New research reveals that three-quarters of heritage workers think that accessibility is extremely or very important at their organisation. The survey, carried out by specialist insurance group Ecclesiastical and the Heritage Alliance, also found that organisations would like more funding and advice about supporting visitors with special needs.

Overall, the majority of heritage organisations, such as the National Trust, take a positive and proactive approach to catering for visitors with limited mobility or other special needs. One of the biggest challenges can be providing physical access to older and listed buildings, for example by installing a wheelchair platform lift.

One in 10 heritage workers said that none of their property was wheelchair accessible, with the main reason being the prohibitive cost of installing lifts or making other adjustments. They called for more help to address the problem, including more public sector funding, and greater sharing of best practice and guidelines.

Lizzie Glithero-West, CEO of the Heritage Alliance, said: “Accessibility to heritage covers a range of issues and some important work is underway. It is particularly encouraging that three quarters (77%) of the heritage workers surveyed said accessibility is extremely or highly prioritised at their organisation.”

She added: “Attention to accessibility, whether it be physical or digital, widens audiences and allows more people to experience the positive benefits of engagement with heritage.”

“It is clear from the survey responses that many in the heritage sector are keen to make their locations as accessible to as many people as possible, and that there is an appetite for the sector to work together and support each other to make real progress.”

Of the two in five respondents who thought that their organisation wasn’t doing enough to improve access, 46% cited more accessible toilets and better wheelchair access as the main area requiring improvement.

The acronym LOLER stands for Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998. They set out the legal requirements in regard to the duties of people who own, operate, or manage lifting equipment. Lifting operations are defined as ‘the lifting or lowering of a load’, which can be products or people.

The regulations are in place to ensure that all lifting operations are planed properly, and carried in a safe and appropriate manner by trained and competent people. The equipment should only be used for its intended purpose, and a full risk assessment should be made.

The equipment should be kept to the manufacturer’s inspection and service schedule, with full records kept. Some of the LOLER regulations place legal requirements on the designers and manufacturers of lifting equipment, while others place obligations on the owners and operators.

LOLER regulations only apply to lifting equipment which is used at work, so people who have domestic lifts installed are exempt. Of course, lifts installed for use in private dwellings or in a place that is used with public access, for example a commercial wheelchair lift, should still be used in a safe manner and serviced on a regular basis.

Where a lift is installed for use at work, the dutyholder has an obligation to ensure the lift is thoroughly examined at statutory intervals of every six or 12 months. The lift should be maintained to a safe standard in the intervening periods, and any defects should be addressed promptly.

A competent person should be selected to maintain the lift, who has sufficient technical and practical knowledge to be able to recognise faults and know how to address them. The person can be employed from an outside organisation if necessary.

The person who carries out the thorough examination should not be the same person who is responsible for the routine maintenance of the lift. This is to maintain an objective and impartial viewpoint. Reports of the thorough examinations should be made and kept available for the information of health and safety inspectors.

The much-delayed opening of Crossrail, now known as the Elizabeth Line, is set for 24 May. All 41 of the new stations will have step-free access from street level to the platforms. Various new lifts have been installed to provide access to both the underground and surface level stations, where necessary.

Owing to position of the entrance at the newly-built central London stations of Farrington and Liverpool Street, incline lifts, which move in diagonal lines alongside the escalators, have been installed.

Further difficulties had to be worked around at the 19th century Grade II listed Hanwell station, which had been placed on the Heritage at Risk Register by Historic England. The station has now been fully restored, which meant excavating one of the lift shafts by hand, in order to protect the original timber canopy.

 TfL station enhancement manager Peter Herridge commented: “Our team, including colleagues from our operator MTR Elizabeth line, has worked closely with the Railway Heritage Trust, the London Borough of Ealing and Network Rail to carry out these improvements while preserving the rich heritage of this 19th century station.”

The first passengers who descend the elevators to the new underground stations will have a strikingly different experience to using the Tube. The new stations are more than 240 metres long, and in some cases 10 storeys underground. Each station has been designed to have an individual identity, whilst maintaining uniform standards of space and accessibility.

