DD ISO/TS 22559 — Safety Requirements for Lifts (Elevators) Global Conformity Series (GESR Safety Parameters and GCAP Certification)

🛗 DD ISO/TS 22559 (corresponding to the ISO/TS 22559 series) is the UK implementation of the ISO Technical Specifications on safety requirements for lifts (elevators), the responsibility of BSI Technical Committee MHE/4 (Lifts, hoists and escalators). Built on the Global Essential Safety Requirements (GESRs), the series provides safety parameters meeting those requirements, Global Conformity Assessment Procedures (GCAP), and prerequisites for certification and accreditation, offering a unified framework for harmonising lift regulations and standard systems across countries.

1. Series Structure 📌

The three parts form a complete chain from “safety requirements” to “certification implementation”: Part 2 defines safety parameters, Part 3 specifies certification prerequisites, and Part 4 specifies certification body and accreditation body requirements.

2. Safety Parameters and GESRs (Part 2) 📐

Part 2 specifies the safety parameters meeting the GESRs, translating abstract essential safety requirements into quantifiable or verifiable indicators usable for design, manufacture, and inspection. Safety parameters cover key safety topics across the lift lifecycle, for example:

• Protection against mechanical hazards (crushing, shearing, falling, tripping);
• Protection against electrical hazards, fire hazards, and loss of control (overspeed, overtravel/top or pit impact);
• Safety requirements related to accessibility, maintenance, and emergency rescue.

3. Global Conformity Assessment Prerequisites (Part 3) 🧾

Part 3 specifies the prerequisites for GCAP, i.e. the essential elements for certification of conformity of lift systems, lift components, and lift functions, including:

• Scope definition and assessment elements (design review, type testing, production surveillance, etc.);
• Basis for failure-mode and safety-function analysis;
• Roles and documentation requirements of the parties involved (manufacturer, certification body, accreditation body).

4. Certification and Accreditation Requirements (Part 4) 🏛️

Part 4 specifies the certification and accreditation requirements of GCAP:

• Organisational, competence, and impartiality requirements for certification bodies carrying out lift certification;
• Procedures and criteria for accreditation bodies accrediting certification bodies;
• Basis for certificates, marks, and mutual recognition, supporting cross-border conformity assessment.

5. Engineering Practice Essentials 🛠️

• 🔍 Review GESRs before design: cross-check GESRs and corresponding safety parameters item by item during design to avoid late rework.
• 🔧 Documentation: retain the basis for safety-parameter selection, risk assessment results, and conformity evidence to support subsequent certification.
• 📊 Certification planning: define certification scope and assessment elements per Part 3 in advance, and select a certification body meeting Part 4 requirements.
• 📋 Cross-border mutual recognition: use the unified GCAP framework and accredited certification results to reduce duplicate multi-country certification costs.

6. Frequently Asked Questions ❓