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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IUEC Supports Women Elevator Constructors at NABTU Tradeswomen Build Nations Conference

For 13 years, North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU) has been bringing together women who work in the building trades through the Tradeswomen Build Nations Conference – now recognized as “the largest gathering of tradeswomen in the world”.

According to a recent news release from the International Union of Elevator Constructors’ Elevator Constructor Journal, over 100 sisters from the U.S. and Canada, along with allies in the trade, traveled to the United States capitol to represent the IUEC at the Tradeswomen Build Nations Conference. They were joined by General President Frank Christensen, Assistant General President (ret.) Jim Bender, General Secretary-Treasurer Larry McGann, and newly appointed Assistant General President Jim Chapman.

“I’ve been attending this conference since 2010, when it was named Women Build California,” said Carisa Barrett, National Coordinator for the Elevator Industry Work Preservation Fund (EIWPF). “That year, there were three other women elevator constructors in attendance – two were retired, and one was working in the field. In 2011, the year it became a national conference, IUEC president Frank Christensen appointed me to the NABTU Tradeswomen Committee. I am proud to be a part of the committee that puts this conference on each year – and I’m proud to say that the elevator constructors’ attendance breaks records every single year.”

She continued, “what started with just a few women elevator constructors has increased to over 100, along with men from the elevator trade who support us. IUEC leadership, EIWPF, NEIEP, Local Business Managers, and field brothers were all representing the IUEC this year. I’ve worked hard to get the information out to as many sisters as I can find, and to encourage each IUEC local to support their women who attend. I couldn’t be more proud of our leadership who support us and the women who are in our trade – they are some of the smartest, hardest-working women I’ve ever met. It takes a lot of courage and strength for women to make it in this industry, and we’ve got some of the best.”

This year’s conference featured presentations from some of North America’s most prominent labor leaders. Keynote speaker Nancy Pelosi, U.S. House Speaker Emerita and a longtime supporter of working people and the union building trades, brought the crowd to a standing ovation during her keynote speech as she exclaimed, “We don’t agonize – we organize, we unionize!”

AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler, who has been a part of the conference since its inception, described how its reach has grown exponentially through the years. “I was reflecting back and I have been a part of this event, like many of you, since it was in a small conference room at a hotel in California. And we didn’t have a parade route. We didn’t need a megaphone because we could just talk to each other in that room. We dreamed about filling a ballroom like this,” she said. “We have increased our numbers and our power, and what a testament that is to every single one of you who went back home from one of those conferences and brought someone else with you.”

NABTU President Sean McGarvey was also a featured speaker. “You are trailblazers and role models, and reflect what we honor and love about our unions,” he began, before going on to speak about new infrastructure developments in the union construction industry that will have a positive impact on women in the building trades.

McGarvey also talked about NABTU’s Tradeswomen Heroes program, which recognizes outstanding workers with strong leadership skills across the building trades. Since 2020, this award has highlighted the professionalism of many IUEC elevator constructors, including Carisa Barrett (Local 19 / EIWPF National Coordinator), Erin Hansen (Local 25), Aimee Paquette (Local 9 / NEIEP Area Coordinator), Yvonne White (Local 25), Bethany Wilson (Local 44), Blanca Rios (Local 133 / NEIEP Area Coordinator), Katy Grace Roper (Local 37), Lindsay Labrosse (Local 19), Nicole Wiet (Local 82), Tiffaney King (Local 140), and Ciara Mackrell (Local 1).

“I was really inspired by Sean McGarvey and the work that he’s done to bring the building and trades and the tradeswomen together, utilizing the resources that he has to build our infrastructure and to give opportunities to all,” said IUEC Assistant General President Jim Chapman.

In addition to the speakers, the conference also provided opportunities for networking and connection between women in the building trades and allies who support them, and hosted workshops on important issues including mentoring, federal policies, jobsite safety, childcare, improving communication on the jobsite, and financial management.

“So many things happen at this conference. For the newcomers, it’s a sense of empowerment and sisterhood and belonging that they get, when maybe it’s the first time they’ve ever met another woman in the trade – or they get built up by the different keynote speakers. Maybe they make friends with mentors, or lifetime co-workers across the nation, and/or other countries, that they can connect with when they’re working out there and need a good support system, said Kristi Savala, a National Coordinator for EIWPF.

