Services provided by LECS UK

• 

  Maintenance audits

  The placement of maintenance contracts is part and parcel of a company’s custodianship of its mechanical handling equipment. Premature wear and tear, followed by early replacement, can be avoided by being certain that maintenance schedules are being correctly implemented. The effects of avoidable failures can cripple a building. The cost in both time and money, efficiency and potentially loss of profits, cannot be over emphasised. Within some environments, these damaging effects can be further exacerbated by tainting a company’s reputation amongst its customers.

  Appointing LECS (UK) to undertake an independent maintenance audit, offers the peace of mind of knowing that maintenance schedules are being followed to a satisfactory level, on time and to task.

• 

  Expert Witness

  We live in a society which is becoming increasingly litigious. Unfortunately, disputes occur, or accidents happen where there is a requirement for expert opinion to be produced. Many cases are settled before trial, regretfully some don’t, and an expert is required to be cross examined on their written evidence. Generally, our expert opinion will assist solicitors in bringing a case to a conclusion before a trial is required. LECS (UK) engineers have given evidence in:

  • CRIMINAL COURTS
  • CIVIL COURTS
  • CORONERS COURTS
  • RENT & LAND TRIBUNALS
  • MEDIATION CASES
  • ADJUDICATION CASES
  • ARBITRATIONS CASES
  • ADR
  • EXPERT DETERMINATION CASES
  • CONCILIATION CASES

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

  Our experience includes acting as a single joint expert under the requirements of civil procedure rules for which our staff offering this service have been trained and certified.

  Loss Adjusting

  Our engineers are also trained to assist insurance companies and loss adjusters when investigating engineering claims and accidents.

• 

  Maintenance Specifications

  Contractors offer differing types of maintenance contract, covering routine maintenance for both new installations and modernisation’s. Some contracts will exclude specific items (such as ram seals, ropes etc, or Health & Safety Executive recommended inspections) making them appear comparatively inexpensive. However, when a failure occurs, and the cost of replacement components are not covered as you might have believed, the extra unexpected costs can far outweigh any earlier savings.

  LECS (UK) can ensure that you avoid these costs by preparing a bespoke maintenance contract specifically for the installation you wish to cover, which is then implemented by your chosen maintenance provider.

• 

  Modernisation Specifications

  The importance of ensuring that a piece of mechanical handling equipment is suitable for its purpose goes without saying yet the importance of insisting that all invited contractors are offering tenders on an absolute like-for-like basis can be overlooked.

  A contractor’s desire to present the best price can sometimes lead to the exclusion of minor items to present their bid in a more favourable light than others. Unfortunately, missing these shortfalls early on can result in increased costs.

  A programme of modernisation, for example, can often extend the life of existing equipment as well as being very cost-effective in comparison to complete replacement.

  LECS (UK) can provide bespoke modernisation specifications to meet clients’ needs in achieving a successful project.

• 

  New Installation Specifications

  The importance of ensuring that a piece of mechanical handling equipment is suitable for its purpose goes without saying yet the importance of insisting that all invited contractors are offering tenders on an absolute like-for-like basis can be overlooked.

  In our view, it is essential that an installation is of sound and certain quality, and offers the lifespan required by the client. Alongside these considerations lies the importance of conforming to current standards and statutory legislation to prevent post-installation difficulties with insurers.

  Finally, a contractor’s desire to present the best price can sometimes lead to the exclusion of minor items to present their bid in a more favourable light than others.

  Unfortunately, missing these shortfalls early on can result in increased costs during or after installation.

  All of these pitfalls can be avoided by using LECS (UK) engineers to objectively advise on the best course of action to meet your requirements.

• 

  Portfolio Management

  Many of our clients have portfolios of buildings containing lift and escalator equipment and outsource the management of this equipment to LECS (UK).

