1. Ensuring Safety
Lifts are subject to stringent safety regulations in the UK, governed by the Lift Regulations 2016, which align with the European Union’s Lift Directive. Failure to maintain lifts can pose significant safety risks, including malfunctioning doors, faulty brakes, or incorrect level alignment. Regular maintenance ensures that these components work smoothly, preventing accidents and ensuring the safety of passengers.
2. Regulatory Compliance
In the UK, the law mandates that all lifts carrying people should be thoroughly examined by a “competent person” at regular intervals, typically every 6 months. This is specified under the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER). A well-maintained lift helps building owners and managers stay compliant with these regulations and avoid penalties.
3. Extending Lift Lifespan
Routine maintenance and timely repairs can prolong the life of your lift system. Just like any other mechanical equipment, lifts are subject to wear and tear. Replacing parts and addressing issues early on can prevent major failures and extend the operational life of the lift.
4. Improving Energy Efficiency
A poorly maintained lift can consume more energy than necessary. Maintenance helps keep the lift running smoothly, reducing unnecessary power consumption and lowering energy costs. This is particularly important in a country like the UK, where energy efficiency has become a priority for many businesses and residential complexes.
5. Key Components of Lift Maintenance
Mechanical Checks
Regular inspections should include checks on essential mechanical components such as cables, pulleys, and brakes. These parts wear down over time, and if left unattended, they can fail, leading to dangerous situations. Lubricating moving parts ensures smooth operation and reduces wear.
Electrical System Inspections
The lift’s electrical system is a critical area for maintenance. This includes checking control panels, motor operations, and safety mechanisms like emergency alarms and lighting. Any signs of malfunction should be addressed immediately to prevent system failure.
Door Operation
Faulty lift doors are one of the most common sources of lift-related issues. Maintenance should include cleaning and lubricating of the door tracks and testing of the sensor systems. Ensuring smooth door operation prevents unnecessary delays and improves user experience.
Hydraulic or Traction Systems
For hydraulic lifts, checking for leaks and monitoring fluid levels is essential, while for traction lifts, the condition of the hoist ropes and counterweights must be examined regularly.
Control Panel and Software Updates
Modern lifts are often equipped with sophisticated control panels and software. Regular updates and checks for software errors can prevent malfunctions and improve lift performance.
6. Historic Buildings
Many lifts in the UK are housed in older buildings. In such cases, maintenance becomes more complex, especially if the lift needs to meet modern safety standards while preserving the architectural integrity of the building. Consulting a lift specialist who understands both modern technology and heritage preservation is crucial for such cases.
7. Scheduled Maintenance Contracts
For most commercial and residential buildings, it’s best to enter into a maintenance contract with a certified lift service provider. These contracts typically include routine inspections, cleaning, and emergency call-out services, helping building managers stay compliant with UK regulations.
8. Emergency Maintenance
Despite regular checks, issues may still arise unexpectedly. Having an emergency maintenance provider ensures quick response times in case of breakdowns, reducing the inconvenience to users and ensuring safety.
9. Hiring Professionals for Lift Maintenance and Cleaning
While regular cleaning can be handled by janitorial staff, more complex tasks like deep shaft cleaning, mechanical maintenance, and electrical inspections should be performed by certified lift technicians. In the UK, it’s advisable to hire lift engineers who are accredited by organisations such as the Lift and Escalator Industry Association (LEIA), which ensures adherence to UK safety standards and best practices.
10. Lift Shaft Cleaning
The lift shaft itself can accumulate debris and dust over time, which can interfere with the lift’s mechanical components. A thorough cleaning of the shaft and pit area can prevent operational issues and improve safety. Given the confined space and height of the lift shaft, this is a job for trained professionals using specialised equipment.
11. Care and cleaning recommendations
Both to protect the investment made by the Lift Owner and to assist in maintaining the reliability of the lift, a regular regime of lift housekeeping should be implemented.
The requirements of the regime will depend wholly upon the environment in which the lift is located and the amount of usage that the lift is receiving.
Below are some generalised recommendations from lift contractors on how best to take care of your lift car.
Plastic Coated Steel Surfaces (Skinplate)
Clean using a mild detergent mixed with water or proprietary aerosol polish using a lint-free cloth.
Stainless Steel Surfaces (Plain or Coloured) e.g. walls, skirtings, doors, architraves, push/indicator faceplates).
Stainless steel surfaces generally resist staining but will occasionally dull or show oily fingerprints. Clean using a proprietary stainless-steel cleaner designed to remove the build-up of dirt with a lint-free cloth, while leaving a dry to the touch finish. Avoid using oils as these leave a surface prone to marking from fingerprints, etc.
Stainless Steel Surfaces (Patterned or Embossed) e.g. walls, skirtings, doors, architraves
Stainless steel surfaces can attract dust and thus should be wiped in the direction of the grain at regular intervals to prevent the build-up of dust.
Stainless steel surfaces generally resist staining but will occasionally dull or show oily fingerprints. Clean using a proprietary stainless-steel cleaner designed to remove the build-up of dirt with a lint-free cloth, while leaving a dry to the touch finish. Avoid using oils as these leave a surface prone to marking from fingerprints etc. Take care to avoid leaving residue of cleaning products inside the profile of the patterning, this is liable to attract fresh dirt more quickly.
Wood Effect and Plastic Laminate Finishes
Laminate surfaces are durable and do not easily scratch or chip, they should withstand normal wear and tear. Clean with water mixed with a mild detergent. Persistent marks can be removed with the use of a mild abrasive cleaner, but extreme caution must be exercised to avoid damaging the surface finish.
Real Wood Finishes (Plain, Stained or Varnished)
Exercise care when cleaning to avoid damage to the material surface, a proprietary cleaner or suitable polish may be used but only if it is not likely to be absorbed into the surface of the material.
Sprayed Finishes (Painted or Primed)
Clean using a proprietary cleaner or suitable polish taking care to avoid damaging the paint finish which may lead to corrosion.
Lift Car Mirror (e.g. car walls and/or panels within landing or car doors)
Glass mirror surfaces should be cleaned with a proprietary glass cleaner using a soft lint-free cloth. Avoid the use of liquids that dry opaque as they can become trapped around the edges causing unsightly marks.
Lift Car Flooring – Rubber / Linoleum
Clean the floor using a proprietary floor cleaner suitable for rubber or linoleum finishes or water mixed with a mild detergent. After cleaning, the surface can be sealed with proprietary floor polish if required.
Lift Car Flooring – Stone/Granite/Composite
Clean the floor using a proprietary stone/granite floor cleaner or water mixed with a mild detergent.
Lift Car Flooring – Carpet
Clean the carpet using a suitable proprietary carpet cleaner only when required. Avoid the use of liquid shampoo where possible as residual amounts of shampoo retained by the carpet can attract fresh dirt into the fibres.
Conclusion
Regular maintenance and cleaning of vertical lifts in the UK are essential to ensure safety, comply with regulations, and extend the life of the equipment. From mechanical inspections to cleaning routines, both aspects go hand-in-hand to provide a reliable and pleasant lift experience for users. By adhering to best practices and working with qualified professionals, building managers and residents alike can ensure their lifts remain in peak condition for years to come. And should there ever come a time when your lift looks like it could do with a little attention ARDENT are always on hand to offer some free advice.
