The business of effective lift management

The importance of lift maintenance to facilities managers in today’s environment is sometimes overlooked. With an increase in the number of high-rise buildings being constructed in the big cities, for both commercial and residential purposes, it has become ever more important to ensure lift and escalator compliance. I can only imagine, without any reliable statistics available, that a great percentage of lifts in Nigeria are, technologically speaking, not up-to-date and have been installed under differing standards, possibly appropriate at that time but with new technologies and social expectations, these may no longer be acceptable by today’s safety and accessibility standards. It is good to note that the increasing use of lifts and escalators may potentially lead to an increase in the levels of litigation due to health and safety issues.

If a facilities manager inherited an expensive servicing agreement from third parties following installation or regeneration projects, then the facilities manager’s biggest challenge will be to make maintenance contract work. What typically happens is, in the course of executing such projects a manufacturer offers the client a mass-market product that is perceived to be ‘fit for purpose’ so there seems to be cost reduction. However, there is a catch and that usually comes in the form of an expensive and restrictive service contract tied into the installation.

The ideal scenario for new developments springing up is to involve the facilities management team at the very start of a project, and to consult with other stakeholders on how to determine what product and technology best suits the potential use of the lift to be installed. This seems the most sensible approach, but surprisingly, this isn’t always the case; it is more like a round peg being forced into a square hole. More often than not, some products are offered through mass-market channels because they meet the budget or, more simply, they are available. This presents difficulty at the start of the project and also throughout the life of the product. Combine this with a costly service agreement from the lift supplier and you have something unsuitable for purpose and extremely expensive.

It is important for facilities management companies to follow laid-down standards under existing health and safety legislation to ensure the lifts they manage are safe, properly maintained and that all identified major risks are addressed. Alternatively, each facility management company can strive to set a minimum standard intended to produce a long-term programme for the selective improvements that are required for any lift. This will include risk assessment in which safety risks are provided with a priority rating of low, medium or high, and this enables different work schedules to be identified and prioritised. The risks considered should include risks to the lift users and persons outside the lift, not just authorised maintenance and inspection personnel. The identified risks should include but not limited to levelling accuracy, the provision of adequate communication, lift door safety and access to machinery. A risk assessment should be carried out to identify safety issues and at regular intervals identify areas of non-compliance as the lift ages, especially if the circumstance in which it is used changes.

As the search for more-efficient, productive and cost-effective operations continues in institutional and commercial facilities, for facilities managers, the search includes looking for every opportunity to equip front-line technicians with the tools and products needed to meet goals as savings can be achieved on running costs and energy use with updated technology.

By: Tunde Obileye