Elevator Safety & Best Practices Webinar
Across the state's aging condo buildings, Florida elevator safety has become a sharper responsibility for community association managers, as evolving code and rising liability raise the stakes on every car and hoistway. We recently hosted a continuing education course featuring industry professional David Mittenthal of Southwest Elevator Company, who shared elevator safety and compliance best practices managers can put to work right away.
This informational webinar walked LCAMs through the full scope of elevator operations, from entrapment response and preventive maintenance to Florida code requirements, risk management, performance tracking, and hurricane readiness. Attendees learned how to work more effectively with their elevator service provider and keep residents safe in the process.
Disclaimer: This video is for educational purposes only. You will not receive credits for watching the recording. Credits were issued only to those that attended the course.
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Key Takeaways
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Never Attempt a Rescue: Managers and security should never try to free trapped passengers, as door restrictors and locked hatches make self-rescue far more dangerous than waiting for a trained mechanic.
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Monthly Maintenance Pays Off: Monthly preventive maintenance catches small issues before they become costly repairs, reducing downtime and callbacks compared with quarterly schedules.
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Let the Data Talk: Online portals and service history reports reveal reliability trends, callback patterns, and missed inspections, giving managers the visibility to hold a provider accountable.
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Budget for the Next Code: Secondary braking for unintended car movement is expected to become Florida code within a few years, so planning for it now avoids a costly last-minute scramble.
How Safe Are Elevators, Really?
Elevators are the safest form of transportation in the world, carrying billions of passengers every day with an average of only about 25 elevator-related deaths a year in the United States. Roughly half of those fatalities are elevator mechanics, which is why the industry treats field safety so seriously and why residents are almost always safer staying inside a stalled car than trying to get out of one.
The Redundancy That Keeps Cars Safe
Modern elevators are built around layers of safety circuits that constantly check whether everything is operating as it should. These systems run the length of the elevator, from the door zone to the hoistway, and they are designed to stop the car the moment a reading falls outside its expected range. For a rider, that means a car will simply refuse to move rather than operate in an unsafe condition.
Why Shutdowns Are Often a Good Sign
Most HOA and condo elevator shutdowns are not failures in the traditional sense; they are the redundancy features doing exactly what they were designed to do. A door that will not close or a sensor that reads incorrectly will take the car out of service until a technician confirms it is safe. Understanding this helps a board see downtime as a protective response rather than a sign that the equipment is falling apart.
“The safety circuits throughout the elevator protect the passengers riding the elevator, so if something's not quite right, the elevator will not move.” - David Mittenthal, Southwest Elevator Company
Responding to Entrapments the Right Way
When a passenger is trapped, the single most important rule is that no one on staff should attempt the rescue. Freeing a trapped rider is a job for a certified elevator mechanic, and well-meaning intervention by a manager, engineer, or security officer creates serious liability and real physical danger.
Who Should and Should Not Free a Passenger
Property staff and security personnel are not certified to release passengers, and attempting it can turn a routine entrapment into an injury. The correct response is to dispatch the elevator service company immediately and ask for an estimated arrival time. If that time is unreasonably long and conditions warrant it, such as an outdoor elevator on a hot day, the fire department becomes the backup option, though responders often have to damage the elevator to reach the car, so the mechanic should generally be the first call.
What to Do If You Are Trapped
Anyone caught inside should stay calm and remember that the car is an enclosed, supported box and the safest place to be. Pressing the alarm and the phone button connects riders to a dispatcher who can send help and notify the property, which is why keeping current contact information on file with the elevator company matters so much. Passengers should never try to force the doors, since a door restrictor locks the car from the outside specifically to keep people out of the hoistway.
When an Outage Drags On
A car that stays out of service for an extended period becomes a matter of planning as much as repair. Some Florida counties now regulate this directly, and Broward County's elevator outage ordinance requires condominium associations to post a written outage plan and, when the contracted company cannot restore service within 24 hours, to seek a backup provider. Since an existing service contract can limit whether another company may step in, reviewing those agreements before an outage occurs is time well spent.
