Elevator ropes showing excessive wear banner

If you are the owner or manager of an industrial or commercial building with elevators, you know how important it is to be proactive when it comes to maintenance. In the same way, you wouldn’t neglect to change flickering lightbulbs in a hallway and risk leaving your customers, clients, or tenants in the dark, you must stay on top of repair issues with your elevator systems. If you don’t address problems when they start, they can become unmanageable, affecting passenger safety and ride quality over time. 

An image of a traction/electric elevator system, where the cab and counterweight are suspended by elevator ropes or cables.

If the elevators in your building are of the electric/traction or winding drum type, the elevator cab is suspended by a series of ropes, belts, or cables, which are referred to as “suspension means” (as shown in the diagram). 

Regardless of a building’s height, the most common type of elevator suspension means are wire ropes. There are also elevators that use different types of suspension means, including non-circular elastomeric-coated steel belts and aramid fiber ropes – these have different criteria for replacement. For the purposes of this article, we will focus on wire ropes.

The type of suspension means used and the number of ropes or belts that suspend an elevator in its hoistway are determined by the elevator’s speed, capacity, and traction. The more cables are used, the more traction is applied to the sheave. Unless your elevator system uses a winding drum machine (which is an older technology), code requires a minimum of three ropes. A three-rope suspension system is typically found in low-rise, low-speed installations. Some high-rise, high-speed electric/traction elevator systems can use up to eight ropes. 

It’s important to know that for safety reasons, building codes require that any time a rope replacement project on an elevator is implemented, you cannot replace only one of its ropes – all the existing ropes on that elevator must be replaced with new ropes at the same time. Elevator ropes that have previously been used can never be used as replacement ropes. 

Some things you may notice that indicate you should ask your elevator maintenance specialist if it’s time for suspension means to be replaced include:

  • Rouging. Elevator ropes are constructed of wire strands wrapped around an oil-saturated hemp core. If the core begins to deteriorate and dry up, it turns into a powder. This causes the wire strands that surround it to lose lubrication and begin to rust. The rust collects in piles of reddish-orange dust that you may see in the machine room or on the floor sills. 
  • Vibration or unusual noises, such as a slapping or wobbling sound coming from your system. If cables are becoming stretched out, or if the grooves that hold them in the sheave are wearing unevenly, the cables may loosen, causing them to wobble or bump into the walls or other cables.
  • Pieces of broken cable on the floor underneath the sheave in the machine room. 
  • Metallic shavings or dust around the drivers or sheave in the machine room.
Elevator cable with broken lay

This image shows elevator ropes with a broken lay. This is extremely dangerous – the integrity of the cable is compromised, and the elevator should be shut down immediately. In addition to being a serious safety hazard to passengers, this type of damage to one rope will cause the elevator’s other ropes to be damaged as well.

Elevator ropes showing excessive wear

Elevator ropes showing excessive wear

Remember – for safety reasons, you should never get too close to your elevator system, especially while it is in service.  If you notice any of the things listed above, notify your elevator maintenance professional, who will inspect your elevator system. In addition to checking out the problems you’ve reported, they will measure the diameter of your wire ropes. If the ropes are found to have experienced excessive wear (as shown in the picture) or have decreased in diameter, they will need to be replaced. 

Depending on the severity of the problems, the elevator will either be shut down immediately or a rope replacement job will be scheduled for the near future. What could cause your elevator to be shut down right away? Issues that could cause an immediate risk to the people who ride the elevator – such as slipping traction, which is when the elevator motor is turning the drive sheave, and the cables don’t have the traction required to control the movement of the elevator. In most cases, however, as long as problems with the ropes are identified before they affect operation and/or ride quality, rope replacement can be scheduled for some time in the near future (always check with your elevator mechanic, elevator consultant, or elevator inspector).

Early detection will help ensure the safety of the people who ride the elevator as well as prolong the life of your conveyance equipment. Again – for safety reasons, you should never get too close to your elevator system yourself, especially while it is in service.  Scheduling regular periodic inspection and testing of your elevator systems by a trained and skilled IUEC elevator mechanic will protect your passengers and your investment. Whether or not your jurisdiction mandates a Maintenance Control Program be in place for your elevators and escalators, it is the best way to ensure that problems are identified and addressed before they cause an unplanned service outage. 

Last spring, representatives from the International Union of Elevator Constructors attended the American Clean Power (ACP)’s Operations, Maintenance and Safety Conference in San Diego, California.

“We’ve been coming to this conference for about 13 years. Today they’re gathering people from all over the world,” said Carisa Barrett, National Coordinator for the Elevator Industry Work Preservation Fund (EIWPF).

According to ACP’s 2024 recap, more than 1,500 attendees and 140 exhibitors gathered at the conference to talk about retention strategies, recruitment techniques and training best practices in an effort to make the wind industry stronger and safer.[1]

Most people from outside the wind industry don’t realize that there are elevators inside both land-based and offshore wind turbine towers. Their purpose? To transport the technicians who maintain and repair the nacelle units that harness the energy generated by the blades and convert it into electricity. Nacelle technicians carry heavy bags of tools and diagnostic equipment up with them to the top of the towers, which typically reach heights of 300-500 feet.

While wind technicians are trained for and skilled at their work on the nacelle units they service, to work on the elevator units within the wind towers. That’s where IUEC elevator constructors come in. Elevator constructors from IUEC-affiliated companies work on wind turbine elevator systems across the United States, including those at the Block Island Wind Farm in Rhode Island – the country’s first commercial offshore wind farm.

Their work includes:

  • Installation
  • Modernization
  • Retrofitting
  • Maintenance
  • Repair
  • Jurisdiction compliance inspection

“If it moves horizontally or vertically, we do it. We move people and equipment, including cars and heavy materials. And wind turbines, especially since they’re getting bigger now, they’re starting to put elevators in all of them. And our folks are the ones that are properly skilled and trained to work on the different types of equipment that are used for elevators in the wind turbines,” said Vance Ayres, National Organizer and Director of Wind Turbine Affairs for the International Union of Elevator Constructors.

Elevator technicians in the IUEC receive the most comprehensive, safety-focused foundational training in the elevator industry through a four-plus year USDOL-Registered Apprenticeship administered by the National Elevator Industry Educational Program (NEIEP). Apprentices must complete 8 semesters of college-level classroom training with hands-on practical labs, log 8,000 hours of on-the-job learning under the supervision of a journeyman mechanic, and pass a capstone examination in order to graduate with mechanic status. During their time in the apprenticeship program, IUEC members also earn trade certifications such as OSHA 10-hour for General Industry, American Heart Association Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED, Competent Person training for Framed and Suspended Scaffolding (through the SAIA), and industry-specific crane rigging and signaling.

“We’re the best in the world at what we do, the most highly skilled trades folks, the safest group, efficient, on time, because of our skilled training. We’ve expanded our educational (offerings) more toward the wind turbine industry itself, both onshore and offshore,” Ayres continued.

