Lift and Escalator Industry Association

LEIA Educational Trust

UNIT STRUCTURE

Unit Title Introduction to Lift Technology

BTEC Customised Framework Level 3

Unit Code : GT1F3 Credit Value : 12 (Full Unit) Learning Hours :120

Context/rationale:
The original concept of the LEIA Distance Learning programme was to disseminate amongst field
personnel in the Lift Industry the new requirements embodied in the (then) new European
Standards EN81-1 and EN81-2, published in the UK as BS5655: Part 1 and BS5655 Part 2. Since
1978, the remit of the programme has widened to encompass other learning and educational
objectives. Nevertheless, the dissemination of knowledge relating to British and European
Standards requirements remains central to the remit of the study programme. Education of field
personnel regarding these standards and their relationship with the European Lifts Directive is
essential to the business objectives of the Industry. Furthermore, in addition to the introduction
of new developments and techniques in the industry, British and European standards undergo
continual improvement as requirements, particularly safety requirements, evolve and change in
response to field experience and to the afore mentioned new developments and techniques.
Note that separate from the distance learning programme, and supplementing company based
training programmes, the Industry, through LEIA also operates a set of competence based
National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ : up to and including NVQ level 3)) through which the
prospective technician or mechanic can acquire and demonstrate appropriate competences and
practical skills.

Unit Description

This introductory unit provides an overview of lift technology and engineering for those new to
the study. It is aimed at both students with an engineering background and also at students not
directly involved in the engineering, service and maintenance aspects of the technology, e.g.
contract and project management personnel, and secretarial and support staff who need to be
able to interpret instructions and requests from service, maintenance and installation mechanics
and supervisors

Summary of learning outcomes

On successful completion of the unit, students will be able to :

1. Describe the basic principles and components of a lift installation.

2. Relate the operation of a lift installation to other building services

3. Explain the basic safety requirements imposed by BS EN 81-1 and BS EN 81-2 and by
basic health and safety legislation.

Document Reference GT1F3

Issue Nº 1
Revision Date 13/08/2012
Next Review Date 08/2015
 Unit GT1F3 : Introduction to Lift Technology

Content

1. Describe the basic principles and components of a lift installation.

Basic Principles
a) Normal duty ranges of speed and load
for general applications.
b) Theory of balancing weights in order
to reduce the driven load.
c) The reasons for using worm reduction
gear units on lift machines.
d) Principles of sheave construction and
grooving
e) Basic features and components of
hydraulic lift installations.
f) Principles of hydraulic jack operation.
2. Relate the operation of a lift installation to other building services
Other building services
a) Integration of lift systems and their
effects on the following:
i) Heating
ii) Ventilation
iii) Air conditioning
iv) Lighting
v) Electrical distribution
vi) Fire-fighting lift service
Components
a) Principal characteristics of lift control
systems.
b) Principal characteristics of the various
power systems used on lifts.
c) Car and landing door systems in
common use and how they operate.
d) Construction of the lift car and its
accessories
e) Hydraulic lift as a passenger carrying
device
i) Direct Acting
ii) Indirect Acting
f) Principal features of boreholes.
Operation of a lift installation
a) Architectural and other site drawings
in relation to lift installations.
b) The need for building accuracy with
respect to lift wells.
c) Installation drawings.

3. Explain the basic safety requirements imposed by BSEN 81-1 and BSEN 81-2 and by general
health and safety legislation.

BSEN81-1 and BSEN81-2 General Health and Safety legislation

a) Construction, uses, limitations and a) Legislation on health and safety
handling methods of suspension and applicable to the lift industry.
ancillary ropes for lift installations. b) Duties of the Employer and Employee
b) Principles of operation and design of c) Safe Working on Lifts
safety gear and overspeed governors.
c) Power operation and protective
devices used with automatic car and
landing doors.
d) Construction and application of
buffers.

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 Unit GT1F3 : Introduction to Lift Technology

Assessment Criteria

The criteria applied to all elements of assessment are aimed at identifying whether the work
submitted contributes towards a recommendation for the award.

In achieving the standard required for the award, a student will have demonstrated in an
appropriate manner the necessary level of achievement of the general aims and learning
outcomes of the course, and of the subject specific outcomes of the individual units studied.

