Passenger and goods lifts, colloquially known as lifts, are devices commonly used in today's construction industry. An elevator can be found in virtually every apartment building or office building, but also at construction sites or in restaurants. Nowadays, passenger or goods lifts are standard in every new building, therefore the authorization for the elevator operator may turn out to be an attractive way to expand your professional competences. However, what is good to know before taking the qualification exam for passenger and goods lifts?

What types of elevators are there?

Passenger and goods lifts are widely used and can be found in virtually every industry branch. There are five types of elevators due to their construction and application:

  • Passenger lifts are used to move people vertically between floors. Lifts of this type are electrically or hydraulically driven. The lift moves in the lift shaft along rigid guides.
  • The goods lift has no control inside the cabin. It is intended only for the transport of goods and cannot be entered by people. The operator controls the elevator from the outside. The crane itself moves along vertical guides or slightly inclined to the vertical.
  • A goods-service lift is a different type of a goods lift, with the difference that it has space for people who can load and unload the elevator.
  • A hospital lift is a special type of lift adapted to transport people and hospital beds together with medical equipment. It distinguishes itself from other passenger and goods lifts above all with its functions designed for priority travel.
  • A construction crane is an elevator used on construction sites to transport both people and cargo. The elevator has a cabin or platform that moves along vertical or slightly inclined guides.

What legal regulations govern the operation of passenger and goods lifts?

The rules for operating passenger and goods lifts are dictated by four legal acts:

  • Act of December 21, 2000 on technical inspection
  • Regulation of the Council of Ministers of December 7, 2012 on the types of technical devices subject to technical inspection, issued pursuant to Art. 5 sec. 2 of the act on technical inspection.
  • Regulation of the Minister of Entrepreneurship and Technology of May 21, 2019 on the method and procedure for checking qualifications required for the operation and maintenance of technical devices and the method and procedure for extending the validity period of qualification certificates, issued pursuant to art. 23 sec. 5 of the act on technical inspection.
  • Ordinance of the Minister of Entrepreneurship and Technology of 30 October 2018 on the technical conditions for technical supervision in the operation, repair and modernisation of materials handling equipment (Journal of Laws 2018 item 2176)

In Poland, elevators are one of the many devices subject to technical supervision. This means that a license must first be obtained for the operation or maintenance of passenger and goods lifts. The Office of Technical Inspection is responsible for issuing licenses for lifts and many other machines. Anyone who wants to work as an elevator operator must first complete a certified exam before the commission appointed by the UDT. The authorization to operate the passenger and goods lifts is valid for 10 years. After this date, you must retake the exam and pass it with a positive result in order to renew your qualifications.

In addition, it is worth remembering that one type of authorization qualifies you to operate both goods and passenger lifts, such as those found in most residential buildings or offices, but also allow you to work with a construction crane and a goods lift. This means that having one license, you can work on the operation and maintenance of both cranes installed on the construction site and those located in buildings.

Who can take the examination for passenger and goods lifts?

The basis for taking the examination for passenger and goods lifts, as in the case of most devices subject to technical supervision, is the lack of medical contraindications to practice the profession. Additionally, two basic conditions must be met:

  • 18 years or older.
  • Education at least basic.

Anyone who meets the above criteria may apply to one of the many training centers in Poland to undergo a course and exam for passenger and goods lifts.

What is the course for the operation of passenger and goods lifts?

Elevator operator courses are conducted regularly by many training centers throughout Poland. People who want to expand their professional competences with the skills to operate passenger and goods lifts must first pass the appropriate training and pass the exam with a positive result. The course for the operation of passenger and goods lifts consists of three parts: theoretical, practical and final exam.

Theoretical part

In the theoretical part of the training, trainees are provided with all technical information related to the safe operation of passenger and goods lifts. The most common topics in this section are:

  • Safe operation of goods and passenger lifts and related UDT regulations.
  • Division and classification of lifts due to construction and application.
  • Obligations of the passenger and goods lift operator.
  • Health and safety rules for working with an elevator.
  • Correct preparation of the workplace.
  • Keeping correct technical documentation of passenger and goods lifts.

Practical part

In the practical part, students have the opportunity to verify the knowledge acquired in the theoretical part of the training. Under the supervision of instructors, the trainees perform a number of activities related to the maintenance and operation of goods and passenger lifts. Classes in the practical part are most often held on specially designed equipment. Students can practice and verify their abilities here before the final exam.

Final exam

At the end, each student takes the exam before the UDT commission. The exam itself, like the course, consists of two parts - theoretical and practical. In the theoretical part, students answer a set of questions to confirm the knowledge they have acquired in the first part of the course. Then, in the practical part, they must correctly perform a number of activities related to the operation and maintenance of goods and passenger lifts before the commission. Anyone who passes both parts of the exam and successfully completes it receives a certificate confirming his skills and ensuring appropriate qualifications.

Is it worth taking a course for passenger and goods lifts?

Completing the course and passing the elevator operator exam certainly involves some effort, but it is worth expanding your professional competences with these qualifications. Lifts are machines with a wide range of applications, present today in virtually every building with more floors. People working as elevator operators cannot, therefore, complain about shortages in employment.

We encourage you to contact ERGON to arrange the training. Our company offers courses on a wide range of devices under technical supervision. For more information, please visit our website.