Elevators permits at Skyline have been expired since November 25, 2004, raising many issues about the safety of those students and faculty using the elevators.
All the campus’s elevators are regulated by the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH)’s Elevator, Ride and Tramway (ERT) Unit. The unit inspects elevators to ensure that they are safe for riders and issues permits for their continued operation. A quick perusal of the permits in each elevator reveals that the state agency is almost six months behind schedule.
Joe Blevins, a supervisor at DOSH’s Oakland office, told The Skyline View that there are only five elevator inspectors for 12,166 elevators in his jurisdiction. Blevins said they are doing the best they can with such a small staff. When asked why they are so short-staffed, Blevins said, “People just don’t want the jobs (because) of low pay.”
Blevins said the State of California pays only about $50,000 a year salary for elevator inspector position, whereas, private companies pay double that amount. This is why, Blevins said, it’s hard to get people to take the positions.
Skyline College and the San Mateo County Community College District are taking some measures to help with the fact that the state is behind. The district has contracted with a private company to conduct inspections. Schindler Elevator Company provides monthly maintenance on the elevators to make sure that they are running safely, and they also conduct repairs on the elevators when needed.
In an e-mail interview with Richard Inokuchi, supervisor of campus facilities at Skyline, he said, “The elevators are safe, largely in part due to the stiffer government regulations. While it may be a natural conclusion that an elevator without a current permit is therefore unsafe, that is not the case. State permits are a means whereby the elevators are checked by another set of eyes.”
Even though the state is behind in issuing current permits, the school has to maintain their elevators to ensure that when the state inspectors do get around to doing there inspections, the permits are renewed.
Also, if a second bond measure for SMCCCD funding passes, the elevators in Buildings 3 and 8 will be replaced, according to Inokuchi.
So are the elevators at Skyline safe? According to Inokuchi, “Our elevator maintenance contract makes sure the elevators are safe.”