ELEVATOR MAINTENANCE CONTROL PROGRAM IN WASHINGTON STATE

PRESENTS

ELEVATOR

MAINTENANCE

CONTROL PROGRAMSA Building Owner’s Guide

An Elevator Maintenance Control Program,

or Elevator MCP, is a program or plan to

ensure that an elevator or escalator is

maintained correctly throughout its life.

It is mandatory in any jurisdiction that has

adopted the ASME 17.1 2000 Elevator Code.

The State of Washington and the City of

Seattle are two of those jurisdictions as of

January 1, 2014.

How the State of Washington administers

the MCP is different from any other state.

Just

here

The Elevator Service Providers doing

business in the State of Washington and the

City of Seattle, have had to submit their

MCP programs to the AHJ (Authority Having

Jurisdiction) for acceptance.

No other state requires the Elevator Service

Providers to do that at this time.

For a Maintenance Control Program to be

code-compliant, (and accepted by the AHJ), it

must be specific to the type of equipment and

address the following things:

1. Examinations at scheduled intervals.

2. Periodic inspections at intervals

established by the Authority Having

Jurisdiction.

3. Cleaning, lubricating and adjusting at

regular intervals.

4. Repairing or replacing damaged or

broken parts affecting safe operation.

1. Design and inherent quality of the

equipment.

2. Environmental conditions.

3. Usage.

4. Improved technology.

The code also states the following criteria

be considered when determining the

intervals between these tasks:

MCP Documentation

Includes:

A Procedure Manual (for

mechanics only), which is:

1. Not left on job site.

2. Specific to type and manufacture of

equipment.

3. Tells mechanic how to correctly fulfill

each task.

4. Proprietary to the Elevator Service

Provider.

This manual will not be found in the

elevator machine room. It is kept by the

Elevator Service Provider.

The Owner can ask to see it, but cannot

keep it.

1. A record of maintenance tasks with

interval.

2. A record of examinations with

interval.

3. A record of safety tests and interval.

4. A record of callback and repair.

5. A record of fire service and

initiation device with interval.

6. A record of oil use (for hydraulic

elevators).

7. A sample signature page.

The MCP also includes these logs which

should be found in the elevator machine room:

Here’s an example of what a page from

one of these logs might look like.

Notice the dates and initials denoting when

task was completed and by whom.

How do you know whose initials these

are?

The MCP should include a sample signature

page within the MCP documentation in the

elevator machine room.

Elevator mechanics can be held personally

responsible for the validity of the MCP

documentation.

Jesse

Reno

JRJesse Reno

Additionally, in the State of

Washington, the Elevator Service

Provider must also cover the section of

the Code pertaining to Periodic

Inspection and Witnessing of Tests

(Section 8.11). Previously the testing

required by this section was

completed by the State Elevator

Inspector.

In the City of Seattle, City Elevator

Inspectors will still cover this part of

the code, for now.

1. Belong to the owner of the

conveyance.

2. Are the Owner’s responsibility to

maintain.

3. Belong in the machine room or other

location within the building

designated by a sticker on the

controller.

4. Have a retention cycle of six years.

The MCP

logs:

So why is administration of the MCP unique in

Washington?

Over the years, several things can be said to

have contributed to where we are now.

Changes in technology have made many

elevator components less time consuming to

maintain. Elevator companies have used

this factor to try to drive down direct labor

costs.

1. Changes in

technology

2. Labor Costs

In the last 25 years, the hourly wage for a

trained and qualified elevator mechanic has

increased about 2 ½

times. However, the monthly price charged

for elevator services has not increased proportionately.

Strong competition and aggressive bidding

within the elevator industry itself have

exerted downward pressure over the years

on monthly service pricing.

3. Competition

Some believe that over the years, the

culmination of these things have had a

negative effect on the elevator industry

which needed to be addressed for the

good of the public at large.

The Maintenance Control Program,

administered in this particular way, was

seen as a means to do that.

Building Owners are responsible for

having an MCP for each elevator or

escalator in the facility.

The Elevator Service Provider is responsible

for providing and following the MCP.

2014 was a grace

year...

Both the City of Seattle and the State

of Washington wanted to ease all

parties into the new procedures in

2014.

However, starting in 2015, things will be different.

Elevators that are overdue for Category 5

tests (for example a full-load safety test)

will be sealed out of service in the City of

Seattle.

Previously, there was a 90 days grace

period, i.e. , if an elevator was 60 days

past due for a 5 year full load test, the

City would give an additional 30 days,

after which it was sealed out of service if

the test was not done.

Starting in 2015, once the test is 30 days

past due, the elevator may be sealed out of

service.

In the State of Washington, the AHJ will

assess the owner a civil penalty of $500 per

month, per conveyance, after being one year

overdue, beginning in month 13.

Compliance with the MCP

is ultimately the responsibility of the

Owner.

Because of the extra labor required to

comply with the MCP, testing is sometimes

written out of Elevator Service Contracts.

Having your Elevator Service Contract

reviewed, or even re-written, by an

Elevator Consultant, could save your

building money in the long run.

Questions?

Call or write.

We’ll be happy to help.

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