Through a collaborative learning program with Survival Systems USA in Groton, CT, IUEC elevator constructors from all over the United States have completed Global Wind Organization (GWO) Basic Training. Elevator technicians/constructors who work on onshore and offshore wind turbine elevators can become certified in the following areas:

  • GWO BST-1005 Basic Safety Training
  • GWO BST-WAH-1002 Work at Height
  • GWO BST-MH-102 Manual Handling
  • GWO BST-FA-2002 Medic First Aid + Trauma
  • GWO BST-FA-101 Fire Awareness
  • GWO-SS GWO Sea Survival
  • GWO-EFA Enhanced First Aid
  • GWO-ART Advanced Rescue Training

When asked why IUEC elevator mechanics are the best choice to perform work on wind turbine elevators, Nick Moore, IUEC Local 8 Organizer, explains it this way: “We are the ones that could safely perform this work. We are the ones that could adapt to this work the easiest.”

“That’s what we do. We do elevators. We know every aspect of elevators inside and out. We have an apprenticeship program that trains us from A to Z,” Barrett continued.

Stop by the IUEC booth to speak with Vance Ayres, Carisa Barrett, and other elevator industry representatives at these upcoming conferences:

  • ACP O&M 2025, March 3-5, Nashville TN
  • IPF Offshore 2025, April 28-May 1, Virginia Beach VA
  • ACP Cleanpower 2025, May 19-22, Phoenix AZ
  • ACP Offshore 2025, October 6-8, Boston MA

To learn more about the work IUEC elevator constructors are doing in the wind industry and why their experience, education, and training makes them the best choice to work on this specialized equipment, visit https://www.elevatorinfo.org/wind-turbine-elevators/

 

[1] https://cleanpower.org/oms/2024-recap/

Recently, the International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC) Local 4 celebrated their 125th anniversary with a dinner and dance at Boston’s Omni Seaport Hotel. Members, families, and friends of Local 4, along with leadership from IUEC international offices, building owners, company owners, and individuals from IUEC Locals across the United States and Canada – gathered together to celebrate this important and remarkable milestone.

Formed in Boston, Massachusetts, in February of 1899, Local 4 now has over 1,250 elevator constructors working at IUEC signatory companies including the nation’s largest and most recognizable names such as TK Elevator, Kone, Otis, Schindler, Mitsubishi, and Fujitec – along with smaller independent elevator companies like Stanley Elevator, Atlantic Elevator (North and South), 3 Phase, and Metro Elevator New England.

Business Manager and Financial Secretary Pat Sampson told ElevatorInfo that Local 4’s jurisdiction covers a lot more than most people think – not only the greater Boston region, but from the tip of Cape Cod all the way up to Maine and New Hampshire, and extending about 45 miles west to Interstate 495 in Massachusetts.

“There’s just a certain vibe you get from working in the city of Boston – the city of champions as some people like to call it – as opposed to anywhere else,” said Tim Morgan, an IUEC National Organizer who served as the Business Manager of Local 4 from 2019-2024.

Because of the strength of their education program, their unwavering dedication to jobsite safety, and a culture of craftsmanship and professionalism, Local 4 members have been the top choice for building owners and managers to install, service, maintain, repair, and inspect elevators and escalators in Boston and beyond, performing “about 98% of the work here,” said Doug Cullington, President of Local 4. “We believe in unionism, safety, and training, and that’s what keeps us strong.”

“No matter where you’re going in the streets of Boston you run into an elevator constructor you get a hello. It’s the best group of men and women in the industry,” said Dave Morgan, a Local 4 member and former Business Manager who is now the Executive Director for the National Elevator Industry Educational Program (NEIEP). “Family is a lot of things, you know, and the brothers and sisters of Local 4 make up a great family.”

While many elevator constructors from Local 4 who have held leadership positions at the Local have become leaders at the international level, all maintain that sense of pride in where they came from.

“I’m a Local 4 Boston Elevator Mechanic first and foremost. That’s the core of who I am,” said IUEC Regional Director Kevin McGettigan. “Local 4 and this international is very, very strong. It has a commitment to its membership, and everybody needs to celebrate that commitment, and we all need to support each other. You need help from your friends? That’s what we are. We’re your friends.”

Tim Morgan spoke about how past leadership in Local 4 set a high standard that remains a core part of the culture of the Local to this day. “I obviously had the best mentor – my father (Bob Morgan) – and what I like to call the dream team of leadership – Eddie Sullivan, Frank McGettigan and Larry Graham. Moving on, I think the leadership that followed was just an extension of them because everybody held the same standards and the same qualities moving forward. So Steve Sampson, Kevin (McGettigan), and even my brother, Dave Morgan…I was just following what I was taught from those gentlemen.”

IUEC General President Frank Christensen, IUEC General President Emeritus / AFL-CIO Building & Construction Trades President Emeritus Ed Sullivan, and former US Secretary of Labor / former Boston Mayor Marty Walsh were all featured speakers. People attending the event enjoyed live entertainment from a nine-piece orchestra, a 360-degree photo booth, and the Boston Bruins’ own Todd Angeli singing the National Anthem.

Ed Sullivan was a keynote speaker at the event. He joined IUEC Local 4 in 1964 as an elevator mechanic, working as a construction mechanic and service adjuster for 17 years. He then became the Business Manager of the Local in 1981, and in 1996 moved on to international leadership positions in the IUEC including Assistant General President and General President before accepting a position as President of the Building and Construction Trades Department of the AFL-CIO. During his tenure at AFL-CIO, he started the Helmets to Hardhats program, which helps United States military Veterans transition to careers in the building trades. He was also a founder of the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance, a nonprofit organization with a mission “to unite the union community through conservation to preserve North America’s outdoor heritage.”

During his speech, Ed Sullivan read a poem called “The Caretaker” by Murray Kempton, which exemplified his thoughts on what it means to be a union leader. “Not the owner of an institution, (but) the caretaker of a tradition,” he said. “The union doesn’t belong to you. It doesn’t belong to me. It belongs to all of those that belong to it … I think basically that’s what I tried to do, live my life like that, live my job like that. And I that’s what they’re doing today… the principles that they have. And that’s what I think has made the union what it is today.”

He continued, “I’m incredibly proud and grateful for the lifelong friendships that I made through Local 4, and I’m incredibly proud that we helped make the IUEC the best labor union in the entire world,” he said. “I’m proud to be here at this celebration. I was at the 90th and the 100th anniversary… I’m proud of what they do here.”

IUEC General President Frank Christensen was also a featured speaker at the anniversary.  He congratulated the Local on their longevity and success, and thanked Ed Sullivan for being a mentor. “If I’m ever going to look at a labor leader, somebody with honor that they have pride for…he took me under his wing in the early 90s,” he said. “He’s always somebody I look up to, always somebody I ask for advice.”

Marty Walsh, former US Secretary of Labor and former Mayor of the city of Boston, spoke about Ed Sullivan as not only “a labor leader, but he’s more than that in this country. He means a lot for the labor movement.”

An important labor leader with Boston roots himself – and the founder of the Building Pathways pre-apprenticeship program – Marty Walsh has had a long-standing relationship with Local 4. He spoke about their strength and the importance of honoring history and the people who made it possible for them to be the successful, long-standing organization that they are.

“Any organization that starts, and 125 years later is stronger than it was when it began, is a success,” he said. “You think about the importance of this Local union…the benefits you have, the healthcare you have the pension you have, the working conditions you have… we’re standing on the shoulders of individuals who started this Local union, and the people that were there in the beginning days fighting for all of the things that didn’t exist when this Local was created. It’s our obligation as union members, as union families, to continue that and pass that torch forward.”

