Elevator Audits
Elevator Audits are a critical element of the service that you receive from your contractor. Many contracts have yearly supervisor audits written in however few are actually performed. You may get a computerized statement that says someone did show up on site however it probably wasn’t for a formal audit.
Most companies do have supervisory personnel stop by occasionally to check on field employees but they do not come close to performing a full audit. To assure the integrity of your conveyance system it is important to insist on a yearly equipment audit AND accompany the auditor while he/she is evaluating the equipment. Minimal time per unit should be around ½ hour per. If you absolutely can’t make it at least send someone from your staff who can understand what they’re looking at and ask questions to gain further understanding.
The audit needs to be scheduled for a time that is convenient to you and your building occupants so as to cause minimal disruption. When scheduling the audit ask the auditor for a copy of the form he/she will use. Study the form and ask questions at the scheduling meeting. Remember there is no such thing as a dumb question. If the auditor tries to make you FEEL dumb for asking then we both know that this relationship is not a good one. (Probably especially for you).
Some of the main things to be covered in the audit:
Inside the car: Lights, emergency communications, quality of ride, noise, signal lights, condition of interior, condition of interior fixtures, cleanliness etc.
Machine room: cleanliness, does everything SEEM to be in order. Ask the function of each major component and what things is the auditor looking for.
Inside the shaft: Look at the door equipment and make them show you the cleanliness. 70% of elevator problems come from door problems. If all of the door equipment is filthy and covered with dust you can bet that it is not being serviced properly. You can’t see if a component is not working properly is it’s covered with grease and dirt. Everything should be clean and the auditor should be able to easily demonstrate how the door equipment works so you can understand.
Is the pit clean? Dirty pits usually have little effect on how an elevator operates but they indicate how conscientious the service person is. The pit light should be operable. A pit with oil all over the floor tells you that the technician is not spending enough time on the job to attend to all of the details.
The same goes for a dirty/dusty car top. The car top light should be operable and there should be no trash or stored parts on the top.
There are many other things that you can observe by accompanying the auditor on the conveyance tour and any suggestions that you may come up with and can send in will be published here for all to use.
After the audit request a formal report. The report should also contain a performance report for the previous 12 months. A list of servicing, repairs, and call backs, all listed by the date which they occurred.
A close observation of all of the data may point to causes of the unforeseen problems. Compare it to last years information if you have any. After you have reviewed it then ask for a meeting with the auditor to discuss the report, findings, areas for improvement and possible upgrades to the system. This gives your elevator contractor an opportunity to sell you upgrades but they will be genuine upgrades that will benefit all parties, not just for the sake of an upgrade.
I am really looking forward to your input to this post so we can possibly come up with a good simple audit sheet that everyone can use as a starter point.
As always, any ideas, input or comments are appreciated. It looks as if I’m building a regular audience for this blog and I hope to continue.
For now I’ll leave you with the following quotes:
Champagne, if you are seeking the truth, is better than a lie detector. It encourages a man to be expansive, even reckless, while lie detectors are only a challenge to tell lies successfully. Graham Greene
or
Making duplicate copies and computer printouts of things no one wanted even one of in the first place is giving America a new sense of purpose. Andy Rooney
Don’t forget to email me if you have questions or comments (elevatorernie@hotmail.com). Your suggestions are always welcome.
Thank you,
Ernie
