On the 13th of April 2024, Royal Decree 355/2024 was published in the State Official Gazette, which passed the Complementary Technical Instruction ITC AEM 1 ‘Elevators’. These regulations introduce key changes in the maintenance, inspection, and safety measures of elevators, adapting them to technological advancements and new safety requirements.
For both communities and maintenance businesses, it’s essential to understand these changes to comply with the regulationss and to guarantee the safety ofusers and the businesses that manage these devices. It is important to note that the failure to carry out proper inspections or the existence of serious or very serious defects can result in penalties and the immediate shutdown of the elevator until it passes a full favourable inspection.
Changes in elevator regulations
Periodic Inspections
One of the most relevant aspects of the new regulations are the statutory inspections, that now have more defined timeframes according to the type of installation:
- Every 2 years: elevators in buildings of industrial or public use.
- Every 4 years: elevators in buildings with more than 20 homes or more than four storeys.
- Every 6 years: elevators in buildings not listed in previous categories.
If an elevator does not pass the inspection, or the inspection is not performed in the established timeframe, the maintenance business is obligated to shut down the equipment for a 24 hour period, formally notifying the owner and the competent body of the corresponding Autonomous Community.
Documentation and traceability
The new regulations demand greater organisation in terms of technical documentation. The owner of the elevator should maintain records like the RAE number of the equipment, its data sheet and previous certificates of inspection. Furthermore, maintenance businesses should provide detailed and up-to-date reports, following standards like UNE 58720. This traceability guarantees the most transparency and facilitates the evaluation of maintenance procedures.
Benefits of the new regulations for safety
Although these changes can seem strict, their main purpose is to improve safety. The most notable improvements are:
- The installation of two-way communication devices in elevator cabins, according to the UNE EN 81-70+A1 standard.
- More strict levelling requirements to guarantee safe access.
- Incorporation of photo-electric barriers in the automatic doors to avoid accidents.
How to implement the elevator inspection regulations
For maintenance businesses, the key lies in planning. It is fundamental to inform, through the proper channels and in good time, the resident communities or businesses that own the elevators about upcoming inspections and possible adjustments needed to adhere to the regulations.
For that, it is crucial to trust in a Qualified Service Provider (QSP), like Logalty, to handle all communication. If businesses send information themselves, the other party can claim they did not receive it or question the dates and content.
Therefore, the process of sending information requires measures that guarantee the sender’s authenticity, the integrity of the transmitted data and the effectiveness of the communication process. This is the only way to ensure evidence that proves that communication has been made properly.
On the other hand, service providers should have robust systems with protection against possible cyber-attacks. In this sense, the European regulation eIDAS2 establishes the strictest standards in security for electronic transactions. It’s important to highlight that not every business will be prepared to comply with eIDAS2.
Thanks to our robust processes and the legal support we offer, we form part of three consortiums supported by the European Commission, two of which are backed by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation of Spain. Also, the INCIBE (National Institute of Cybersecurity) has placed its trust in Logalty for the development of the Intelligent Personal Data Storage (IPDS) platform, an advanced cloud storage system. This tool will allow individuals and organisations to manage and share their personal and confidential data with the highest standards of security and privacy.
