04/02/2022 | 4 minutes read | Top Tips

Lift Maintenance To Keep Your Lift Moving

top tips for lift maintenance

Top Tips For Lift Owners and Building Managers

The importance of lifts is never appreciated until they stop working. Lifts are the safest vertical transportation. iKONIC Lifts understand that businesses, building owners, facilities managers, hotel managers, and building managers just need their lifts to work.

In addition to being costly, when provisions are not made in a lift service agreement, lift breakdowns can cause stress to building owners and users. A lot of lift breakdowns can actually be prevented. Check out our top tips below for those responsible for the lifts in a building. If you are having issues with a lift or want to ensure you are keeping goods and passengers moving.

1. Strict Lift Maintenance Plan

To implement a lifts strict maintenance plan, you’ll need to have your equipment checked by a “competent person” on a regular basis. Check-ups should be performed according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. An elevator maintenance contract will typically be drawn up by a professional appointed by the building owner, or facility manager. The contract should cover the repair and maintenance of the lifts, based on use, age, and environment.

Regularly scheduled inspections by a competent lift engineer should give you the certainty that both technical expertise and spare parts will be readily available. It’s important that these regimes fit the needs of each lift, including the age, traffic, location, and vulnerability.

When this is implemented and followed proactively the benefits are:

  • Extending the life of the lift.
  • Reduce time between call outs.
  • More reliable and efficient lift.
  • Reduce out of order signs or entrapments.

2. Statutory Lift Inspections

Lifts transporting passengers are required to be inspected every six months by a ‘competent person’.

Lifts that transport only goods must be inspected at least every 12 months.

In accordance with the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER), this is an important legislative requirement.

If the lift is out of service, or unavailable at the time, it may not always be possible to examine them on the scheduled date. Therefore, iKONIC Lift Services offer emergency LOLER inspections to restore your lifts to service as quickly as possible.

The inspections should be performed by an independent third party rather than the maintenance contractor to avoid conflicts of interest.

3. Functional Test You Can Do

Prevention is better than cure these are some daily tasks and tests you can complete yourself.

Lift Lighting: Check the lights regularly and replace bulbs as required.

Lift Thresholds: The lift threshold should be flush with each landing floor. When it is not this can create a trip hazard.

Lift Emergency Communication Systems: At all times, you must have a working emergency communication system. All new lift installations must undergo automatic remote testing every 72 hours.

In the case of existing lifts, it is first necessary to determine whether this feature is available. Set up a process for testing the system at least once per week if it is not already in place.

Lift Door Tracks: One of the most common causes of lift breakdowns are indeed a result of doors failing to open and close. Simply implicate into a buildings cleaning schedule the vacuuming of the lift’s tracks.

Door Safety Features: Check these are working frequently and that obstructions are revising the doors. Never use your hands or foot to do this.

Strange Noises: If you hear any new or strange noises when travelling in your lift. Report these to your lift maintenance company. Early detection can prevent a lift breakdown.

4. Correct use of your lift

The design of a lift restricts its use, so keeping a lift in optimal condition requires that you use it correctly. If it’s being used for alternative purposes, it will be more prone to damage and breakdown.

Was it built for passengers but is it being used for goods?

What is the load on the lift?

Do there seem to be too many people using the lift at once?

iKONC Lifts recommend requesting a traffic analysis and inspection if you are experiencing frequent issues

5. Educate your lift users

Education is key to reducing the number of lift breakdowns because it can prevent them from occurring. There should never be any interference between a closing door and lift users, and that includes basic things like putting your hand between them.

A slam of the car doors, or forcefully opening them, can cause the electronic components to misalign, which is the number one reason for lift breakdowns. Training can prevent this problem and in turn reduce breakdowns and unnecessary call outs.

In conclusion

Top things to remember and take away with you from reading this blog are:

  • Potentially you could save a lot of time, money and stress
  • Lifts most common reason for a breakdown are doors not opening or closing correctly
  • Always use a lift for the intended purpose it was designed for
  • Educating lift users is key for maintaining your lift
  • Simply daily checks will reduce common lift breakdowns

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