IUEC Local 82’s Stand Down for Safety in the Elevator Industry

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.”

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The Future of Elevator Education in Canada: Introducing the Canadian Elevator Industry Educational Program (CEIEP)

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.

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The Start of a Really Big Project – The DC Stacks Building

“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/

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ElevatorInfo Joins as New BOMA Partner for BOMA 2024

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.

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How the Veterans Assistance Program Supports IUEC Veteran Servicemembers

“We are looking to help Veterans in all aspects of their needs,” said Jason Gray, IUEC Local 32 member, U.S. Marines Corps Veteran, and Chairman of the International Union of Elevator Constructors’ new Veterans Assistance Program (VAP). “A lot of Veterans don’t understand there are benefits that are available to them…our plan is to get the word out and let Veterans know we’re going to be a resource for them if they have a need that’s related to their military service. We want to be that community they can go to seek assistance.”

Because teamwork, leadership, and technical skills learned in the military provide a great starting point for careers in the elevator trade, there are thousands of Veteran servicemembers in the IUEC. To support elevator constructors who are Veterans and spouses of Veterans, the Elevator Constructors Veterans Assistance Program (VAP) will assist them through the application process for education/GI Bill, disability, and other VA benefits they earned through their military service.

Leading the initiative along with Jason are Lead Officer Ryan Donnell (IUEC Local 21), Elevator Industry Work Preservation Fund (EIWPF) National Coordinator, and spouse of a U.S. Air Force Veteran; Gil Duncan, IUEC IT Director and U.S. Navy Veteran; and Ben Valinsky, National Elevator Industry Educational Program (NEIEP) Writing and Development Coordinator and U.S. Army Veteran. Together, they have been traveling to IUEC Locals in cities across the United States to share information about the VAP and how it can benefit Veterans and spouses of Veterans in the elevator trade.

Ben Valinsky is the VAP Director of Programs and Education at NEIEP. “I’ve talked to so many apprentices who are Veterans… because it was an apprenticeship and it was on-the-job training they didn’t know that they qualified for the GI Bill. The VAP is really working to ensure that they have access, and that we are spreading the awareness,” he said.

 

Veterans deserve our unwavering backing, and as Americans, it is our responsibility to serve as advocates on their behalf. Over the years, our union has had a number of conversations with individuals in the Veterans community – in an effort to understand the issues they face and to identify viable paths forward. Upon learning of the various obstacles faced by Veterans in their pursuit of the military benefits they are owed, our union’s leadership viewed this as an opportunity for the IUEC to intervene and provide valuable resources, including hands-on support in navigating the Veterans Administration (VA) benefits system.

VWhether a Veteran is trying to file a new claim with the VA or appeal a rejected claim, our new program will be there for IUEC members as a resource – as an extension of their toolkit – helping Veterans navigate any and all matters they may encounter.”

– IUEC General President Frank J. Christensen

 

Many elevator constructors who are Veterans came in through the Helmets to Hardhats program, which assists transitioning military service members with quality career training and helps them find employment opportunities within the construction industry. Others, like Local 2 member Nate Heffner, came in through NEIEP’s standard recruitment process. However they find their way to the elevator industry, the Veterans Assistance Program is another valuable addition to the benefits IUEC apprentices and mechanics receive.

Several months ago, the ElevatorInfo editorial and production staff traveled to Arlington National Cemetery to meet with the leaders of the IUEC VAP, Colonel David Sutherland (Ret.) of the Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Services, Phyllis Wilson, the President of the Military Women’s Memorial, and Jan Scruggs, the founder of the Vietnam memorial wall. All expressed support for the IUEC’s newest initiative, and spoke about the positive things Veterans bring to the building trades.

“It’s not the skills alone that they bring,” said Col. Sutherland. “It’s the skills, knowledge, and attributes.”

“The skill sets that the military gives us are some of the things that we take for granted during our time in the military, leadership, teamwork, the ability to coalesce around a team and know that what you’re doing is incredibly important, not for yourself, but for the team,” said Phyllis Wilson.

IUEC General President Frank J. Christensen emphasized the importance of supporting Veterans in the elevator trade. “The Elevator Constructors are always trying different things. It’s our survival. And one of them is we’re getting better with our Veterans – our IUEC veterans, and really any Veterans out there that we can help out…I don’t care if it’s management. I don’t care if it’s non-union. If they need our help as a Veteran to get what is owed to them, we’re going to do it.”

