With the change in weather, now is an ideal time to review existing contracts and ensure everything is in place to assist with a safe and reliable lift service over the forthcoming months. As always, there are the mandatory requirements when owning or managing lift equipment, but at this time of the year there are other points to keep an eye on too, as the temperature drops and rainfall increases:

External Motor Rooms

Hydraulic lifts and traction machines have oil reservoirs which can be affected by temperature fluctuation. Ensure all heating and ventilation systems are working correctly to prevent potential failings of equipment and excessive wear to components.

Often cooler oil temperatures over the autumn and winter months result in oil viscosity (thickness) increasing, which impacts on the workload of the lift and can, in extreme circumstances, cause reliability issues. The same is true when oil becomes too thin and overheats, so it is worth checking the motor room thermostat to ensure the temperatures are kept between optimum levels. Some hydraulic equipment can have a narrow operational range (from 15-30⁰C), far narrower than the 5-40⁰C assumed within the EN81-20 standard.

Flat Roof Structures

After a prolonged warm spell, heavy rainfall to flat roof structures can lead to water ingress. Check areas below flat roof structures for signs of water ingress, which can in turn damage mechanical and electrical components if above a motor room or lift shaft.

The below image was taken from a site where the lift installation was heavily damaged by unchecked water ingress, resulting in a prolonged period of outage for the residents.

Hopefully these small reminders benefit you to ensure your lift equipment is safe for continued usage, is well maintained and will prove to be reliable over the coming months.