PNRC 29 - Lift Shaft Platforms & Planning of Lift Shaft Works under Temporary Occupation Permit (TOP) Arrangement
Table of Contents
Introduction
This article introduces the content of PNRC 29 – Lift Shaft Platforms.
Besides, this article would introduce the Guilelines on Safety of Lift Shaft Works – Volume 1 – During Construction Stage and Before Handing Over to Lift Installation Contractor by CIC and recommended by PNRC 29.
At last, this article would introduce specific Attentions to the Planning of Lift Shaft Works at Buildings Under Temporary Occupation Permit (TOP) Arrangement.
Function of Lift Shaft Platform
“Lift Shaft Platform” could serves as
Rain shelter
A formwork platform to construct lift shaft walls
A mid-shaft platform to protect the lift well
Debris-catching platform
Temporary Lift Platform due to Top-down construction
9 Safety requirements related to Lift Shaft Platform by PNRC
Lift shaft platform shall be designed by AP /RSE employed by the contractor (i.e. Contractor’s AP/RSE).
Construction plans (including MS for erection, alteration, maintenance and dismantling) be prepared by TCP T4 employed by the Contractor (i.e. Contractor’s Engineer) and signed-off by the Contractor’s AP/RSE.
Lift shaft platform shall be constructed under full-time supervision of TCP T1 appointed in writing by the contractor, and checked by Contractor’s Engineer upon completion.
Alteration shall be designed by the Contractor’s AP/RSE while coonstruction plan prepared by Contractor’s Engineer and signed-off by the Contractor’s AP/RSE. (similar to 1. and 2.)
Before commencement of work, conducting Risk Assessment by a planning team comprising site managerial and supervisory representatives from the main contractor and subcontractors, with at least one person within the team holding TCP T4 or equivalent qualifications.
Materials accumlated on the platforms shall be removed regularly.
Dismantling of lift shaft platform shall be under full-time supervision of TCP T1 appointed in writing by the contractor.
No material could be thrown down onto lift shaft platforms unless the platforms have been designed for such purpose by the Contractor’s AP/RSE.
Suitable fall-arresting systems for the erection, maintenance and dismantling of lift shaft platforms. (e.g. an independent lifeline anchored to a wall)
Guidelines on Safety of Lift Shaft Works
Further information for the safety requirements of lift shaft works (not only works for lift shaft platform) could be obtained by reference to four guidelines by CIC:
Guidelines on Safety of Lift Shaft Works: Volume 1 – During Construction Stage and Before Handing Over to Lift Installation Contractor
Guidelines on Safety of Lift Shaft Works: Volume 2- During Lift Installation Stage until Issue of Occupation Permit and Handing Over to Developer
Guidelines on Safety of Lift Shaft Works: Volume 3 – Throughout the Occupation Stage of Building
Guidelines on Safety of Lift Shaft Works: Volume 4 – Builders’ Lift within Lift Shaft
The above four guidelines would be further introduced into a new category “Guidelines on Safety of Lift Shaft Works”
Documents kept on site for Inpsection by LD
The copies of the following 4 documents should be made avalible on site for inspection by LD’s Occupational Safety Officer:
Design plan by the Contractor’s AP/RSE;
Construction plan and its method statement by the Contractor’s Engineer;
Record of the date of erection, maintenance and dismantling of a lift shaft platform and the name of the competent person who supervised the works; and
Risk assessment report
Introduction to one of the Lift Shaft Platforms - Formwork Platform to construct lift shaft walls
A typical detail for formwork platform within lift shaft is shown as below –
It is noted that there is always an additional platform hung by the formwork platform to serve for maintenance platform / debris platform / platform to store the wall formwork.
Examples of formwork platform (Lift shaft platform)
Planning of Lift Shaft Works under Temporary Occupation Permit (TOP)
This section introduces the planning of Lift Shaft Works (not only lift shaft platform) under Temporary Occupation Permit (TOP)
Why there is the need for Temporary Occupation Permit?
Move in when development is occupiable but works are still ongoing.
Upon completion, a temporary building requires a temporary occupation permit before it may be occupied (detail refers to APP 50 – Temporary Buildings – Building (Planning) Regulations 50-52).
Usual TOP Arrangement
TOP for low zone of high-rise building.
TOP for some of the buildings with common podium and / or basement.
Adminstration Process of Temporary Occupation Permit
The statutory requirement for TOP (or OP) refers to BO-cl.21 as shown below-
BO-cl.21.(1): No new building shall be occupied by not more than 2 caretakers unless OP / TOP has been issued.
BO-cl.21.(7): OP/TOP deemed to have been granted 14 days from the receipt of application by BA via specified form (F.BA12/13).
BO-cl.21.(3): BA would impose the conditions for temporary occupation permit.
Examples for conditions of TOP
TOP Plan shall be submitted for application of TOP, which should include safety and logistic arrangement for construction activities.
Provide fire separation of adequate fire resistant period between occupied and construction areas
Access to construction areas controlled by self-closing FRP doors which are always locked from outside but can be opened from inside without key.
TOP requirements for Lift Shaft Activities
If works are being carried out in the lift shaft (i.e. lift shaft = construction area), the access to the lift sahft should be provided from the construction area.
If the lower portion of a lift sahft is within TOP, then horizontal separation (e.g. lift shaft platform) with adequate structural strength and fire resistance period together with a warning sign stating the allowable imposed load should be provided.
Use of occupied lift
TOP for occupation of lower zone (may be up to 30 floors) are more common. The fact that the lifts within construction area are not yet completed would unaviodably requires using lift provided from occupied area.
The details are as below picture – The yellow lifts are in construction area and not yet completed for using. The workers must need to use the occupied lift (the green one) for access to construction areas at high zone (the purple area).
For such case, the below conditions should be complied with:
Fire separation (constructed of non-combustible material) at all times between the occupied area and construction area (like the protective lobby as shown above) should be designed and submitted by the Authorized Person of the development project to the Building Authority for approval, preferably to be indicated in the TOP Boundary Plan before application of TOP.
Any fire separation (including that to enclose a lift shaft) should not be erected to cause any obstruction or reduction in width of any escape route# of the occupied areas. (# depends on occupant capacity, but not less than 1050mm)
Conduct risk assessment by Registered Safety Officers (RSO) and implement permit-to-work system.
No gas cutting and electric welding inside lift shaft within TOP boundary
No change to lift shaft protection under TOP unless with approval with AP
The Contractor should co-ordinate with different parties (e.g. owner/developer, occupant, management office) to ensure that doors for a fire protected lobby should be of adequate fire resistance period, self closing, closed and locked from outside at all times but readily open from inside without key.
An alarm signal would be sent to the Contractor’s site office when the access door in the enclosure is in an open position
A warning sign (e.g. DANGER – No entry into the construction area unless authorized. Keep door closed.) be placed at access door and walls of the enclosure.
THIS DOCUMENT IS FOR REFERENCE PURPOSES ONLY.