The line will connect suburban areas of Berkshire in the east to the heart of London, and encompass Heathrow airport, before reaching out to eastern Essex. It will increase the capital’s current rail capacity by 10%, and put over 1.5 million people within a 45-minute commute of central London.

If you are looking for lift consultants, please talk to us today.

The hospitality industry needs to invest more in disabled access facilities, such as wheelchair platform lifts, as the majority of customers believe there are not currently enough.

According to a recent report by Hospitality Guest Experience Management (HGEM), 71 per cent of consumers think more attention needs to be brought to accessibility in the hospitality industry.

Findings revealed 62 per cent of Gen-Z thought this to be the case, while this increased to 73 per cent for those over 66 years old.

Commenting on the figures, founder of the Blue Badge Access Awards Robin Sheppard stated: “The statistics in this report shock, embarrass and intrigue in equal measure. More importantly they make you realise that what is currently normal is not acceptable.”

It was added that a “new normal” needs to be established to make hospitality venues more accessible for everyone.

HGEM’s report concluded that many businesses might be losing custom due to their lack of facilities, as 30 per cent of customers said they would leave a venue if disabled access was inadequate.

Furthermore, more than half would not return to a place where accessibility was difficult.

As well as it being essential that hospitality venues are accessible for all, the same goes for transport hubs.

This is why Sudbury Hill Underground Station recently installed passenger lifts to platforms, taking the number of step-free stations in London to 90, Intelligent Transport revealed.

The Piccadilly Line station had to undergo changes to the Grade II-listed ticket hall in order to allow for the installation of the passenger lift.

When considering home improvements, installing a lift may not be the first thing that springs to mind, unless you or a family member have mobility issues. However, there are some benefits to installing home lifts, which you might have overlooked. Here are some reasons why a domestic lift can be a very worthwhile investment.

You will future proof your home

If you have found your ‘forever’ home, no doubt you will want to remain living there independently for as long as possible. If your mobility levels decline as you get older, a domestic lift will be the key feature that allows you or your loved one to enjoy your home for years to come.

You will be spared the necessity of creating a downstairs bathroom or bedroom, should you have trouble managing the stairs in later life. Of course, the lift will not only be of benefit to you, but it also makes your home more accessible to visitors, such as elderly relatives or those who have limited mobility. 

You may increase the value of your home

Even if you might sell the house in the future, a lift is a very attractive feature for potential buyers, whether they are in later life, or have young children and all the extra carrying and fetching that comes with looking after them. It is still quite an unusual property feature, and many people may simply be prepared to pay more for the extra novelty and convenience.

You will add a stylish feature to your home

Traditional mobility aids have an image of being clunky and purely functional, but modern domestic lifts are nothing like this. In fact, some homeowners make them the central feature of the room. They are quiet, easy to operate and maintain, and can be retrofitted into almost any home in a stylish and discreet manner.

Like many aspects of functional modern design, the passenger lift is a marvel of engineering that is seldom thought about because of how reliable it is. We enter the square, mirrored space, push the appropriate floor button and in less than a minute are transported to where we need to go.

However, there are so many spectacular, unique and fascinating lift designs occupying buildings throughout the world, either out of necessity or as an architectural centrepiece in themselves.

Lloyd’s Building Outdoor Lift

Home of the famous Lloyd’s Of London insurance institution, the Lloyd’s Building is unique in the United Kingdom for having nearly every internal aspect of the building on the outside, including its lifts.

Exterior lifts are exceptionally rare, and even in a city as architecturally vibrant as London the Lloyd’s building stands out, and with the help of its exterior lifts, the building became the youngest in history to garner Grade I listed building status.

Rising Tide Elevator

The MS Oasis of the Seas was the largest cruise ship ever made at the time of its launching (as of 2022 it sits fourth), and whilst it features a range of exceptionally luxurious and technologically advanced amenities, the main centrepiece is the Rising Tide Elevator that connects the Royal Promenade to the Central Park Deck.

What makes it unique is that it is perhaps the only lift in the world equipped with a fully-staffed cocktail bar, allowing up to 35 passengers to spend the eight-minute journey with a refreshing freshly-made drink.

