Maintenance, Inspection, and Testing
Inspection versus testing
A17.2 inspection procedures focus on visual and operational checks: machine room, hoistway, car top, pit, doors, ropes, governor, safeties, buffers, and electrical equipment. Periodic tests are categorized by interval. Category 1 tests are routine annual checks; Category 3 tests occur every three years; Category 5 tests every five years and include more demanding safety tests such as rated-load safety, governor, and buffer tests. Maintenance records, test tags, and a written log document what was done and when.
Worked example
An oil buffer has no test record for six years. The inspector checks the applicable periodic test table and determines that a Category 5 test is overdue. The test must verify the buffer’s performance under the required conditions. The inspector does not accept a visual “looks fine” statement; the test record and witnessed performance are required. The missing record itself is a finding.
Traps that cost marks
Do not treat a visual inspection as a substitute for a required test. Do not assume every test is annual. Do not sign off a test without the correct load, speed, and witnessing requirements. Do not ignore maintenance records; missing records can fail an inspection even when the equipment operates.