Hollister-Whitney GT Series Machines – Main Drive Shaft

This safety order is issued pursuant to section 31 of the Safety Standards Act. A person affected by this safety order may appeal this order in writing to the Safety Standards Appeal Board within 30 days. The appeal process is set out on the Safety Standards Appeal Board's website at www.gov.bc.ca/safetystandardsappealboard.

Failure to comply with a safety order is an offence under section 72 of the Safety Standards Act.

This safety order is being issued in relation to:

Part 1: Details of Regulated Work or Regulated Product

This safety order is being issued to owners and maintenance contractors of Hollister-Whitney GT-series machines (“GT-series machines”) referenced in the Vantage Elevation Product Safety Announcements released on July 6, 2023 (“Bulletin 1”) and October 23, 2023 (“Bulletin 2”).

Multiple failures of the main drive shaft of GT-series machines have occurred. These failures can lead to unintended car movement and an overspeed condition. These GT-series machines rely on rope-grippers to act as the emergency brake, which will activate when unintended car movement is detected. If a rope gripper is not provided, the failure of the main drive shaft with an under-balanced car can result in the car striking the top of the hoistway at uncontrolled speeds or, with an over-balanced car, can result in the car over-speeding in the down direction and stopping on its safeties.

Part 2: Requirement(s) of this Safety Order

1. Each maintenance contractor must identify all elevating devices with GT-series machines by March 21, 2024. Each identified device must be assessed to confirm:
   1. The machine is installed with a rope gripper;
   2. Ascending car overspeed protection test has been performed within the last 12 months as required by ASME A17.1-2016/CSA B44-16 clause 8.6.4.19.11(b); and
   3. Unintended car movement protection test has been performed within the last 12 months, as required by ASME A17.1-2016/CSA B44-16 clause 8.6.4.19.11(c).
2. Any GT-series machines installed without a rope gripper shall immediately be removed from service and not returned to service until a rope gripper has been installed and tested. Any units lacking a rope gripper must be immediately reported to Technical Safety BC at: Elevating@technicalsafetybc.ca with subject line “SO-ED 2024-01" and reported to Vantage in accordance with Bulletin 1.
3. Any GT-series machines installed with a rope gripper that has not been tested in conformance with ASME A17.1-2016/CSA B44-16 within the last 12 months shall immediately be removed from service until the rope gripper has been tested. Non-compliant devices found during testing shall remain out of service until the rope-gripper has been repaired/adjusted, retested, and found compliant with ASME A17.1-2016/CSA B44-16 sections 2.19.1 and 2.19.2.
4. All GT-series machines shall be reported to Vantage with contact information of the current owner and licensed contractor performing the repair to ensure repair parts outlined in Bulletin 2 are provided to the appropriate party. Where the licensed contractor reported to Vantage as responsible for the repair work changes to a different contractor, the owner or owner’s representative must report the change to Vantage and identify the new responsible contractor.

Hollister-Whitney will provide replacement drive shafts to owners of GT-series machines as the replacement parts are made available (see Bulletin 2). The replacement of the drive shaft must be completed as soon as practical, but no later than December 31st, 2025.

1. By March 21, 2024 all licensed elevating device maintenance contractors must report all identified GT-series machines to Technical Safety BC using attached appendix A, and must confirm whether or not a rope gripper is installed and the date of the last rope gripper tests. Once all applicable GT-series machines have been identified, non-compliances for identified units will be automatically assigned to the associated operating permit with a correction due date of December 31st 2025.
2. Once the replacement process and associated testing has been completed, as outlined in Bulletin 2, the licensed elevating device contractor completing the repairs shall submit a report to Technical Safety BC in the form of the non-compliance completion declaration form (FRM-1073). All repairs, testing and associated non-compliance completion declarations shall be submitted within 60 days of receipt of required components from Vantage (see Bulletin 2).
3. Maintenance records must be updated in accordance with ASME A17.1-2016/CSA B44-16, as modified by the Elevating Devices Safety Regulation.

GT-series machines found without a rope-gripper will require a major alteration permit for the installation of the rope-gripper (see Directive D-L4 1108035: Major and minor alterations, ASME A17.1-2016/CSA B44-16 code reference 8.7.2.20).

Part 4: Details of Ordering Safety Manager or Safety Officer – Please read following page

I certify that I am authorized to issue this safety order in accordance with section 15 (d) of the Safety Standards Act or that I have been delegated this power under section 15 (g) of the Safety Standards Act.

Nav Chahal,
Provincial Safety Manager – Transportation

References: 

Safety Standards Act
Elevating Devices Safety Regulation
ASME A17.1-2016/CSA B44-16
Bulletin 1
Bulletin 2
Appendix A