‟It is essential that only workers with proper
skills training and knowledge are employed and
their workers’ earnings are commensurate with
their skills certification level.
The company’s duty holders shall be held fully
responsible for any accident or mishap occurring
with lifts under their maintenance and the burden
of proof will fall upon them to show that they have
discharged their duty with care in accordance
with the required standards as far as reasonably
practicable. The duty of care will require them
to show proof that the jobs have been properly
and safely undertaken on the machines if any
doubts are raised by the authority during an
inspection concerning poor installation, poor
quality maintenance and servicing and use of substandard
parts.
Workers in the Lift Industry Sector
In the US, for example, a worker in the VTS industry
needs to start off as a journeyman. During a
four-year mandated period he has to undergo a
combination of classroom training, attend courses
with a standard curriculum and complete a period
of on the job training (OJT). At the end of the
fourth year, a skills assessment is made and once
completed he is viewed as a certified journeyman
(skilled lift mechanic).
In Malaysia, most of the workers are trained
in-house by the registered lift firms and not
to the degree and depth commensurate with
the level of skill and knowledge required to
undertake proper servicing, adjustment, repair
and maintenance work on lift and escalator
machinery. Thus the authority needs to bring
into effect a regulation requiring all workers in
the VTS industry undergo suitable, proper, and
systematic skills training. Certification of their
skills should only be made by the Construction
Industry Development Board.
Vertical transport machines are only really
safe if the proper standard of maintenance have
been undertaken on them. Nowadays, modern
lift machines come with microprocessor and
computer controls and advanced technology
features. Consequently, the skill levels of the
workers has to be improved and continually
enhanced at regular intervals to keep pace with
the technological changes and developments.
Conclusion
Such timely and important remedial measures
as proposed can help to continually improve and
develop the VTS industry further. It is essential
that only workers with proper skills training and
knowledge are employed and their workers’
earnings are commensurate with their skills
certification level.
Duty holders and stakeholders should remind
themselves about the preventable falling lift
incident and ensure proper and safe measures
are taken to prevent a similar occurrence,
including the appropriate operation, inspection,
examination and maintenance of such systems on
their properties at all times.
REFERENCE
Factories and Machinery Act 1967
Factories and Machinery (Electric Passenger and
Goods Lift) Regulations 1970
Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994
EN 81: 20 and EN 81: 50 - Lift Standards
(Amendments):2018
Uniform Building By-laws
Street, Drainage and Building(Amendment) Act
1974
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