Pit and hoistway examination: what to look at and in what order

The pit is where the least visible equipment meets the most water, debris and neglect. A consistent order of examination is what turns a pit visit from a glance into a finding.

Before entering

Park the car at the landing required by the jurisdiction’s pit access procedure, apply the pit switch, and verify the car cannot be commanded.
Confirm the pit is lit, the access means is safe, and the floor is not covered in oil or standing water – both are defect findings in themselves.
Check the ladder or steps and the pit access door/panel switch function on entry, not on the way out.

The examination sequence

Order	What to check	Typical defect
1	Pit switch and pit stop function	Bypassed or inoperative – out of service immediately
2	Buffer oil level, condition, reset switches	Low oil, contaminated oil, switch tied closed
3	Counterweight and its safeties/guides	Guide wear, weight stack movement, safety obstruction
4	Car safeties, guides and sling underside	Corrosion, loose fasteners, safety gear linkage binding
5	Running clearances: car and counterweight to walls and equipment	Out-of-tolerance clearance after building work or added cable trays
6	Compensation chains/ropes, tie-downs, tension	Worn or missing tie-down, rope contact with pit equipment
7	Final limits and pit devices	Switches out of adjustment or jammed
8	Housekeeping: water, debris, oil, unused materials	Water ingress, loose material that can fall into the pit

Findings that must stop the unit

Inoperative pit switch or stop device.
Buffer below level or with a defeated switch.
Running clearance outside the code allowance.
Safety device bound, corroded or with a modified linkage.
Missing guarding or an unguarded opening into the hoistway.
Standing water that reaches electrical equipment.

Two-person discipline: pit and hoistway work should never be a one-person job without a means of summoning help. Confirm the communication method before you enter, not after.