dee was married to Martha Elizabeth Lee and began their family together. Having moved to Novato, California, in 1965, Dee and Martha were charter members of All Saints Lutheran Church, where Dee worked hard with other church members making the new church building all they envisioned.

After college Dee went to work in the elevator trade with Otis Elevator Company.  Leaving Otis in 1965 he became a California State Elevator Inspector.  Then he went on to be a Senior Safety Engineer and ultimately Principal Safety Engineer, at the same time achieving California State PE registration as a Safety Engineer. 

Retiring from the State in 1986, Dee was self-employed as a consultant specializing in Elevators, Ski-lifts, and Carnival Amusement Rides.  He quit field activity in 1999, although he remained active in the industry instructing for ASME and supporting the Northern California Elevator Industry Group.  While in the Elevator Industry, he wrote many articles published by Elevator World magazine and a book titled Defensive Elevatoring.  He attended seminars around the United States, in France, Germany, Japan and Taiwan.  During this time, Dee also became well known working with AARP   teaching Driver Safety courses for aging drivers.  Dee always said, “It is not work when you like what you are doing.  While others look forward to the weekend, I look forward to Mondays.”

He leaves behind his wife of 60 years, Martha, and his three children and their families: Daughter Christina and Edgar Shippey and their son Adam; Son Erik and his three children, Ben, Kyra and David; and Son Lee and Laurie and their two children, Allison and Jonathon.  Also surviving are his sister, Allyne Swerrie; Nephews, Mark Figley, Steve Lee and Don Lee; and nieces Lyndy Bullock, Clare Jenet, Jhun Holloway, Robin Orsua, and Laurie Dominguez, and their families.

When asked what he considered his greatest achievement, Dee would say, “Marrying my wife Martha and raising our three children Tina, Erik, and Lee.” 

A celebration of Dee's life will be held Saturday, January 18^th @ 11 am at All Saints' Lutheran Church, 2 San Marin Drive, Novato.  In lieu of flowers a donation to the All Saint's Lutheran Church Secret Santa Program or your favorite charity.