Avoiding lift breakdowns is a priority for building owners. Lifts are essential for transporting people and goods between floors whether it's a towering skyscraper, hospital or a multi-storey office complex. However, when a lift breaks down, it can disrupt operations, inconvenience users, and even pose safety risks. So, if you’re a facility manager or building owner, it's crucial that you implement preventive measures to reduce the occurrence of lift breakdowns. Here are our essential tips for preventing lift breakdowns:
Routine proactive maintenance is the foundation of lift reliability. Engage a reputable lift maintenance provider to conduct regular inspections and servicing. In the UK, lift maintenance is governed by strict regulations, and compliance with these standards ensures optimal performance and safety. Scheduled maintenance checks help detect potential issues before they escalate into costly breakdowns. When combined with the defined lubrication schedule and adjustments within design parameters you can maximise the lifespan of the lift and ensure uninterrupted service.
As an independent third party, TÜV SÜD can ensure that the lift maintenance management of your portfolio is strategically planned, carefully monitored and accurately budgeted.
A Thorough Examination, or LOLER inspection, is a systematic and detailed inspection of the lift and all of its associated equipment by a competent person. These regulations place duties on people and companies who own, operate or have control over lifting equipment – from service and platforms lifts, all the way through to passenger and goods lifts. If you’re a lift owner or someone responsible for the safe operation of a lift, then you are a ‘duty holder’ under LOLER and have a legal responsibility to ensure that the lift is thoroughly examined and that it is safe to use. TÜV SÜD’s Inspection Services provide LOLER inspections.
Incorporate advanced technologies like IoT sensors and predictive analytics to monitor lift performance in real-time. TÜV SÜD Lift Manager is an independent predictive maintenance and condition monitoring service that uses IoT know-how and TÜV SÜD's lift domain to support your lift operation and lift service maintenance. By having a predictive maintenance regime to anticipate the failure point of the lift components and replace these components before they fail, you can minimise the lift downtime and maximise the lifetime of the lift components. This will also greatly reduce the need for routine manual lift inspection and maintenance. It's a proactive strategy that improves operational efficiency and reduces overall maintenance costs. If this is something that you think could help you manage your lift portfolio, find out more about our smart lift services.
User behaviour plays a significant role in lift reliability. Educate tenants, employees, and visitors on proper lift etiquette and usage guidelines. Explain that overloading the lift beyond its capacity with passengers and goods, can strain components and lead to breakdowns caused by excess weight. Lift users should never interfere with lift equipment. Placing a hand between two closing doors or hitting and forcing open lift doors can cause electro-mechanical components to misalign resulting in breakdown of the lift. By encouraging responsible lift usage, you can reduce unnecessary wear and tear, thereby reducing the likelihood of breakdowns.
When it comes to lift maintenance and repairs, prioritising quality components is key. Choose genuine OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) parts instead of value engineered alternatives, if possible. These are engineered to exact specifications and ensure compatibility with the lift system. While initial costs may be higher, investing in superior components pays off in the long run by minimising downtime, improving performance, and reducing the frequency of breakdowns. Partnering with reputable suppliers guarantees access to authentic parts and ensures the reliability of your lift infrastructure.
Safety is non-negotiable when it comes to lift operations. Schedule periodic safety inspections to assess compliance with regulatory standards and identify potential hazards. Ensure that emergency features such as alarms, intercoms, and backup power systems are functioning correctly. Additionally, inspect structural integrity, door mechanisms, and safety switches to proactively prevent lift breakdowns. By prioritising safety inspections, you not only mitigate the risk of accidents but also contribute to the overall reliability and longevity of your lift system.
Weekly functional, visual and audio checks on your lifts are vitally important to help prevent breakdowns. Take remedial action immediately if you find something broken on the lift.
If you need help in preventing lift breakdowns, please contact our independent lift consultants who will be happy to discuss how we can support you to improve reliability of your lifts.
Read our benefits of lift maintenance management blog post and explore our comprehensive range of lift consultancy services.
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