CORTLAND, N.Y. — The Automotive Lift Institute (ALI) has made the testing of vehicle lifts more strenuous in order for a lift to obtain the ALI gold certification.
The new safety standard, ANSI/ALI ALCTV:2017 took effect July 24, replacing ANSI/ALI ALCT:2001, the institute said.
"ALI and our members take our lift safety mission very seriously," Dale Soos, ALI senior project engineer, said.
"Since introducing the ALI Lift Certification Program in 1993, the committee responsible for the standard has continuously improved it to promote technician safety on the job and wherever a vehicle lift is used."
The new standard expands the testing requirements for load-holding devices (also known as "latches" or "locks") and increases the number of test cycles.
ANSI/ALI ALCTV is the industry's accepted safety standard covering vehicle lift design, construction, testing and validation, the ALI said. Major design and construction requirements of the standard are unchanged.
In addition to the testing requirement changes, ANSI/ALI ALCTV:2017 explains the difference between lift accessories and lift attachments and clarifies which aspects of the standard apply to each. The current edition also includes a new section of requirements for wireless controls.
Facilities with lifts that were certified to the prior edition of the standard do not need to take any action as a result of the update, the ALI said. However, those shopping for a new lift should not assume that a previously certified model is certified to the current edition.
Any lift model that was certified to the 2011 edition of the standard had to be tested to verify that it met all the new requirements in order to be recertified.
To confirm that a lift is certified to the current standard, visit autolift.org or look for the new ALI Gold Label with ANSI/ALI ALCTV: 2017 at the top.
Copies of the ANSI/ALI ALCTV:2017 "Safety Requirements for Construction, Testing, and Validation" standard can be ordered from ALI at the instituted's website.
Founded in 1945, the ALI is a trade association of North American-based lift manufacturers. The group's mission is to promote the safe design, construction, installation, service, inspection and use of automotive lifts.