Local 4 President Doug Cullington agreed.  “Local 4 has been around for a really long time,” he said. “It goes all the way back to our retirees, our founding members, our founding brothers and sisters that worked hard in the trade. We believe in a good work ethic. We believe in a good product. And with that work ethic, it continues through with the officers and the local. And we believe that everything that we’ve done in the past is done the right way and proper, and we’re bringing that right through to future.”

While in Boston, we also had the opportunity to speak with Steve Sampson, who served as Business Manager from 1999-2003. Today, in his retirement, he works as an instructor for Local 4’s NEIEP apprenticeship program, where he passes on his technical expertise as well as his leadership experience to apprentices just beginning their careers in the trade.

“I was very fortunate, as a Business Manager, when we had the 100th anniversary here in Boston – I thought that was just spectacular, all of the members and their families getting together and just having a wonderful time and being appreciative of the Local for what they’ve done for us. And now we come to 125th anniversary… these members today are so lucky to have such a great union, and to be able to celebrate its 125th anniversary. It’s just amazing.”

Congratulations, Local 4. In the words of Marty Walsh, “let’s keep kicking ass and get another 125 years of this union in this country.”

Avoiding Elevator Accidents banner

Elevators in commercial and residential buildings are designed to operate safely, yet accidents can still happen. If you are a building owner or manager, it is your responsibility to make sure that accidents are avoided, and that the people who rely on the vertical transportation equipment in your commercial, industrial, or private residential facility can get to their destinations safely, quickly, and reliably.

Injuries to the riding public are thankfully rare, because elevators (properly maintained) are equipped with features that allow them to “fail safely”- that is, to shut down in a manner that keeps riders safe while they are inside or outside of the elevator cab itself. But being stuck in an elevator is stressful for riders, and unanticipated trouble calls or shutdowns can be a headache for you, so you need to take proactive steps to prevent them.

Below we’ll highlight some of the most common causes of elevator accidents today, as well as the best ways you as a building owner or manager can minimize their impact to your vertical transportation systems.

OLDER ELEVATORS IN NEED OF MODERNIZATION

Old, outdated systems that have not been modernized are a top cause of elevator accidents. If older elevator units are not properly maintained or updated, you are at risk of an equipment shutdown at best – or an injury to a passenger, at worst.

Think about it – all types of machinery, including cars, computers, and kitchen appliances – have a lifespan. Elevators don’t often need to be completely replaced, but their internal systems need to be periodically brought up to speed. As a general rule, if your elevator is an older model (particularly 20+ years), you should consider modernizing your system to ensure the safest and most efficient ride for your passengers.

The most common signs that an elevator upgrade is needed include: 1) Unreliable service; 2) Frequent shutdowns or entrapments; 3) Code violations; 4) Excessive wear; 5) Inability to acquire replacement parts; 6) Excessive energy consumption.

Modernizing your traction elevator system with an energy-efficient regenerative drive will increase its energy efficiency and reduce its energy consumption. The tallest office building in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada recently underwent an overhaul of its 30-year-old elevators which included the installation of sustainable regenerative drives; you can read about that project here.

LEVELING ISSUES

When the elevator comes to a stop at a floor in your building, the floor of the elevator cab should always be even with the floor of the building. Improper leveling is another common issue that could lead to accidents. ASME building code regulations mandate that elevators should always be properly level within the appropriate tolerance to avoid a significant tripping hazard for people stepping in and out of the elevator.

PROBLEMS WITH ELEVATOR DOORS

While a variety of factors could contribute toward a problem with an older elevator, one common issue elevator technicians see is related to “safe edges”. A safe edge is a mechanical retracting device that prevents the elevator doors from closing on a passenger. If the safe edges on your older elevator’s doors fail, the doors may not reopen, trapping passengers and necessitating an unplanned service call to your elevator company.

Modern elevator systems use an infrared alternative called a door screen. These devices are invisible beams that when “broken” communicate to the elevator controller system that someone has approached the car threshold, allowing passengers to get on and off the elevator safely without the risk of being hit by the door. Upgrading a door with a safe edge system to a door screen system can save you time and money in the long run.

Building code requires both a maximum and a minimum force for when elevator doors are closing. It’s important to include regular maintenance of doors in your Maintenance Control Program (MCP) to avoid a door screen failure. In these instances, the doors may strike the passenger(s), possibly causing injury. This potential outcome is of specific concern/consideration in nursing homes, where riders may be less mobile or agile in movement.

Common causes of door screen failures include dirty screens and general abuse (such as when loading an elevator with a cart/dolly that knocks into the door screen) of the unit itself. If you as a building owner and or manager observe any type of failures with the doors, call your elevator company for immediate repairs. As with all aspects of your elevator unit, it’s imperative to stay as up-to-date as possible on maintenance.

LACK OF BARRICADES

The intention of barricades is to clearly mark an area where construction or maintenance is taking place, as well as to prevent people from entering an active work area. Barricades not only keep the public safe, but the maintenance personnel that are working on the unit, too.

It’s especially important for barricades to be installed properly around your elevator and escalator equipment, because a lack of barricades could involve the potential for falls down the hoistway or into an escalator well during ongoing installation or maintenance work. An unsuspecting individual could enter the area unknowingly and have a catastrophic accident.

Barricades are a simple, preventative, low-cost measure that should never be neglected.

SUDDEN STOPS

If you’ve ever been riding in an elevator and it comes to an abrupt stop, this may mean there is a wear-and-tear maintenance issue with your conveyance; when this happens, it activates fail-safe measures to shut off the power to the unit and immediately stop the elevator from traveling up or down the hoistway. However, because it stops so abruptly in this scenario, it can create a brief sensation of falling (even though it is NOT falling!). This can understandably cause alarm, confusion, or concern on the part of passengers.

The best way to mitigate this potential situation – as well as to avoid any of the other accidents described earlier in this article – is to work with your elevator company to set up a proactive Maintenance Control Program (MCP) for your building.

HOW A MAINTENANCE CONTROL PROGRAM (MCP) CAN HELP

An MCP is a documented set of maintenance tasks, maintenance procedures, examinations, and tests to ensure that the equipment runs smoothly and is maintained in compliance with the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), the National Electric Code (NEC), and other building code requirements for your specific jurisdiction.

A Maintenance Control Program (MCP) is absolutely necessary for the ongoing reliability and safety of your elevator(s). It would include (but not be limited to) scheduled inspection and routine maintenance of the following:

  • Ropes/belts or hydraulics
  • Doors
  • Brakes
  • Sheaves
  • Roller guides
  • Lighting
  • Pushbuttons
  • Phone / 2-way communication device
  • Stop switches
  • Inspection switches

Ultimately, think of an MCP as a blueprint – a manufacturer’s recommendation for properly maintaining your equipment. It also serves as a record of everything that has been done to the conveyance, including inspection and testing.

THE IMPORTANCE OF HIRING HIGHLY-TRAINED MECHANICS

As building owners/managers, the importance of hiring the best trained elevator professionals to ensure the ongoing safety of your passengers cannot be overstated. When you partner with an IUEC-affiliated elevator company, you have the security of knowing that the people working on your equipment have been through the most respected education program in the elevator industry.

The National Elevator Industry Educational Program (NEIEP) requires all IUEC elevator constructor apprentices to complete eight semesters of college-level training with hands-on lab equipment, log 8,000 hours of work supervised by an experienced mechanic, and pass a capstone mechanic exam to achieve journeyman status.