Sarah Caughey, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the National Elevator Industry Educational Program (NEIEP), shared a similar point of view. “This gives them the opportunity to see that there’s a whole lot of women out there that are in the trades and there’s a sisterhood, and I think this is a great opportunity for everyone to come together and realize that and feel stronger than they would otherwise on the jobsite,” she said.

Recently retired IUEC Assistant General President Jim Bender emphasized how the networking opportunities the conference provides are an important part of getting the word out to women that there are opportunities for rewarding careers in the union building trades. “It’s a great income, great benefits. It’s just a great living in the building trades. (They) pay well, you have a union representation – those are the most important things I think for them to get that message out to other women.” This is especially true in the union elevator trade, where the IUEC benefits plans in the United States and Canada are among the most comprehensive in North America.

It wasn’t just IUEC sisters from the U.S. who attended; IUEC members from Canadian Locals traveled across the border to the conference in Washington, D.C., as well. IUEC Local 50, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada was represented by several sisters. “We both work for Local 50 and we actually work together,” said Cindy-Sue Beauregard, who spoke to ElevatorInfo along with fellow IUEC Local 50 sister Tamara Fernandez. “We’re the first all-female new construction team.”

Helmets to Hardhats, a nonprofit organization that helps military Veterans transition to careers in the building trades, hosted an information booth at the conference to connect with women who could benefit from the services H2H provides. “We recruit service members and in the military there’s a lot of females specific to this event,” said Martin Helms, the organization’s Executive Director. “There are great candidates, we need women involved in the trades and this is a great source to let them know that we’re a program that’s out there.”

“All three of the general officers of the IUEC are at this conference this year which is a real affirmation of the importance of this issue, the importance of women, the importance of diversity, the importance of lifting everybody up who is a member of the IUEC and a future member of the IUEC,” said Jennifer Simon, an attorney with O’Donoghue & O’Donoghue who has for years provided legal counsel for the IUEC and related entities. “The leadership of this organization I believe has moved the IUEC forward in so many ways already, and recognizes that there is so much important work to still do.”

“We have women coming in, they’re going to be instructors, they’re going to be presidents, they’re going to be directors,” said NEIEP Area Coordinator Aimee Paquette, a member of IUEC Local 9 with 26 years’ experience in the elevator trade. “17 years ago when I started teaching, I thought I was going to be the only one forever. So we’ve come a long way.”

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Preventing Home Elevator Accidents

Home elevators accidents prevention

Installing a home elevator can increase both accessibility and convenience in a home. Home elevators can provide much-needed help for people with mobility issues as they ascend and descend stairs throughout the day. At the same time, however, home elevators can pose risks, especially when homeowners don’t take steps to educate themselves and their household members on ways to avoid home elevator accidents.

Let’s take a look at a few of these preventative methods, mention some incidents that have occurred in recent years, and equip homeowners with ways to prevent home elevator accidents.

Risks Posed by Home Elevators

Home elevators can introduce a host of potential elevator-related incidents and injuries, particularly for children. Think of home elevators like a swimming pool – kids shouldn’t be left alone in them, they shouldn’t be used during a storm, and they can be dangerous for people who aren’t being careful when they use them.

In recent years, there have been a number of high-profile accidents involving home elevators, some of which have been fatal, and one of which left a child dead in North Carolina.

One major danger of home elevators is the space between the elevator car and the hoistway door. Some home elevator fatalities have been caused by children getting crushed in this space, which can be as large as four inches. While safety code requirements brought this down from the five-inch limit that was required before 2016, four inches can still be more than enough space to entrap a child. There are continued, widespread calls to limit this spacing even further in the hopes of preventing more tragedies moving forward.

Another factor to consider is the fact that home elevators are usually designed to mimic the finishings of a home. If home elevator doors are designed to look like closet doors, there is potential for the locking mechanism to be manipulated by someone who may be looking for something else, or for the door to be opened by someone who doesn’t know what they’re getting themselves into. Children could also interact with this mechanism, allowing the elevator to run with the door open – and leading to potentially serious consequences. Doors are an integral safety feature of elevators, and improving regulations will result in safer home elevators.

