. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/Notif.00/358
9 August 2000
(00-3263)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade
NOTIFICATION
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   UNITED STATES
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):           
2. Agency responsible:   National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (15)
Agency or authority designated to handle comments regarding the notification shall be
indicated if different from above:           
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [ X], 2.10.1 [    ], 5.6.2 [    ], 5.7.1 [    ], other:           
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading.
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):
Motor Vehicles Lifts (HS 8703)
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standards;  Platform Life Systems for Accessible Motor Vehicles Platform
Lift Installations on Motor Vehicles (30 pages, in English)
6. Description of content:   This document is a supplemental notice proposing to establish
two new safety standards;  an equipment standard specifying requirements for platform lifts;
and a vehicle standard for all vehicles equipped with such lifts.  The proposed equipment
standard would require platform lift manufacturers to ensure that their lifts meet minimumplatforms dimensions and size limits on platform protrusions and gaps between the platform
and either the vehicle floor or the ground.  The standard would also require handrails, a
threshold warning signal, and retaining barriers for lifts.  Performance tests would be
specified for wheelchair retention on the platform, lift strength, and platform slip resistance.
A set of interlocks is proposed to prevent accidental movement of a lift and the vehicle on
which the lift is installed.  The proposed vehicle standard would require vehicle
manufacturers who install lifts to use lifts meeting the equipment standard, to install them inaccordance with the lift manufacturer's instructio ns, and to ensure that specific information
is made available to lift users.
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:
To prevent injuries and fatalities during lift operation and to promote the uniformity of
Federal standards and guidelines for platform lifts.
8. Relevant documents:   65 FR 46228, 27 July 2000;  49 CFR Part 571 and
G/TBT/Notif.93.87.  Will appear in the Federal Register when adopted.G/TBT/Notif.00/358
Page 2
9. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined.
Proposed date of entry into force:
10. Final date for comments:   25 October 2000
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ X] or address, e-mail and telefax
number of the other body:   The text is also available on the Internet at:
http//www.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html