PD ISO TR 14799 — Comparison of Worldwide Escalator and Moving Walk Safety Standards (ISO/TR 14799 Series)

🪜 PD ISO/TR 14799 is a BSI Published Document implementing ISO/TR 14799 in the UK, developed by Technical Committee MHE/4 (Lifts, hoists and escalators). The series addresses the “comparison of worldwide escalator and moving walk safety standards“, comparing item by item the similarities and differences between the escalator and moving walk safety standards of the world’s major economies in Europe, North America, and Japan. This batch covers two parts: Part 1 (Rule by rule comparison) and Part 2 (Abbreviated comparison and comments). Together they form a foundational tool for understanding the global escalator safety standards landscape, assessing standards differences, and promoting international mutual recognition.

1. Series Background and Positioning 📌

Escalator and moving walk safety standards have followed different development paths worldwide. The European standard EN 115-1 is one of the most influential escalator safety standards today, becoming a mandatory essential requirement under the EU directive framework; North America is typified by ASME A17.1/B44 with prescriptive requirements; Japan has a JIS system based on building codes. Owing to differences in history, regulatory systems, and safety philosophy, national standards differ in terminology, safety device requirements, geometric dimension limits, test methods, and acceptance conditions.

ISO/TR 14799 systematically compares these standards: Part 1 (second edition 2015) compares the major standards clause by clause with explanations of differences; Part 2 (second edition 2015) takes an “abbreviated comparison and comments” approach, starting from the historical development of the standards (such as the origin and evolution of EN 115-1 and A17.1/B44), distilling the basic assumptions, terminology systems, and key differences, with comments. The UK versions are published by BSI as Published Documents, superseding the withdrawn 2005 editions.

2. Series File List 📋

The PD ISO/TR 14799 series technical report files covered in this batch are listed below.

3. Rule by Rule Comparison (Part 1) 🔧

Part 1 is organised “rule by rule”, providing readers with detailed comparison tables:

• Clause structure comparison: aligns the major standards (e.g. EN 115-1, A17.1/B44) chapter by chapter, so readers can quickly locate the position and wording of the same topic in different standards.
• Terminology comparison: explains differences in definitions of key terms (e.g. step, comb plate, handrail, emergency stop device, etc.) across standards.
• Safety device and limit comparison: compares requirements for safety devices (e.g. comb-plate protection, handrail entry protection, step-loss detection, reverse-motion protection) and geometric limits.
• Testing and inspection requirements: compares type tests, installation inspections, and annual inspection procedures and acceptance conditions.

Clause-by-clause comparison is the most direct way to understand standards differences and the most commonly used tool for engineers and auditors.

4. Abbreviated Comparison and Comments (Part 2) 📖

Part 2 interprets the evolution and differences of the standards from a broader perspective:

• Historical development of standards: reviews the origins and development of EN 115-1, A17.1/B44, etc., explaining the “genetic” sources of different standards and their influence.
• Basic assumptions and acronyms: consolidates the acronyms and terminology systems used in each standard, explaining each standard’s basic assumptions in hazard identification and risk control.
• Comments on key differences: provides comments on key differences affecting design, installation, and inspection (e.g. safety clearances, drive and braking requirements, electrical protection), helping readers judge the practical impact of differences.
• Interpreting the comparison: explains how to combine the clause-by-clause comparison of Part 1 with the background comments of Part 2 to form a complete understanding of standards differences.

The value of Part 2 is “knowing why”: understanding the history and philosophy behind the differences helps assess their practical impact on specific equipment and provides reference for experts involved in standards development.

5. Engineering Practice Applications 🛠️

• Multi-market equipment development: escalator manufacturers use the comparison results to plan product designs for multiple markets (Europe, North America, Japan, etc.), identifying requirements that must be met simultaneously.
• Certification and mutual-recognition review: inspection and certification bodies cite the series to assess consistency between different national certifications, supporting mutual recognition and conformity assessment.
• Installation and maintenance specifications: field engineers perform installation, commissioning, and periodic inspection per the target standard to ensure operating safety.
• Input to standards harmonisation: experts involved in international standards development use the comparison results to promote harmonisation of global escalator safety standards.

A typical application path: identify the target markets and applicable standards → use the Part 1 comparison tables to identify clause differences → use the Part 2 comments to understand the background and impact of the differences → carry out design supplements and testing → complete conformity assessment against multiple standards and obtain certification.

6. Frequently Asked Questions ❓