Fellow Otis elevator employees

Anyone getting any training on the new Otis hydro fit and GCS controller's, because my branch sure isn't. I find it very embarrassing struggling in front of our costumers. To find out what's wrong with their units, and flipping trough Otis Tips and manuals. Only to tell them I have Limited access to the fault's because my company won't let us have the dongle. They tell us they don't want it in the hands of our competitors. Meanwhile tarnishing our reputation and selling them very flimsy product's.

This problem isn't limited to Otis.

Do your adjusters have the tools needed?

All our adjusters jumped ship, I'm a very proud mechanic, but right now feel we are the laughing stock of this city.(medium
sized Canadian city. I used to work for TK and Kone, everyone wanted to work for Otis, not so much anymore!!

I just completed my field training for my region, Northern Louisiana to west Texas. My training focused mainly on all the GCS based products. What region are you in? The guys in my region try to do field training at least twice a year. There are some new classes we are getting together, we have some good TIPs and training coming up at "O"-stay tuned.

FA branch

What I'm saying is that it is no different at other companies. Are you out west or east? I've worked in 3 different locals from east to west in Canada. I've seen a lot of different management tactics. It seems recently in Canada, the game is being played out where the employers are looking to reduce our knowledge base as field employees. We are not being offered any field training, and we are denied access to important info. I would say get on your supervisors case, and call in adjusters when you don't have the necessary training or tools to get the job done. Unfortunately the only way they will understand the value of training at the corporate level is when they see the added cost of not providing it.

The information is out there, its not always easy to get though. Since I got out of the field, it has been my mission to help the field guys as much as I can, this includes getting the TIPs they need and training when possible. Once the information is in their hands, its their responsibility to study it and ask questions. Most guys understand this, some don't.

This is the case in our office. The information is available, but you have to find it yourself via supervisors or other mechanics that already have the info. I agree, some mechanics use the difficulty of obtaining information as an excuse for not working on equipment.

Find out who your RFE is, all of the RFE's I know would be more than happy to help with any information you need.

Good one, but where is the training? If a mechanic is not properly trained, and feels uncomfortable working on a piece of equipment without training, what are they to do?

I personally will find the information I need. Still I agree with what the OP is describing, the "office" is putting the employee on the spot and doing an injustice by not providing training when it is requested.

I would love to have a supervisor who goes out of thier way to get me the information I need. