From: Herrera, Attila (LNI) [herv235@LNI.WA.GOV]
Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2023 3:59 PM
To: Jenna
Subject: L&I Inspection 317968030
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Jenna,
Good afternoon and thank you for taking my call this afternoon. As discussed earlier, I am sending you the Closing Conference highlights, for a General Violation, which has no monetary penalty. As I said earlier, I set a 30-day abatement period which does not begin until you receive the citation, which should give you plenty of time to get those inspections done. The Closing Conference highlights has all the details on posting etc., that we discussed during the closing conference. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.
Below are the references I was telling you about, the old ANSI/ALI ALOIM 2008 version and the current 2021 version which I received from our resident expert. I hope this helps, and although you may not need it, help you justify the expenditure.
It may be important to have the lift operate through the full cycle of movement to examine the entire length of wire rope while also using a ladder if synchronized from above. Another option is to use a “mirror on a stick”. This approach would allow you to examine the complete wire rope as opposed to just the parts that are exposed without movement of components or removal of covers.
Referencing the 2008 and 2008 (R2013) editions of ANSI/ALOIM that are now withdrawn standards, you should be looking at section 5.5 of those documents. This section clearly states “Qualified Inspection Frequency. Inspections by the owner or employer shall follow the recommendations of the lift manufacturer as to frequency. Without regard to the frequency of inspection specified by the lift manufacturer, whether it be weekly, monthly, semi-annually or on some other basis, the owner or employer shall ensure that the points present in 5.6 are inspected by a qualified lift inspector as a minimum annual requirement”. I’ve highlighted the important piece that you seem to have overlooked.
In the current edition that has been in effect since January 01, 2021 (ANSI/ALI ALOIM 2020), you would reference section 6.1.1
“Inspection Frequency. The owner or employer shall ensure operator examination points and the lift inspections follow the recommendations of the lift manufacturer and this standard as to frequency. In the absence of a frequency of inspection specified by the lift manufacturer, the owner or employer shall ensure that the points presented in 6.2.4 are inspected by a qualified lift inspector as a minimum annual requirement. I’ve highlighted an important piece here for you. You should also understand that “operator examination” is a visual examination that is not intended to be an equivalent of the work conducted by a “qualified lift inspector”. Should someone desire to argue this point, section 6.2.3 presents methods acceptable as training for a Qualified lift inspector. Annual inspection by a Qualified Lift Inspector should still be taking place as it was in the previous years you have cited.
Very Respectfully,
Attila Herrera
Compliance Officer, DOSH Region 4
Department of Labor & Industries
PO Box 44810
Olympia, WA 98504
Cell (360) 480-9797
Wk (360)-902-6084
How much does it cost your shop to have an auto lift down for two weeks? A fortune!
Why not have them inspected and the required maintenance done at least every 12 months by an ALI Certified Lift Inspector to identify the problems BEFORE the lift is inoperable and you're waiting for parts and repairs for weeks? A lift inspection is thousands of dollars less than a lift taken out of service production for a few weeks.
"If anything happens — an accident, a snap inspection, even a disgruntled employee reporting a violation — the first thing OSHA will ask you for is your lift inspection documentation," says Ed Gibbons, fixed operations specialist for Automotive Compliance Consulting Inc. of Crystal Lake, Ill.
OSHA has a general duty clause which makes it necessary to provide a safe work environment for all employees. You are encouraged to follow the recommendations of ANSI and the manufacturer of the lifts as to the frequency of inspections. As a minimum all inspection points must be inspected annually.
Are your vehicle lifts being inspected annually by an ALI Certified Lift Inspector? Probably not...
According to OSHA, they should be. OSHA- annual inspections of lifts are aimed at catching such maintenance lapses and it can get very expensive if you don’t have proof of annual inspections and proper maintenance records. Especially if there is a lift related injury or worse.
Lift Inspections Texas can perform you annual required lift inspection along with the required maintenance and provide the service manager with the required paperwork that would need to be presented in the event of a lift related injury, insurance audit, or OSHA inspection.
Why choose Lift Inspections Texas for your annual inspections?
Did your last lift inspector actually place a vehicle on each lift in your shop to test the hydraulics or did they just come in and tighten a few anchor bolts and call it good? We follow ALI/ANSI guidelines and really put a vehicle on each lift to see how high it rises and time how long it takes to come down. We then do a math formula to calculate feet per minute descent (FPMD) to determine the condition of the hydraulic system on each one of your lifts. This is a very important step in the inspections process that non-ALI certified inspectors often ignore.
Only Automotive Lift Institute Certified Vehicle Lift Inspectors are trained to follow the guidelines set forth by the Automotive Lift Institute, the American National Standards Institute and lift manufactures.
Lift Inspections Texas is a professional inspection company, not an equipment sales company. We conduct all inspections with the utmost integrity, professionalism and take no shortcuts. After all, your techs safety and lives are counting on us to do the job right.
Our inspector has worked for over 32 years in the dealership environment, is an Automotive Lift Institute Certified Lift Inspector, has completed the OSHA 30-hour General Industry Safety and Health course by the University of Central Florida as well as a Certified Auto Dealer Compliance Officer by the Association of Dealer Compliance Officers (ADCO).
Lift Inspections Texas charges a flat fee (based on number of lifts) for ALL lifts regardless of the model. No up charge for HD or wheel engaging mobile units. We never charge for travel time or materials.
Our Lift Inspector is Automotive Lift Institute Certified and performs ANSI/ALI ALCTV Compliant Lift Inspections. When your lifts pass inspection, they will receive an Automotive Lift Institute Inspection Label that is valid for one year.