Another danger of home elevators is that they lack some of the safety features required for commercial elevators. Many home elevators do not have key-access buttons, which essentially means that anyone can operate the elevator. As you can imagine, this causes major concern. Understanding the associated dangers of home elevators and ensuring regular inspection are vital components to home elevator safety.

Home elevators also need to be held to a higher standard when it comes to inspection, as the requirements for home elevator inspection are not subject to the same national safety standards as public elevators.

There have been strong efforts in recent years to improve the safety of home elevators. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) has developed safety standards for home elevators, and some states and local Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs) require home elevators to meet these standards. The International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC) is working to promote additional safety standards and inspections to protect people who use these conveyance systems.

How to Prevent Home Elevator Accidents

While home elevators do pose risks, there are measures that homeowners can take to prevent such accidents. Being aware of the potential risks mentioned above is paramount, but there are additional steps that homeowners may follow to maximize safety:

  1. Never allow children to operate the elevator unsupervised. Look to install a keyed access system on the outside and inside of your home elevator as soon as possible. This will prevent children from being able to access or operate the elevator by themselves.
  2. Ensure a two-way communication system is available inside your home elevator so that if someone becomes trapped, they can quickly call for help.
  3. Make sure the elevator is inspected by an elevator company regularly, ensuring it’s in good working order and that there are no safety hazards.
  4. Consider contacting your local or state representative, commissioner, or AHJ and speaking to them about supporting legislation that would require home elevators to meet the same national safety standards as public elevators. When enough people bring these issues to the attention of their representatives, changes are often made.

Most AHJs do not require home elevators to be periodically tested and inspected as recommended by ASME – an American national standard – so homeowners with residential elevators installed on their property must be extra vigilant regarding potential hazards.

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The Importance of Elevator Maintenance Control Programs (MCP) for Building Owners and Managers

Elevator maintenance control programs MCP

If you are the owner or manager of a multi-story building, you know about the importance of regular elevator maintenance and inspection, which is designed to keep your elevator and escalator equipment running safely and reliably. Every day, the people who live, work, attend appointments, or access services in your building rely on your building’s vertical transportation systems to get them to their destinations.

While some situations – such as a flood or power outage in your building – can cause your conveyance equipment to stop working unexpectedly, most failures of elevator and escalator systems are preventable. That’s why it’s critical that you have a plan in place for elevator technicians to regularly inspect and maintain your building’s elevators, escalators, and other conveyance equipment – so you can address problems before interruptions in service occur.

What is a Maintenance Control Program?

A Maintenance Control Program (MCP) is exactly what it sounds like: a plan to ensure that an elevator, escalator, or other conveyance equipment is maintained correctly throughout its life. It contains specific written information that indicates what maintenance should be performed, how that maintenance should be performed, when it should be performed, and how often it should be performed.

Elevator inspector and elevator industry expert John W. Koshak (QEC, CEI), describes it as follows:

An MCP (Maintenance Control Program) must provide a list of necessary work items to be performed, a place to record the completed work, and the records of completion made available to persons trained in the construction, maintenance, repair, inspection, or testing of vertical transportation equipment, which includes AHJs/RAs – Inspectors. It requires the maintenance company’s elevator personnel to do something – for example examine, test, clean, lubricate, and adjust applicable components listed in the code. The applicable components are a code-defined list of components that historically have caused hazards when they fail to perform their safety function when demanded, typically due to lack of maintenance. It also specifies that any special procedures, defined by the maintenance company or manufacturer, to also be provided in the MCP.

Most Authorities Having Jurisdictions (AHJs) have adopted the 2000 or later editions of the ASME A17.1/CSA B44 elevator code, which require an MCP for all conveyance equipment including elevators, escalators, and moving walks (check the Elevator Industry Work Preservation Fund’s website or with your local authority having jurisdiction, your elevator inspector, or your elevator maintenance company to find out which version of the code your area has adopted). Whether or not the AHJ making the rules for your area has adopted a version of the code that requires an MCP be in place for your building, if you don’t want your elevator or escalator equipment to fail due to something preventable, you should adopt one.