AquaDom

The largest acrylic cylindrical aquarium in the world, AquaDom’s main role is to allow the people riding the lift to the different floors of the Radisson Collection Hotel in Berlin in the middle to see over 1500 fish on their way to the top.

It is a one-of-a-kind lift that may never be repeated or superseded.

A massive new contract has been awarded by HS2 for the lifts and escalators at four major stations on the high speed network.

Worth between £207 million and £316 million, the flexible deal will see German firm TK Elevator providing passenger lift and escalator facilities at Birmingham Curzon Street, Birmingham Interchange, Old Oak Common and the new HS2 Euston hub.  This will see up to 160 lifts and 130 escalators being provided to help passengers of all mobility levels get to and from the platforms.

The variation in the potential cost is due to the fact that exact numbers of lifts and escalators is not finalised, as the designs of the stations are still being developed. 

Commenting on the deal, HS2 minister Andrew Stephenson said: “These state-of-the-art lifts and escalators, alongside our commitment to step-free access from street to the train, will facilitate this while also acting as an eye-catching feature.”

Whatever the final details of the designs, step-free access to all platforms to provide end-to-end accessibility for all travellers is a key element of the HS2 blueprint. Andrew Cubitt, HS2’s procurement director, said the escalators and lifts will be “essential” for “helping us to ensure seamless journeys for everyone”.

Similarly, chief executive officer for TK Elevator in Europe and Africa Inge Delobelle emphasised the firm’s plan to “help provide the best mobility solutions for this ambitious undertaking”.

The greatest provision of step-free access will be at Old Oak Common, where passengers will travel 13.5-metres between the platforms and surface level. There will be more than 50 escalators and lifts at the station, which will provide an interchange between HS2 and Crossrail.

Crossrail has a similar commitment to step-free access, which will be available at every one of its 41 stations. In many cases this has involved technical projects to install lifts in older station complexes where a new Crossrail stop is being added, such as at Hanwell, Farringdon and Liverpool Street.

Lifts are the most used mass-transit system used throughout the world, transporting workers, residents, customers, and delivery personnel throughout office residential blocks all around the world.

As with any heavy machinery, lifts must be maintained and serviced to ensure they are working correctly and safely to help reduce the risks of serious accidents or even death.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) states that passenger lifts and combined goods and passenger lifts in workplaces that are primarily used by people at work should be subject to periodic thorough examination and inspection.

This is required by Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) and the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) legislation.

We look at some tips to make sure that your business does not fail when it comes to lift safety.

All lifts must be properly maintained and subjected to a thorough inspection by competent personnel, as a failure of the lift can potentially result in serious injury or death.

Anyone with responsibility for lifting equipment  should:

•   Arrange thorough examinations for all lifts at a frequency specified by the competent person.

•   Retain a report/certificate that gives information on the safety of the lift.

•   Maintain the lifts in accordance with manufacturer’s or installer’s instructions, and keep an up-to-date maintenance log.

•   Instruct staff in their safe use, including emergency procedures associated with the lift.

•   Train key staff in the procedures to be taken in the event of a lift breakdown and when people need to be released.

•   Train key staff to carry out routine safety checks.

•   Keep all moving parts of the lift machinery guarded.

•   Prevent unauthorised persons from entering the lift plant room.

If you’re looking for lift consultants, get in touch today.

There can be a multitude of reasons why a lift may stop operating, from power cuts to vandalism, but if you’re unfortunate to be stuck in a lift when it breaks down, do you know what to do, and importantly what not to do?

The Sun reports that the Secretary for Levelling Up, Michael Gove was recently stuck in a lift at the BBC on his way to an interview with Radio 4’s Today programme on Monday 10 January, and after being stuck for half an hour told the show: “You successfully levelled me up, so I’m delighted to be here.”

Nick Mellow, the director of the Lift and Escalator Industry Association was invited to the radio show and interviewed by Naga Munchetty, who said that being stuck in a lift for half an hour wasn’t that bad, as some people can end up being stuck for hours.

He advised people, should they find themselves in a similar situation, stressing that most new lifts will have an integrated communications system to allow people to call for help.

