Commentary about Elevators
submitted by Edward Harshman
With major unavoidable expense of elevators, we should be trying to
figure out not only how to get the lowest long-term expense
(balancing immediate savings against preventable future maintenance
costs) and restore elevator function sooner instead of later, but
also some details about cosmetics and function.
Don't use TKE for elevator work. Where I live in Jacksonville, it
has deliberately pretended that elevator parts were unavailable
whereas they really were, thereby preventably keeping an elevator
out of action for months, while trying to strong-arm the building
management into an adverse maintenance contract. Management found
another elevator service company, and the elevator was promptly
repaired. Unpreventable delays are bad enough; let's not walk into a
trap with a dishonorable contractor.
The computer programming that coordinates the allocation of
elevators when two or more are in a group is extremely complicated.
Let’s make sure that it is up to date and can be changed at will
temporarily, for example if there is a breakup of a conference or
some other reason to anticipate unusual demand for several minutes.
Do we want a bench or a seat in each elevator cab? It takes up floor
space, but is the height of luxury.
If there is a secure floor (I don’t think there is one right now but
something may change), it is possible to have a security code for
access to that floor that comprises pressing three different floor
numbers rapidly in order within one second and that will access the
secure floor—and there is no other way to get to that floor. I’ve
seen it at SEIU headquarters in New York City when I worked there in
1992. Should we retain that option in case we eventually need it? If
major crime becomes an issue, then telling us unit owners of the
code to get to our floors and locking the stairway access doors to
prevent other upstairs access may be necessary. Remembering such an
elevator code is a nuisance, but it it does not require the
additional devices of fobs and bracelets (in my experience fobs work
and bracelets are unreliable) or visible devices in elevator cabs.
North elevator bank: should the elevator call apply to all elevators
including the service elevator outside of working hours, during
which time the service elevator should be reserved for service
employees and freight? I think so. Why impound the service elevator
after hours, especially if a conference or other event breaks up and
numerous people want to use the elevators all at once?
The service elevator should be equipped with pegs at the top of its
walls and furnished with padding that service employees, movers,
etc. can borrow so as to protect the walls of the (ideally new and
elegant) cab when needed and stored within reach of the front desk
staff at other times. Putting pegs on another elevator in case the
service elevator does not work and freight must be heaved in and out
would be prudent, too.
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