The assessment will have regard to the extent to which students have shown a command of the
essential facts and concepts in the body of knowledge relevant to the unit, together with the
ability to subject the concepts to appropriate analysis.
In respect of the specific learning outcomes of the unit the student must demonstrate ability as
follows :

1. Describe the basic principles and components of a lift installation.

a) Undertake calculations with regard to the basic parameters of a lift installation
b) Differentiate between control and power systems applicable to different types of
installation
c) Discriminate between the application of traction and hydraulic lift systems
2. Relate the operation of a lift installation to other building services
a) Interpret drawings generated by the architect, those generated by structural
engineers and by the lift manufacturer/installer to identify the parameters
important to a lift installation
b) Differentiate between building services associated with the lift installation and
those which must be separated therefrom.
c) Categorise the different modes of lift operation during a building emergency.
3. Explain the basic safety requirements imposed by BS EN 81-1 and BS EN 81-2 and by basic
health and safety legislation.
a) Distinguish between duties imposed by the Health and Safety at Work Act and by
European Lift Safety standards
b) With regard to Health and Safety legislation, discriminate between duties
imposed on an employer and those imposed upon an employee
c) Differentiate between and also associate a range of devices provided for safety
of users as required by European safety standards.
Assessment Regulations

ASSESSMENT ITEMS WEIGHTING LEARNING OUTCOMES

6 × Computer Marked assignment 20% 1, 2 and 3

End of Unit test 80% 1, 2 and 3

In order to pass a unit overall, students must achieve a weighted aggregate overall mark of 70%.

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 Unit GT1F3 : Introduction to Lift Technology

The End of Unit test will consist of a set of 30 question chosen at random from a ‘bank’ consisting
of multiple choice and ‘fill in the blank’ questions. The test will be conducted under fully
invigilated conditions at a ‘neutral’ location away from the student’s normal place of work.
Students will be required to produce satisfactory identification (e.g. driving licence with a
photograph) and will not be permitted to take any reference information into the examination.

The test will be carried out through an ‘on-line’ agency and it will be arranged so that even where
a number of students is being examined in the same location, each student will be presented with
a randomly selected set of test questions (addressing all the learning outcomes) which may or
may not be the same as any of the other students at the same location.

To receive full credit, coursework must be submitted by the due date. An element of coursework
submitted up to two weeks late may not receive a mark in excess of 50%. Coursework submitted
more than two weeks late may not receive a mark in excess of 40%.

Recovery

In the event that a student fails to reach the requisite standard, there will be one further
opportunity to retake the End of Unit test at the next test date, e.g. a student failing in January
can retake the test in the following May.

Guidance on Delivery and Assessment

Teaching and Learning Strategy:

TEACHING, LEARNING and STUDY HOURS

ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES

Guided Self Study (Learning packages) 90

6 × Computer Marked Assignments (Multiple choice) 15
End of Unit test (2½ Hours) 15

TOTAL 120

The learning strategy for the unit is directed self study, based on pre-prepared written material in
the form of 40 Learning Packages based on a reference work (the “Course Reference Book”)
prepared by industry experts, and appropriate British and European Safety Standards towards
which the student is guided. Each learning package deals with a specific topic and informs the
student of learning outcomes specific to that package. These, learning package specific learning
outcomes are subordinate to (and contribute to) the overall learning outcomes of the Unit.

In order to facilitate part time study by students who are normally ‘on the road’, and
consequently may not have either equipment or opportunity for access to ‘on-line’ resources,
material is presented in the form of an interactive CD ROM or memory stick (at the student’s
choice). The format include a Unit Study Guide and Study Timetable together with the learning
materials themselves.

Computer marked assignments (CMA’s)encourage students to consolidate and reflect upon their
learning by researching the materials in response to the CMA questions.

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 Unit GT1F3 : Introduction to Lift Technology

Assessment Strategy:

There are two issues to be addressed in the assessment strategy:

• To provide students with a mechanism whereby they can check on their progress with the
learning outcomes
• To measure the achievement of the learning outcomes of the unit

Progress is monitored through the completion of the staged assignments. Further reflection on
learning, and a critical awareness of the inter-relationships between the different aspects of the
discipline, is encouraged by the need to prepare for the end of unit test.

