Gareth Lomax, Director at Ardent Lift Consultancy advises on what is required for the correct maintenance of lifts.
Lifts are found in all types of leasehold properties and one area that we are often asked about is what lift works need to be undertaken. The lift industry and British Standards have many rules and regulations for safe lift operation, so what should you be following?
As owners or operators of lifts, you need to have your lifts “regularly” maintained by a suitably qualified person/company. Additionally, you are required, under the LOLER (Lifting Operation and Lifting Equipment) Regulations to have your lift inspected by a “Competent Person” (generally through your insurance provider) who will assess the safe operation of your lift.
The frequency of maintenance and inspections will depend on the usage and type of lift. Passenger carrying lift needs to be inspected at a maximum interval of 6 months, whereas goods only lifts need to be inspected annually.
Maintenance visits also vary, with some simplistic designs only maintained annually where other equipment will require monthly maintenance visits.
Generated from the lift inspections are reports that highlight the defects of the lift, with additional recommendations often included. These reports should be issued to your lift contractor to enable them to complete items covered under the maintenance contract and to quote on items outside of this.
Above and beyond these mandatory systems needed in place for any lift, goods lift, disabled access hoist, stair lift, etc. there are many standards, acts and regulations in place which should be followed as good working practices. The Health and Safety at Work Act should be considered in everything undertaken on your lift, as the lift is a place of work to those who work on it and for people who ride in it. Their safety and well-being are paramount.
Other standards, such as EN81-70 (Disabled Access) or EN81-80 (H&S works on existing lifts) should also be strongly considered, particularly if works are undertaken to improve the performance or aesthetic appeal of the lift.
Lifts are statistically one of the safest modes of transportation regularly used across the globe and improvements in lift safety form a large part of the research and development sectors of the industry.
Whilst it may be impractical for lift owners and operators to constantly update the safety performance of a lift based on regular changes in legislation or regulations, ARDENT Lift Consultancy would recommend a review of safe working conditions on a regular basis, with any planned refurbishment works incorporating the latest safety upgrades as standard. This is an ideal opportunity to do this level of work while benefitting from economies of scale.
