What is an authorising engineer for lifts and what do they do?
Ulster Hospital
Authors
What is an authorising engineer for lifts?
An authorising engineer for lifts is a chartered engineer appointed by a healthcare organisation or NHS Trust to provide them with advice and assess compliance to HTM08-02. An authorising engineer for lifts is sometimes referred to as the AE Lifts.
When is an authorising engineer for lifts required?
Under the health technical memorandum HTM00, it is a person within an NHS Trust or healthcare organisation who has overall responsibility for lifts and their safe operation (known as the Designated Person for lifts). It is their responsibility to ensure the appointment of an authorising engineer or lifts.
What does an authorising engineer for lifts do?
The AE Lifts assists the Trust to meet their responsibilities as defined in HTM08-02 Lifts, and to provide it with specialist advice concerning their lifts, including:
- Assessing condition of lifts and escalators
- Assessing lifecycle requirements
- Providing advice to guide capital investment planning for lifts and escalators
- Assessing and monitoring the maintenance provisions and statutory inspections (LOLER inspections) for the lift and escalator portfolio
- Assessing the requirements for passenger release training for lifts and advising on the training requirements for those that need it
- Assessing the Trust’s policies and duty holders and assisting the Trust in complying with HTM08-02
- Identifying gaps and helping the Trust to implement action plans to close gaps
What else can an authorising engineer for lifts help with?
Aside from the primary duties already mentioned, the AE Lifts can also help the NHS Trust with the following:
- Accident or incident investigations
- Formulating lift management policies
- Modifying existing lifts to facilitate their use as part of an evacuation strategy
- Providing advice or second opinion of operational issues
- Suggesting improvements to address issues
- Design and planning for new buildings
- Providing advice and support for the upgrade, refurbishment and replacement of existing lifts to provide long-term operational effectiveness
- Providing advice on market changes, technical developments, and changes in standards and good practice
- Assisting the Trust’s estates team with day-to-day operations concerning lifts and escalators
Why appoint Cundall’s lift and escalator specialists to be your authorising engineer for lifts?
From our experience, we understand there is a considerable time strain on teams within NHS trusts across the UK. We produce easy to understand plans and reports which help identify and focus upon key actions and gaps.
We are available to provide support whenever and wherever its needed, from providing advice and updates to supporting and managing projects on behalf of the Trust.
Our focus is to help estates teams meet their compliance requirements. We offer UK-wide lift consultancy and AE lifts coverage from our offices in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle and Edinburgh.
Contact me on the details below if you have any questions or need some advice.