Self Assessment (Formative)

Self assessment questions give the student, Learning Package by Learning Package, the
opportunity to check whether the detailed objectives of the package have been achieved. For
each self assessment question, the student has access to a ‘model’ solution, so that the accuracy
and depth of understanding can be confirmed before proceeding to the next Learning Package.

Formative Assessment

In addition to a ‘mark’ for each assignment, the student will also receive feedback on the
assignment, indicating, in response to each CMA question, the required answer together with its
derivation. In this way, the student can, as with the Self Assessment questions in the learning
packages, check on his/her understanding of the material, whether or not he/she offered the
correct answer to any individual question.

Links

This unit of study is not linked to any BTEC qualification other than the declared BTEC Advanced
Diploma in Vertical Transportation Technology at Level 3 and BTEC Professional Diploma in Vertical
Transportation Technology at Level 4.

Indicative Reading and Other Learning Resources:

Indicative Reading

Study material for the Unit is provided in the form of Learning Packages and a Course Reference
Book specially prepared by a group of Industry Experts and academic staff of the University.

In addition to the specialised course material, Students may need to refer also to the following
standard documentation, normally available through their employer :
BSEN81-1 Safety Rules for the Construction and Installation of lifts.
Electric Lifts.
BSEN81-2 Safety Rules for the Construction and Installation of lifts.
Hydraulic Lifts.
BSEN81-28 Safety Rules for the Construction and Installation of lifts.
Remote alarm on passenger and goods passenger lifts.

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 Unit GT1F3 : Introduction to Lift Technology

BSEN81-58 Safety Rules for the Construction and Installation of lifts.

Examination and tests. Landing doors fire resistance test.
BSEN81-70 Safety Rules for the Construction and Installation of lifts.
Particular applications for passenger and goods passenger lifts.
Accessibility to lifts for persons including persons with disability.
BSEN81-71 Safety Rules for the Construction and Installation of lifts.
Particular applications to passenger lifts and goods passenger
lifts. Vandal resistant lifts.
BSEN81-72 Safety Rules for the Construction and Installation of lifts.
Particular applications for passenger and goods passenger lifts.
Firefighters.
BSEN81-73 Safety Rules for the Construction and Installation of lifts.
Particular applications for passenger and goods passenger lifts.
Behaviour of lifts in the event of fire.
BSEN81-80 Safety Rules for the Construction and Installation of lifts.
Existing lifts. Rules for the improvement of safety of existing
passenger and goods passenger lifts.
BSEN8486-1 Examination and test of new lifts before putting into service –
Specification for means of determining compliance with BSEN81
Part 1 : Electric Lifts.
BSEN8486-2 Examination and test of new lifts before putting into service –
Specification for means of determining compliance with BSEN81
Part 2 : Hydraulic Lifts.
Statutory Instrument 1997 No. 831 : The Lifts Regulations 1997
(Implements European Directive 95/16/EC – The Lifts Directive).
The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER).
The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER).
Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007.
Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1996.
SAFed LG1 Lifts – Guidelines on the supplementary tests of in service lifts –
Safety Assessment Federation (SAFed).
Other Learning Resources

Within the UK Lift Industry, there is a substantial number of practitioners with advanced level
qualifications in Engineering and in both Business and Contract Management. Indeed, a
significant number of individuals have achieved the MSc in Lift Engineering awarded by the
University of Northampton. In particular, the Technical Director at LEIA is involved as a part time
tutor in the delivery of the Northampton MSc Lift Engineering.

Every company with students participating in the programme will also allocate an appropriate
“Company Contact”, normally within the Human Resources area to provide support with regard to
course management.

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 Unit GT1F3 : Introduction to Lift Technology

Over approximately 30 years of operation it has proved to be the case that the learning materials,
of themselves, together with the formative feedback provided with assignments, have provided
comprehensive support for student needs in achieving a successful outcome to the programme.
Nevertheless, it is recognised that there will be occasions where a students has questions and
queries which are not covered in the written material. It is normal practice for companies to
allocate an internal ‘mentor’, i.e. a more experienced practitioner, to each student to provide a
degree of technical support to the student’s study. If and when student questions are beyond the
experience of the internal mentor, queries can be referred by the student to the LEIA Technical
Director, via the Safety and Training Manager.

Approval and Review Dates:

Date of approval:

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