Mellor said that there are two key things to remember when finding yourself trapped. Firstly, use the alarm system to alert people that you are there, and then wait for an engineer to come and release you.

However, he stressed that the most dangerous thing to do was to try and free yourself. He said the lift is safe, just not working, and that, unlike in action movies, it is not going to fall. If passengers attempt to open the lift doors themselves, there is a risk of falling down the lift shaft.

“What you need to do is wait for the lift engineer to get there and move it to the floor level,” he said.

Staying in the lift car rules out other risks so it's always better to stay in the lift, try not to panic, or attempt to get out. Try to remain calm and trust the professionals to fix the problem.

If you’re looking for lift refurbishment companies, talk to us today.

Sudbury Hill Underground Station, on the Piccadilly Line, has become the latest tube station to go step-free, following the construction of passenger lifts to platforms.

Intelligent Transport reports that the completion of the work at the station means that the total number of step-free stations on London’s Underground network now stands at 90. As well as new lifts, Sudbury Hill station will continue to include boarding ramps, as well as tactile paving along the full length of both platforms.

Although opened in 1903 as part of the District line, the station building was rebuilt less than 20 years later to a design by Charles Holden when it was taken over by the Picadilly line in 1932. The ticket hall is now Grade II listed.

So that the lifts could be fitted into the station, it was necessary to make several changes to the Grade II-listed ticket hall.

Initial plans had hoped to place the lift to Platform 2 inside the ticket hall. But columns underneath the hall were in the way, while plans to include the lifts into the existing concrete footbridge had to be abandoned after the condition of the footbridge meant adapting it wasn’t viable.

Instead, two free-standing brick-clad lift shafts have been built, with one from the ticket hall down to the nearest platform, and another shaft at the other end of the footbridge, linked by a new connection.

To create space for the lift entrance inside the ticket hall down to Platform 2, the ticket office and staff room, added to the hall in the 1980s, were demolished and facilities moved to other rooms available in the hall.

Bricks consistent with the rest of the building were used to construct the new lift shafts and a new window was specified to match the style of the existing ones.

If you’re looking for passenger lift companies, then talk to us today.

Protecting your tenants, visitors, employees and customers should always be a priority. Lifts are one of the most frequently used forms of motorised transportation in the world, and can potentially become a hotspot for contamination.

With the new variant of COVID-19, Omicron, surging, we have a look at what steps you can take to keep you and those in your building safe.

Tips for Property and Facility Managers  

Clean and disinfect all lift buttons and other frequently touched surfaces periodically throughout the day. Cleaning removes the germs but disinfecting kills them. Be sure to choose products appropriate for the finishes in your lift.

Post signage letting users know that all high-touch surfaces are being cleaned and disinfected regularly to help keep them safe.

Provide sanitising wipes and/or hand sanitiser near lifts and escalators

 Tips for Lift Riders

• Wear a mask and avoid riding with those not wearing masks.

• Limit the number of people in a lift to three

• Wait for the next lift to avoid overcrowding

• Avoid touching your face after pressing the buttons

• Wash hands, use wipes or hand sanitiser after leaving the lift

• If able, you can always take the stairs and get your steps in.

Limiting contact to avoid transmission of the coronavirus will continue, and extend to not only who you allow on your property, but how you allow them. 

Establish a business continuity plan, if you do not already have one, which outlines protocols to promote continued worker safety and the steps you need to take as you move forward.

Enhanced hygiene measures are straightforward to implement, and can help keep everyone safe.

If you’re looking for lift consultants, talk to us today.

When it comes to buying bespoke platform lifts, you might not be certain straight away which is the best type for your needs. Here’s a brief overview of the different categories and what they are designed for.

Open platform lifts

These are designed for transporting people and wheelchair users in a safe manner for external or internal vertical travel. They are sometimes referred to as a wheelchair lift, and can be fitted in domestic and commercial environments. They require much less space than a traditional lift, so they are ideal where access is needed to smaller premises.

These lifts are easy to install, aesthetically pleasing, and simple to use. They have low maintenance and running costs, and are easy to service. They are ideal for care homes, private homes, and educational and retail establishments.

