Elevator maintenance records – Machine room

All elevators are subject to have maintenance information to be on site which include.  Please note that all items need to be current.

1.    Maintenance records

2.    Call back logs

3.    Maintenance Control Plan [MCP]

4.    Fireman’s recall exercising records

5.    Oil log

6.    Testing records

The debate of onsite versus accessible is a consistent discussion in code meetings and different association meetings.  My opinion of this is that if someone walks into a machine room and doesn’t find any records or information there needs to be a means access to this information immediately[I have not seen a good solution for this besides hard copies].  The people who are entitled to the information are elevator mechanics, elevator consultants, elevator inspectors and other elevator personnel[including sales people].

Does a sticker work?  - In my opinion the “1-800-Call-ABC elevator” phone line sticker does no work because #1 many times a MCP doesn’t exist, #2 they will not send maintenance and call back records immediate upon request[I have tried], #3 if a person has a non smartphone or there is no reception in the machine room they cannot get the information.

Does a CD work? – In my opinion a CD does not work because 99.9% of elevator personnel do not carry laptops with a CD rom drive with them into a machine room.

What works? – Hard copies of all the items listed meet code requirements.

Whose responsibility is this? – The building owner bears the responsibility for this requirement but they hire an elevator contractor to fulfill the responsibility.

How long do records need to be kept? – The elevator code says 5 years,  AHJ’s[Authority Having Jurisdiction] may require longer i.e. 7 to 10 years.

Take away – This requirement has been brushed off, pushed off and differed for many years because it will take a significant amount of resources to complete. If one contractor can complete this, every contractor can complete this task, it just takes time.  Make sure your elevator service provider is providing your building with the correct information in the machine room.

As always feel free to contact us at www.colleyelevator.com, email Craigz@colleyelevator.com or call 630-766-7230.