Engineering Consultancy Expertise & Services

LECS (UK) Ltd is a leading engineering consultancy specialising in vertical transportation, lifts, escalators, cable cars and all forms of lifting and mechanical handling equipment.

As a highly specialised team of engineers, LECS (UK) provides expert independent engineering consultancy services to a vast range of worldwide clients spanning all market sectors. Our areas of expertise include: maintenance audits, expert witness & loss adjusting, specifications for new installations, specifications for modernisations, project management, traffic analysis, witnessing of commissioning, statutory inspections, surveys and training.

Independent Maintenance Audits: Lifts, Escalators & Mechanical Handling Equipment

Appointing LECS (UK) to undertake an independent maintenance audit of any mechanical handling equipment, lifts and escalators provides confidence that maintenance schedules are being followed to a satisfactory level, on time and as specified or contracted.

- What type of maintenance service will you need for your mechanical handling equipment?
- What is the optimum maintenance schedule needed for your particular equipment?
- What needs to be included in routine maintenance?
- Who is the best provider of this maintenance?
- Who should we engage for ongoing maintenance?

Talk to LECS (UK) - as getting all this right at the outset is very important. The placement of maintenance contracts is an integral part of the custodianship of any mechanical handling equipment.

THE BENEFITS of using LECS UK’s consultancy at this stage include:

1. Independent experts by your side, so that you make the right decision.

2. Avoid premature wear and tear, followed by early replacement, by ensuring that maintenance schedules are being correctly implemented.

3. Avoid failures that can cripple a building along with loss of time, efficiency and profits.
Engineer Expert Witness

We are a preferred engineering Expert Witness for the legal profession - advising on hundreds of potentially contentious legal cases. We have vast experience of providing expert witness services all around the globe including depositions for USA cases. Regretfully, we have extensive experience of providing our expert witness services in fatal accident cases. Our engineers are regularly requested to assist insurance companies and loss adjusters when investigating engineering claims and accidents.

LECS UK is a team of highly respected, independent and objective forensic engineers that carry out examinations, tests, accident investigation and reconstruction when needed. We provide high quality and cost-effective expert witness reports in all fields of mechanical handling equipment and vertical transportation equipment, to include lifts, escalators, moving walkways, cableways and cable car systems.

LECS UK is extensively consulted as expert witnesses by solicitors, loss adjusters and insurance companies in claims arising from personal injury accidents, allegations of defective installation, allegations of patent infringement, contractual disputes to deficient counsel from advisors,. Our experience also includes acting as a single joint expert under the requirements of civil procedure rules.

Our bespoke engineering expert witness service can range from brief advisory services to preparing extensive expert reports and giving evidence in court or a tribunal.

Many cases are settled before trial, regretfully some are not and an expert witness is required to be cross-examined on their written evidence. Generally, our expert opinion can assist solicitors in bringing a case to a conclusion before trial is reached.

We hold the prestigious Law Society ‘checked and listed’ status for our work in this area.

LECS (UK) engineers have vast experience acting as expert witnesses in:

-       Criminal Courts

-       Civil Courts
-       Coroners Courts
-       Rent and Land Tribunals
-       Mediation Cases
-       Adjudication Cases
-       Arbitration Cases
-       ADR
-       Expert Determination Cases
-       Conciliation Cases

LECS UK has been checked and verified for inclusion in:

- The Expert Witness Directory

- Sweet & Maxwell Expert Witness Directory

The directors and senior members of the company are registered with one or more of the following professional bodies:

Chartered Institution of Building Service Engineers

Institution of Engineering & Technology

Chartered Association of Building Engineers

Society of Operations Engineers

Bureau of Engineer Surveyors
Bespoke Maintenance Specifications for Mechanical Handling Equipment

Our team of expert independent engineering consultants is perfectly positioned to prepare the best bespoke maintenance contract for any installation - to include mechanical handling equipment, lifts, escalators and vertical transportation equipment.

LECS UK will help you distil the accurate answers to the following:

- What do you need from a (mechanical handling equipment) maintenance contract?
- What do you need covered by the maintenance contract?
- Are all necessary items & components, such a ram seals, ropes and so on, included?
- Should other aspects, such as statutory obligations, supplementary inspections and so on, also be covered by the maintenance contract?