Inclined platform lifts

This is a type of stairlift, allowing a wheelchair user safe access up a set of steps or staircase. The platform is fixed to a diagonal runner along the side of the staircase, and is capable of carrying a wheelchair to the upper level.

They are easy to install and simple to use, and can be fitted to most types of staircase both indoors and outside. Inclined platform lifts are a more affordable option than other types of lift.

Low-rise vertical platform lifts

Low rise platform lifts are designed to carry a passenger a short distance. They can be installed at the side of a single step in split-level room layouts, for example. Suitable for both indoor and outdoor use, these lifts will accommodate a wheelchair and an attendant.

Vertical platform lifts are unobtrusive and stylish, and blend well into the surroundings. They are suitable for both commercial and domestic settings, to ensure the building is compliant with Equality Act regulations. Installation is quick and easy, often just taking one or two days.

Whilst the passenger lift system received arguably its most important innovation and safety demonstration in 1854 with Elisha Otis’ heart-stopping cut rope, it would take a while for the system to be incorporated into building designs.

The reason for this was in part due to the difficulties in finding a building large enough to show off what was, at the time, a state of the art technology.

However, the lift would get its day in the sun when Arthur Gilman and Edward H Kendall designed the Equitable Life Building in Manhatten, New York in 1868, and would work with the Otis Elevator Company to add elevators to an office building for the very first time.

Part of the reason for this was that before the development of reinforced concrete, buildings would rarely reach over four stories and as a result elevators were primarily used for mines, transporting war materials and in hotels.

There was, at the time, a negative reputation attached to having an office that was above the second floor, simply because that meant workers were more tired as they had to climb flights of stairs.

Initially, two steam elevators were installed when the building opened in 1870, but before the decade was out another four had been added, which became ten by the late 1880s as the building became a tourist attraction in its own right.

Whilst not a skyscraper, it was an especially tall building for the time, and so people walking on Broadway would often visit the top floor to see some rather unique views of New York for the time.

The building was hugely successful and by the end of the century had over 3,000 occupants, in part due to its lifts allowing more people to work in the building as well as amenities such as electric lighting giving it a luxury reputation.

Unfortunately, whilst the building was touted as “fireproof” by the designers, it unfortunately burned down in 1912, to be replaced by what was at the time the largest office building in the world, the Equitable Building, which still stands to this day.

East Grinstead is to be one of two railway stations in East Sussex to benefit from step-free access for the first time, thanks to a £9 million investment.

Rail Advent reports that Network Rail began upgrades to both East Grinstead and Crowborough stations on Monday 1 November with a new footbridge and lifts. There will also be upgrades to help blind and partially sighted passengers too, with new tactile paving close to the platform edges and new CCTV cameras installed.

Katie Frost, the Sussex route director for Network Rail, said: “We are committed to improving access for passengers and this vital work will make it much easier for people to move around Crowborough and East Grinstead stations.”

Frost added that the stations are ‘important gateways’ for their respective communities, and the footbridges and lifts would provide significant benefits to them.

She said that the two stations are now more accessible to all passengers, regardless of whether they are in a wheelchair, have reduced mobility, or have luggage or pushchairs.

Network Rail has been working with local stakeholders and accessibility groups to determine the best course of action to support passengers and has made efforts to minimise disruption during the project, which is due to be completed by August 2022.

Engineers are set to build foundations on the platforms with the new lift shafts and footbridges being created off-site. They will then be lifted into position by crane during planned line closures.

Once each footbridge has been finished, engineers aim to dismantle and remove the existing station footbridges.

Network Rail is managing and delivering station accessibility enhancements as part of the Department for Transport’s Access for All programme.

About £4.6m was invested in East Grinstead station while Crowborough station received £4.7m.

If you’re looking for lift consultants to help improve your step-free access, talk to us today.

Disability access campaigners in Kent have been celebrating the news that the railway station at Herne Bay is to get bespoke platform lifts to ensure step-free access for all passengers.

Canterbury City Council has given the green light for plans to install a new footbridge over the line, with lifts at either end, connecting the London-bound and coast-bound platforms, Kent Online reports.