“What I’m really excited about with this program is you have an organization now organized labor to help these guys get the benefits they deserve and that will have knowledge about the benefits that are available and it gives people a chance to reconnect,” said Jan Scruggs.  “When you sign on to be an apprentice you have a lot of challenges ahead of you but you’ve got yourself a really great career…I’m all about doing what’s right and organized labor always does what’s right.”

IUEC elevator 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 emailing va*@**ec.org with their name and contact information, International Union number, and ULink ID, branch of military service, years served, and rank.

Visit the IUEC official VAP page to learn more and see an extended version of the video here.

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Honoring Women Veterans in the Elevator Trade

Today is Women Veterans Recognition Day. Held on June 12 of each year, this day honors the anniversary of the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act, which gave women the opportunity to serve in the United States armed forces. Prior to President Harry S. Truman signing the Act in 1948, the only women allowed to serve in the regular and reserve forces of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps during peacetime were nurses. While women were permitted – and even encouraged – to serve their country during times of war, they were sent home when the war was done.

While on assignment for a story on the recently launched IUEC Veterans Assistance Program (VAP), we had a chance to visit with Phyllis Wilson, retired Army Veteran and president of the Military Women’s Memorial. She spoke with us about the Military Women’s Memorial Register, which aims to collect stories of all women who have served in the United States military, past and present.

“The center, the heart and soul of the Military Women’s Memorial is what we call the register,” she told us. “It is our national repository, the database that holds over 311,000 women’s stories. We’re on a mission to help America know about what these incredible women have done for well over 100 years. We’re looking to collect every one of them, and we encourage you, whether you’re a man or a woman. If you know a woman that has served or is serving, past or present, living or deceased, we want their stories in here.”

Many International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC) members come from military backgrounds. It’s a natural fit – while serving, many build mechanical, electrical, or technology-based skill sets that they can later use in careers in the building trades. Through programs like Helmets to Hardhats, the IUEC has provided pathways to careers in the elevator industry for many servicemembers transitioning back to civilian life.

Shaunelle Sandy, an IUEC Local 10 elevator constructor who recently passed her mechanic exam and achieved journeyman status (congratulations!), is Veteran of the U.S. Air Force who was introduced to the elevator trade through Helmets to Hardhats. She talked about the similarities between the support of a brotherhood/sisterhood of a union and that found in the military. “With unions, they have your back. You’re not out there on your own,” she said.

Another Local 10 member who came into the elevator trade through Helmets to Hardhats is U.S. Marine Corps Veteran Kristen Hernandez. “I was in the United States Marine Corps 2000 to 2006. Motor T, 35 -31…my MOS was 6672 aviation supply. We supplied aircraft parts for all the squadrons on the base.”

“The skill sets that the military gives us are some of the things that we take for granted during our time in the military, leadership, teamwork, the ability to coalesce around a team and know that what you’re doing is incredibly important, not for yourself, but for the team,” said Phyllis Wilson.

Shaunelle and Kristen, along with U.S. Marine Corps Veteran Bon Sampson, also out of IUEC Local 10, joined us on our trip to the Military Women’s Memorial. They had the chance to tour the museum at Arlington National Cemetery that featured information and artifacts related to military womens’ experiences through the years.

“Seeing these pictures on the wall definitely brings back memories of boot camp or being out in the fields or in the fleet,” said Kristin. “You remember your moments through their pictures.”

“It gave me chills just seeing and reading everything that all these women put forth for us and now they have their own place, their own home,” said Bon.

Along with Jason, Elevator Industry Work Preservation Fund National Coordinator Ryan Donnell, Local 21 member and spouse of a U.S. Air Force Veteran and IUEC IT Director Gil Duncan, U.S. Navy Veteran, are the lead officers for the IUEC Veterans Assistance Program (VAP). The IUEC VAP helps members and their spouses navigate the process of applying for education, disability, and other benefits they earned through their military service. Joined by Ben Valinsky, the program’s contact for educational benefits through the National Elevator Industry Educational Program (NEIEP), they will be visiting IUEC Locals across the United States in the coming months.

