Lift Safety Policy

6.1 The purpose of this policy is to ensure:

• our homes and other buildings comply with health and safety legislation
• customers are safe in their homes
• customers affected by this policy are treated with respect and empathy

6.2 We acknowledge and accept our responsibilities under the legislation outlined in section 5. Obligations.

6.3 We will adopt the same principles to the management of lifts within communal blocks and domestic properties as for passenger lifts and any other lifts provided as work equipment. We will therefore carry out a programme of periodic servicing and maintenance and thorough examinations to lifts within domestic properties where these have been installed by us, or where our tenant has installed one and made us aware of it.

6.4 We will ensure all lifting equipment is subject to a thorough examination before being commissioned into use for the first time.

6.5 All lifting equipment will be subject to a periodic thorough examination and routine servicing and maintenance:

• we will carry out periodic servicing and maintenance to lifts that have been installed by us
• the Home Improvement Agency (HIA) will carry out periodic servicing and maintenance to properties where they have installed a lift
• we will carry out a thorough examination to all lifts in our properties

6.6 All lifts that we install in properties we own or manage will be fully accessible for disabled users, as per the requirements of the Equality Act 2010 (opens new window), and to the specifications outlined in Part M of the The Building (Amendment) Regulations 2004 (opens new window).

6.7 We will endeavour to ensure that all lifting equipment will be in full working order at all times. Where we become aware of a breakdown of a passenger lift, we will ensure our lift contractor attends within 24 hours.  In the case of our high-rise residential buildings, we will report any out of service lifts to the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service in accordance with the requirements of the building safety act.

6.8 We will operate robust processes to deal with entrapment situations. In the event of any persons becoming trapped in a lift we are responsible for we will ensure our lift contractor attends within 4 hours.

6.9 We will operate a robust process to manage and rectify immediately dangerous situations identified during a lift safety check or any other maintenance work.

6.10 All passenger lifts within communal blocks and high-rise blocks will have an intercom that dials directly to a dedicated call centre. Call handlers will contact emergency services if there is an urgent concern for a person's welfare.  It should be noted that not all lifts within public buildings have this function.

6.11 All domestic lifts will have a thorough examination/service visit before the property is re-let to ensure it is safe and working correctly at the point the new tenancy commences. The new tenant will be shown how to operate the lift safely. We will also consider the suitability of prospective tenants to ensure the property is appropriate if lifting equipment has been installed.  If a suitable tenant cannot be housed and make use of the domestic lift, Gateshead Council will remove the lift.

6.12 We will operate a robust process to gain access to properties to undertake thorough examinations, lift safety/servicing visits and follow-on works. Where tenant vulnerability issues are known or identified we will ensure we safeguard the wellbeing of the tenant, whilst ensuring the organisation can gain timely access to any property to be compliant with this policy.

6.13 We will operate effective contract management arrangements with the contractors responsible for delivering the service, including ensuring contracts/service level agreements are in place, conducting client-led performance meetings, and ensuring that contractors' employee and public liability insurances are up to date on an annual basis.

6.14 We will establish and maintain a risk assessment for lift safety management and operations, setting out our key lift safety risks and appropriate mitigations.

6.15 To comply with the requirements of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (opens new window) (CDM), a Construction Phase Plan will be in place for all repairs work to void and tenanted properties (at the start of the contract and reviewed annually thereafter), component replacement works and refurbishment projects. This plan will detail what is required to reinstate lifts affected by the works, to ensure they are safe to use and continue to comply with relevant legislation.

6.16 We will ensure there is a robust process in place to investigate and manage all Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR) (opens new window) notifications made to the HSE in relation to lift safety, and we will take action to ensure any issues identified and lessons we have learned to prevent a similar incident occurring again.