Network Rail plans to have the bridge and lifts in place in the next three years, which will enable disabled commuters to use the station to travel to London. At present, they have to travel to Whitstable to find an accessible platform, as the only way to cross the line at Herne Bay is via an underpass with steps at either end.

Commenting on the news, wheelchair-bound passenger Sheila Appleton said: “It’s been so long that everybody has had to suffer so much with all the inconvenience it brings.”

She added: “It’s not only people like me who have had problems - it’s those with buggies, older people, people with luggage. It’s not easy for people.”

Ms Appleton, who has been in a wheelchair for 14 years, added that the more accessible railway station could help with efforts to bring more tourism to the town. 

When passengers such as Ms Appleton use the train to visit London, they may be pleased to see the growing number of rail and Tube stations that offer step-free access.

Last week saw Osterley station on the Piccadilly line become the 89th station on the Tube network to become step-free, following the completion of work to install two new lifts and improve signage.

Across London underground, six other stations have gained step-free access this year, while this is a feature of the two new stations opened up on the Northern line spur to Nine Elms.

By the end of this year, Harrow-on-the-Hill and Sudbury Hill stations are scheduled to raise the number to 91.

Now more than ever it is important to maintain high standards of hygiene at the workplace. With the coronavirus still causing high infection rates and hospitalisations, cleanliness in public spaces has never been as essential for the health and wellbeing of people.

While there are many still working from home, businesses have opened up again, and even if not full time, employees are heading back to the office. However, according to a recent study, 78 per cent of respondents said they had concerns about the work environment waiting for them, as reported by HR News.

The lifts at your workplace will be used by everyone, from employees and customers to delivery personnel and clients, which makes it imperative that your lifts are clean, hygienic, and safe to use. We have a look at three tips for enhanced hygiene in your lifts.

Install an air purifier

Lifts are small and enclosed spaces, and passengers will all be sharing the same air, breathing it in and out. An air purifier, easily installed on the wall or ceiling, will remove harmful particles and bacteria from the air, helping to reduce the transmission of COVID-19, as well as winter colds and flu bugs.

Invest in touchless buttons

A relatively new innovation, touchless lift buttons will transform the cleanliness of your lift. Motion-activated buttons work with infrared sensors, meaning that passengers do not have to physically touch buttons, thus vastly reducing the risk of transmission of the virus.

Add a UV lamp

UV lamps, which can be easily installed on the ceiling or wall, have a 99 per cent sterilisation efficiency, making them the perfect addition to any lift. They rely on motion sensors and create no ozone damage, making them a fantastic investment if you want to improve hygiene levels in your lift.

If you’re looking for lift refurbishment companies, get in touch today.

Over the past 20 years, there has been a race to build the tallest skyscrapers in the world, and as a natural consequence of this, a race to build the tallest and fastest passenger lift to carry passengers to the uppermost floors.

The first example of this came in 1998 with the topping of the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, but the first record-breaking tower lift came with the Taipei 101 tower in 2004.

At the time the tallest tower in the world, the Taipei 101 also set records with the speed of its lift system, with an unbelievable at that time speed of 37.7 miles per hour.

For comparison, the previous record-holder was the Yokohama Landmark Tower lift, which could only reach 28 miles per hour, meaning Taipei 101’s lifts were nearly 35 per cent faster.

This record would last for over a decade, until the world’s second-largest tower, Shanghai Tower, would finally beat it, as well as take the Burj Khalifa’s record for the furthest-travelling lift in the world.

The single-deck lift could travel at 40 miles per hour in normal conditions and up to 46 miles per hour during testing, shattering the record set by Taipei 101, and at the time looking to be unbreakable.

However, one final tower, the Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre, would manage to break this record, by travelling at an astonishing 47 miles per hour, which itself led to some complex technology to make such a journey bearable for passengers.

The air pressure is adjusted to avoid popping ears, and the lifts have magnet synchronous motors and rollers to help keep the ride as smooth as possible.

In terms of how fast lifts can go, one prediction by Hitachi, the company that made the fastest lift in the world, it is unlikely that lifts will go any faster than 53 miles per hour, due to the problems of air pressure that could make such a fast ascent unpleasant for passengers.

