1,054 lifts inspected, 66 notices issued

SIBU: A statutory inspection has been carried out on 1,054 lifts throughout the state by the Department of Occupational Safety and Health as of November this year.

Its state director Mohd Hatta Zakaria disclosed that from the inspection, 66 prohibition and improvement notices had been issued to building management that failed to comply with the stipulated lift safety specifications.

“Three compounds totalling RM12,500 were issued to the building management for failing to register goods hoist used in their respective premises.

“Also, 25 instruction letters have been issued to ensure building and premises management appoint competent firms to carry out maintenance and inspection of lifts,” he said in a press statement received here yesterday.

Mohd Hatta added that the department had set a condition that lifts had to be serviced monthly and maintenance works carried out once every three months.

Lifts had to be checked every 15 months by officers to ensure they were fit to be used, he added.

“A Certificate of Fitness (CF) will be issued if the lift is found to be safe for use. In general, four parties are directly involved to ensure the safety and functionality of the lifts are in good working order, namely the government (dept), owner, the competent firm and competent person as well as users.”

Failure to abide with the instruction would mean that legal action could be taken against the defaulters, which on conviction, could be fined the maximum RM50,000 or not more than two years’ jail or both under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (Osha) 1994 or under Factory and Machinery Act 1967 which carries the maximum fine of RM100,000 or not more than two years’ jail or both.

Mohd Hatta said the department, together with the Lift Contractor Association, had issued a safety guideline for usage of lift and escalator in 2010.

Meanwhile, it is observed that lifts are heavily used by the public at the Sibu Central Market.

They are making use of the lifts to either go to the Urban Transformation Center (UTC) or to the multi-storey carpark.

A Certificate of Fitness (CF) will be issued if the lift is found to be safe for use. — Mohd Hatta Zakaria, state director

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