Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- As my elevator inspection company, are you responsible if my inspection takes place after my Certificate of Operation expires? We work very hard, and have systems in place, to ensure your elevator inspection gets scheduled in a timely manner. However, things sometimes slip through the cracks or your elevator contractor may have a scheduling conflict, and inspections occasionally do not get done prior to expiration date. The ultimate responsibility for a late inspection and/or late fees imposed by the state having jurisdiction, is you, the customer. It is, therefore, a good practice to mark your calendar to contact us 3-4 months prior to your Certificate of Operation expiration date.
- Why do I want my elevators/escalators inspected? There are many benefits afforded the building owner in having their conveyances inspected, other than fulfilling State requirements and receiving an operating permit. Customer safety, liability protection, and maintenance evaluation are other good reasons to have your units inspected regularly.
- Are you the elevator company? No. we are an independent third party inspection company that witnesses the inspection and testing performed by your elevator company and reports the results. We do not work on your conveyances or perform any maintenance or repairs. While we work in conjunction with all elevator contractors, we are not associated with any individual elevator company. We work with your elevator contractor to schedule your inspection. We also offer testing services if you do not have a maintenance contract or your maintenance contract does not include mechanic services for elevator inspection.
- Why is it necessary for my elevator inspection to be witnessed? State law requires inspections to be witnessed by an independent third party inspection company of the building owner's choice. Since we are independent of your elevator company, we do not have a vested financial interest in the work being performed on your units so there is no opportunity for a conflict of interest to occur with regard to your conveyances.
- What are the credentials of your elevator inspectors? The State requires all inspectors to be QEI (Qualified Elevator Inspector) certified and State licensed and our inspectors have those credentials. Inspectors ensure that key safety items are operational and that the entire unit is code compliant.
- How often do my elevators/escalators have to be inspected? State law requires that elevators/escalators be inspected annually, with exceptions depending upon your state/jurisdiction. Some states require bi-annual inspections. Please contact us if you are unsure of your state's requirements.
- How do I know when my elevator inspection is due? Most inspections are completed annually and therefore the due date for your inspection is one year from the date of your last inspection. If you do not know when your elevator was last inspected, please contact us and we will look up the information for you.
- Is the cost of your services included in the fees that the elevator company charges? Typically, no. Our fees are billed separately from the elevator contractor. The exception to this occurs if you have a separate agreement with your elevator company to cover the cost of our services.
- What types of inspections are there? a. Annual Inspections - performed for all elevators/escalators every year. b. Re-inspections - performed for elevators/escalators that have violations cited on the annual inspection. c. Five-year Inspections - performed every five years for traction and roped hydraulic elevators only and take the place of the annual inspection for that year. This inspection is similar to the annual inspection, except more tests are performed, including loading the unit to full capacity (using large scale weights) and checking safety systems. d. Acceptance Inspections - performed on new elevators and modernized elevators. This inspection must be performed before the unit can be available for public use.
- How many people does it take to perform an elevator inspection? It depends on what kind of inspection is taking place. The most common, the Annual Inspection, usually requires one inspector and one or two elevator mechanics (provided by your elevator contractor), with the exception of an Annual Inspection on specialized elevator equipment. A Five-Year Inspection requires one inspector and at least two elevator mechanics. An Acceptance Inspection usually requires one inspector and two or more elevator mechanics, depending upon what the inspector is accepting. Escalators require one inspector and at least two mechanics.
- What type of insurance does SEI carry? SEI meets and exceeds the insurance requirements set forth by each state with which we operate. Certificates of Insurance are issued when requested.
- How do I schedule an inspection? Contact us via phone, email or by the form on the home page of this website and we will be happy to assist you. Please have handy the name of your elevator contractor (if applicable) so that we can coordinate the inspection with them. Also, if you have any additional requirements (insurance, restricted date/time, training programs), please let us know.
- My elevator was inspected, what do I do now? After your elevator is inspected, we will provide you with a report for each unit, listing any violations that were found, if any. We also send a copy of the report to your elevator contractor.
- If no violations were found, you simply follow the guidelines below for obtaining your new Certificate of Operation from the State.
- If violations were found, you may contact your elevator contractor to coordinate the correction of the violations. Once ALL violations are corrected, we will schedule a re-inspection of the unit. After the re-inspection, we will submit a report clearing the unit of all violations. (**) Then, we will send you instructions on how to obtain the new Certificate of Operation from your State. Please note: Some violations may be the building owner's responsibility to correct. Most states allow 60 days to correct the violation and to receive a re-inspection.
** Not all states require an official re-inspection report. Please contact us if you are unsure of your state's requirements.
- Do you provide services other than inspections? Yes, in addition to witnessing inspections, we provide a full array of consulting services. Our services include: maintenance evaluations, maintenance agreement review and development, modernization assessment, accident investigation and expert witnessing.
