Stronger Together

How the Elevator Industry Safety Partners Alliance is uniting OSHA and the elevator industry in the name of improved workplace safety

by Dot Mynahan

Five years ago, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Health and Safety Association (OSHA) formed an alliance with elevator industry leaders to address worker safety and health issues, which included the prevention of workplace fatalities, injuries and illnesses. Known as the Elevator Industry Safety Partners (EISP) Alliance, the collaboration includes the Elevator Contractors of America (ECA), the Elevator Industry Work Preservation Fund (EIWPF), the International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC), the National Association of Elevator Contractors (NAEC), the National Elevator Industry Educational Program (NEIEP) and the National Elevator Industry, Inc. (NEII). The Alliance is part of OSHA’s Alliance Program, which works with groups committed to worker safety and health, including unions, consulates, trade or professional organizations, businesses, faith- and community-based organizations and educational institutions.

Since its inception, the Alliance has developed safety best practices; provided training; shared injury, illness and fatality data; and cross-trained staff. Best practices have been developed for electrical safe work practices, hoisting and rigging and the use of jumpers. The team also developed materials that address industry-specific, OSHA 10- and 30-h courses for general industry and construction. Currently, the Alliance is developing a curriculum for new hire training and best practices for fall protection and lockout/tagout.

Frank J. Christensen, IUEC general president, said: 

“The EISP Alliance has increased OSHA’s awareness of common hazards found throughout the elevator industry. The Alliance has been a cooperative effort, across six industry partners, to educate OSHA and address and eliminate common hazards found in our workplace. The IUEC is pleased to be seeing products developed by the Alliance in the form of Best Practices based on the Alliance’s mutually agreed-upon Nine Safety Absolutes. These Best Practices, found on the EISP website (elevatorindustrysafetypartners.com/best-practices), are for the entire industry so all elevator personnel may work safely on conveyances.” 

Over the last five years, OSHA and EISP have placed an emphasis on providing elevator industry employers and workers, as well as the general public, with information, guidance and access to industry-specific training resources that help reduce and prevent exposure to hazards. Specifically, the six organizations comprising EISP committed to providing its members with information, guidance and access to training resources that help them protect workers and understand the rights of workers and the responsibilities of employers under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act). Details on the EISP Alliance can be found at Elevator Industry Safety Partners. 

NAEC Executive Director Rená Cozart said: 

“NAEC is honored to work with this impressive group of professionals with one focus — to make this industry safer for industry professionals and the riding public. We are proving that, together, we are stronger and more efficient in accomplishing our shared goals.” 

NEII Executive Director Amy Blankenbiller agrees: 

“The EISP Alliance is a testament to how much can be accomplished when we work together. NEII is proud to be one of the six industry partners collaborating to develop best practices, training materials and other resources that will elevate the safety for our workforce and the riding public.” 

While the training and best practices developed by the Alliance have made a big impact on safety, perhaps even more importantly, it has become a symbol of unification and what can be achieved when an industry comes together as one, uses the same best practices and industry handbooks and stands together in the fight to provide the highest level of safety for all.