The 2020 edition of the Elevator Industry Field Employee Safety Handbook (“Handbook”) has just been released. First published in 1973, the Handbook is developed and updated by the NEII Field Employee Safety Committee (“FESC”) and published by Elevator World. Since the beginning, Elevator World has sold over 500,000. The Handbook is updated every five years, but sometimes more often when major changes are identified.

Most of the changes for the 2020 edition were minor and reflect changes in industry practice or regulations. The new edition includes the Safety Absolutes developed by the NEII FESC that address critical safety practices to mitigate serious and fatal injuries. The Safety Absolutes were first introduced in the Handbook during an interim update in 2018. A new section was also added to provide guidance on the new silica standards implemented recently. 

For a more detailed description of the changes, please see the article in Elevator World entitled “2020 Elevator Industry Field Employees’ Safety Handbook.” The 2020 edition is available at https://www.elevatorbooks.com/.  

The June edition of Elevator World included a column by NEII Central Code Committee chair, David McColl, on the updates to the 2019 edition of the Elevator and Escalator Safety Code with respect to elevator emergency operations. The 2019 edition of ASME A17.1/CSA B44 Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators contains many updates to the requirements for Occupant Evacuation Operation, most of which are clarifications of or elaborations on the existing requirements first published in the 2013 edition.

In addition, NEII Communications Committee member, Mike Ryan of Peelle Doors authored an article on “Rethinking Rescue” when it comes to sensationalized media surrounding stalled elevators, and cites NEII’s tips for “What To Do When You are in a Stalled Elevator.”