Finally.

After months of calls and letters, the State of Florida Bureau of Elevator Safety has taken a hard stance on the adoption and enforcement of A17.3 (Safety Code for Existing Elevators).

Industry bulletin #2008-03 addresses the statutory requirements for code compliance and goes so far as to actually spell out the code requirements for the inspection of elevators in Florida. According to the bulletin, the following are the adopted and enforceable codes for inspections in Florida.

• Chapter 399 (Florida Statute)
• Florida Administrative Rule 61C-5
• Florida Building Code Chapter 30
• ASME A17.1 2004 with 2005 Addenda
• ASME A17.2 2004
• ASME A17.3 1996
• ASME A18.1 2003

By the way, let’s keep in mind that the aforementioned codes are only the minimum requirements with regard to elevator safety requirements. We’ll say it again: T-H-E M-I-N-I-M-U-M requirement.

Also addressed in this bulletin is the requirements for elevator inspections and the responsibility of the building owners in that regard. As has been the belief and stance of Alliance Elevator Consultants, the building owner is responsible for the scheduling of inspections and is responsible for ensuring the periodic tests are witnessed by an INDEPENDENT third party inspector. In other words, an inspector he or she hires; not an inspector your service company hires.   This belief, and our position, have been validated as well through this release.

After countless attempts to get these things in writing, Alliance Elevator Consultants and SCORES of other inspection and consulting companies have finally received their reward.

Question is, will anything really change?

Next task – how about some repercussions for ignoring this?