As Compliance Manager for Liftec Lifts I have regularly attended the LEIA Safety Forum Meetings to help me learn more about the lift and escalator industry; how the industry works, what new legislation will be coming out and how it could affect the work that Liftec is involved in.
My experience of these meetings was always very positive and the various speakers ensured that we covered a great many subjects, so when the opportunity came up to be a part of the committee itself, I didn’t let it pass.
LEIA is made up of several committees that specialise in various topics; the purpose being to assist all members to be aware of the current legislation that affects the work they do as well as promoting positive safety across the whole of the industry.
The committee meets quarterly and typically discusses items such as the content for the next Safety Forum meeting, inviting technical experts and speakers, or arranging members of the committee to produce Safety related presentations. The platform is also used to look at specific safety and environment related products such as CSCS cards, lifting plans, Environment Agency rules and regulations; accidents within the industry, work with SAFed about site access issues, and passenger release training.
In addition, the committee is responsible for producing the LEIA Site Safety Handbook, which was recently re-written, involving all of the committee members in the review and editing process. Safety Articles are also reviewed often resulting in homework coming out from the meetings.
The make-up of the committee is very diverse, with members from lift companies of all sizes. Liftec falls within the top ten category of lift companies within the UK, and through the work of the committee, Liftec is able to benchmark its safety performance against its peers. This helps to ensure that our safety-related targets and initiatives are appropriate and meet the required industry standards, as well as hearing from others about their initiatives and their effectiveness. In aligning the many companies into appropriate sizes, all member companies can measure their performance within their sector, as well as taking a view of the industry as a whole.
Being a member of the committee has allowed me to network with people who have helped me to expand my knowledge base within lifts, as well as allowing me access to a more diverse group of people with whom I can consult on those more intricate questions that get asked of me.
Andy Ward, Compliance Manager
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