Continuing Education and Good Work Practices

Traditionally, the elevator industry has been known to provide quality maintenance on its equipment, which has resulted in elevators and escalators being the safest form of transportation. Many feel this is perhaps due to the personal interaction mechanics and technicians have with the equipment they install and service, as well as their working in a high-risk environment. Being hardworking, conscientious individuals with a deep sense of commitment to their families, friends and coworkers, they have developed a high regard for safety and a sense of responsibility to the public to ensure the equipment they service is safe and reliable. Mishaps occur from time to time, but when one looks at the number of elevator and escalator trips undertaken by the public, such unfortunate incidents are few and far between. This is due to the ability and desire of elevator-industry technicians to perform preventative maintenance, periodic inspections and regular equipment testing. As a result, the safety record of our industry’s equipment is very good.

Elevator companies continue to develop new systems that require less hands-on maintenance and in which onboard diagnostics are provided. However, elevators and escalators will always need a fair degree of maintenance. Therefore, it is important for maintenance technicians to continue to develop the skills necessary to troubleshoot and maintain the highly complex electromechanical equipment and systems for which they are responsible.

Numerous articles in this month’s issue of ELEVATOR WORLD address how maintenance technicians and inspectors can obtain and strengthen the skills required to keep our industry’s equipment running in a safe and reliable manner. In our Industry Profile, NAESA International Executive Director Dotty Stanlaske describes the efforts of the NAESA staff to obtain American National Standards Institute accreditation for its QEI program. NAESA has been at the forefront of this program, and its continuing-education seminars and webinars provide numerous opportunities for inspectors and maintenance mechanics to maintain the skills necessary to ensure the safety of the elevator- and escalator-riding public. 

An additional article in this month’s issue, entitled “Navigating the Sweeping Changes of NYC Elevator (Code) Compliance” by Jonathan Fertel of SiteCompli, provides an update on the latest elevator-code requirements of the New York City (NYC) Department of Buildings. It also discusses the availability of software that can be used to implement a well-organized and properly documented elevator-industry safety program.

In the article “Elevator Inspections — Understanding Outsourcing Options,” Kenin Lynes of National Elevator Inspection Services describes a number of options available for building owners to ensure their elevator systems are being maintained in full code compliance, as well as in accordance with their maintenance contracts. The use of full-time and third-party inspection organizations is discussed in this article, as well as the factors that must be considered when deciding which kind to use.

As pointed out in the article “Industry Trade Shows: Visiting Versus Attending,” by Michael J. Concannon of CE Electronics, trade-show seminars offer another means for elevator-industry personnel to continue their education. These events are very worthwhile to attend and provide numerous opportunities for mechanics and inspectors to not only see the latest equipment offered in our industry, but also learn how it should be maintained, inspected and tested.

And be sure to check out the photo in this month’s Last Glance to see what can be accomplished by directing a good bit of TLC toward a nearly 100-year-old Hollister-Whitney machine on display at this year’s National Association of Elevator Contractors Exhibition in Tampa, Florida. There are many must-read articles in this issue of EW that discuss important aspects of performing maintenance that can only be accomplished by conscientious individuals who take advantage of continuing education and implement good work practices. These articles offer guidance on how this can be accomplished