Facility and Risk Management Tips

The Questions To Ask Your Elevator Service Company.  Part One 

A report from the Center for Construction Research and Training estimates that elevators cause 27 fatalities and 10,000 injuries per year . To put this into perspective, stairway accidents account for around 12,000 fatalities and 1 million injuries every year, while car traffic accidents cause over 30,000 deaths and 4.5 million injuries. But even without looking at numbers and statistics, one single elevator accident is one too many, and there are many ways to ensure the safety of riders.

Building owners and facility managers should be confident that their elevator service provider has the proper licensing, provides technical and safety training to their elevator technicians, and that technicians have the skills needed for the specific equipment they’re working on. By developing a safety mindset and asking qualifying questions, you can feel confident in choosing the right qualified service provider.

Solid Rock Facility Management Company Limited has drawn up the following  questions to ask your elevator service company to assess their safety culture. They will help you ensure the company is equipped to do the job safely, that they fully understand the elevator equipment, and are able to meet the needs of the building.

1. How well does the company know your specific elevator type?

You want to make sure the technicians servicing your elevator equipment have received technical training specific to your equipment, with a good understanding of how to keep it running safely and efficiently.

2. Does the company know the specific safety training needed to work on the project?

Besides regulated safety training, each piece of equipment may have different requirements for training and skills, and it’s important for anyone working on site to be aware of the risks and safe handling of the mechanisms.

3. How often does the company refresh its safety training?

All service providers should have continual, ongoing training for their teams. If a technician isn’t aware of a regular cadence of training sessions, this is a sign that the company does not value safety and could be putting people at risk.

4. Does the company have the tools and resources to perform this job to its best ability and best quality?

Elevator service providers can range from small to large and everything in between. Make sure the company has access to the specific tools and resources needed to take the job on without putting anyone in danger.

5. Does the company follow a safety management program?

The service company must follow a safety management system that does not regard it as a one-and-done activity but is always assessing risk and ensuring the necessary elements are in place. Elevator safety is a never-ending journey, and service providers must be looking at constantly learning, improving, and developing their processes to minimize risk, eliminating the potential for safety incidents.

6. Do all field staff have required safety practices and access to a complete set of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)?

An elevator technician without proper safety equipment and safety guidelines is a major red flag when it comes to the safety culture of a service provider. If an individual team member doesn’t have a responsible and safety-driven attitude, it can indicate that safety isn’t fully embedded within the company.

7. What safety training and certifications have their teams completed?

A dependable elevator service provider will be able to tell you exactly what training and certifications their people have received, and what that means for their understanding of elevator safety. You should expect that all people working on your elevators have the knowledge and resources needed to keep themselves and your passengers safe.

8. Does the company provide continuing education, to expand both safety and technological knowledge?

As with all knowledge, we can sometimes forget details as time goes on. You want to be assured that the technicians servicing your elevators have a fresh, solid understanding of how to do the job safely and keep your equipment in perfect working order, with the support of regular training sessions and handbooks. To be continued 

At Solid Rock, we are behind your business success www.solidrockfacilitymanagers.com