Rank: Super forum user 
|
As an hospital we are occassionally at risk of a very poorly patient being trapped in a lift which has malfunctioned whilst they are on site as a patient. The lift maintenance company have stated that they will respond within 1 hour to free passengers from the lift car (as long as we have a contract in place) This is not acceptable to us as we require access as soon as possible in order to keep very ill patients alive. We have asked for lift maintenance training in this area in order to rescue said patient. The lift company flatly refuse to train our engineering staff to a competent level to enable them to perform this procedure.
As anyone else experienced this attitude.
SBH
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Super forum user 
|
Our lift maintenance company used to provide the training, but stopped doing so. We had to get the training from elsewhere.
My understanding is that the Lift and Escalator Industry Association advised its members to stop delivering this type of casual training via their engineers about two year ago. I believe that the concern was that maintenance technicians are not qualified trainers and there weren't generally records of the training or assessment of the candidates.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Forum user
|
We have a two person disable lift in one of our cafes which goes from the ground floor to 1st floor only and we ask our lift enginers for training as a customer (not disabled) got stuck in the lift and had to wait so long we ended up calling the fire service to rescue him, even though we had a 1 hour call out agreement. The training consisted of how to open the control panel, how to cut the power to the lift by use of power switch, how to remove the winding handle and which way to turn it and then how to open the door once it was in the final normal stop position on the ground, oh not forgetting the sound advice not to wind the lift upwards as this is a lot more hard work. It took all of 30 minutes but the lift company traininer managed to drag this out to 4 hours of training. The price for 4 people to complete the training was nearly £1000. Needless to say we felt very ripped off, got another contractor in place but the staff did get a nice certificate of compentency!!!!!!!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Super forum user 
|
As has been said, utilise the FRS if needed, however, I do find the lift company attitude stinks.
In fact I was discussing this last week with an estates department engineer in a local health trust.
It seems IMHO that the suppliers don't care.
Is there anywhere else you can get this training?
After all it seems like the FRS can do it!
An hour in a lift could kill a patient with a cardiac arrest.
It is simply not acceptable, why can't the lift company provide a unit with a suitably higher MTBF?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Super forum user
|
paul.skyrme wrote:
It is simply not acceptable, why can't the lift company provide a unit with a suitably higher MTBF?
It's nothing whatever to do with the failure rate of the lift system. It's legislation - LOLER. LOLER requires that you have provision for the safety of those trapped in lift cars on your premises, and for them to be freed. Even if the lift only failed once in a million years, LOLER requires that you make the provision.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Super forum user
|
There are lift companies out there who will do this. Properly documented, properly thought throughm with handbooks etc. I know, because we have just had a new building completed and the Maintenance team and I were all taught how to rescue people from the lift.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Super forum user 
|
The root cause is most likely your procurement dept.
Everyone goes for the cheapest contractor and then wonders why they don't get 1st class service.
The 1st class contractors go out of business and the cowboys rule the world.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Forum user
|
I work in the healthcare service and have hundreds of residential care homes. Our policy with the lift company is 1 hour call out. In the event that a residents health was it was we would call the fire and rescue service without fail. I agree with what others have said, it's probably down to procurement sourcing the cheapest contract.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Super forum user
|
As the process is relatively simple to lower the car with both hydraulic and wire drive then one is forced to question the competence of any engineer who is claimed to be not competent to train for the task. The installers really are shooting themselves in the foot with the claim. The general instructions that should be in the lift plant room will tell you the precise rquirements and if it is not there then demand it from your installer/maintenance engineer.
Get a maintenance company that will or seek a good consultant who will. After all the Fire Rescue Service are called on for this task in an emergency with little need to train
|
|
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum.
You cannot reply to topics in this forum.
You cannot delete your posts in this forum.
You cannot edit your posts in this forum.
You cannot create polls in this forum.
You cannot vote in polls in this forum.