The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) has completed the technical investigation into the lift incident at Paris Court in Sheung Shui Town Centre on May 11 this year and released the investigation report today (August 20).

     The investigation revealed that the braking force of the brake system of the lift associated with the incident was insufficient, so that when the lift car travelled from the ground floor to the destination floor and the lift doors opened for passenger entry, the lift car failed to stop completely and continued to move upwards, thereby leading to the incident. The main cause of the problem was that a component of the lift braking system was found to have been not lubricated for a long time and hence could not operate smoothly. As a result, the brake was continuously rubbed when the lift was running, leading to overheating and hence significant reduction in the braking force.

     While the technical investigation has been completed with the investigation report uploaded to the EMSD's website (www.emsd.gov.hk/filemanager/en/content_794/Report_on_Lift_Incident_at_Paris_Court_(Eng).pdf), criminal investigation into the incident is still in progress. The EMSD emphasises that the law will be strictly enforced if contraventions are identified.

     After the incident, as a prudent measure, the EMSD immediately requested all registered lift contractors maintaining lifts of the same brand as the lift in the incident to carry out special inspections. The special inspections were completed in two weeks after the incident and no abnormality was found. The EMSD further requested the registered lift contractor maintaining the lift in the incident to conduct special inspections for all lifts under its maintenance, which were completed without any abnormality found. The EMSD also stepped up the sampling inspections for these lifts.

     In addition, the EMSD issued letters to all registered lift contractors to remind them to strictly follow the requirements under the Lifts and Escalators Ordinance and the Code of Practice for Lift Works and Escalator Works (the CoP) to ensure proper maintenance of the lift brake systems.
 
     To enhance the safety of aged lifts, the EMSD announced earlier the implementation of the following two short-term measures:

1. Contractors shall conduct special maintenance works at least twice every year for the important protective components (including brakes, traction machines and landing doors) of aged lifts that have yet to undergo modernisation works. Contractors are also required to submit to the EMSD the scheduled date, time and inspection results of the special maintenance works via an online platform. The EMSD will also step up the corresponding spot checks; and

2. Contractors shall record maintenance works in logbooks with an improved format to list the important protective components involved in each round of maintenance to facilitate more effective monitoring of the contractors' maintenance works by the EMSD and the responsible persons for lifts.

     The CoP (2018 Edition) with details of the above measures came into effect via a gazette notice on August 10 this year. Lift contractors and responsible persons for lifts have to fully implement the relevant measures before February 1, 2019.

     The EMSD promulgated the Guidelines for Modernising Existing Lifts in 2011 to recommend the responsible persons for aged lifts to install safety devices (including an unintended car movement protection device and an ascending car overspeed protection device) to make the operation of their lifts safer, more reliable and comfortable. The EMSD appeals to all responsible persons of aged lifts again to carry out modernisation works as soon as possible. Please refer to the EMSD's website for details of lift modernisation works at www.emsd.gov.hk/en/lifts_and_escalators_safety/responsible_persons_corner/lift_modernisation_resource_corner/index.html.

Ends/Monday, August 20, 2018
Issued at HKT 14:58

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