Periodic Inspections and Witnessing of Tests

Why Periodic Inspections and Tests Exist

Elevators move people vertically, often at significant speeds, inside enclosed shafts. A safety device that worked perfectly at installation can wear, corrode, or go out of adjustment over years of service. ASME A17.1, Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators, addresses this reality by requiring that specific safety devices be tested at defined intervals and that a qualified inspector witness those tests. These requirements are not optional—they are the legal baseline in every US jurisdiction that has adopted the code (most jurisdictions adopt A17.1 by reference into their state or local elevator law).

As a pre-apprentice, you will not yet perform these tests independently, but you will assist journeymen and inspectors. Knowing what is being tested, why, at what frequency, and how to document the results is essential for both the NEIEP/IUEC apprenticeship entry credential and the NAEC CET exam.

Types of Periodic Tests

A17.1 divides periodic tests into categories based on the systems they cover. The most important for traction elevators include:

• Car and counterweight safety tests – Verify that the safety device (a mechanical clamp) will stop and hold the car or counterweight if the governor trips. This is tested at rated load under controlled conditions.
• Governor and governor rope tests – Confirm that the overspeed governor trips at the correct speed and that the governor rope pulls the safety linkage properly.
• Buffer tests – Oil buffers must be checked for proper oil level and tested to confirm they will absorb a car's kinetic energy at rated speed. Spring buffers are tested for proper compression and return.
• Pressure-relief valve tests – Apply to hydraulic elevators; the valve must open before pressure reaches the level that could rupture the cylinder.
• Brake tests – Verify that the machine brake can hold the car at rest and, in some test types, decelerate a descending car.
• Suspension rope or chain inspection – Ropes are inspected for broken wires, wear, and diameter loss. A17.1 defines discard criteria.

Each test has a required frequency stated in the code—commonly every one, two, or five years depending on the test and equipment type. Always look up the exact interval in the edition of A17.1 that your jurisdiction has adopted, because intervals have changed across editions.

Who May Perform and Witness Tests

A17.1 distinguishes between the person who performs a test (typically the licensed elevator mechanic or contractor) and the person who witnesses it (the Authority Having Jurisdiction, or AHJ—usually a state or municipal elevator inspector, or an approved third-party inspector). Both must be present for most periodic tests. Notifying the AHJ in advance is a legal requirement, not a courtesy. Scheduling errors that result in a test performed without a witness may require the test to be repeated.

Before the Test: The Pre-Test Checklist

Running a safety test on a real elevator is a controlled, planned event. Rushing a test without preparation is how people get hurt. A structured pre-test checklist ensures every prerequisite is met before any test operation begins.

Key checklist areas for a traction elevator rated-load test:

1. Pit conditions – Pit must be clean, dry, and free of debris. The pit ladder must be in place. Pit lighting must work. Pit stop switch must be functional and accessible.

2. Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) – Follow your employer's LOTO program. Before any mechanical inspection inside the pit or on top of the car, energy must be isolated and locked out per OSHA's Control of Hazardous Energy standard. Remove LOTO only when all personnel are clear and testing is ready to begin under controlled conditions.

3. PPE – All personnel in the machine room, pit, and hoistway must wear hard hat, safety glasses, steel-toed boots, and high-visibility vest at minimum. Inspect PPE for damage before use.

4. Safety device freedom of movement – Physically verify that car safeties and governor linkage move freely and are not corroded or bound.

5. Rated test weights – Confirm that test weights total the elevator's rated capacity. Weights must be loaded in the car before the governor trip test is run. Never substitute unverified weights.

6. Inspector notification confirmed – Written or electronic confirmation that the AHJ or approved inspector has been notified and has agreed to the test date and time.

7. Communication plan – Every person involved knows their position, their job, and the signal to stop. A clear "stop" command overrides everything.

Flag any item you cannot sign off as complete and satisfactory. A single unsatisfied checklist item is sufficient reason to postpone the test.

Documenting Test Results

A17.1 requires that test results be recorded on a test certificate (sometimes called a test report or inspection certificate). Required entries typically include:

• Equipment identification (address, unit number, certificate number)
• Date of test
• Type of test performed
• Rated load and speed of the elevator
• Observed results (did the safety function as required?)
• Name and license number of the mechanic who performed the test
• Name and license/certification number of the inspector who witnessed it
• Both signatures

Incomplete certificates are a code violation. Inspectors can and do reject certificates missing required fields, which may require re-testing. File the completed certificate as required by the AHJ—typically a copy is posted in the elevator, one is retained by the contractor, and one is submitted to the AHJ.

Safety Summary

Never enter the pit or stand on top of the car without LOTO applied unless the specific test step requires the elevator to move and you are in a designated safe position agreed upon in the briefing. Communicate continuously. If anything unexpected happens—an unusual noise, unexpected movement, anyone calling stop—halt the test immediately and reassess before proceeding.