Please see Circular Letter E-12-02
http://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/ertcrltr.html
(Kudos to the Ghost Writer who put this together.)

For Group 2 and 3 conveyances.
Title 8, Cal. Code Regs., section 3000.ASME A17.1-1996, Part XII, Rule 1206.4. Making Safety Devices Inoperative.

For Group 4 Conveyances
Title 8, Cal. Code Regs., section 3141.1. Maintenance, Repair, and Replacement. ASME A17.1-2004, section 8.6.1.6.1. Making Safety Devices Inoperative or Ineffective.

Basically, once a safety device is installed, it shall not be removed.

It is important that the circular letter get to the mechanics in the field. Regretfully there are people with an agenda, not in the public interest, that don't want this brought to the people who service and repair the conveyances. The aforementioned seems like some one individual is putting profits and getting even with the winning competition over safety. In my opinion, they belong in a different industry. But who would have them?