Section 8.6.1.2.1 of the (post-2000 versions of) ASME A17.1/CSA B44 code requires all MCPs to include a plan for examining, testing, cleaning, lubricating, and adjusting applicable conveyance system components at regular intervals.

Elevator Maintenance Control Programs must be written in compliance with the manufacturer’s specifications and the requirements of ASME A17.1/CSA B44 Section 8.6. They can be very specific to an elevator, escalator, or moving walk’s intended use.

Koshak shared with us the following points:

ASME A17.1/CSA B44 Section 8.6 requires:

  • Elevator personnel must be trained.
  • Every unit must have an elevator Maintenance Control Program (MCP).
  • Metrics must be used in determining the intervals between maintenance tasks.
  • A schedule of elevator maintenance must be provided.
  • Procedures for elevator maintenance tasks must be provided.
  • Records of all elevator maintenance, repairs, replacements, alterations, callbacks, oil logs, Firefighters’ Emergency Operation testing and others must be made.
  • Records must be available for a minimum of five years.

What type of equipment is covered?

For (electric) traction elevators – the kind that are suspended by ropes, belts, or other suspension means – an MCP would typically cover:

  • Pit equipment, including (but not limited to) stop buttons, final limit switches, counterweights, governor ropes, governor sheaves, GFCIs, sump pumps, lighting, ladders, and buffers;
  • Hoistway equipment, including (but not limited to) lighting, directional limit switches, final limit switches, door locks, door operation, leveling controls, overhead clearance, car and counterweight roller guides, rails and brackets, ventilation, and smoke detectors;
  • Machine room equipment, including (but not limited to) elevator machines, brakes, lighting, ventilation, fire suppression equipment, fire protection, combustible equipment storage and disposal, GFCIs, governors, controllers, proper guarding, and trap doors;
  • Cab equipment, including (but not limited to) car top inspection buttons, stop buttons, proper guarding, safeties, emergency telephones and 2-way communication devices, door operating equipment (door screens, door protection, etc.), floor selection buttons, directional indication devices, handrails, ADA-required elevator equipment or devices, and Firefighters’ Operation Systems.
  • Hall equipment, including (but not limited to) Firefighters’ Operation Systems, call buttons, directional indication devices, and position indicators.

For hydraulic elevators – the kind that are moved up and down the hoistway by a column of pressurized oil – an MCP would include (but not be limited to) everything applicable listed above, and would also include hydraulic valve systems, pumping units, pistons, tanks and reservoirs, additional smoke detectors, additional fire suppression systems, and other equipment specific to hydraulic elevators.

For escalators and moving walks, a typical MCP would include (but not be limited to) safety switches, clearances, demarcation lighting, handrail safety switches (including inlet switches), step alignment, skirt alignment, lubrication, walk on / walk off plates (to ensure they are securely fastened), chains, chain sprockets, and brakes.

Who should have an MCP?

All building owners and managers should have an MCP for each of the elevators, escalators, and moving walks in their building. Even if your local AHJ follows a version of the ASME code prior to the 2000 edition, it’s very much to your benefit to have an MCP in place. You don’t want to discover your elevator, escalator, or moving walk has been put out of service for something that could have been prevented.

ElevatorInfo recently published an article on the importance of periodic maintenance for elevator systems. Regular elevator maintenance checks lead to prolonged equipment life, increased cost efficiency, and improved travel times. Periodic maintenance is equally important for escalators and moving walks.

Who develops an MCP?

MCPs are typically developed by the elevator/conveyance equipment manufacturer or by an elevator consultant. Once you have one in place, your contracted elevator and escalator maintenance company is responsible for following that plan.

Where are MCPs stored?

ASME code requires elevator maintenance records and repair/replacement records must be available for viewing on site in the machine room, either physically stored in the building, or in some cases, available electronically. Your AHJ and local code requirements may require one or the other; contact your AHJ for details.

Final Thoughts

While adopting an elevator Maintenance Control Plan won’t stop every instance of a passenger getting stuck in an elevator, it is the most practical and proactive step that building owners and managers can take to reduce unplanned downtime for their elevators, escalators, moving walks, or other conveyances. Remember – the riding public relies on your equipment to get them safely and efficiently to the important places they need to go.

