Jack Day,
Elevator Chief

Dear Elevator companies,

This letter is to tell you about a great new process that will increase the turnaround time it takes to receive and approved permit applications and save you the cost of postage and checks!

You can now take your installation, alteration, and construction hoist permits to an L&I office near you and pay for them there. You will not receive an approved permit right then, but you will receive a permit number and conveyance number (if new install) and a receipt showing proof of payment. This then puts the permit directly into our new Conveyance Management System (CMS) as a permit requested. The L&I office staff will forward your permit application to Central Office in Tumwater via the Internet to speed the approval. Your plans will be sent to Tumwater by office mail. This will take a day or two.

What this means for you is a quicker response from our department regarding your requested permit application. After the permit is approved, we also have the capability to e-mail you a copy of it. Then you can get started on a job that much faster!

We also offer the ability for you to be able to pay by CD account or credit card.

What is a CD account?

It's an account where you can deposit money with L&I in a CD account, and then take the money out of your account and apply it to your permit, as needed.

The CD account is opened using your construction contractor license. With an open CD account you can keep on deposit as much or as little as you choose, whatever meets your business needs. One advantage of having a little money kept in it is if you get an emergency job, you can have someone stop by, fill out a permit application and pay for the permit out of the CD account. There would be no wait time for a check to be cut or need to provide someone with a credit card to pay for the permit.

NOTE: A word of caution regarding the CD account. If your company has only one contractor license that serves several offices, you must coordinate your input of money into this account. Otherwise one office may use another office’s money from the account. I would discourage the use of CD accounts if three or more offices are under one contractor’s license.

If you would like a CD account, please fill out the form and bring it with you when you bring in your next permit to L&I, but only if you haven't set up an account already. You can still pay by check and credit card if you don’t want a CD account.

The CD form is online at www.LNI.wa.gov/FormPub/Detail.asp?DocID=1805. (Even though it says electrical on the form, it can be used by elevator companies.)

Permit application form now online

Please note the permit application form is now online at www.LNI.wa.gov/FormPub/Detail.asp?DocID=2230. Please fill out the form, print it, and bring it with you to the L&I office. This online form replaces the three-copy form we used to send out.

Now, some of you might be thinking, what's in this for me? Let’s recount:

Applying for a permit at an L&I office
Alteration permits can be e-mailed back to you as they are approved in the CMS system, saving you time. We are working to develop a method to print and approve CAD drawings.

Paying for a permit at a L&I office
No waiting for check approval from your home office. Pay by credit card or CD account – both faster and easier. Permits mailed to central office may take a bit longer to process because of mail/staffing.

New policies

We have established the following two new policies. Please contact us at macd235@LNI.wa.gov if you need copies of these policies:

• Shunt Trip -- new equipment sales and supervisors please take note of this one.

• Policy to clarify the minimum qualifications an applicant needs in order to test for an elevator mechanic license outlined in WAC 296-96-00906 and WAC 296-96-00910. This surrounds the education requirements for those who do not use a approved elevator apprentice course.

Thank you for reading this issue of the Rising Times. I hope you will take advantage of your local L&I office to get your approved permit much faster.

Please let me know if you have comments or questions. You can contact me at 360-902-6128 or dayl@LNI.wa.gov.

Sincerely,

Jack Day
Chief Elevator Inspector

State of Washington

The Tech's Corner

Q.  How does the department enforce main line disconnect requirements on accessibility equipment?

A.  The disconnecting means must be an enclosed externally operable fused motor circuit switch or circuit breaker capable of being locked. It cannot be located in hoistway because the disconnect requires  proper working clearance. It must be within sight of the lift.

Exception:  If the supply current comes from an individual branch circuit, you may use one of the following type of switches:

1.  A general-use switch having an ampere rating not less than twice the full–load current rating of the motor. This switch could be a simple lockable rotary switch. It does not have to meet working clearances because it has no serviceable parts,  i.e., fuses or breakers. It can be located in hoistway.

2.  On ac circuits, a general-use snap switch suitable only for use on ac (not general-use ac-dc snap switches) where the motor full-load current rating is not more than 80% of the ampere rating of the switch. (A snap switch is like a light switch). This switch does not have to meet working clearances because it is not serviceable. It can be located in hoistway.

3.  A listed manual motor controller having a horsepower rating not less than the rating of the motor and marked “Suitable as Motor Disconnect.” (A lockable switch with a fusible or thermal link would fall into this category). This switch does require working clearances because the fusible links are replaceable; therefore, it cannot be located in hoistway.