2255-S

AN ACT Relating to inspection requirements for private residence conveyances; and amending RCW 70.87.010 and 70.87.120.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1. RCW 70.87.010 and 1983 c 123 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

For the purposes of this chapter, except where a different interpretation is required by the context:

(1) "Owner" means any person having title to or control of a conveyance, as guardian, trustee, lessee, or otherwise;

(2) "Conveyance" means an elevator, escalator, dumbwaiter, belt moonlight, automobile parking elevator, or moving walk, all as defined in this section;

(3) "Existing installations" means all conveyances for which plans were completed and accepted by the owner, or for which the plans and specifications have been filed with and approved by the department before June 13, 1963, and work on the erection of which was begun not more than twelve months thereafter;

(4) "Elevator" means a hoisting or lowering machine equipped with a car or platform that moves in guides and serves two or more floors or landings of a building or structure;

(a) "Passenger elevator" means an elevator (i) on which passengers are permitted to ride and (ii) that may be used to carry freight or materials when the load carried does not exceed the capacity of the elevator;

(b) "Freight elevator" means an elevator (i) used primarily for carrying freight and (ii) on which only the operator, the persons necessary for loading and unloading, and other employees approved by the department are permitted to ride;

(c) "Sidewalk elevator" means a freight elevator that: (i) Operates between a sidewalk or other area outside the building and floor levels inside the building below the outside area, (ii) has no landing opening into the building at its upper limit of travel, and (iii) is not used to carry automobiles;

(5) "Escalator" means a power-driven, inclined, continuous stairway used for raising and lowering passengers;

(6) "Dumbwaiter" means a hoisting and lowering mechanism equipped with a car (a) that moves in guides in a substantially vertical direction, (b) the floor area of which does not exceed nine square feet, (c) the inside height of which does not exceed four feet, (d) the capacity of which does not exceed five hundred pounds, and (e) that is used exclusively for carrying materials;

(7) "Automobile parking elevator" means an elevator: (a) Located in either a stationary or horizontally moving hoistway; (b) used exclusively for parking automobiles where, during the parking process, each automobile is moved either under its own power or by means of a power-driven transfer device onto and off the elevator directly into parking spaces or cubicles in line with the elevator; and (c) in which no persons are normally stationed on any level except the receiving level;

(8) "Moving walk" means a passenger carrying device (a) on which passengers stand or walk and (b) on which the passenger carrying surface remains parallel to its direction of motion;

(9) "Belt manlift" means a power driven endless belt provided with steps or platforms and a hand hold for the transportation of personnel from floor to floor;

(10) "Department" means the department of labor and industries;

(11) "Director" means the director of the department or his or her representative;

(12) "Inspector" means an elevator inspector of the department or an elevator inspector of a municipality having in effect an elevator ordinance pursuant to RCW 70.87.200;

(13) "Permit" means a permit issued by the department to construct, install, or operate a conveyance;

(14) "Person" means this state, a political subdivision, any public or private corporation, any firm, or any other entity as well as an individual;

(15) "One-man capacity manlift" means a single passenger, hand-powered counterweighted device, or electric-powered device, that travels vertically in guides and serves two or more landings;

(16) "Private residence conveyance" means a conveyance installed in or on the premises of a single-family dwelling and operated for transporting persons or property from one elevation to another.

Sec. 2. RCW 70.87.120 and 1993 c 281 s 61 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The department shall appoint and employ inspectors, as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter, under the provisions of the rules adopted by the Washington personnel resources board in accordance with chapter 41.06 RCW.

(2)(a) Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, the department shall cause all conveyances to be inspected and tested at least once each year. Inspectors have the right during reasonable hours to enter into and upon any building or premises in the discharge of their official duties, for the purpose of making any inspection or testing any conveyance contained thereon or therein. Inspections and tests shall conform with the rules adopted by the department. The department shall inspect all installations before it issues any initial permit for operation. Permits shall not be issued until the fees required by this chapter have been paid.

(b)(i) Private residence conveyances operated exclusively for single-family use shall be inspected and tested only when required under RCW 70.87.100 or as necessary for the purposes of subsection (4) of this section.

(ii) The department may perform additional inspections of a private residence conveyance at the request of the owner of the conveyance. Fees for these inspections shall be in accordance with the schedule of fees adopted for operating permits pursuant to RCW 70.87.030. An inspection requested under this subsection (2)(b)(ii) shall not be performed until the required fees have been paid.

(3) If inspection shows a conveyance to be in an unsafe condition, the department shall issue an inspection report in writing requiring the repairs or alterations to be made to the conveyance that are necessary to render it safe and may also suspend or revoke a permit pursuant to RCW 70.87.125 or order the operation of a conveyance discontinued pursuant to RCW 70.87.145.

(4) The department may investigate accidents and alleged or apparent violations of this chapter.