Witness testing at Lift, Escalator and Moving Walk handover: why owners should insist on it

Before a new or modernised Lift, escalator or moving walk carries its first passenger, it must pass a series of safety tests. The installer does the tests, so it matters who watches them.

In independent witness testing, a consultant acting for the owner is present for the critical tests, checks the results and signs off only when the equipment is right. It is one of the cheapest protections an owner can buy.

What witness testing is

Witness testing is the independent observation of the commissioning tests carried out before handover. The consultant checks that each test is done correctly, that the results meet the relevant standards and the specification, and that the paperwork is complete.

LML's consultants include engineers who spent decades commissioning vertical transport for the major manufacturers, where their job was to make sure equipment was tuned, tested and safe before handover.

Which tests are witnessed

LML witnesses the critical safety tests before handover, including fire service operation where it is fitted. The witnessed tests usually include:

• Safety gear tests
• Speed governor trip speed checks
• Brake tests
• Buffer tests
• Door protection and door force checks
• Levelling accuracy
• Emergency phone, lighting and alarm checks
• Fire service operation, where fitted

What goes wrong when nobody independent watches

Problems of the kind witness testing exists to catch include governors set outside the required range, door protection that does not detect small objects, and emergency phones that have not been connected.

Get faults fixed before handover

The installer is motivated to fix things quickly while handover and final payment are still to come. After that, every fix is harder to get.

How it fits into the project

Witness testing is written into the technical specification, so the installer programmes for it and the owner's consultant attends. It takes place between practical completion and handover, and the defects liability period follows. See Defects liability period: what to check.

When a test fails

A failed test means the process is doing its job. The installer fixes the fault, the test is repeated and witnessed again, and the result is recorded. Handover should wait until every critical test has passed, while items that don't affect safety can go on a defects list with agreed completion dates.

Documents to collect at handover

• Signed test and commissioning records
• Operation and maintenance manuals
• Wiring diagrams and as-built drawings
• Spare parts lists and recommended stock
• Registration documents, where the installer lodges them. In some states the lift company lodges the first registration
• Warranty terms and the start date of the defects liability period

Who should attend

Plan for these people to be present:

• The owner's consultant, to witness and record each test
• The installer's commissioning engineer, who runs the tests
• The building manager, if they wish to learn how the Lifts, escalators and moving walks behave in an emergency
• The certifier or inspector

What the owner receives

At the end of witness testing, the owner should hold:

• A signed record of every test, with results against the required values
• A list of any items that failed or were deferred, with dates to fix them
• Confirmation that the documentation is complete: manuals, drawings, certificates
• A clear go-ahead for handover, or the reasons the lift isn't ready

Don't accept handover without the records

Test results should be supplied in writing at handover, because records sent later are easy to lose and hard to chase.

Questions people ask

What is lift witness testing?

Independent observation of a new or modernised unit's safety tests before handover, on the owner's behalf.

Is witness testing required by law?

Independent witnessing isn't always a legal requirement. Registration processes often rely on the contractor's test results at handover, and witnessing gives the owner independent assurance that the tests relied on were done properly.

How long does it take?

Allow roughly half a day to a day per Lift, escalator or moving walk depending on the tests and if any issues are identified that require immediate rectification.

Witness testing on your project

LML Lift Consultants specifies, witnesses and signs off Lift, escalator and moving walk testing on new installations and modernisations.

Talk to us about your project or call 1300 001 565.