Thatcham Town Council and West Berkshire Council are in discussions to enable works to move ahead with an upgrade Thatcham Train Station, which will include improved customer facilities and new passenger lifts.

Newbury Today reports that during a recent planning and highways meeting, the two councils met to discuss receiving support for progression with the upgrade, and councillors from Thatcham Council discussed proposals for upgrades they wished to see at the station.

Passenger access was the main consideration and a priority for the upgrades, and the councils discussed the benefits of fitting passenger lifts to the existing footbridge at the station, increasing step-free access throughout the station and access to all platforms.

Also discussed at the meeting was an extension to the parking facilities to the north of the station, as well as the possibility of moving the main car park from the south side of the track to the north. The north side of the station may also see new ticket machines and shelters on the platform.

There are currently no toilets at the station, which raised concerns from West Berkshire Council due to plumbing issues that could arise from the installation of that type of facility. However, Thatcham officials pushed for a bigger upgrade, meaning that toilets would be considered.

Local transport links to and from the station were also a topic for discussion, and if a proposed 2,500 home development in Thatcham go ahead, it will provide an opportunity for Reading buses to improve transport links.

In moving these proposals forward, Thatcham Town Council is looking to enter into further discussions with Great Western Railway and Network Rail as well as West Berkshire Council.

If you’re looking for lift consultants, come and talk to us today.

The tallest building in the world is the Burj Khalifa, and it features a passenger lift that is among the fastest in the world.

However, the world’s tallest lift travels over quadruple the distance at a significantly faster rate and was constructed over 30 years before the Khalifa was finally topped out.

The Mponeng Gold Mine is the world’s deepest mine, extending 2.5 miles below the surface of the Earth and is one of the world’s busiest and most abundant gold mines.

To take over 4000 workers down to the bottom of the mine each day, two lifts are used, the taller of which travels 2,283m per descent at a speed of up to 40 miles per hour.

This colossal descent is not enough, as the workers then move to a second lift that takes them to the bottom, at around 3597m below the surface of the Earth.

For context, the Burj Khalifa at the top of its spire is 829m tall and when constructed had the tallest lift in a building in the world at 505m.

Interestingly enough, whilst the Burj Khalifa is still safely the tallest building in the world, it no longer has the tallest lift fitted to a skyscraper.

Shanghai Tower in China is the second tallest building in the world, has the joint-highest observation deck, and is the world’s tallest indoor lift at 578.5m. This covers 124 of the building’s 127 floors.

As far as outdoor elevators above ground are concerned, the world’s tallest outdoor elevator is Bailong (also known as “Hundred Dragons”) in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, which reaches 326m tall and can carry up to 46 people to the top in less than two minutes.

When operating heavy lifting equipment, there are a number of things that can and do go wrong. The load capacity might not match the weight of the items being lifted, workers may not be adequately trained in the use of the machinery, or the equipment may be in a state of disrepair.

Accidents can and do happen, and any of the above issues can contribute to an unsafe operating environment, but they are all also early fixed. Workers can be trained, and scheduled lifting equipment inspections can help prevent a multitude of problems in the future.

Here are three reasons to ensure you schedule regular lifting equipment inspections.

1. Checking for Damage

The critical part of an inspection is to look for any damage. Rusted or broken parts can be a serious danger to workers using or near the equipment. An inspection will ensure that all the parts are operational and working properly. If anything does need repair, you will know what needs to be fixed or replaced.

2. Proactively Replacing Ageing Materials

Rather than replacing parts that have become worn or broken, replacing ageing parts is a good way of proactively preventing problems before they happen. An inspection will identify parts that are past their best and should be replaced before they break down, ultimately saving you time and money by avoiding any downtime due to malfunctioning equipment.

3. Updating the System to Meet Changing Needs

As your organisation grows, your equipment may also need to be updated to meet your new requirements, for example, if production rates have increased, or you’re distributing larger and heavier items, your lifting equipment may not be up to the job.

As your processes change, remember to consider the impacts this may have on your capital equipment. You may need to update your load capacity, or you may even need a completely overhauled system to meet new industry standards.

If you’re looking for lift consultants for LOLER inspections and lift refurbishments, talk to us today.