CONCLUSION

While common elevator accidents range in degrees of severity and implications, each impacts the same thing: the safety of your passengers and the reliability of your equipment.

So, what should building owners and managers be on the lookout for? Below are some practical steps and solutions that you can take to ultimately prevent elevator accidents for you and your employees, customers, tenants, students, residents, patients, and guests:

  • Deliberate, careful design and installation. Use great care when planning for the design and installation of your building’s elevator(s). Choosing companies with a reputation for quality and excellence – specifically IUEC signatory companies – will set you up for success for years to come.
  • Ask your elevator company to set up a Maintenance Control Program (MCP) for your building or facility. An MCP delineates the maintenance tasks your elevator company will perform on a regular basis (daily, weekly, monthly) in accordance with your elevator equipment manufacturer’s specifications. This will increase your equipment’s lifespan and greatly reduce the possibility of unanticipated shutdowns.
  • Choose companies that employ trained elevator constructors. This cannot be overstated. Building owners and managers must ensure that the people who are working on their sensitive, high-tech equipment have the advanced training needed to do the job right. The easiest and most effective way to do this is to only hire IUEC signatory elevator companies.
  • Encourage proactive regulation. Building owners should seek out opportunities to engage with local city/state legislatures and regulators to ensure proper inspections, testing, education, and everything impacting the elevator industry gets properly codified when it comes to their conveyance systems. Visit the Elevator Industry Work Preservation Fund website to learn more about regulations in your area.
  • If you see (or hear) something, say something. If something seems off, call your elevator maintenance company. Strange noises, unusually long wait times, or reports of elevators stopping at the wrong floors should always be checked out. Reports of poor-quality rides or erratic door operation are also signs that maintenance should be prioritized.
  • Respond quickly if accidents happen. If an accident happens, assess the situation. If necessary, call your local emergency services first, and then report it to your elevator maintenance company. If there is an entrapment, call your elevator company and then find where in the building the elevator has stopped in order to speak directly with the trapped occupants. Tell them to stay calm, reassure them that help is on the way, and point out that there is plenty of ventilation. Under no circumstances should they try to escape themselves – there’s a high risk of injury if they do, and if a stopped system starts up again unexpectedly, it could lead to a tragedy. It is always much safer to remain inside the elevator until help arrives.

At the end of the day, as the owner or manager of a building or facility equipped with vertical transportation equipment, the safety of your building’s passengers is your highest priority. Knowing how to prevent common elevator accidents and minimize their impact if they should occur is key to establishing a safe, efficient, and reliable experience for the riding public.

“I would say they’re the best in the industry,” said Tony Polotto, Senior Director of Construction and Quality Assurance for the University of Notre Dame, speaking about the IUEC elevator constructors who install, maintain, repair, and inspect the university’s vertical transportation equipment.  “The mechanics that we get – the technicians and the workmanship that we get from the organization – is top notch.”

 

Established in 1842, the University of Notre Dame is located in South Bend, Indiana. It has grown to encompass almost 200 buildings with 11,000,000 square feet under their collective roofs. Tony told us that on a typical day during the school year, there will be about 8,500 students and 5,800 employees somewhere on the university’s grounds. And while the football stadium holds 80,000 spectators, it’s not uncommon for 150,000 visitors to show up on game day to tailgate and enjoy the campus and the camaraderie with their friends and family.

“The University of Notre Dame historically has completed about $100 million in construction per year. I think by the last count we have over 254 elevators on campus that consistently need to operate. So the elevators are widely used – not just for passengers, but freight, and also day-to-day operations,” he said.

Between the campus, grounds, and football stadium, the elevators at the University of Notre Dame move hundreds of thousands of people every year. It’s critically important that Notre Dame’s vertical transportation equipment runs smoothly, reliably, and above all, safely. Ensuring consistent, reliable service for students, faculty, athletes, and staff through the historic buildings on campus is essential, so the university has made ongoing preventive elevator maintenance a priority.

“There are several buildings on campus that only have one elevator. If it goes down and we have a special needs person in that building, (there are) consequences to that. So the elevator program – to make sure that they’re in good functionality and there’s a good program for maintenance and a good program for renewal and replacement, is top priority for the university.”

Working with an IUEC-affiliated company, a reliable maintenance control program (MCP) was simple to set up and implement.

“We visit each elevator out here every month. Some of them we visit twice a month,” said Randy Soper, a service mechanic at Notre Dame University and member of IUEC Local 44, who services and maintains the elevators on campus. Randy has been working on the university’s elevators since 2019, so he understands how important it is to keep the conveyance equipment up and running for the students, faculty, athletes, staff, and visitors who rely on it every day.

“The sooner you can catch a problem before it becomes a problem where someone can be stuck, the better off it is,” he said.

Bethany Wilson, another IUEC service mechanic out of Local 44, has worked with Randy on the elevator systems at Notre Dame. She shares Randy’s commitment to making sure the people on campus can go about their day without worrying if they are going to be able to get to where they need to go.

“The riding public doesn’t have to worry about it. You can go up to an elevator, you can push a button, and it just works. The doors open, they close, and you feel safe riding it, and you are safe riding it – and that’s because the work is completed by union elevator constructors who are and do it safely,” she said.

Safety is always a top priority for IUEC apprentices and mechanics. From the beginning of their apprenticeship at the industry’s most rigorous and respected training institute – the National Elevator Industry Educational Program (NEIEP) – to the time they are mechanics enrolled in NEIEP’s wide selection of continuing education courses online or in-person, to the ongoing safety training companies affiliated with the IUEC provides, the focus is on doing their work efficiently and safely.

While visiting Notre Dame, we also had a chance to catch up with Randy Kinder, who attended Notre Dame in the 90s and was a running back for the legendary Fighting Irish before moving on to positions with the Philadelphia Eagles and the Green Bay Packers, where he was a member of the Packers’ NFC Championship team in 1997.

“I got here as a freshman in 1993. I played football here and ran track for a year. I left here after playing football for four years and went on and had a very short but exciting career in the NFL,” he told us.

After leaving the NFL, Randy went on to build a new career in the investment industry. He worked for more than 20 years for the AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust, and today works for Entrust Global. As an Executive Board Member of Holtz’s Heroes, a charitable organization founded by the University’s football alumni, he still visits the Notre Dame campus often. We spoke at length about his experience there as a student athlete, and about his reverence for his alma mater.

“I learned a lot here, and the things I learned at this university I’ve taken with me everywhere and they still hold true,” he said. “You’re expected to be excellent both on the field and off. It’s not about being perfect, but about continuing to seek perfection, continuing to seek excellence. That’s something I learned definitely here on the campus of Notre Dame.”

He continued, “There’s a level of excellence and expectation that is live on this campus, the work that the elevator constructors do, that all of the workers on this campus do, is key and paramount to making sure that level of excellence is always there… at places like Notre Dame, you just take for granted how well things go. You take for granted that the dining hall is going to be operating the right way so that you can grab food at any point after a late practice where it may be. You take for granted that when you walk into your building you can get up to your dorm.”