“We are looking to help Veterans in all aspects of their needs. A lot of Veterans don’t understand there are benefits that are available to them. Our plan is to get the word out and let Veterans know we’re going to be a resource for them if they have a need that’s related to their military service. And we just want to be that community they can go to to seek assistance,” said Jason Gray, U.S. Marine Corps Veteran, IUEC National Organizer, and member of IUEC Local 32 in the Atlanta, Georgia area.Phyllis Wilson described the program as value added for the military Veterans working in the elevator trade. “You’ve earned those benefits. Let them help you file those claims and then get that education piece that you so richly deserve.”

She encouraged every IUEC member or spouse who is a woman who served in the military or any man or woman who wants to share the story of a woman Veteran’s service to visit the register and create an account.

“There’s over three million of us that have served. That means 10 % are in and 90% or 2.7 million are not in this story. And we can’t tell that your story if we don’t have it. So unless you put your story in here and tell us your memorable experiences of your time in service and share a photo – where did you serve? When did you serve? What branch of service were you in? It’s super easy, free and online.” Phyllis continued.

“I’m confident I would have been a better soldier had I known the sacrifices that women had done generations prior to me, but it was never taught.”

To add your story or another woman’s story to the Military Women’s Memorial register, visit https://womensmemorial.org/make-herstory/

To learn more about the IUEC Veterans Assistance Program and how this program helps members and their spouses access the benefits they earned through their military service, visit https://www.iuec.org/index.php/veterans-assistance-program/

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Florida’s IUEC Local 71 Celebrates 100 Years of Excellence

Can you guess how many elevators there are in the state of Florida?  Think about it – all of the commercial or industrial buildings with two or more floors, multi-story condos and apartment buildings, hospitals, airports/transportation hubs, and world-famous theme parks rely on elevators and other vertical transportation equipment to ensure the people who live, work, or vacation in the state can get to their destinations quickly, reliably, and most importantly, safely.

If you guessed there were approximately 65,000 elevators in the state of Florida, you’d be right. And wherever there are elevators, there is a need for a highly-skilled, safety-focused workforce to keep them up and running for the people who need them.

Most elevators in Florida are within the jurisdiction of IUEC Local 71, which covers the areas of Miami, Miami Beach, and the greater South Florida region. The approximately 1,100 elevator constructor apprentices and mechanics who are members of Local 71 install, maintain, service, repair, and inspect the majority of them.

“I’m very proud to be a member of Local 71,” said John Herbert, an IUEC elevator constructor mechanic who serves in the top leadership position as the Business Manager for the Local. John has been an elevator constructor for 24 years, and has spent 22 of them in the Miami area. “Our work is our signature. So as long as we do it right – safe – the first time, we’re good. And that’s what we take pride in.”

“We all strive for one common good, and that’s to make sure that all our people go home every day safe and that the riding public continues to be safe every day on our equipment,” said Tommy Scudiero, who is the Business Representative for Local 71.

One of the largest projects serviced by IUEC Local 71 members is the Miami International Airport (MIA). IUEC signatory company Schindler Elevator was recently selected to step in to repair and modernize the aging vertical transportation equipment used by more than 60 million passengers every year.

IUEC members also take care of the elevators, escalators, and moving walks at PortMiami, the busiest cruise terminal in the entire world, which moved close to 7.3 million passengers last year. The vertical transportation equipment at PortMiami is serviced by several signatory companies including TK Elevator and Evolution Elevator, a family-run elevator company that ElevatorInfo profiled as part of a series on exceptional independent companies.

IUEC Local 71 has been around for a long time – it was chartered to be a part of the International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC) on January 9, 1924. Members of the Local recently celebrated the 100th anniversary with guests and supporters from around the country, including IUEC General Officers Frank Christensen (General President), Jim Chapman (Assistant General President), and Jim Bender (Ret. Assistant General President), along with representatives from the International, Organizing, Safety, the Elevator Industry Work Preservation Fund (EIWPF), the @Local 1 Pipes and Drums, and hundreds of brothers and sisters from IUEC Locals in the U.S. and Canada who traveled to Hollywood, Florida for the event the Local hosted in January. Supporting fellow members is a big part of what it means to be a member of the IUEC.

ElevatorInfo was on location in Hollywood to speak with some of the Local 71 members who were involved with planning the event.

“The 100th anniversary is something very special here in Local 71. It’s a century and we want to make sure that we honor everyone that came before us and made that path for what we have today,” said Tommy Scudiero.  “We have to celebrate these milestones and also understand that Local 71 is one of the largest locals in the South and we need to show that and be proud of that.”

