No one wants to be stuck in an elevator for hours or to have to walk up a broken escalator. Tall buildings would be difficult to use without an easy way to get from one floor to another. Elevator inspectors help to keep people moving by making sure that these machines for moving up and down are working properly.

Working as an elevator inspector involves a lot of responsibility for people’s safety and comfort but not necessarily a lot of education. Some positions require a bachelor’s degree, but many elevator inspectors learn their trade on the job after finishing high school. In many parts of Canada, official certification through workshops and other training programs is also necessary.

Elevator inspectors normally leave the actual repairs and upgrading to other people, but they should know enough about the repair process to tell what needs to be done. Suppose that the cables at the top of an elevator are starting to wear out, for example. Elevator inspectors have to know what is normal wear and tear and what is dangerous, because people could be seriously injured if the cables break.

On escalators, inspectors have to make sure that the stairs and the railings move at the same speed or people could lose their balance and fall down, and they have to make sure that the stairs move evenly. Both old and new elevators and escalators need regular inspections, and knowing what problems can occur at each stage can be important.

Many jobs related to construction are seasonal in cold countries because the winters are too cold to pour concrete or do many of the other tasks. Inspecting elevators, however, is a year-round job because once an elevator or escalator is in place, it needs to be maintained. Especially in big cities, elevator inspectors can be busy throughout the year, but even small towns could have enough work.

Depending on their education and level of experience, elevator inspectors can earn between $47,000 and about $90,000 per year. Working conditions are normally quite good, but depending on how they like to function, these tradespeople might have to deal with oil and grease from the machines they are inspecting, and they could injure themselves on sharp metal. The job can also be stressful, especially when the work needs to be finished quickly.

If you enjoy finding problems with mechanical objects, the job of elevator inspector might be worth

exploring.

Bibliography:

Careers.org. “Career Occupational Profile for: Elevator Inspector.” Http://www.careers.org/occupations/25633/elevator-inspector.

NAESA International. “News and Information.” https://www.naesai.org/.

Salary.com. “Elevator Inspector Salaries.” http://www1.salary.com/Elevator-Inspector-Salary.html.

Study.com. “Elevator Inspector: Job Description, Outlook, Duties and Requirements.” http://study.com/articles/Elevator_Inspector_Job_Description_Outlook_Duties_and_Requirements.html.