Tony told us he is pleased with his experience working with IUEC mechanics, who he considers an important part of the Notre Dame community. “They are true Notre Dame people… they’re top-grade mechanics that have been at this university for a long time. They have wonderful camaraderie and relationships with all the other contractors, our building managers, and our supervisors.”

“Their technical skills are amazing,” he continued. “I can’t remember the last time we had a failure with an elevator, new or renovation, that they couldn’t quickly address. And it’s the reliability of knowing what you’re going to get, and, basically, not having to worry about what’s behind the curtain.”

IUEC-VAP Summit 2024

The first International Union of Elevator Constructors Veterans Assistance Program (IUEC-VAP) Summit was held October 2-3, 2024, at the National Elevator Industry Educational Program (NEIEP) Instructor Training Center in Warwick, RI.

 

Led by IUEC-VAP National Chairman Jason Gray (IUEC) via video, along with IUEC-VAP National Co-Chairman Ryan Donnell (EIWPF), Ben Valinsky (NEIEP), IUEC-VAP National Director of Programs and Education, and Jeff Handibode (NEIEP), IUEC-VAP National Claims and Disabilities Liaison, the two-day event was moderated by Elizabeth Belcaster, a consultant to the program who brings extensive experience in Veterans training and work programs for governmental, nonprofit, and labor organizations.

NEIEP’s Executive Director David Morgan launched the day’s events with an introduction to the IUEC VAP’s mission and goals.

Presentations and panel discussions included:

  • An overview of the program, led by Ryan Donnell (EIWPF), IUEC-VAP National Co-Chairman, Ben Valinsky (NEIEP), and Will Attig, Union Veterans Council
  • Colonel (Ret.) John Fenzel, US Army Special Forces with a presentation on leadership, resilience, and service to the nation
  • A talk on mental health and wellness moderated by Sam Whitehurst, Vice President, Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Services, and including Ben Valinsky, Ryan Donnell, and Mike Hazard, Veterans in Piping (VIP), United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters
  • A panel on IUEC Government Agency Support moderated by Elizabeth Belcaster and featuring a virtual appearance by Kris Rick, U.S. DOL VETS
  • A panel on IUEC claims and disabilities moderated by Jeff Handibode, IUEC-VAP National Claims and Disabilities Liaison and featuring Kevin O’Neil, American Legion, Senior Policy Associate, Alexander Yukna, Disabled American Veterans, DSO, and Kiesha Currin, Senior Veterans Claims Examiner from the Muskogee Regional Office, RI Veterans Affairs
  • Guest speaker Colonel Jarrett Thomas, Director, US Army Soldier for Life
  • A panel on union-Veteran partnerships moderated by Elizabeth Belcaster and featuring Martin Helms, Executive Director, Helmets to Hardhats (Virtual), Sam Whitehurst, Vice-President, Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Services, and Ryan Donnell, IUEC VAP National Co-Chairman
  • A panel on Women in the Military / Women in the Trades moderated by Elizabeth Belcaster and featuring MSG Lorena Wilson, US Army Soldier for Life, Sarah Caughey, NEIEP Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and Ryan Donnell IUEC-VAP National Co-Chair
  • A keynote speech by Phyllis Wilson, President, Military Women’s National Memorial, on honoring and empowering women Veterans in their post-service careers
  • A panel on GI benefits and IUEC apprenticeship moderated by Jeff Handibode, IUEC-VAP National Claims and Disabilities Liaison, and featuring Ben Valinsky (NEIEP), IUEC VAP National Director for Programs and Education, and Ryan Donnell (EIWPF), IUEC-VAP National Co-Chairman
  • A panel on legislation and Veteran advocacy moderated by Elizabeth Belcaster and featuring Matthew Watson, IUEC-VAP Boston / Tri Nguyen and Sean O’Connell Leave Act, Kevin O’Neil, Senior Policy Associate, American Legion Representative – Legion Legislative, Ben Valinsky – IUEC-VAP National Director of Programs and Education, and a virtual appearance by Will Attig, National Director, AFL-CIO Union Veterans Council
  • A fireside chat / IUEC-VAP team discussion on “The Way Ahead” featuring IUEC-VAP National Co-Chairman Ryan Donnell, IUEC-VAP National Director of Programs and Education Ben Valinsky, and IUEC-VAP National Claims and Disabilities Liaison Jeff Handibode
  • John Caughey, NEIEP’s Assistant Director, leading a guided tour of the IUEC NEIEP facility to showcase NEIEP’s training programs, technologies, and resources

Both days concluded with Q&A sessions for attendees to interact with panelists for deeper discussions and feedback on the topics that were covered throughout the day.

The mission of the IUEC Veterans Assistance Program is “to honor the service and sacrifice of Veterans and their families within the IUEC by providing comprehensive assistance and support. Through tools, resources, awareness, and opportunities, the EC-VAP strives to empower Veterans and their families to thrive within the IUEC and their communities at large.”

Because the skills servicemembers learn in the military transfer well to careers in the building trades, many IUEC elevator constructors have military backgrounds. Programs like Helmets to Hardhats have been instrumental in helping Veterans transition to civilian careers in the elevator industry, and the Veterans Assistance Program aims to build on that success by helping IUEC Veterans and IUEC Veteran spouses apply for and access the education/GI Bill, disability, and other benefits they earned through their military service.

IUEC elevator constructor apprentices, mechanics, and retirees who are Veterans or spouses of Veterans may register for the program by filling out the VAP form located in the back of the Elevator Constructor journal or by emailing vap@iuec.org with their name and contact information, International Union number, ULink ID, branch of military service, years served, and rank.

On May 15, IUEC Local 82 hosted its third annual Safety Stand Down event at the Italian Cultural Centre in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

“Safety Stand Down is a moment to take a time out and talk about safety,” began Eric McClaskey, Safety Director for the International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC). “It’s for us to put down the tools, get with the employers, get with our members, and take that moment to discuss safety in the workplace.”

 

The event is a joint venture between the international office of the IUEC, Local 82 in Vancouver, and IUEC-affiliated elevator company employers. “It shows that both the companies and the union are on the same side when it comes to safety,” said Ben McIntyre, an IUEC National Organizer in Canada.

IUEC elevator constructors from greater Vancouver and across British Columbia showed up to listen to the featured speakers and visit tables staffed by IUEC-affiliated company representatives and manufacturers of safety equipment for the industry. From those who worked in modernization to repair to new construction and maintenance, elevator constructors who were probationary apprentices all the way to veteran mechanics gathered together to listen to the same message.

Mike Funk, Business Manager of Local 82, was pleased with the turnout for this year’s event. “It’s our third annual one. We started out small. My one rep Tyler Dunlop came to me and asked about getting something to do with safety. It started out just in the back of our one office. We had a food truck, a few vendors, the companies, and it’s just grown.”

As IUEC’s Director of Safety, Eric McClaskey is responsible for ensuring that the membership gets home safely every night. This includes ensuring elevator constructors are following their company’s safety policies, that they’re being provided with the proper PPE and equipment to work safely in their job each and every day, and that various codes and standards that are out there that protect workers are followed throughout the country.  He spoke on behalf of the IUEC Safety Department along with Assistant Director of Safety, Dave Griefenhagen and Josh Josoff, the IUEC’s Director of Codes and Standards.

