BS EN ISO 20321:2020

What is ISO 20321- Safety of Powered elevators about? 

ISO 20321 specifies general safety requirements for the design, testing, and production of powered elevators. 

The requirements are applicable for on- and off-shore applications of such elevators in the petroleum and petrochemical industries. 

NOTE 1: ISO 20321 does not cover any other type of elevator. ISO 20321 is not applicable to the following types of products: 

• Remote control devices 
• Lifting nubbins 
• Lifting plugs 
• Lifting subs 
• Internal gripping devices 
• Equipment for lifting tubular from and onto a vessel 
• Elevator links or bails 

This list is not exhaustive. 

NOTE 2: ISO 20321 is not applicable to powered operated elevators manufactured before the date of this publication. 

Who is ISO 20321 - Safety of Powered elevators for?  

ISO 20321 on the requirements for powered elevators is beneficial for: 

• Machine manufacturers (small, medium, and large enterprises) 
• Health and safety bodies (regulators, accident prevention organizations, market surveillance, etc.) 
• Elevator operators 
• Elevator attendants 

Why should you use ISO 20321 - Safety of Powered elevators? 

ISO 20321 specifies general principles for the design and production of manually operated elevators for the oil and gas industries, in on- and offshore applications. Others can be affected by the level of machinery safety achieved with the means of the ISO 20321 by the above-mentioned stakeholder groups: 

• Machine users/employers (small, medium, and large enterprises) 
• Machine users/employees (e.g., trade unions, organizations for people with special needs) 
• Service providers, e.g., for maintenance (small, medium, and large enterprises) 
• Consumers (in case of machinery intended for use by consumers) 

The above-mentioned stakeholder groups have been given the possibility to participate at the drafting process of ISO 20321. 

The machinery concerned and the extent to which hazards, hazardous situations, or hazardous events are covered are indicated in ISO 20321. ISO 20321 guides the user with design verification which is the process of examining the result of a given design or development activity to determine conformity with specified requirements. ISO 20321 also assists the user on the lifting accessory to be used for lifting and handling of tubular in the on and offshore drilling industry on or in the vicinity of the drill floor, of which the movement of the mechanics is done partly or completely mechanically using a power source. 

Overall, ISO 20321 is helpful as it describes about the powered elevator that allows safe handling of the elevator during all stages of the transport, installation and operation process. The powered elevators are designed in such a way that maintenance and cleaning during use can be carried out in a safe manner.