• Promotion of development and improvement of the ropeway business.
• Promotion of studies and experiments which support development and improvement of the ropeway business.
• Promotion of standartisation of the national norms in the field of ropeway transportation.
• Elaboration of standardized international guidelines for projection, construction, operation, maintenance and control of ropeways as well as setting up corresponding recommendations.
• Realization of international congresses for transportation by rope (every 6 years).

The membership is for public authorities, associations, institutions, enterprises and individual persons who deal with technical, legal, administrative or economical questions of the ropeway and skilift business. The members are organized in collective and individual membership.

Collective membership:

Category A: Public administrative bodies responsible for granting authorization for the construction of ropeways or responsible for the supervision of ropeway installations
Category B: International and national associations of ropeway operators.
Category C: International and national associations of ropeway manufacturers.
Category D: Supervisory bodies authorized by the public authorities, universities and public institutions who do research and experimental work in the field of rope transportation.

Individual membership:

Category E: Companies involved in the ropeway business
Category F: Individuals involved in the ropeway business

The organization has four bodies

The Assembly (Totality of member votes).
The Management Committee (18 members are elected by the Assembly).
The following members belong to the Management Committee:

• 6 Representatives of category A
  at the time the following countries are represented: Germany, France, Italy, Austria, Switzerland and Spain.

• 5 Representatives of category B
  at the time the national associations of the following countries are represented: Germany (VDS), France (DSF), Italy (ANEF), Austria (WKÖ Fachverband Seilbahnen) and Switzerland (SBS)
• 2 Representatives of category C
  at the time the following national and international associations of ropeway manufacturers are represented: IARM (International Association of Ropeway Manufacturers) and SWISSMEM (the Swiss association of mechanical and electrical engineering industries)
• 2 Representatives of category D
  at the time the following are represented:
  ROTEC – notified Body (D) and Italian national technical association of ropeway
• 2 Representatives of category E
  at the time the following companies are represented: Schmittenhöhebahn AG (A) and Compagnie des Alpes Ltd (F)
• 1 Representative of categorie F
  Doug Clyde USA
  

Moreover, five further members who have no right to vote can be admitted to the Management Committee.

The Executive Committee:
Presented by: 6 members of the Management Committee and the secretary general.

The auditors:
(5 members of which 2 are elected as supplementary auditors by the Assembly).

The activity of OITAF takes place in the following fields:

1. Management Committee and Executive Committee:
   Usually, each year two meetings of the Management Committee and one meeting of the executive committee take place. The main point of the executive committee’s meeting is to prepare the items to be dealt in the meetings of the Management Committee.
   Main fields of activities of the Management Committee:
   • Organizing the international congresses for transportation by rope, which take place every 6 years;
   • Nomination of work committees for the elaboration of international recommendations regarding manufacturing and operating of ropeway systems, research and publication of studies concerning problems in systems of transportation by rope, ordered by the Management Committee;
   • Approval of international recommendations elaborated by the work committees;
   • Organizing the assembly (every 3 years)
   • Organizing annual seminars in close collaboration with the work committees, with the exception of the year in which the international congress takes place;
   • Execution of all institutional tasks in accordance with the statutes (Ratification of the balance sheet, the activity reports, the registration of new members into the OITAF, etc.)
2. Work Committees:
   The main activity of OITAF is handled by the committees which meet regularly once or twice a year usually for two days meetings. Current technical, administrative, economical and legal items are dealt and international recommendations are elaborated for the fields in which no harmonized standards exist. Another important point of the committees is that specialists from various countries come together to discuss common problems whereby a mutual exchange of customary differences is granted.
3. Secretary’s Office:
   The secretary’s office prepares meetings of the Management Committee, the executive committee and the assembly, writes the memorandums and the resolutions taken by the bodies of OITAF It coordinates the work committees, is in charge of the list of members, prepares the budget and balance sheet, does the bookkeeping of OITAF Further and takes care of the correspondence. Besides, it provides the various translations.

At the time, OITAF has 6 committees and two works Groups (variable number depending on necessity) which meet regularly. These committees deal with current technical, administrative, legal and economic topics of the ropeway business.

