GSA Courthouse Management Group
Mechanical Lift Analysis
42 in. height above the upper landing;
32 in. clear gate width at end conditions;
42 in. clear gate width at side conditions; and
39 in. to 48 in. height range above the lowest level for operator control
placement (when the highest landing is located 24 in. above the lowest
level).
Recommendation:
GSA and AOUSC should work with regulatory agencies to amend the handrail
requirement so that the maximum vertical height distances between landings of 24 in. or
less (typical for conditions between the courtroom well, the witness box, and the judge's
bench) do not require a handrail.
INSTALLATION
Currently, there are at least four distinctly different standard lift system designs that could
be incorporated into the courtroom well condition, not to mention the many custom
designs that were observed during the site visits. This situation limits the ability to define
the standard criteria used to check the initial installations for functional performance
before acceptance.
Recommendations:
Assuming that GSA/AOUSC will limit the acceptable design concepts to the
hydraulic/scissors and cantilevered platform systems, and not allow customization of the
platform shape, the following issues, at a minimum should be addressed in performance
criteria, and checked by the GSA Project Manager, before official system acceptance
from the manufacturer:
Check for excessive noise and vibration,
which could indicate that the system is out of balance;
Make sure that the platform is not rubbing against
the enclosure because of misalignment;
Test for a smooth ride, and if there is a sense
of jerking or slipping, make adjustments
at the drive mechanism;
Run through the entire sequence of operations at each control
station several times to ensure that they function correctly; and
Section 4-4
HDR Architecture, Inc.
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