In addition to his role as an IUEC Local 71 Business Agent, Tommy gives back to his brothers and sisters in the trade as an instructor for Miami-area elevator constructor apprentices in the National Elevator Industry Educational Program (NEIEP), a QEITF Certified Elevator Inspector (CEI), and a member of several American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) building code committees. These committees write the standards for building and maintaining vertical equipment in the United States and Canada. Involvement with the development of ASME building code is important because it helps ensure that elevator constructors and workers from other building trades – along with the riding public – are able to stay safe on and around vertical transportation equipment.

Abel Arabitg, an IUEC International Organizer, is a member of Local 71 who was also in attendance for the 100th anniversary celebration. “I’ve always been a local guy. I grew up here in Miami and never did I ever hear about a union this strong, this well put together and the way that they handle themselves – and I’m so proud of being part of this union,” he said.

Abel emphasized the importance of honoring the elevator constructors who built the Local and strengthened its standing in the community through their hard work and dedication to quality craftsmanship, values the Local continues to uphold today. “We’re here today because of them and what they’ve accomplished in their career to pass on to the next generation. And that’s what I look forward to too, is that I want to make sure that when I step forward into my retirement someday, that I can look back and leave a footprint for those that are coming in in the future.”

John Herbert echoed his remarks. “The last 20 years I’ve grown and become the mechanic and rep that I am today…there are a lot of people I have to thank for that,” he said.

Mike Stella, Local 71’s Financial Secretary and another longtime instructor for the National Elevator Industry Educational Program (NEIEP), also helped to organize the event. “This weekend we have the 100th year anniversary. It is such a big achievement for local 71 to (have been) around that long,” he said. “We’re really looking towards the future to make it even better. And it’s super-exciting to be to be part of.”

Along with having taught the Semester 100 apprenticeship curriculum to elevator constructor apprentices for more than 20 years – which he describes as one of his greatest achievements – Mike teaches a train-the-trainer course in SAIA Scaffolding for NEIEP instructors from around the United States at the NEIEP Instructor Training Center in Warwick, RI. Once they’ve completed the training and become certified instructors for SAIA, these instructors return to their home Locals and are able to certify apprentices in SAIA Scaffolding as part of the standard IUEC apprenticeship curriculum. The certification apprentices earn enables them to do scaffolding work on jobsites all over North America. Mechanics can also earn their SAIA scaffolding certifications through continuing education courses held at their Locals.

“It’s important for mechanics to participate in CE training because we never stop learning in this business,” said Mike. “You always are continuously learning systems. Computer systems are changing, elevators are evolving…the more you know, the more important you are to this industry.”

Unmatched craftsmanship, professionalism, a solid educational foundation, showing support for fellow members in the trade, and a focus on safety – these are all part of what it means to be an IUEC elevator constructor and the reason that Local 71 in Miami has sustained for more than 100 years.

To learn more about the advantages of becoming an IUEC elevator constructor, or if you are a building owner or manager interested in hiring an IUEC-affiliated company in the Miami area or anywhere in North America to install, service, troubleshoot, modernize, repair, or inspect the elevators, escalators, or other conveyance equipment on your property, contact ElevatorInfo.

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The Importance of ADA Compliance in the Elevator Industry

ADA Compliance for Elevator Professionals

In the elevator industry, compliance with the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) is vital to ensure that every member of the riding public has the opportunity and access to use elevators. The ADA is a comprehensive act that offers all-encompassing guidelines on how elevators must be installed and maintained, from specific height requirements and placements of buttons and handrails to elevator cab dimension requirements and braille and sound indicators.

Let’s talk about ADA regulations in the elevator industry and find out why ADA compliance is important, and why accessibility and inclusivity are vital for people to live their lives on their terms.

Understanding Code and Safety

ADA compliance may not seem like an issue that is relevant to everyone, but to make elevators universally accessible regardless of one’s physical limitations, the importance of code and safety cannot be understated. Many aspects of the functionality of an elevator may go under the radar of the riding public.

For instance, did you know that every time you’re in an elevator and it dings, it is signaling that it has traveled another floor? This may seem like an arbitrary feature, but for people with difficulty seeing or other physical constraints, such an indication is necessary for the correct use of an elevator – as it may be the only way that person can know where the elevator is and how far it’s traveled. Regulations like those outlined in the ADA and enforced by local, regional, and national codes ensure each person, regardless of physical ability, has the opportunity to access and use elevators.

