This edition of Lift Industry News is examining the questions of competence, consistency and regulatory compliance. All topics that are much debated in our industry and ones that have a significant impact on our approach to what we do.

Edited by Caroline Hamilton of SAFed the key focus is no doubt looking at inspection bodies and the need to provide competent people who look at regulatory compliance in a consistent manner. While SAFed affiliated bodies cover a wide range of services, my focus is on competence and the criteria being applied to recruiting and training those who will be responsible for undertaking LOLER and thorough inspections.

I’m sure we are all aware that when it comes to regulation and its application a number of factors come into play. Interpretation of the codes and standards is perhaps the most significant. Ambiguous wording, national norms and local regulation all contribute to how codes and standards are viewed and applied. Add to this the fact that almost every lift and escalator installation is unique in some way and we can have a difficult time seeking to align requirements consistently.

From experience, there are two key elements that need to be considered when examining lift and escalator equipment. The lift or escalator itself, and its compliance to the relative standards, and the environment in which it operates, inclusive of access to the equipment for maintenance and inspection purposes.