The wrong maintenance contract or a contract that does not include crucial elements may well mitigate any initial perceived savings. Our advice is: get it right at the outset - talk to LECS UK for impartial, expertise and recommendations on getting your maintenance specifications nailed down at the start.

The maintenance contract can then be implemented by your chosen maintenance provider, or LECS UK can also help with Issuing to tender, tender analysis and contractor interviews.
Modernisation Specifications: lifts, escalators, cable cars & any vertical transportation.

A programme of modernisation can often extend the life of existing mechanical handling equipment such as lifts, escalators, cable cars and any type of vertical transportation. It can be very cost-effective in comparison to a complete replacement. LECS (UK) can provide engineering advice and bespoke modernisation specifications to meet clients’ needs in achieving a successful project.

From experience, we know that occasionally a contractor’s desire to present the best price, and their bid in a more favourable light, can sometimes lead to the exclusion of minor items. Unfortunately, missing these shortfalls can result in increased costs later down the road.

LECS UK’s team of expert engineering consultants can help you devise the most appropriate modernisation specification for your particular project, while considering the main areas, such as:

- What type of mechanical handling equipment is required?
- Will it be fit for purpose?
- How do we accurately compare competing tenders?
- Are all contractors quoting for the same elements and the same value added?

The modernisation contract can then be implemented by your chosen provider, or LECS UK can also help you with issuing to tender, tender analysis and contractor interviews. LECS UK can also provide full project management consultation too if required.
New Installation Specifications

LECS UK’s team of expert engineering consultants can devise the most appropriate installation specification for your particular project, while considering the main areas, such as:

-       What type of mechanical handling equipment is required?

-       Will it be fit for purpose?

-       Will it provide the lifespan required?

-       Will it conform to standards & statutory legislation to prevent post-installation issues?

-       How do we accurately compare competing tenders?

-       Are all contractors quoting for the same elements and the same value added?

Finally, from experience we know that occasionally a contractor’s desire to present the best price, and their bid in a more favourable light, can sometimes lead to the exclusion of minor, but often crucial elements. Overlooking these shortfalls early on can result in increased costs during and/or after installation.

Make sure you avoid these scenarios by using the expertise of LECS (UK) engineers to objectively advise on the best course of action to meet your next installation requirements. Also consider whether a new installation is necessary? Would a Modernisation programme be worth considering instead?
Portfolio Management

Many of our clients have portfolios of buildings with lifts, escalators and other mechanical handling or vertical transport equipment. To manage this effectively they outsource the management of this equipment to the engineering expert consultants at LECS (UK).

LECS (UK) Portfolio Management Service includes:

- Off-site maintenance monitoring

- Back-up support to include reliability investigations and forward budget management.
- A regular reporting structure that will identify and highlight any imminent maintenance problems. These can then be address directly with the maintenance contractor if required.
- Reminders and general advice on upcoming inspection dates.
- Meeting all statutory obligations
- Completing and maintaining all documentation requirements on behalf of the portfolio owner.
Project Management

LECS (UK) has an enviable reputation for the provision of project management services. Appointing our team of engineers to oversee new installations and/ or modernisations of any lift, escalator and mechanical handling equipment ensures that projects are completed to specification, on budget, using quality equipment and the very best working practices.

Our clients can select the level of project management they prefer from our list of modular services including:

- Initial Survey (modernisation’s)
- Feasibility Study (new installations)
- Traffic Analysis
- Specification Preparation
- Issue to Tender
- Tender Analysis
- Contractor Interviews
- Off site Manufacturing Witnessing and Certification
- Site Visits and Meetings during installation
- Certification of Accounts
- Witnessing of Commissioning
- Issuing of Defects List
- Defects Liability Inspection
- CDM services
Risk Assessments of Work Equipment

Mechanical handling equipment, such as lifts and escalators, are deemed as work equipment under The Provision & Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER’98) and therefore are required to have suitable risk assessments in place.

