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Material Lifts – Exceeding Safety Standards

At Bramalea Elevator, client safety is our top priority. Whether it’s a small Material Lift in a storage room, or an industrial-scale Freight Elevator, you need to know that you and your property are safe on any device we offer. That’s why it’s not enough to merely meet safety standards established by the elevator codes. We strive to exceed the codes standards, to go further and do everything possible to protect those who rely on our products. We want our name to be synonymous with quality and safety. Here’s how we go about reaching that goal.

Guaranteed Safety in our Material Lifts

The elevator safety codes of North America stipulate that a legal, registered elevating device is required to lift material between 2 or more fixed levels when travel distance is 78” (2,000 mm) or higher. Customers can rest assured that all Bramalea Elevator products meet all stipulations/regulations of the elevator code, but that’s just the beginning.

Every install we do is accompanied by a full third party inspection, performed by the local provincial/state safety authority. Our customer will receive an inspection certificate assigned by the province/state as proof that the lift is fully compliant to code.

In addition, we’re just as concerned about the materials and manpower used in your new material lift. All our products and equipment are certified as per the Canadian Standards Association, and our lift fabrication is handled according to Canadian Welding Bureau standards.


Along with this, we hire only licensed professional engineers, and our technicians are licensed under the Elevating Devices Act of each jurisdiction. We are registered with the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board.

Built- In Safety Features

The design of our Material Lifts as it relates to the codes, is an important balance between safety and affordability. Our design features include the following to satisfy both:

  • Manually operated entrances are required. Inside cab gates are not however, thus saving the customer money. However, since there are no car gates, the freight and handler are exposed to the inside face of the hoistway walls on the access (door) sides. To guarantee the utmost safety of everything on board, travel speed is restricted to 30 feet per minute (0.15 m/s) and the controls are restricted to continuous pressure push buttons. The slower speed and ability to stop the elevator by releasing the push button at any time, prevents anything or anyone from getting caught while the elevator is in motion. As an extra precaution, the inside face of the hoistway and all inside door faces are smooth and flush with absolutely no catch points.

  • Control stations are included at each hall landing as well as on elevator cab. This allows the option of controlling the cab from outside or inside the elevator.

  • Travel distance is restricted to 7.6M (some jurisdictions may vary). Because of the restricted height (compared to a freight or passenger elevator which is unlimited), the elevator is always relatively close to a landing. Therefore the following (often pricey) features are optional: emergency light and alarm bell, 2-way communication, fire service panel & fire recall, battery back power and emergency power for lowering.

  • Controller is relay logic based. Thus no expensive microprocessor based controls required.

  • The motor does not require a designated machine room. A simple lockable enclosure is provided. This saves on space and price.

Exceeding Safety in the Industry

We strive to go beyond the standards set out in the Elevator Safety Codes. Among our own high standards, we:

  • Design features to allow for situations that have minimal pit depth and/or overhead space above.

  • Use a 2-way leveling controller, which allows the lift to readjust to the level of the platform after it comes to a stop. This provides much more consistent leveling accuracy, and smoother embarking/disembarking.

  • Utilize a 2-speed valve in our hydraulics, allowing for soft starts and stops which are gentler for riders and materials.

  • Have an innovative system of nylon shoes guiding the sliding action of the lift cab along guide rails. These provide a much smoother ride with fewer maintenance issues than typical steel rollers, as well as reducing noise

Choose Bramalea Elevator for your Material Lift

Bramalea Elevator has long been at the forefront of lift safety technology and regulations. Our goal is to provide material lift solutions at highly competitive prices, but without sacrificing the safety of those on board. Contact us today for a full consultation on your lifting needs!

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