As Assistant Safety Director, Dave’s primary focus is helping to develop local area safety committees (which are labor management safety committees) to encourage and educate on the safety policies of IUEC signatory companies on the job sites. Josh Josoff works with the development of the codes and standards that regulate elevators, escalators, moving walks, and other conveyance equipment across North America, Canada, and the United States.

“This year, our Safety Stand Down message from the employers was based on pre-job planning, Eric told us. “Of course, it was General President Christensen’s message to the membership to lead it off.”  Video messages from IUEC General President Frank Christensen, Canadian Premier David Eby, Canadian Minister of Labour Harry Bains, and leadership from IUEC-affiliated companies emphasized the importance of working safe

“We had two guest speakers that had horrific workplace injuries that occurred to them, and they told their stories,” he continued. Mark Johnson, who was injured in an accident involving a woodchipper, and Jack Thomas who was injured by a conveyor belt at a recycling facility, spoke about how their on-the-job injuries permanently affected their lives.

After watching presentations by the injured workers, Anne Kirkland, a Maintenance Supervisor for TKE, told us that it’s important for people who work in professions like the elevator trade to remember that workplace injuries impact more than just the person who gets hurt. “It’s not just their story. It’s a story of their loved ones. This did not just affect the one person that was injured. It affected their entire families and support systems,” she said.

Dylan Angus, the son of IUEC Elevator Constructor Ross Angus, who lost his life in an accident in 2021, spoke about his family’s experience after his father’s death. Today, Dylan has dedicated his life to improving safety on the jobsite as a Construction Safety Supervisor for TKE in Burnaby, British Columbia.

Chris McIntyre, Program Director for the Canadian Elevator Industry Educational Program (CEIEP) also attended the event, along with CEIEP’s Assistant Director, Dan Vinette. ElevatorInfo recently put out a story about CEIEP, the largest trainer of elevator constructor apprentices across Canada, coast to coast.

“CEIEP has taken great advances to improve safety starting with our 24-hour safety course. We’ve introduced the CEIEP Safety VR, which allows all new hires to the industry to access the machine room, car top, an elevator pit in a safe and controlled manner before their first day of employment,” he said.

“CEIEP is really where it starts, right?” said Dave Griefenhagen. “The education of safety starts from the day the apprentice steps on the jobsite, and CEIEP is where that’s captured.”

Major IUEC-affiliated elevator companies KONE and TKE had a strong presence at the event. “This is the second year I’ve been involved,” said Jennifer Mitchell, Maintenance Supervisor for KONE Elevators. When asked why it was important for her to attend, she told us “I’m just trying to learn how to keep my team as safe as possible. I want them to go home safe every day to their family, their friends, and make sure nobody gets hurt on my watch.”

Companies that develop and sell safety equipment used by elevator constructors in the field also had tables set up. We visited with Mike Hurley from Wurtec elevator and talked with him about the equipment he was demonstrating at his table. “We have wire rope, travel cable, we’re kind of a one-stop shop for the elevator industry. We’ve got mechanics that are coming around and checking out our wares and hopefully seeing something that might help them in their day-to-day jobs that would make it safer,” he said.

Darrin Porch, founder and CEO of SafeRise, spoke to us about how the hoistway protection equipment his company developed can create safer jobsites for elevator constructors. “SafeRise was founded with the focus on bringing engineered, reusable safety solutions to the construction industry,” he said. “I was very honored to be invited as a vendor to come here and be a part of this. We are looking to grow into Canada, so this was a great event to get to meet a lot of people here. And the event really focused on putting safety at the forefront for the workers. The IUEC does a great job of doing that and keeping that focus there.”

“The dangers are always around us and it only takes a split second for you to become one of the statistics,” said Ward Dicks, National Coordinator for the Canadian Market Recovery Fund in Canada and the Elevator Industry Work Preservation Fund in the US. “I have a son in the trade, and I want to make sure that he gets home every day safe, just like every other brother and sister in Canada and the US. It’s the whole thing about changing the way we think about safety.”

Eric McClaskey explained how events like this don’t just benefit mechanics and apprentices who work on vertical transportation equipment, they benefit elevator companies, elevator customers, and the riding public:

“When we focus on safety in a stand down arena like this, we take that time out to think about safety. When we get back to the job site, I think that it goes right back to the type of work you’re performing. At the end of the day, when you’re in construction and you’re focused on the task at hand and putting out a top-notch piece of equipment that is safe, tested, and ready to go for the riding public, safety just leads right into that mindset. It promotes higher quality work, too. If you’re working safe and you’re not rushing and not cutting corners, it provides a safer product for the riding public.”

The International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC) represents the best-trained, most highly-skilled elevator constructor apprentices and mechanics not just in the United States of America but throughout North America, covering all ten provinces in the country of Canada as well as the US territories of Puerto Rico and Guam. While US-based elevator constructor apprentices receive their apprenticeship training through the IUEC’s USDOL-registered National Elevator Industry Educational Program (NEIEP), elevator constructor apprentices in Canada get their training through the Canadian Elevator Industry Educational Program (CEIEP).

“CEIEP is the largest trainer of apprentices across Canada, coast to coast. We start with the sun in St. John’s, Newfoundland, and we close with the sun in Victoria,” said Chris McIntyre, CEIEP’s Program Director.

As Program Director, Chris manages CEIEP’s day-to-day operations. This includes overseeing curriculum development, making sure classrooms have the resources they need, and staying on top of changes in safety and code regulations.

“It’s beneficial to the companies and the IUEC to make sure that the apprentices that are turned out have the best skill set for the industry,” said Chris. “An ideal class is a classroom where the training between the instructor and the student is back and forth in order to allow them to retain the knowledge required for their careers.”

Similar to NEIEP instructors, CEIEP instructors are at a minimum licensed journeypersons in their jurisdictions. The skills that they bring to the program are varied. They come from multiple companies, from the large manufacturers to the small independents. They have the ability to teach the apprentices the required skill sets that they’ll need for their careers ahead of them.

Like NEIEP students, CEIEP students do not pay out of pocket to attend classes – the cost of their training is covered by their IUEC education benefits. This includes books, lab materials, and online resources. In other Canadian trades’ apprenticeships, students are required to take eight weeks off of work for their training, but this is not the case with CEIEP. Elevator constructor apprentices continue to work and go to school at the same time, attending classes at night and on occasional weekend days.

There are differences in apprenticeship requirements for Canada and the US. Instead of one set of federal regulations that cover the entire country (as in the US), each Canadian province has its own requirements for apprenticeship training. To ensure that apprentices across Canada are on track with the requirements in the provinces where they live and work, CEIEP has put a program in place with its own national requirements above what all provinces require. For example, in Ontario, the requirement for in-class hours is 720 – so all across Canada, CEIEP teaches 775 in-class hours to ensure that apprentices who graduate from the program are able to qualify in every province.

In terms of work hours, minimum requirements vary from 7,000 to 10,000 hours. Once apprentices have completed their classes, work hours, and passed the CEIEP capstone mechanic exam, they are eligible to challenge the licensing exam for their province. CEIEP also helps apprentices prepare to take the exam in their province.

This summer, the ElevatorInfo team visited CEIEP headquarters in Pickering, Ontario, just outside of Toronto. The organization has been in its current location for about a year and a half. We had a chance to tour their facility and speak with Chris, along with Vithu Selvakumar, CEIEP’s Technology and Development Lead, and Rose Lenin, CEIEP’s Warehouse Manager.