The Importance of ADA Compliance

ADA compliance ensures elevators are safe, available, and accessible for all people who need to use them. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) is responsible for setting many of the codes and standards used by the elevator industry. ASME’s adoption of ADA regulations bridges the gap between the elevator code and broader accessibility requirements, illustrating the industry’s commitment to inclusivity by implementing standards that mirror those set out by the relevant experts.

ADA Requirements

ADA requirements for the elevator industry cover a wide range of topics and specifications, from the floorplan and placement of assistance rails inside of the car to the wall fixtures. The ASME standards that cover ADA compliance in relation to the elevator industry are A17.1 and A117.1.

It’s important that elevator professionals, manufacturers, and building managers adhere to ADA requirements while working, and with the clear standards laid out by the ADA and echoed by ASME, compliance should be a given.

ADA requirements ensure that any person with a physical disability can independently get to, enter, and use a site, facility, building, or event. Such disabilities may include difficulty walking, blindness and visual impairment, or deafness and hearing impairment. These requirements include communication enhancements such as accessible two-way communication for the hearing or visually impaired, as well as braille on doors, hall call buttons, and emergency buttons to further amplify accessibility.

Handrail Heights and Placement

ADA compliance begins with the basics, and one fundamental element is the handrail. Handrails are there to assist individuals with balance issues. The ADA ensures height and placement consistency of handrails in elevators and throughout the entire building. This uniformity is key because the act of grabbing and holding onto handrails is one based on muscle memory. In some cases, handrails may need to be opposite the operating panel, ensuring accessibility for all passengers.

Position Indicators and Call Buttons

The height of position indicators is important because people with disabilities are required to rely on their muscle memory more than the average person. Position indicators must be mounted a designated number of inches above the floor. Hall indicators must light up, and must meet dimension requirements. The arrows on the hall indicators must be visible from the floor area adjacent to the call buttons.

Hall call buttons are just as vital as position indicators, and also need to follow ADA guidelines. They must be centered at a specific distance above floor level, and meet the code requirements for a minimum diameter. They must light up when activated (pressed). Code also requires visual and audible signals at each entrance to indicate which car is answering a call, as well as the direction in which the car is traveling. Visual signals inside the elevator car must be visible from the floor area adjacent to the hall call button.

Braille Characters

The use of braille characters is also required for ADA compliance in elevators. Advancements in technology within the industry in recent years mean our industry has come a long way from the days when an attendant would announce aloud the destination and direction of the elevator.

Nowadays, code requires that floor designations be marked with raised characters and braille. These raised characters must be located on the entrance jambs of the elevator, with a raised star shape used on both door jambs to indicate the main entry level. This enables visually impaired members of the public to verify that the floor they’ve landed on matches their desired selection.

Elevator Car Floorplan & Other Features

Finally, the interior of elevator cars must comply with ADA standards to ensure the overall accessibility of the elevator. For full compliance, code specifies both the depth and width of an elevator car. Requirements for clear floor area and door width are also dictated by code.

Where provided, car keypads must be marked with visual characters and arranged in the same order as a standard telephone keypad with the number five (marked with a single raised dot) in the center. This dot, referred to as a node, must be of a specified base diameter and height. This allows people with visual impairments to identify the placement and layout of the keypad.

Final Words on ADA Compliance

In the elevator industry, adherence to ADA compliance is not just about meeting standards; it’s about fostering an environment where technology serves everyone equally and ensuring that each and every member of the general public can enjoy the use of elevators.

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An Interview with Independent Family Business & Signatory Elevator Company Evolution Elevator

For our latest installment of a series of independent signatory elevator company profiles, the ElevatorInfo media team met up with Lou James, a managing partner and co-owner of Evolution Elevator, and his wife Carla James, the company’s primary owner. Working together to manage the company as a family business along with brother Chris, sister-in-law Rosemarie, and brother Thomas, Lou says that being an independent family business has made for stronger connections and better communication within the company as well as with customers.

Evolution Elevator Company installs, repairs, services, and maintains conveyances in some of the biggest and busiest metropolitan areas in the United States –New York / New Jersey (Local 1) and Miami/ South Florida (Local 71). From repairing and modernizing aging, outmoded equipment to installing, servicing, and performing important preventive maintenance on the latest elevator and escalator system technology, Evolution covers it all.