• FIANET: Fédération Internationale des Associations Nationales d’exploitation de telepheriques
  (International association of ropeway operator)
• IARM: International Association Ropeway Manufactures
• ANEF: Associazione Nazionale Esercenti Funiviari (Italia)
  (Italian association of ropeway operators)
• D.S.F.: Domaines skiables de France
  (Joint venture of ropeway and skilifts of France)
• Acif: Associazione italiana Costruttore Impianti a Fune
  (Italian association of ropeway manufacturers)
• SWISSMEM: the swiss association of mechanical and electrical engineering industries
• SBS: Seilbahnen Schweiz
  (Swiss association of ropewa operators)
• VdS: Verband deutscher Seilbahnen und Schlepplifte
  (German association of ropeway operators)
• WKÖ: Wirtschaftskammer (Fachverband Seilbahnen) Österreichs
  (austrian chamber of commerce – association ropeway)
• MINISTRY: Ministry responsible for construction and operation of ropeway
• ANITIF: associazione nazionale italiana tecnici impianti funiviari
  (association italien of technician of ropeway)
• MC: Management Committee
• EC: Executiv Committee

OITAF CONGRESS FOR ROPEWAYS 2024

Vancouver June 17-21, 2024 Program www.oitaf2024.com

Statute

Members of OITAF

Chairman: Gaëtan Rioult

STRMTG
1461 rue de la Piscine
38400 SAINT MARTIN D’HERES
E-Mail: gaetan.rioult@developpement-durable.gouv.fr
Tel. ++ 033-04-76637878

Scope:

• Development of technical recommendations on the design, construction and operation of ropeways, in particular in fields not covered by European or international standards, such as:
• Analysis of issues arising in the design of ropeways taking account of specific features of configurations and procedures for the operation, evacuation and maintenance of installations;
• Safety analysis of the overall system, subsystems or components of ropeways;
• Monitoring of developments in the construction and operation of ropeways and discussion of incidents and accidents;
• Preparation of draft recommendations on the subjects mentioned above;
• Organization of technical seminars.

Subjects:

• Examples of subjects discussed by Expert Committee I:
• Recommendation on the design and construction of ropeways
• Hazards and risk factors to be considered in safety analyses for ropeways;
• Guidelines for assessing modifications;
• Recommendations on the design and construction of chairlift loading conveyors.

Members:

Expert Committee I currently is made up of ropeway experts from 7 European countries (AT, IT, FR, DE, ES, CH, SL) with a well-balanced representation of public authorities, operators and manufacturers.

In this committee are integrated the following:

Work group: Non-public ropeways: Material transport ropeways and cable cranes

Head of the work group
Alberto Contin

Scope of duty:

The last revision and integration of the text of the recommendations of the notebook 8 was completed in 2016, resulting in the current version of the recommendation (Book 8-2).It should be noted that the working group had in previous years carried out the complete revision and re-elaboration of the pre-existing recommendations for the construction and operation of monocable and bicâbles aerial ropeways for material transport and cable cranes (Previous book n ° 8), publishing the 2006 version, subsequently revised and integrated in the 2010 and 2013 editions. The 2006 work had integrated the previous book with the new recommendations for the construction and operation of temporary cableways (with the exception of those for the exclusive transport of timber) and of inclined planes for the transport of material. In the group’s work, however, have been exluded the recommendations, already approved by the OITAF, for to and fro bicâbles ropeways for the transport of material up to a mass of 2000 kg.

Composition of the group:

The working group is currently composed of a dozen technical experts from 6 European countries (A, D, CH, P, F, I); it is a balanced presence of representatives of the technical surveillance authorities, exhibitors and builders. The group’s work will continue over the next years to check the correct interpretation and application of the recommendation and monitor any need for further additions based on the user experience.

Work group: Non-public ropeways: Transportation of people and goods with reversible aerial ropeways

Head of the work group:
Christian Kaizler

Amt der Vorarlberger Landesregierung
Abt VIc-FB
Elektro- und Seilbahntechnik
Römerstrasse 15
A – 6900 BREGENZ
Tel. 0043 5574 511 26512
E-Mail: christian.kaizler@vorarlberg.at

Scope of duty:

After completing Book 11-1, the Working Group has suspended its work until the Management Committee assigns further tasks to it.