  We provide clients with off-site maintenance monitoring and back up support such as reliability investigations and forward budget management. Our regular reporting structure will identify and highlight any imminent maintenance problems, which we can address directly with the maintenance contractor if required, and remind and advise you of upcoming inspection dates.

  This service also takes the burden of documentation away from the portfolio owner and ensures that statutory obligations are met.

• 

  Project Management

  LECS (UK) surpasses the competition in our provision of project management services. Appointing us to oversee new installations and modernisations 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

  Workplace accidents can be costly to both a company’s finances and reputation. It is a statutory requirement that risk assessments are undertaken in the workplace environment. To help avoid accidents, LECS (UK) engineers are trained to assess risks and the probability or likelihood and severity of harm from a particular hazard occurring and what the consequences are likely to be. With equipment such as lifts and escalators being deemed work equipment under The Provision & Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER’98) and the world becoming a more litigious place having suitable risk assessments in place has never been more important.

• 

  Statutory Inspections

  Certain items of plant and equipment are subject to periodic thorough examination and certification as part of meeting the requirements of statutory instruments. Not only do statutory 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), but also act as an invaluable ‘early warning’ system - protecting users and owners from the unthinkable, by providing details of potential defects in plenty of time to correct the fault.

  LECS (UK) have a matchless track record in providing cost-effective inspections to our clients. As in all that we do, empathy with our clients is of paramount importance, allowing us to offer out-of-hours inspections where taking equipment out of service could otherwise affect a company’s effectiveness and profitability.

• 

  Acquisition & Condition Surveys

  Maintaining the value and effectiveness of expensive capital equipment is essential to all businesses. A detailed, objective survey of a lift, escalator and/or mechanical handling installation provides clients with the peace of mind rarely provided by a standard contractor’s maintenance report or insurer’s examination. Frequently, clients seek surveys prior to purchase or handover of an installation, prior to sale, to aid budget preparation, at cessation or break clause of a lease, or simply where advice and guidance is needed for repairs or modernisation. Naturally, we tailor our survey reports to an individual client’s needs and circumstances, but typically we would include:

  • 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

  Dilapidation Surveys

  We believe it essential, when representing either the landlord or a tenant, that a dilapidation survey presents an accurate position in relation to the terms of lease. LECS (UK) ensures, therefore, that our engineers are familiar with standard leases and are fully able to offer impartial dilapidation surveys including full Scotts schedules when required.

  The benefit of appointing LECS (UK) to advise you with surveys is the independent and impartial advice that we offer as a result of having no commercial relationship with contractors or industry suppliers.

• 

  Traffic Analysis

  Mistakes in quantifying likely use of lifts and escalators can be expensive. There is the obvious high cost and extreme difficulty in altering a building to install additional equipment after construction, the opposite to which is the unnecessary costs of over-engineering and installing too many lifts or escalators. But there is a more insidious problem that can arise. In the first instance, a building with too few lifts or escalators – unable to properly serve the building’s population - will soon gain a reputation that directly affects its value. Conversely, a building with too many installations reduces nett lettable space and can reduce the income value. From the very start, at the point of planning and specifying a new building or refurbishment, LECS (UK) can undertake a detailed assessment of a building’s requirements, the likely traffic patterns within it and offer an advisory report accordingly.

• 

  Witnessing Commissioning

  A newly installed or modernised installation needs to be thoroughly checked to ensure compliance with statutory requirements, standards and any particular specification stipulations. In addition, a badly installed or cases of poor quality workmanship need 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 costs and future early disruption to a building.

• 

  Training

  Our knowledge and reputation is acknowledged via the training courses we present to industry and commerce; both privately and through educational establishments. Our experienced lecturers have supplied courses to major chartered engineering organisations, NHS Trusts, high street retailers, government bodies and insurers.

  As an example, the following courses are provided 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 Officers
  • Equipment specification and procurement
  • HTM roles
  • Standards and guidance documents

  We also provide bespoke training when clients request something specific.

Top