“We service everything. Escalators, moving walks, elevators, dumbwaiters, handicap lifts, you know, soup to nuts. If it’s in vertical transportation, we take care of it,” said Lou.

He continued, “We have a lot of retail customers so we’re trying to get all of our big repairs done, get the elevator equipment, escalator equipment in tip-top shape – That means clean downs. We have a rope job going on, we’re wrapping up a few mods and construction jobs – (at) PortMiami, we’re wrapping up a couple of really big repairs. So not just in the New York area, New Jersey area, but in Florida, just trying to really get all of our repairs done.”

Mike Elia, an IUEC elevator mechanic who serves as the company’s Vice President and Project Manager, said “At Evolution, we have a lot of pride in the quality of work that we do and knowing that our equipment’s some of the best maintained in the city, just really getting in there and making sure everything’s clean, everything’s adjusted properly, that there’s no issues that we could find, and that we’re really providing the riding public with safest elevators and escalators that we can.”

Co-owner and Foreman Thomas James spoke to us at his jobsite in @PortMiami, a major hub for cruise ships and cargo vessels.

“I’m mostly at the port of Miami because we have the cruise ships that go through there – and there’s thousands of passengers coming in and off the ships in one day – so it’s important for us to be there on standby. It’s a lot of traffic on the units, so we’re constantly going there to maintain and make sure that everything’s running smooth.”

Communicating well and working together is at the heart of the company. Lou told us that at Evolution, they don’t separate the management side of the company from the work they do in the field. As an IUEC member who brought with him his career-long experience as an IUEC elevator mechanic, Lou regularly jumps in to work on equipment when necessary. He’s even still in the rotation for taking late-night trouble calls and freeing people from entrapments.

Company owner Carla James emphasized that the safety-focused education and training Evolution Elevator’s mechanics and apprentices receive through the National Elevator Industry Educational Program (NEIEP) is key to ensuring they do quality work and get the job done with safety in the forefront of their mind. “We are a union strong company, so all of our mechanics do complete a course of apprenticeship over four years, and they do have to pass the mechanics test, so that guarantees the job getting done and safely.”

One of the people we talked with at the company’s Staten Island warehouse and office was Mario Baladi, the company’s Foreman for Construction and Modernization. He told us about the projects they were currently working on in New York. “This week we worked on a lot of projects. I worked on an old Otis machine, overhead traction, putting in a new door operator, changing the cables, changing the car station, wiring. We’re gonna do an acceptance test on a hydraulic elevator. It’s a modernization that we recently did and finished. Every day is a new thing.”

Mario started out in the elevator trade as a non-union mechanic, and told us one of the biggest differences between his prior experience and becoming an IUEC mechanic was the IUEC’s focus on making safety a priority.

“In my non -union days, basically safety wasn’t the first order. Getting the job done was the first order – no matter how it gets done. done, just get it done, I don’t care if you go home – they didn’t care. Now it’s a whole different level.” he said.

“Safety is our priority,” said Carla. “We have safety meetings once a month where we go over safety protocols and touch upon any type of incidents to avoid any injuries.” (The ElevatorInfo staff had an opportunity to sit in on one of their safety meetings – be sure to watch the video to see some highlights!)

Lou believes communication between all members of his team is also key to always working safe. “Communication’s at the forefront, you know, that means safety, but (if) we see anything egregious, our new jobs, jobs we have, doesn’t matter who the previous provider was, union or non-union, we don’t take safety for granted,” he said.

He continued, “We have a number of procedures that we follow. We communicate with each other – not just the office talking to the techs, but the techs talking back to the office, the techs talking to each other. That’s really, really important because this is going to be the difference between possible injury to us or the riding public, or getting ahead and finding something that could have led to that.”

When asked about how being an IUEC signatory company is a benefit to his family’s business, he responded, “One of the biggest benefits of being in a signatory company – probably the biggest, I would say, is the members. Really, it’s the backbone. It’s the dedication that the techs have to their craft, to each other, to safety, that you couldn’t possibly in any other aspect compare with anyone that isn’t a member of the team.”

To learn more about the advantages of becoming IUEC-affiliated or about hiring an IUEC-affiliated elevator company like Evolution Elevator to install, service, troubleshoot, modernize, repair, or inspect your elevators, escalators, or other conveyance equipment, contact ElevatorInfo.