“It's more dangerous to try to self-rescue than to be rescued, so that's why these devices are in place the way they are.” - David Mittenthal, Southwest Elevator Company
Staying Ahead of Florida's Elevator Code
Florida's elevator code separates what is required on existing equipment from what is triggered by a modernization or new installation, and knowing the difference keeps a board from being caught off guard. Several safety features that are now standard on new cars are only required on older ones when the equipment is upgraded, while a few apply to every building in the state.
Door Safety with Restrictors, Curtains, and Lock Monitoring
Most existing cars use a two-dimensional light curtain that reopens the doors when a rider's hand or foot breaks the beam across the threshold. Modernized and new installations require a three-dimensional detector edge that projects past the opening and gives slower-moving passengers extra time, and because it costs about the same as a flat curtain, upgrading to it rather than reverting is usually the smarter choice. Door lock monitoring, which shuts a car down whenever any landing door is sensed open, is a more recent requirement that now applies statewide, so any association that has not completed it should treat it as a priority.
Understanding the Next Requirement for Unintended Car Movement
Protection against unintended car movement, provided by a rope gripper or a secondary brake, is currently required only on modernized and new elevators, but it is widely expected to become code for existing equipment within the next few years. Getting a price and budgeting for it ahead of that change keeps an association from scrambling once the state enacts the requirement. The same forward planning applies to two-way emergency communication with video, another feature arriving on newer cars that lets a dispatcher see inside and judge whether to send paramedics.
Managing Risk Around the Elevator
The injuries that happen in and around elevators tend to come from a short list of predictable causes, and staying alert to them is one of the most valuable things a manager can do. Misleveling and door impacts account for a large share of reported incidents, and small warning signs often precede bigger problems.
Misleveling, Door Impacts, and Loud Noises
A car that stops even half an inch off the landing is outside code and becomes a tripping hazard, especially for residents carrying items who are not watching their step. Getting struck by the doors is another frequent injury, which is why technicians check the door closing force against code limits with a gauge on every visit. Unusual sounds deserve attention too, because a loud noise can signal worn or loose components well before they fail.
Hydraulic Cavitation and Pit Warning Signs
Hydraulic cavitation is common in Florida and shows up when a car bumps and struggles to reach the top floor, often because the fluid is low or has thickened on a cold day. Left unaddressed, it can damage the pumping unit or burn out the motor, so it is worth reporting to the elevator company promptly. In the machine room, red dust known as rouge is a telltale sign that hoist ropes are breaking down from the inside, a condition the humidity and infrequent lubrication common in Florida can accelerate.
When Someone Is Injured
If an injury occurs, the priority is to call 911 when needed, notify the elevator service provider, and take the car out of service until a mechanic can inspect it. Leaving a potentially faulty elevator running invites a second incident and compounds the association's liability. Thorough documentation of what happened and what was corrected becomes essential if an insurance claim or litigation follows.
The Property Manager's Role in Elevator Upkeep
Day to day, the property manager is the eyes and ears of the elevator program, and simple habits go a long way. No one expects a manager to be a mechanic, but noticing a dark cab, a burned-out button, or an unusual noise and passing it along makes every maintenance visit more productive.
Daily Observations and Routine Upkeep
Walking the cars, testing the buttons, and jotting down anything out of place gives the mechanic a punch list to work through during the monthly visit. Pairing those daily observations with regularly scheduled building upkeep keeps minor issues from slipping through the cracks. Serious safety concerns warrant an immediate call, while smaller items can usually wait for the next scheduled service.
Monthly Versus Quarterly Preventive Maintenance
Many elevator companies are shifting toward quarterly visits, but a monthly preventive maintenance rhythm tends to prevent far more downtime and callbacks. Being on site more often lets a technician catch wear early and curb major repairs before they develop, which matters most under a full-coverage contract. The added frequency also means problems are documented and communicated while they are still small.
Simple Checks Before You Call
A few quick checks can save an unnecessary service charge. Confirming that the stop switch and independent key switch are in the right position, clearing debris such as screws or coins from the door sills, and verifying the car has power all head off common false alarms. When a cab is dark and the fan is off, a power issue is often the culprit, so checking for three-phase power before calling is a smart habit.
