Car lifts are becoming increasingly popular due to the pursuit of more efficient use of limited space, especially in apartment buildings. With this increasing popularity, the number of complaints and/or problems with these installations is also rising. An inspection of these car lifts by an intervening body is therefore recommended to ensure their correct operation and to safeguard the safety of users.
As an intervening body, are you responsible for the safety inspection of car lifts?
To help you with your task, the FPS Economy has drawn up a checklist (PDF, 194.93 KB) that you can use during a first thorough inspection of a car lift.
What does the checklist for the safety inspection of a car lift contain?
The checklist specifies the minimum safety requirements that a car lift must meet during an initial safety inspection.
The FPS Economy has drawn up this checklist in collaboration with the GTO (Joint Technical Body) and the FPS Employment, Labour and Social Dialogue. This checklist is part of the instructions (PDF, 642.32 KB) issued by the FPS Economy to organizations that carry out such checks/inspections. These instructions are drawn up in the context of the operating criteria and the modalities for monitoring the functioning of those intervening bodies.
Which types of car lifts are covered by the checklist?
This checklist applies exclusively to lifting platforms with semi-rising walls for cars that have been placed on the market under the European Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC.
You can find more information about this directive on the web page Safety of machines.
Safety inspection of a car lift not always mandatory but recommended
These inspections/checks are so far not mandatory (unless included in the manufacturer's instructions), but highly recommended
- before commissioning,
- as subsequent inspections:
- twice a year for car lifts with a lifting height > 3 m (every 6 months);
- annually for a lifting height ≤ 3 m (every 12 months).
The FPS Economy will also refer to this checklist during inspections.
Legal basis for the safety of car lifts
The basis for this checklist can be found in the Royal Decree of 12 August 2008 concerning the placing on the market of machines (the Belgian transposition of the Machinery Directive) and the harmonised standards under the Machinery Directive.
For lifts that fall under the scope of the Lifts Directive 2014/33/EU, the Royal Decree of 9 March 2003 concerning the safety of lifts applies. More information can be found on:
- the web page Placing lifts on the market;
- the web page Modernisation of existing lifts
Lifts installed in a work environment are subject to the requirements of the Codex on well-being in the workplace and the General Regulation on occupational safety (RGPT).You will find the regulation on the webpage Lifting and hoisting, of the SPF Employment, Labour and Social Dialogue website.
