BOOK III: EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES.

The constructors, prime contractors, contracting authorities and operators of ski lifts and moving walkways are each responsible for ensuring that the installations or equipment are built, maintained and operated in compliance with the technical and safety regulations set out in article R. 342-3.

The State’s technical and safety inspection of ski lifts and conveyors covers in particular : 1° Their construction, modification and operation; 2° Their compliance with technical and safety regulations; 3° Operation, including safety management and maintenance of the installation, as well as police regulations; 4° Operating accidents and incidents.

Compliance with the technical and safety regulations set out in article R. 342-3 is monitored, under the authority of the Prefect, by the Ministry of Transport officials assigned to these tasks.

The Prefect may at any time carry out inspections of operators and their facilities to check compliance with the applicable technical and safety rules. Officials from the Ministry of Transport who carry out these inspections have free access to all facilities and may obtain any documents or records required to carry out these inspections.

Accidents and incidents occurring during the operation of a ski lift or conveyor belt are investigated in accordance with articles R. 1621-1 to R. 1621-26 of the French Transport Code. Any serious accident is immediately brought to the attention of the Prefect and the Land Transport Accident Investigation Bureau by the operator of the lift or conveyor in question. This information includes the circumstances of the accident. In addition, the…

Any amendment to the regulations governing a ski lift or a conveyor belt must be approved by the Prefect before coming into force.

The operator must ensure the safety of users, staff and third parties throughout the operation of its facilities. To this end, he must draw up a safety management system for each group of installations under the jurisdiction of the same local authority organising the ski lift service which he manages. The same safety management system may cover installations belonging to several lift operating authorities. The operational safety management system specifies…

Except where the safety management system is subject to periodic inspection under the conditions laid down in article R. 342-12-2, its guidelines and any modifications to them must be approved by the Prefect of the département in which the facility concerned is located before it begins operating or before the modification is implemented. The Prefect may temporarily authorise derogations from the guidelines of the safety management system. The procedures for…

The periodic inspection referred to in article R. 342-12-1 concerns the adequacy of the safety management system in relation to the safety issues of the operation. The operator shall have it carried out at least every two years: a) Either by an accredited inspection body, based on the relevant NF standard or an equivalent standard, which undertakes to submit its inspection report to the operator under the conditions set out…

When they choose to submit their safety management system to periodic inspection under the conditions set out in article R. 342-12-2, operators must inform the Prefect. They shall have an initial inspection carried out within a maximum of six months of this notification. Periodic inspections are compulsory for operators with more than the number of cable cars, funicular railways or rack railways set by order of the Minister for Transport….