Contact ElevatorInfo to be put in touch with a local elevator maintenance company that can help you set up an MCP.

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The IUEC Safety Committee on Improving Safety in the Elevator Industry

When we talk with organized elevator apprentices and mechanics, a topic that comes up again and again is how the education they receive through the National Elevator Industry Educational Program (NEIEP) – and the culture of safety the International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC) works to instill throughout the trade – helps them come into the elevator industry with the skills and knowledge they need to keep themselves and their jobsites safe.

 

Whether someone is coming in to the IUEC as an organized apprentice or through the recruitment process completely new to the trade, the IUEC apprenticeship begins with a safety-focused curriculum centered around recognizing trade-related hazards. From the industry-specific OSHA curriculum that recently launched; to classroom lab activities where apprentices practice putting on required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as eye protection, hearing protection, respiratory protection, and fall protection; to the American Heart Association’s Heartsaver First Aid and CPR certification program embedded in the required curriculum, they receive a very different and much more thorough education than they did while working for non-union companies.

So with a trade that advances as quickly as this one, how does the IUEC stay on top of industry trends and emerging technologies that could impact the safety of apprentices and mechanics on the job? One way is through the establishment of the IUEC Safety Committee.

“The IUEC Safety Committee is a committee set up by President Christensen going back about ten years ago,” said Mike Langer, Director of Safety for the IUEC. “It takes people from across North America and puts them together in a room for brainstorming sessions on how to reduce fatalities and injuries in the elevator industry or the conveyance industry.”

Mike has been a longtime member of the IUEC Safety Committee, which is chaired by Ed Christensen, IUEC Regional Director for the Midcentral United States. Other Safety Committee members include Eric McClaskey, IUEC Assistant Director of Safety; Dave Griefenhagen, IUEC Director of Codes and Standards; Pat McGarvey, IUEC Director of Organizing; Blair MacMillan, IUEC National Organizer and Canadian Safety Director; and Ben McIntyre, IUEC National Organizer and Canadian Safety Director – along with active and retired elevator inspectors and building inspectors from across the United States and Canada. Altogether, the committee has approximately 22 members.

Eric McClaskey told us that the overall purpose of the IUEC Safety Committee is to improve safety for everyone working in the trade. This begins with research. “We look at incidents that occur throughout the course of a year or half-year when we meet annually,” he said. “We try to focus on ways in which we can better the industry through code development and other safety enhancements. It’s really an opportunity for us throughout North America to get with one another, and talk about what we see on the job and how we can prevent injuries and fatalities.”

One of the most important sources of information the Safety Committee draws on for its work is the database of incident reports put together by the IUEC Safety Department. Any time there is a close call, injury, fatality, or accident in the trade, it is investigated and an incident summary is produced. These incident summaries are then reviewed and discussed so that the IUEC Safety Committee can make recommendations based on what was learned from the accident. The reports are shared with IUEC Locals and affiliated signatory employers, and posted on the safety page of the union’s website at iuec.org. “The bottom line is, we want to do our best to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” says Mike Langer.

Eric McClaskey encouraged everyone concerned about safety in the elevator industry to visit the IUEC’s website and view these reports. “On the IUEC safety page, we have an alerts tab that you can click on – it’s open to anyone,” he said. “It’s a resource for local unions, our employers, and the public at large. We house those incident summaries and (information about) close calls, near misses, and injuries on our website so that hopefully the industry can learn from these events that have taken place.”

Mike Langer emphasized the importance of making this information and research public. “Anybody can go to that open website and gather safety information right down to OSHA training from the safety page. It can be anybody in the conveyance industry, whether they’re union or not. That’s really what it’s all about – protecting everybody who’s doing the same work we do.”

Eric McClaskey continued, “(Elevators and escalators are) the most common form of transportation that the public operates on their own, so it’s important for us to make sure that these conveyances are installed and maintained properly. For us as a committee, we focus on items that may affect the end-user, and what we can do to help make sure the public has a safe conveyance to get from place to place.”

To learn more about the work the IUEC is doing to reduce injuries and fatalities in the conveyance industry, visit https://www.elevatorinfo.org/be-safe-improving-safety-elevator-industry/.

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