Chris was excited to tell us about his goals for the future of CEIEP. “We are looking to move away from print material and provide every student with either a tablet or a laptop, which all that information will be located on, because we believe that we need to teach transferable skills… on the job site, when, adjusters show up, they come with a laptop. They come with a tablet. They come with a phone. Some tool that is used to work with the controller. We want to make sure that our apprentices, our students, our journey persons have the skill set of being able to work with a laptop or a tablet. By simply putting our material on that, it will force them to have that skill.”

Chris was initially hired as CEIEP’s Assistant Director under Dan Vinette, who had served as the Program Director for CEIEP since 2018.  To ensure a smooth leadership transition, Dan and Chris swapped roles beginning in 2023. Today, Dan remains actively involved with CEIEP’s curriculum development, virtual reality, and translation projects. Working remotely from his home base in Gatineau, he has spent the last year traveling to CEIEP classrooms in every province of Canada to train instructors and area coordinators on CEIEP’s state-of-the-art virtual technology.

Chris also intends to expand the use of hands-on and virtual labs, with a goal to create a lab activity to go along with each of the program’s 25 modules. “We’re working with new technologies like VR, where students will be able to, in the virtual world, build scaffold. The first module that we have updated for the curriculum is module one, which is the 24-hour safety course that all apprentices are required to take before they can get a provincial license. Dan and Vithu have spent the last year building the course. We have integrated our new VR lab into it, which allows new hires to the industry to access a machine room, a cartop, and a pit in the virtual world safely before they ever set step on an elevator work site.”

Vithu Selvakumar, CEIEP’s Technology and Development Lead, is the tech expert driving the development of virtual reality in the CEIEP curriculum. With an undergraduate degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Toronto and a master’s in Educational Technology from the University of British Columbia, she brings the skills and experience that will keep the CEIEP curriculum current with growing technological advances in vertical transportation. Working together with the CEIEP in-house team and subject matter experts from the elevator and tech industries, Vithu constructs virtual courses, manages the e-learning portal students and instructors use to access them, and conducts beta tests to ensure the student experience is in line with the organization’s goals.

Vithu spoke with us about a recent test-run of a new VR course she conducted with CEIEP students and instructors. “We had a pilot class of students in after the training that happened with the instructors, and the students were able to go through that pilot class and test out the virtual reality and the whole course that was created. We’ve received their feedback – it’s an iterative process, so we are able to continuously improve,” she said.

In addition to the 24-hour VR safety course that recently launched, Chris is eager to get more interactive VR programs up and running with CEIEP students across Canada. “CEIEP has embraced technology. We are working with some of the companies at the forefront of VR development… and Vithu has been at the forefront of that.”

Mike Funk, Business Manager of IUEC Local 82 in Vancouver and a CEIEP Trustee, emphasized the importance as well as the practical and safety-focused advantages of integrating advanced technologies like VR into the CEIEP curriculum.  “You’re not just reading a textbook …they see what you see when you walk into a hoistway of machine room. They can pick out safety issues and dangerous situations…they get to see what the equipment is, how it reacts. So even a new (apprentice) who gets a permit coming in goes through a 24-hour safety course, gets to see the virtual reality … this is what you should do, this is what you should look for, so even before they even hit the job they know what they’re going into, and the idea is to keep them safe as they install, repair, or maintain the equipment.”

While at CEIEP headquarters, we also visited with Rose Lenin, CEIEP’s Warehouse Manager. Rose handles shipping and logistics of CEIEP’s labs, curriculum materials, and exams for all ten provinces and three territories. According to Chris, “she has singlehandedly altered the way in which CEIEP ships, and I know every instructor and area coordinator across the country is thankful for the changes that she’s brought to CEIEP.”

CEIEP recently traveled to the NEIEP Instructor Training Center in Warwick, RI, to meet with Director Dave Morgan, Assistant Director John Caughey, Head of Development, Lester White, and the NEIEP Development team. While there are differences in each organization’s curriculum based on differing needs in US and Canadian apprenticeship, there are many areas where they will be able to work together to benefit both. Virtual reality, hands-on labs, and safety are three areas they will be coordinating efforts in the future.

Chris is proud of the work CEIEP students have done in Ontario and beyond. “The elevators built in Toronto were built by the hands of CEIEP graduates. From the CN tower, which at one point was the tallest free-standing structure in North America and the world, to the sky dome, which is a one-of-a-kind stadium for people to come and visit, to our many commercial buildings in the core of Toronto that give lovely views of the city.”

With hundreds of IUEC-affiliated elevator companies across the US and Canada ready, willing, and able to meet the demands of your job, competitive bidding and a professional product are guaranteed. Contact us to receive more information on the IUEC signatory companies in your region, or enter your location in our interactive map.

“Over the years I’ve seen this city grow so much it’s unbelievable – the area we’re currently in right now, they’ve cleaned it all up and now you see modern buildings all around,” said John O’Connor, a lifelong resident of the Washington DC area and Business Manager for International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC) Local 10, which represents the vertical transportation industry’s best-trained and most highly-skilled elevator mechanics and apprentices in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia.

In the last ten years, the southwest area of Washington DC has experienced rapid growth and development. Once a blighted industrial area and site of a decommissioned power plant, today the Anacostia Waterfront Development Zone is experiencing a construction boom. Among the buildings under construction is the award-winning1 Stacks building – described by developers as “an energetic multi-use development in DC set in the heart of the iconic Buzzard Point district2” – which comprises three condo towers equipped with 18 elevators. All of these conveyance systems are installed by and will be serviced by elevator constructors from one of the IUEC’s most well-established and respected affiliated companies, TK Elevator.

“This is a start of a very big project,” John continued. “A lot of these streets in the Stacks job are going to be themed streets – like on one street it’ll be like walking down a street in Italy, on another, walking down through a street in Germany… it’s a lot of retail space, office space, childcare – you name it, it’s here.”

When the ElevatorInfo Media Team visited the site last spring, we had the opportunity to speak with Marty Walker Jr., a Construction Manager for TK Elevator, who supervises operations on the job. Another longtime resident of the area, he described the rapid growth of the up-and-coming southwest waterfront district.

“There’s a lot of development. This is a condominium complex – around us you’ve got Audi Field, the soccer stadium, behind us – you’ve got the DC Wharf, which is a couple of blocks down on the waterfront – so really, this whole Buzzard Point southwest is being redeveloped,” he said. “(There are) a lot of condominiums, a little bit of office, really the whole southwest waterfront of DC is being revamped. There’s lot of construction going on, a lot of work opportunity… probably the biggest development area in the District of Columbia over the last five to ten years.”

Marty took us through the site and showed us the state-of-the art equipment his team was installing. “This is a machine room-less traction elevator – so the machine is in the overhead as opposed to in a machine room at the top above the elevator shaft itself, and then the control system is in a room that’s up on the rooftop landings.”

In cities like Washington DC space is at a premium, so installing new, modern equipment was an excellent choice for the building’s developers – and TK Elevator had just the equipment they needed. In addition to maximizing the building’s available space, the belt-driven traction elevators being installed will provide a smooth, quiet ride for the people who will live in, work in, and visit the building once it’s complete.

As with every IUEC jobsite we’ve visited, mechanics and supervisors alike were vocal about safety being a priority for the skilled elevator technicians installing vertical transportation equipment.