Chairman: Sven Winter

ROTEC GmbH
Bruckwiesenweg 40
D-70327 Stuttgart
Tel. +49 711 40056811
Mobil: +49 15224097462
E-Mail: sven.winter@ro-tec.net
Internet: www.ro-tec.net

Scope of duties:

• Survey inspection systems (visual inspection and instrumentation for rope inspections and their use, as well professional requirements to be met by technicians)
• Characteristics and field of application of the different rope systems
• The safety component rope ; conditions for use and execution of the work with ropes, execution of end fixings, as well as requirements to be met by technicians (professional training, certification etc)
• etc

Composition of the work committee

Currently the work committee is composed of 21 technical experts of ropeway installations who have been selected with regard to a balances representation of concerned technical supervisory authorities, ropeway operators, notified bodies and rope manufacturers of 7 European countries

Chairman: Erich Megert

SISAG
Postfach
CH-6460 ALTDORF
Tel. +41 41 8750711
Fax +41 41 8750712
E-Mail: erich.megert@sisag.ch

Scope of duties:

Expert Committee III engages in a continuous exchange of information and experiences on the electrical equipment used in ropeways and, if necessary, draws up recommendations for OITAF or other expert committees.

The main topics covered are:

• Identification of significant safety deficiencies
• Compliance with country-specific regulations and harmonized standards as well as their procedures, application and implementation
• Identification of technological and operational innovations and trends
• Handling of modifications and maintenance of existing ropeways
• In-depth discussion of specific technical issues as needed

Members:

Expert Committee III currently has around 20 members from five European countries. A well-balanced mix of operators, public authorities, inspection bodies and manufacturers is ensured as far as possible.

Vice President: Jörg Schröttner

Bundesministerium für Verkehr, Innovation und Technologie
Sektion IV
Abt. Sch 3 – Seilbahnen u. Schlepplifte
Radetzkystr. 2
A-1030 WIEN
Tel. ++43-1-711622300
Fax ++43-1-7130326
E-Mail: joerg.schroettner@bmvit.gv.at

Present scope of duties:

• Ropeways and the EU – issues of interpretation with regard to Directive 2000/9/EC and the new Regulation (EU) 2016/424 as well as problems related to competition law
• Transnational exchange of experiences in ropeway law and economic matters
• Economic importance of ropeways –determination of economic indicators
• Issues related to the liability of ropeway companies under tort law and the passengers’ self-responsibility
• Inspection, control and maintenance of ropeways and their legal bases
• Quality assurance for ropeways

Members:

In total, 25 ropeway experts from 5 European countries work in this group presently. Equally represented by authorities, operators and manufacturers

Chairman: Nicolas Perretta

Nicolas PERRETTA
47 Rue SOMMEILLER
F-74000 ANNECY
Phone : + 33 6 79 46 14 94
E-mail : nicolas.perretta@laposte.net

Scope of duties:

• Development of recommendations on the operation of ropeway installations
• Analysis of operational issues arising at ropeway installations in relation to passengers, material used, organization, environment, etc.
• Analysis of malfunctions, special incidents and accidents
• Monitoring the development of methods and equipment for operations, maintenance, inspections, etc.
• Preparation of proposals addressing these issues in order to solve problems or mitigate consequences 

Members:

Expert Committee VI currently has a total of 16 members from seven countries with a well-balanced representation of technical supervisory authorities, operators and manufacturers

President: Gunther Suette

Schulstrasse 5,
A-8077 GÖSSENDORF
Mobil +43 (0)650 9002373
E-Mail: tb.suette@gmx.at

Scope of duties:

• Traitement des toutes les questions environnementales relatives au secteur des installations à câbles Et notamment
• Management environnemental
• Responsabilité environnementale et protection de l’environnement en général
• Prise de en compte des directives « faune, flore, habitat » et « protection des oiseaux »
• Les oiseaux dans l’emprise des installations à câbles : câbles invisibles, vitrages des stations
• Situation du climat en général et répercussions sur les installations à câbles
• Economie de la ressource d’eau
• Equipement et monitoring de la neige de culture
• Efficacité énergétique des sociétés et bilan carbone
• Construction des pistes tenues compte des contraintes écologiques
• Mesures de protection contre les avalanches
• Composition de la commission d’études n° VII :

Actuellement, la commission se compose de

16 experts provenant de 6 pays (2 AU, 2 CH, 1 DE, 2 ES, 2 FR, 3 IT) dont 2 représentent les autorités de surveillance, 7 les exploitants et constructeurs, 1 la recherche universitaire, 2 les groupes d’intérêt et 4 les bureaux d’études.