California Code of Regulations
Title 8 - Industrial Relations
Division 1 - Department of Industrial Relations
Chapter 4 - Division of Industrial Safety
Subchapter 7 - General Industry Safety Orders
Group 1 - General Physical Conditions and Structures
Article 6 - Powered Platforms and Equipment for Building Maintenance
Section 3296 - Inspection and Tests

Universal Citation: 8 CA Code of Regs 3296

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 38, September 20, 2024

(a) Installations and Alterations. All completed building maintenance equipment installations shall be inspected and tested in the field before being placed in initial service to determine that all parts of the installation conform to applicable requirements of this article, and that all safety and operating equipment is functioning as required. A similar inspection and test shall be made following any major alteration to an existing installation.

(1) No hoist in an installation shall be subjected to a load in excess of 125 percent of its rated load.

(2) The building owner shall keep a certification record of each inspection and test required under subsection (a) of this section. The certification record shall include the date of the inspection, the signature of the person who performed the inspection, and the number, or other identifier, of the building support structure and equipment which was inspected. This certification record shall be kept readily available for review by the Division and by the employer.

(b) Periodic Inspections and Tests.

(1) Each installation shall undergo a periodic inspection and test at least every 12 months by the equipment manufacturer, authorized representative, or other qualified person acceptable to the Division. All parts of the equipment, including related building support structures, shall be inspected, and where necessary, tested to determine that they are in safe operating condition.

(2) The building owner shall keep a certification record of each inspection and test required under subsection (b) of this section. The certification record shall include the date of the inspection, the signature of the person who performed the inspection, and the number, or other identifier, of the building support structure and equipment which was inspected. This certification record shall be kept readily available for review by the Division and by the employer.

(3) Building safety devices and equipment as described in Section 3282(p)(1)(A) shall be load tested if damage, corrosion or deterioration affecting the load bearing integrity of building safety devices and equipment is detected or suspected.

(A) The safety device or equipment shall be removed from service until repaired or replaced if testing indicates that the load sustaining integrity of a safety device or equipment has been compromised.

(B) A professional engineer experienced in the design of building safety devices and equipment shall inspect and evaluate such equipment when any of the following occur:

1. The design documents are not available;

2. The design is deficient; or

3. Inspections or tests determine that the safety devices or equipment are not safe for use.

(C) Damage to safety devices or equipment, or damage to the building structure from testing operations shall be reported to the building owner.

(D) If safety deficiencies affecting the load bearing integrity of devices or equipment have not been corrected within 60 days from the date the building owner was notified, the deficiencies shall be reported to the Division by the inspecting agency contracted to perform inspections and/or testing.

(4)

(A) Load suspension devices shall not be tested to more than 2 times the rated working load which the device is designed to lift and/or support.

(B) Roof tie-backs shall be tested to no more than 50 percent of their rated capacity. For example, a roof tie-back with a rated capacity of 5000 pounds shall not be tested in excess of 2500 pounds.

(5) Test equipment shall be calibrated at least annually and calibration records shall be available to the Division.

(6) The load testing methodology and load testing procedures for a building's safety devices and equipment shall be prescribed, in writing, by a professional engineer and load tests shall be performed by qualified persons under the direction of the engineer.

(7) Working platforms and their components shall be inspected by the employer for visible defects before every use and after each occurrence which could affect the platform's structural integrity.

(1) A maintenance inspection and, where necessary a test shall be made of each platform installation prior to the start of a work cycle and where the work cycle is more than 30 days, such inspection and/or test shall be made at least every 30 days during the work cycle. This inspection and test shall follow procedures recommended by the manufacturer, and shall be made by a qualified person.

(2) The building owner shall keep a certification record of each inspection and test performed under subsection (c)(1) of this section. The certification record shall include the date of the inspection and test, the signature of the person who performed the inspection and/or test, and an identifier for the platform installation which was inspected. The certification record shall be kept readily available for review by the Division and by the employer.

(d) Special Inspection of Governors and Secondary Brakes.

(1) Governors and secondary brakes shall be inspected and tested at intervals specified by the manufacturer/supplier but not to exceed every 12 months.

(2) The results of the inspection and test shall confirm that the initiating device for the secondary braking system operates at the proper overspeed.

(3) The results of the inspection and test shall confirm that the secondary brake is functioning properly.

(4) If any hoisting machine or initiating device for the secondary brake system is removed from the equipment for testing, all reinstalled and directly related components shall be reinspected prior to returning the equipment installation to service.

(5) Inspection of governors and secondary brakes shall be performed by a qualified person.

(6) The secondary brake governor and actuation device shall be tested before each day's use. Where testing is not feasible, a visual inspection of the brake shall be made to ensure that it is free to operate.

(e) Suspension Wire Rope Maintenance, Inspection and Replacement.

(1) Suspension wire rope shall be maintained and used in accordance with procedures recommended by the wire rope manufacturer.

(2) Suspension wire rope shall be inspected by a qualified person for visible defects and gross damage to the rope before every use and after each occurrence which might affect the wire rope's integrity.

(3) A thorough inspection of suspension wire ropes in service shall be made once a month. Suspension wire ropes that have been inactive for 30 days or longer shall have a thorough inspection before they are placed into service. These thorough inspections of suspension wire ropes shall be performed by a qualified person.

(4) The need for replacement of a suspension wire rope shall be determined by inspection and shall be based on the condition of the wire rope. Any of the following conditions or combination of conditions will be cause for removal of the wire rope:

(A) Broken wires exceeding three wires in one strand or six wires in one rope lay;

(B) Distortion of rope structure such as would result from crushing or kinking;

(D) Evidence of rope deterioration from corrosion;

(E) A broken wire within 18 inches of the end attachments;

(F) Noticeable rusting and/or pitting;

(G) Evidence of core failure (a lengthening of rope lay, protrusion of the rope core and a reduction in rope diameter suggests core failure); or

(H) More than one valley break (broken wire);

(I) Outer wire wear exceeds one-third of the original outer wire diameter;

(J) Any other condition which the qualified person determines has significantly affected the integrity of the rope.

(5) The building owner shall keep a certification record of each monthly inspection of a suspension wire rope as required in subsection (e)(3) of this section. The record shall include the date of the inspection, the signature of the person who performed the inspection, and a number, or other identifier of the wire rope which was inspected. This record of inspection shall be made available for review by the Division and by the employer.

(f) Hoist Inspection. Before lowering personnel below the top elevation of the building, the hoist shall be tested each day in the lifting direction with the intended load to make certain it has sufficient capacity to raise the personnel back to the boarding level.

1. Repealer and and new section filed 3-9-93; operative 4-8-93 (Register 93, No. 11). For prior history, see Register 85, No. 40.
2. New subsections (a)(1)-(2), amendment of subsection (b)(2), new subsections (b)(3)-(b)(6), subsection renumbering and amendment of NOTE filed 3-27-2007; operative 4-26-2007 (Register 2007, No. 13).

Note: Authority cited: Section 142.3, Labor Code. Reference: Section 142.3, Labor Code.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. California may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.