“When I come in, the first thing we do is come and check that all the barricades are up,” said Tom Sorzano, Construction Foreman on the project. “If (hoistway) netting is not up, we have to put that up, and then when our guys get here, we’ve got to make sure that every day they have all the material they’re gonna need … all their safety supplies and PPE (personal protective equipment) – gloves, glasses, hard hats – (and that) all of our lifelines are installed, making sure everybody’s safe.”

Tom stressed that safety isn’t just about communicating with his team of elevator constructors, it’s also about communicating with the people from other trades such as carpenters, steelworkers, and electricians who work alongside them.

“Communication in general is huge,” he said. “Keeping everybody on the same page, focused, making sure we have power, making sure the building is getting drywall around the frames, and (people are) not working above us – it’s constant communication with not only my people, but other trades, too.”

To ensure the job is done well and done safely, projects as big as this one require all of the elevator mechanics and apprentices on-site to hold the appropriate certifications necessary to do their work. Because TK Elevator is an IUEC signatory company, making sure elevator constructors are up to date with the certifications they need is as easy as making a phone call to the Business Manager, who will set up their training courses.

“A lot of these projects require certifications,” Marty said. “I can count many times where I’ve reached out to Local 10 and John (O’Connor) about welding, sig rig, forklift, certifications – and they’ve conducted the classes at Local 10. That basically removes the barrier from us from having any issues with providing manpower to these projects, because a lot of these projects do have strict requirements for certifications.”

As IUEC members, all Local 10 elevator constructors have access to the industry’s most comprehensive training through the National Elevator Industry Educational Program (NEIEP). There are classrooms and a welding lab on-site at the hall in Lanham, Maryland, just outside the city, as well as satellite classrooms for students who live further out in the Local’s jurisdiction. All have access to NEIEP’s online courses as well.

The ANSI-accredited Certified Signal Person and Rigger Levels 1 and 2 (CSPR-1/2) certification course, along with OSHA 10, Arc Flash Safety, SAIA Scaffolding, and American Heart Association Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED, are all part of NEIEP’s required apprenticeship curriculum. Welding, Forklift, and Aerial Lift certifications are available to mechanics as continuing education offerings. All can be earned by apprentices and mechanics with no additional out-of-pocket costs, as they are covered by the IUEC’s education benefits.

As John O’Connor said, learning this craft isn’t easy – but as the IUEC recruits the best and brightest elevator apprentices and mechanics in the industry, he has confidence in the new members coming in who will be the future of the skilled elevator trade. “I learned it, just like these guys all learned it, our members are learning it, and these probationaries are going to come up the same way.”

Marty, who worked together with Local 10 as part of the interview and onboarding process for new apprentice elevator constructors, spoke of his excitement about opportunities for growth within the trade and growth in construction in the southwest DC area. “Driving up South Capitol Street in the last three, four, five years, there’s been a lot of redevelopment. Just the amount of peripheral impact, these types of projects and types of development have created have brought a lot of employment opportunity – without a doubt…you can see how jobs like this and jobs in the nearby areas are creating that opportunity.”

 

1 https://thestacks.com/files/NAIOP_DC_MD_Awards_Release_Final.pdf
2 https://thestacks.com/

ElevatorInfo Boma partner

Each year, the Building Owners and Managers Association, which is an organization made up of commercial real estate professionals and others who work related fields, hosts a conference bringing together its members and affiliates.

As a new BOMA partner, ElevatorInfo will be presenting at the BOMA International Conference & Expo 2024. This event provides a platform to highlight our continued commitment to helping building owners and managers connect with the elevator industry’s best trained and most highly-skilled elevator mechanics from IUEC signatory companies.

BOMA describes its mission as “to advance a vibrant commercial real estate industry through advocacy, influence and knowledge.” At the conference, BOMA members and other attendees will have the opportunity to learn all about the benefits of using IUEC-affiliated companies for their elevator maintenance, service, repair, and modernization needs.

Showcasing Industry Excellence

At BOMA 2024, members of the ElevatorInfo team will share information about the expertise and safety focus of the IUEC’s skilled elevator constructors. These professionals are employed by some of the industry’s most famous names, including Otis, Schindler, KONE, TK Elevator, and Mitsubishi, as well as by hundreds of smaller, independent IUEC-affiliated companies. The companies operate across the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and Guam, offering personalized service tailored to meet the specific needs of any job.

Comprehensive Training, Education, and Certification

At the event, building owners and managers can also learn about the rigorous training and education provided to elevator constructor apprentices and mechanics by the National Elevator Industry Educational Program (NEIEP). Employees of IUEC-affiliated companies undergo college-level, USDOL-registered apprenticeship training to ensure they are equipped with the latest industry knowledge and skills. On top of this, NEIEP’s continuing education courses ensure these professionals stay updated with advancements in technology and safety protocols.

In addition to NEIEP’s classroom-based and online courses, the program also gives apprentices and mechanics an opportunity to earn third-party certifications that are sometimes required by local Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs) to do specialized work on jobsites. During their NEIEP apprenticeship, students earn certifications in OSHA 10, SAIA Scaffolding, AHA Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED, and Certified Signal Person and Rigger Levels 1 and 2 (CSPR-1/2), an ANSI/ANAB accredited industry-specific rigging and signaling certification. Forklift certification is offered as a continuing education course for mechanics.

Keeping up with changes in building code regulations is another concern for building owners and managers. A growing number of IUEC elevator mechanics have earned ANSI/ANAB accredited certifications as Certified Elevator Inspectors (CEI) through the Qualified Elevator Inspector Training Fund (QEITF) program. This program requires elevator mechanics to pass the industry’s most rigorous exam for elevator inspectors to earn their initial certification, and then pass yearly exams covering updates and changes in code regulations to keep their certifications active.

Safety and Risk Management

The comprehensive safety training programs employed by IUEC-affiliated companies create a safer workforce and working environments, ensuring the protection of the riding public. These programs are designed to minimize risk for building owners by giving all elevator constructors the tools they need to work in accordance with the highest safety standards. Event attendees can learn how these safety measures not only protect passengers, but also contribute to the overall efficiency and reliability of elevator operations.

Maintenance Control Program Guidance

Effective management of Maintenance Control Programs (MCPs) is crucial for the longevity and reliability of elevator equipment. At BOMA 2024, the ElevatorInfo team will explain how signatory companies can assist building owners with managing their MCPs. This guidance ensures that equipment operates smoothly, reducing downtime and prolonging the life of these elevators.

The Impact of Partnering with IUEC Signatory Companies

ElevatorInfo’s participation at BOMA 2024 aims to highlight the multiple significant advantages of working with IUEC signatory companies. By partnering with these companies, building owners and managers can ensure their elevators are installed, repaired, and maintained to the highest standards of safety and efficiency. This partnership translates to fewer disruptions, enhanced safety, and improved operational performance for their building’s elevators.

Join Us at BOMA 2024

ElevatorInfo invites all BOMA 2024 attendees to visit booth #931 and discover why working with highly-trained and safety-focused elevator constructors is the smartest choice for their business. Learn about the comprehensive training, safety programs, and expert maintenance strategies that make IUEC signatory companies the preferred choice for elevator services. Don’t miss this opportunity to elevate your building’s performance and ensure the safety and satisfaction of all elevator users.