The Department of Buildings (DOB) in NYC requires that building owners and managers comply with elevator codes. These codes ensure that a building is safe for all users and they also help ensure that elevator equipment is functioning properly.
Is my part of NYC affected?
Yes. If your elevator is located in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Staten Island, the Bronx or Queens, then the DOB (Department of Buildings) requires that elevator must be tested and inspected twice per year. These inspections are conducted by companies hired by the DOB. These inspections are typically unannounced to the building owner or manager.
VSA (Vertical Systems Analysis) is an Elevator Consulting Company that is DOB-approved to provide Witness Testing. The NYC DOB, Department of Buildings Guide to Elevators describes each of the tests required. Category Testing is required by DOB and it helps building owners and managers ensure that their elevators are reliable and safe for all of their vertical transportation passengers.
· Category 1 (CAT1)
No load safety test performed between January 1st and December 31st each year
· Category 3 (CAT3)
Performed on water hydraulic elevators only every three years from date of installation
· Category 5 (CAT5)
Witness testing is performed with rated load and speed every five years from the installation date according to New York law.
Building owners and managers have the requirement to hire licensed, competent elevator inspectors to perform the escalator and elevator tests as required by the DOB. In addition the building owners and managers have the requirement and responsibility of hiring a third party, impartial elevator consultant to “witness the test” (witness the testing). VSA Consulting is licensed to do witness testing.
Elevator Consulting Companies (by recent statistics) have found about 50% more violations in NYC when performing annual elevator inspections. Elevator Consultants can also be beneficial to building owners, because they can provide paperwork for the buildings’ insurance company demonstrating that all of their elevators are in compliance following an inspection of that finding. This helps sustain the overall buildings’ value for the owner.
During the testing, the elevators are subjected to atypical extreme conditions to see how they perform. The extreme conditions help to identify any potential problem with the vertical transportation. The extreme conditions also helps by isolating a potential now small problem that could become much bigger over time. Also by providing this stress test, it helps to ensure the safety of all passengers in the vertical transportation.
Why choose VSA, (Vertical Systems Analysis) for 3rd party Witness Testing?
To find out more about the role Vertical Systems Analysis can play in CAT1, CAT3 & CAT5 test witnessing, please contact our licensed and fully qualified technicians and engineers. VSA is a New York State licensed third-party agency that can perform test witnessing of your vertical transportation. With our extensive support staff, we can also complete your third-party code inspections, processing, and filing fees for you.