To help avoid accidents, that can be costly to a company’s finances and reputation, LECS (UK) consultant engineers can accurately assess hazards and the probability or likelihood, as well as the severity, of harm from a particular risk occurring. We also assess what the consequences are likely to be.
Statutory Inspections: Lifts, Escalators and Mechanical Handling Equipment

To meet the requirements of various statutory instruments, certain plant and equipment assets are subject to periodic thorough examination and certification.

These inspections fulfil legal compliance for statutory instruments such as The Lifting Operations & Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER’98) and The Provision & Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER’98). They also act as an invaluable ‘early warning’ system - protecting users and owners from the unthinkable and provide accurate details of potential defects in plenty of time to correct the fault.

LECS (UK) has an unblemished track record in providing cost-effective inspections to clients. We offer out-of-hours inspections to avoid disruption and allow for equipment to be ‘out of service’ at a time that will not affect a company’s effectiveness and profitability.
Acquisition & Condition Surveys: Lifts, Escalators & Mechanical Handling Installations

Frequently, clients require a more detailed and objective survey of lift, escalator and/or mechanical handling installations. The requirement for an expert independent survey often arises when additional assurance is needed, such as

- prior to purchase or handover of an installation,prior to sale,
- to aid budget preparation,
- at cessation or break clause of a lease
- when expert engineering advice and guidance is needed for repairs or modernisation.
- When reliability issues are being experienced

LECS UK’s survey reports are tailored to the client needs and circumstances, and provide more in-depth reports and analysis than a standard contractors maintenance report or indeed an insurer’s examination.

Typically included in our Acquisition and Condition surveys are:

- Terms of Reference
- Schedule of Plant
- Defects & Observations
- Non compliance with Current Standards
- Statutory & Legislative items
- Maintenance Items
- Budget costs for a predetermined period
- Recommendations
- Conclusion
- Photographic evidence

Lift, Escalator and Mechanical Handling Dilapidation Surveys

When representing either a landlord or a tenant it is essential that a dilapidation survey presents an accurate position in relation to the terms of lease. With no commercial relationship with contractors or industry suppliers, LECS UK is a trusted independent and impartial expert advisor.

LECS (UK) engineers are familiar with standard leases and offer truly impartial dilapidation surveys including full Scotts schedules when required.
Traffic Analysis for lifts, escalators and all mechanical handling equipment

Mistakes in quantifying the likely use of lifts and/or escalators can be expensive.

There is the obvious high cost and extreme difficulty in altering a building to install additional equipment post-construction. Conversely, unnecessary costs can quickly accumulate with over-engineering if too many lifts or escalators are installed

A building with too few lifts or escalators is unable to properly serve the building’s population and will soon have a direct affect on its value. Equally, a building with too many installations reduces lettable space and can reduce the building’s income.

At the point of planning and specifying a new build or a refurbishment, LECS (UK) can undertake a detailed assessment of a building’s vertical transport requirements, the likely traffic volume and patterns within it and offer an expert advisory report accordingly.
Witnessing Commissioning

A newly installed or modernised lift or escalator installation needs to be thoroughly checked to ensure compliance with statutory requirements, standards and any particular specification stipulations. In addition, a bad installation or poor-quality workmanship needs remedying swiftly to avoid premature component wear and the need for early replacement.

Mechanical handling equipment is normally a high value asset and the simple act of witnessing commissioning at the outset can avoid future costs and early disruption to a building.
Training

With a reputation as experts in our field, we have devised and delivered a range of training courses through educational establishments as well as privately.

LECS (UK) offers experienced engineering lecturers who have delivered courses to major chartered engineering organisations, NHS Trusts, high street retailers, government bodies and insurers.

We also provide bespoke and customised training on request.

As an example, the following courses are regularly provided by LECS (UK) to building owners and managers:

- Emergency passenger release procedures
- LOLER & PUWER Regulations 1998
- Statutory Requirements
- Managing lift and/or escalator portfolios
- Accident Investigation for Environmental Health Offices
- Equipment Specification and Procurement
- HTM Roles
- Standards and Guidance Documents

Get in touch for more information. Email: dave.cooper@lecsuk.co.uk