Spring Break
Elevator inspections still lacking on campus
Greg Gentile
Issue date: 2/11/09 Section: News
02/11/09 - Continuing the trend of the past five years, 36 of the 64 elevators that are currently in use on the four URI campuses do not fully meet state fire and safety codes.
Eighteen require fire and safety modifications. Twelve have completed full load tests, but are lacking a simple load test with lighter weights, therefore making them unable to receive a new inspection certificate. Six of the elevators are completely non-compliant.
According to a document from URI Business Services, "The university has cited the contractor's delinquency and non-conformance with the university's elevator service contract."
The six elevators that are not up to safety standards are in Butterfield, Merrow, Peck, and Roosevelt Halls, as well as the Chafee Social Science Center and 210 Flagg Road.
According to Rhode Island Law, "It is required that a copy or sign saying where the original certificate is, be in each elevator," State Chief Elevator Inspector David Hart said.
Once the inspections are completed, the company submits them directly to the office of the state elevator inspector. They then are responsible for producing an elevator's inspection certificate and sending it back to the university.
"What you see in the car will refer you to a number or contact to get the latest information about the status of the elevator," Wyman said.
Sixteen elevators' inspection certificates have been lost or are en route to the campus from the inspections office. Of the 18 that require fire and safety modifications, their inspection certificates have not been revoked, but the majority of their present certificates date as far back as the fall of 2006.
"It's a matter of us really going through our contractor with the state inspection to get the certificates up to date," Director of Public Safety Robert Drapeau said.
The URI Public Safety office took over the responsibility of overseeing elevator inspections from Safety and Risk Management this fall. "Right now there has been separate files of certificates, fire improvements, building files," Drapeau said, adding that the department is trying to compile and organize the files to make them accessible.
Eighteen require fire and safety modifications. Twelve have completed full load tests, but are lacking a simple load test with lighter weights, therefore making them unable to receive a new inspection certificate. Six of the elevators are completely non-compliant.
According to a document from URI Business Services, "The university has cited the contractor's delinquency and non-conformance with the university's elevator service contract."
The six elevators that are not up to safety standards are in Butterfield, Merrow, Peck, and Roosevelt Halls, as well as the Chafee Social Science Center and 210 Flagg Road.
According to Rhode Island Law, "It is required that a copy or sign saying where the original certificate is, be in each elevator," State Chief Elevator Inspector David Hart said.
Once the inspections are completed, the company submits them directly to the office of the state elevator inspector. They then are responsible for producing an elevator's inspection certificate and sending it back to the university.
"What you see in the car will refer you to a number or contact to get the latest information about the status of the elevator," Wyman said.
Sixteen elevators' inspection certificates have been lost or are en route to the campus from the inspections office. Of the 18 that require fire and safety modifications, their inspection certificates have not been revoked, but the majority of their present certificates date as far back as the fall of 2006.
"It's a matter of us really going through our contractor with the state inspection to get the certificates up to date," Director of Public Safety Robert Drapeau said.
The URI Public Safety office took over the responsibility of overseeing elevator inspections from Safety and Risk Management this fall. "Right now there has been separate files of certificates, fire improvements, building files," Drapeau said, adding that the department is trying to compile and organize the files to make them accessible.
