Amendments to Elevator and Lifts Act Introduced

ENVIRONMENT/LABOUR--Amendments to Elevator and Lifts Act Introduced

Amendments to the Elevator and Lifts Act were introduced in the House of Assembly by David Morse, Minister of Environment and Labour, today, April 2.

"Over the past year, the Public Safety Division of my department has consulted extensively on this safety legislation with owners and those who design, install, service and maintain elevating and lift devices," the minister said. "The result is improved regulation that provides for a high level of public safety, recognizes the competency of the industry and makes more efficient use of provincial resources."

Under the proposed legislation, elevator mechanics will now have to be licensed. Elevator companies will be required to provide owners with a status report of every elevator or lift.

Mr. Morse said the province will continue to certify all new and altered installations for compliance with all applicable safety codes and standards.

"We will continue to review construction plans and certify the installation of elevator units," said Mr. Morse.

The province will also target elevators and lifts for inspection based upon a regulatory system that applies risk management principles, including age, safety features and use.

Mr. Morse said the bill introduced today amends the current Elevator and Lifts Act, which dates back to 1958.

"At that time, there were few devices of this kind in the province," he said. "But today, there are almost as many elevators and lifts in Nova Scotia as in New Brunswick and Newfoundland combined. This is due, in part, to our successful efforts to make Nova Scotia barrier-free for people with disabilities."