Maintenance and repair
Lift maintenance in plain words
A lift is like a car: to run safely and not break down unexpectedly, it needs regular checks, lubrication, adjustment and replacement of worn parts. Maintenance is the regular health check a specialist gives the lift.
Why it is needed
What happens to a lift nobody looks after
- It starts getting stuck between floors.
- It rattles loudly or jerks as it moves.
- It breaks down unexpectedly, usually at the worst possible moment.
- In the worst case it becomes dangerous for people.
Almost everything on this list starts with something small: a loose lock, an unlubricated assembly, a worn contact. During a regular check such things are spotted straight away and fixed on the spot.
Catching them later costs several times more, and by then the lift has already stopped. In an apartment building that means people walk up to the ninth floor.
What it looks like in practice
What the technician does on a visit
Safety systems
We check that the door locks, the emergency brake and the link to the dispatch centre work.
Moving parts
We lubricate and adjust them so the lift runs quietly and smoothly, without jerking.
Key assemblies
We check the ropes, the motor, the electrical panel and the controls.
Minor faults
We fix them on the spot before they become big and expensive.
Log
We record everything in the lift maintenance log, as the law requires.
- Scheduled inspections at least once a month: mechanical parts, electrical equipment, control and safety systems.
- Checks of safety devices and emergency release functions.
- Minor repairs and adjustment on site.
- A partial technical inspection with tests every 12 months and a full one every 36 months.
And if the lift breaks down suddenly
You call, and we come
Our lift service works 24/7, all year round. Every lift car we maintain has a notice with the service phone number, and when the call button in the car is pressed, a dispatcher answers and talks to the person while the technician is on the way.
In Western Lithuania we arrive within 45 minutes. At weekends, when we work on call, a stopped lift is usually running again within an hour.
Why it matters
Four reasons that never change
Any neglected assembly sooner or later becomes a risk. Safety systems are checked on every visit.
Most call-outs come from things that could have been spotted earlier, during a scheduled check.
Regular maintenance extends the life of a lift. It is easier to avoid an expensive repair than to carry it out later.
Under the Lithuanian Lift Maintenance Rules (Order No. A1-61 of the Minister of Social Security and Labour), ongoing maintenance is mandatory for every lift in use. Without a valid maintenance contract the lift has no lawful maintainer, and that is a breach regardless of the lift's technical condition.
The law
What is mandatory and what the owner decides
In Lithuania, lift maintenance is governed by Order No. A1-61 of the Minister of Social Security and Labour approving the Lift Maintenance Rules. Some of the work is stated categorically: if it is not done, the lift is shut down, and neither the maintenance company nor the owner gets to decide. Anything beyond these requirements is the owner's choice.
When a lift is shut down immediately
In these cases the Rules say “prohibited” and “shut down immediately”. The law has already decided, so there is nothing to negotiate.
- The lift is not registered or has no positive inspection report
Without registration in the Register of Potentially Hazardous Equipment and confirmation from an independent body that the lift is safe, it may not operate for a single day.Rules, paras. 11, 12, 14.9
- An expert found the lift unsafe during an inspection
The lift is switched off the same day. It can only be restarted once the defects are fixed and a new positive report is issued.Rules, paras. 14.10, 30
- Our technician found a fault that is dangerous to people
During the monthly inspection the technician must switch the lift off immediately and inform the owner. He does not wait for the owner's decision or for residents to vote.Rules, para. 16.6
- A mandatory inspection was missed
If the partial inspection is not done within 12 months or the full one within 36 months, the lift may no longer be used, even if it still runs.Rules, paras. 10, 11, 20, 14.11
- There is no maintenance contract
Without a signed contract with a company or a qualified technician, the lift has no lawful maintainer. That is a breach in itself, whatever the lift's condition.Rules, paras. 13.2, 14.1
What is mandatory by deadline
This work can and should be budgeted in advance, but it cannot be skipped. If a deadline is missed, the lift falls into the first list and must be shut down.
The technician visits according to the approved maintenance plan. This is the minimum set by the Rules, unless the manufacturer specifies more often.
The lift is inspected not by the maintenance company but by an independent accredited body, much like a car's roadworthiness test.
A deeper inspection with real tests of assemblies, for example braking force.
If the drive, brakes, car or safety devices have been replaced, the lift can only be restarted after an inspection, not after “a quick look”.
The lift passport and maintenance log are kept up to date and stored for the lift's entire service life. Without them an inspection cannot be carried out.
The maintenance company must hold civil liability insurance. It protects the lift owner if something happens during the work.
For old lifts. If the lift was installed before 1 July 2001 and its service life set by the manufacturer, or 25 years, has ended, the owner must commission a risk assessment. It lists the defects and assigns each a hazard level. The level determines how soon the defect must be eliminated: extreme hazard immediately, high within 5 years, medium and low within 10 years.
03What the expert checks during the annual inspection
What the expert checks during the annual inspection
This is not extra work. It is the list of what lies behind the word “inspection” when the owner pays for a partial technical inspection.
- Drive mechanism and braking
Wear of the machine and traction sheave, brakes, overspeed governor and its seal, safety gear, buffers.Rules, paras. 26.4, 26.11–12, 26.17
- Car, counterweight, guide rails
Car and counterweight suspension, fixing of counterweight fillers and guide shoes, guide rail fixings and clearances, guards.Rules, paras. 26.9, 26.13–16, 26.18
- Doors and shaft
Landing and car doors, automatic locks, door operator interaction, and whether the car stops level at each landing.Rules, paras. 26.6–8, 26.19
- Electrical equipment and alarms
Control cabinet devices, earthing circuits and resistance, main switch, wiring diagram, link to the dispatch centre.Rules, paras. 26.1–3, 26.20–21
- Safety for passengers and service staff
Lighting, suspension ropes, user information in the car, safe access to the machine room, emergency operation instructions.Rules, paras. 26.5, 26.10, 26.22–24
04When parts are replaced
When parts are replaced
The Lithuanian Rules do not give specific wear limits. They come from European lift standards and from each lift's technical file, so this is general guidance, not the norm for a particular lift.
- Replaced when the limit is reachedSteel suspension ropes
When the diameter has decreased by 10% or more, or 6 or more wires are broken within one lay length. Ropes are checked every month and their condition is recorded in the log. Once the limit is reached the rope is replaced immediately, whatever the age of the lift.EN 12385-5, EN 81-20
- Per manufacturerCoated steel belts
There is no general limit. The steel cords are hidden under the coating, so their condition is assessed by the manufacturer's monitoring system or by the measurement specified in that lift's passport.Manufacturer's instructions
- By conditionDoor locks, safety circuit relays
1,000,000 operating cycles is the figure a new part must withstand to be certified, not a rule to “replace after so many presses”. They are replaced when a fault or uneven operation is noticed during maintenance.EN 81-50, Rules, para. 16.6
- After 20–25 yearsThe whole lift
The design life is about 20–25 years, or 25 years if the manufacturer has not specified it. After that a risk assessment is needed, and the accredited body that carries it out determines what must be replaced and by when.EN 81-80, Rules, para. 10
An informative summary that does not replace the text of the law. Source: Order No. A1-61 of 24 February 2006 of the Minister of Social Security and Labour of the Republic of Lithuania approving the Lift Maintenance Rules, consolidated version from 13 May 2020, e-tar.lt.
We can take over maintenance
If your lift is maintained by another company or has no maintenance contract at all, get in touch. We will come, inspect the lift and tell you what condition it is really in. The inspection in Klaipėda County is free.
Send an enquiry