A recent incident in Toronto involved the failure of an elevator traction Sheave shaft. The emergency brake functioned as intended, safely stopping the elevator, and no injuries were reported.
An investigation by the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) revealed that the required shims beneath the outboard stand of the machine were missing, resulting in shaft misalignment and subsequent failure.
The manufacturer Hollister-Whitney, which has experienced similar failures with these (GT11/31) machines, is actively engaged in ongoing communication with TSSA. The manufacturer has instructed contractors to immediately remove from service any units found with missing shims under the outboard stand and to contact their technical support for further guidance.
Additional updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
This news release was shared with Elevating Devices contractors, stakeholders and web subscribers.