The lift industry is well-known for taking safety and health very seriously. This is why lifts have been deemed the safest, most popular form of mechanical transport. Regular scheduled lift servicing is the best way to ensure safe maintenance and prolong the life of your lifts. This blog will provide some insight into lift services.
What does a service visit entail?
A service visit will include inspection of safety features and cleaning, lubricating, and adjusting all parts for maximum performance. An engineer would then run a service screen from his laptop. It would detail the work performed and make suggestions for improvements or repairs that are not covered under any contract. To be considered a maintenance record, an engineer must issue a report after every engineer visit.
What if my lift is not in use while I have an inspection or service?
In nearly all situations, yes. It is necessary for the engineer to inspect the shaft, motor room, and structure. If the engineer is not present, the lift will be temporarily ‘out of service’.
Maintaining compliance with regulations
Lift regulations and rules are constantly changing to improve the industry and maintain a safe environment. Facilities managers can maintain safe lift systems across the UK with these clear guidelines. They must adhere to both current protocols and any new standards. New features for lifts will include stronger and more durable car walls, roofs, and doors, as well as higher fire resistance requirements. There will also be mandatory panels and a stop button on the pit. The lift’s reputation for safety will be maintained by the new standards.
Being proactive
Like all aspects of facility management, it is important to inspect elevators regularly. Many people don’t realize that lift maintenance is not required by law. However, an inspector from insurance must inspect the lift system every six months to ensure that the owners are legally protected. Although this is the minimum work that should occur, it is recommended to have your lift system maintained every month. Neglecting lifts can lead to long delays, costly repairs, premature aging, financial loss, and worse, a safety hazard for both lift passengers and service personnel.
Maintenance planning
Facilities managers must have a pre-planned preventative maintenance plan in place with selected lift service providers. This should take into account obvious issues such as peak elevator times and impossible servicing dates. It is also important to have a plan in place for any mobilisation, method statements, or risk assessments that may be required in relation to lift maintenance.
Two factors to consider when planning maintenance are the age of the lift system and the size of the building. Systems with more floors will require a more extensive service that may take longer. Because of the high footfall to a lift, it could mean that the system wears faster. Therefore, there will need be a discussion with the service provider about the predicted level of lift usage. A facilities manager must trust the lift service provider. It is important to establish a good relationship with the contractor during the planning stage in order to ensure they provide excellent service and support.
Technology Updates
Lift industry technology is improving safety and health for both passengers, and engineers. Facilities managers must adapt to the rapidly changing trends in order to reap the benefits. Modernizing a lift will result in a smoother ride, a faster lift, reduced costs, and a lift that’s less susceptible to breakdown.
Engineers can now use thermal imaging technology to find, troubleshoot, fix and prevent costly shutdowns. A few technological advances can also dramatically reduce the energy consumption of lift systems. It is important that service providers inform clients of changes in environmental legislation and provide guidance on product innovation as well as environmentally efficient technologies throughout the term of their contract.
Lift maintenance is made easier by customer-management portals. You can also contact your service provider via the phone. This allows you to provide a personalized and reliable service which reduces downtime as well as improves communication between clients, service providers, and customers. A good online presence, as well as frequent communication, provides clients with detailed lift information. This includes updates in real time, electronic orders, and proactive maintenance reports.
Provide education
It is obvious that accidents do still occur, no matter how hard a facility manager tries. Closed lift doors pose a danger to lift users. Even though it is essential to update your lift detection system, accidents can still occur. For example, a passenger might have to run for the lift and put his or her arm between the doors to prevent them closing. Facilities managers can prevent such accidents by providing education to lift passengers.