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Hiring an Elevator Contractor: A Guide for Building Managers and Owners

Hiring elevator contractors

Whether you’re a private building owner or manager of a commercial or residential building, choosing the right contractor is vital. Understanding what is involved in this process is important.

Guaranteeing a smooth, safe ride for members of the public is paramount for anyone who is responsible for elevators. The way to guarantee this is by having highly trained and experienced professionals conduct the repair and maintenance work on the conveyance systems in your building. Companies affiliated with the International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC) partner with building owners and managers across North America to provide them with the safest, most well-trained professionals in the elevator industry.

Before we speak about the specifics that make IUEC-trained and educated apprentices and mechanics the best in the business, it’s important to understand how the process of choosing a contractor works.

Factors to Consider When Hiring an Elevator Contractor

When the time comes to hire an elevator contractor, there are several factors that must be considered. While this isn’t an exhaustive list, here are some of the key points.

Equipment Age and Type

First, what kind of conveyances are in your building? Elevators? Escalators? Dumbwaiters? Moving walks? Be sure the company you hire to maintain, repair, and inspect your equipment has mechanics who are trained and qualified to work on your equipment.

Next, what type of building do you own, and who are the people who will be using these conveyances? Is it a busy office building where dozens or hundreds of workers will need to get to their offices quickly every morning? Is it an industrial building where warehouse staff will be using freight elevators to transport heavy or large machinery or goods? Is it a high-rise residential building where people must rely on an elevator to get into or out of their homes? You want to ensure you’re hiring a reputable OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer, such as Schindler, Otis, Fujitech, Mitsubishi, Kone, or TK Elevator) or independent elevator company that doesn’t take shortcuts when it comes to passenger safety.

As you can imagine, how long an elevator has been in use will play a role in determining the contractor you hire. Qualified contractors will have the experience and education needed to assess your system and help you make decisions regarding setting up a regular maintenance schedule / maintenance control program to keep your equipment running smoothly and determine when it’s time to replace outdated elevators in the interest of safety.

Service Contracts and Maintenance Control Programs

Different contractors offer different service contract options. These could be monthly maintenance agreements or comprehensive packages that will include scheduled inspections and maintenance, as well as other services. You will need to align your choice with your building’s needs and the needs of the riding public.

Your service contract should include a Maintenance Control Program (MCP). An MCP ensures that all components of your conveyance equipment are checked on a regular basis. With an MCP, your elevator contractor will maintain all documentation involving faulty equipment, repairs, and service calls on-site at your facility – where it is available to elevator inspectors and to you as the building owner/manager.

The Role of Elevator Consultants

In some cases, consultants are hired by building managers or owners to advise them on the contractor selection process. Their primary function is to share advice based on a building’s needs. Their expertise lies in their understanding of elevator systems and their knowledge of equipment, safety, and maintenance protocols. Like other professionals in the elevator industry, consultants must be aware of and adhere to codes and regulations set by local Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs).

If you choose to work with an elevator consultant, make sure you let them know you want to work with an IUEC-affiliated company.

Safety, Education, and Training

Members of the IUEC receive the most comprehensive training and education in the industry. The National Elevator Industry Educational Program (NEIEP) apprenticeship includes more than 8,000 hours on-the-job experience under the guidance of a qualified mechanic, as well as eight semesters of hands-on, safety-focused classroom and virtual training.

The training and education doesn’t stop as soon as an apprentice becomes a qualified mechanic – NEIEP also offers continuing education courses to mechanics throughout their careers. This means that customers can rest easy knowing that IUEC-signatory contractors are highly educated, whether they are fresh out of their apprenticeship or have been qualified for decades.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the IUEC prioritizes safety above all else. That includes the safety of its workers as well as the safety of the riding public. This dedication to safety has resulted in IUEC elevator constructors being the most reliable choice for any installation, maintenance, or repair job.

In conclusion, hiring an elevator contractor can be a critical decision for building owners and managers. It will directly impact the safety, efficiency, and longevity of the elevator system, as well as the safety of the traveling public. Following these guidelines will give you the confidence you need to make the right choice. If you are looking for a recommendation, choosing IUEC-affiliated contractors is the best way to go if you want professionals who work in an effective, efficient, and safe manner at all times.

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