Working With Your Service Provider
Open, consistent communication with the elevator company is what ties the whole program together, and it starts with technicians who check in on arrival and report what they did before leaving. Strong vendor management keeps those conversations flowing and makes it easier to plan around any future shutdown. Reviewing the condo elevator maintenance agreement so everyone understands what the service contract actually covers, from belt replacements to light bulbs, prevents surprises down the road.
Measuring Elevator Performance
Good performance starts with visibility, which means confirming that the elevator company is doing what it was hired to do. Most providers offer online portals that show maintenance visits, service requests, completed repairs, and the annual inspection that is so important to stay current on in Florida.
Reading Portals and Service History
Service history reports make patterns easy to spot, even for someone with no technical background. A string of callbacks on the same car for the same issue is a clear prompt to ask the mechanic what is really going on, whether it is a restrictor, a door operator, or a part nearing the end of its life. If the reports show that preventive maintenance is not actually being performed, that alone is reason to make a call.
The KPIs Worth Tracking
A few numbers tell most of the story: elevator uptime should sit around 98 percent, and each car should generally see no more than about four callbacks a year once power issues, vandalism, and misuse are set aside. A pattern of failures beyond that usually points to a lack of maintenance, needed repairs, or equipment reaching the end of its useful life. That last case is the point to begin planning major replacement projects so an aging elevator becomes a budgeted investment rather than an emergency.
“A lot can be told by your service history reports. It doesn't take a seasoned elevator person to get an idea of what's going on with your elevators.” - David Mittenthal, Southwest Elevator Company
Preparing Elevators for Hurricane Season
Storm readiness is a distinct part of any Florida elevator program, and most of the work happens well before a system is on the horizon. A little hurricane preparedness protects both the equipment and the residents who depend on it.
Before the Storm
Reviewing the emergency plan, confirming the generator works and that the elevators run on it if they are supposed to, and securing machine rooms and roof access against wind and rain are all worth doing early. If the cars will be shut down, leaving them at a mid-level keeps the counterweight and car clear of any water that rises in the pit, and a pit flood alarm can lift a car automatically when water is detected. Clearing door tracks of debris and confirming the emergency phones work round out the checklist.
During and After
During a storm, elevators should not be used unless absolutely necessary, since a power outage can trap riders at the worst possible time. Afterward, cars should stay out of service until they have been inspected, and any water sitting in the pit or on the car needs to dry out to avoid a short circuit. When a storm causes real damage, the recovery typically moves in phases, and anything touched by water, including cables and traveling cables, should be replaced as part of the insurance claim even if it looks fine today.
Treating Elevators as a Long-Term Investment
The communities that handle elevators well are rarely the ones with the biggest budgets; they are the ones that treat the equipment as a system to be maintained, documented, and planned for rather than a convenience to be taken for granted until it fails. When preventive maintenance is consistent, warning signs are reported early, code changes are anticipated, and service providers are held to clear standards, an elevator stops being a source of surprise expense and liability. Handled that way, reliable vertical transportation becomes a steady investment in resident safety and in the long-term value of the building every owner shares.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average useful life of a hydraulic elevator?
A hydraulic elevator typically lasts between 20 and 25 years. After that point, parts availability and obsolescence, more than age alone, usually drive the decision to modernize, since a controller that can no longer be repaired quickly can mean extended downtime.
Is it worth hiring an elevator consultant for a modernization?
An elevator consultant is most valuable when creating specifications for a modernization or upgrade, because detailed specs keep competing proposals on an apples-to-apples basis. A good consultant also serves as an advocate for the association, verifying that the elevator company is delivering what the contract requires.
Should residents be concerned about taking pets on the elevator?
Pets are generally fine, but leashes are the main hazard, because a leash can catch in the doors or slip below the detector edge as the car moves. Keeping pets close and the leash gathered up avoids the rare but serious injuries that happen when an animal and its leash end up on opposite sides of a closing door.
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Ashley Dietz is the VP of Marketing at Campbell Property Management and has led the company’s educational and marketing initiatives since 2013. A Florida Atlantic University graduate with a bachelor’s degree in communications, Ashley specializes in community association education, digital outreach, and industry engagement for Florida HOAs and condominiums.
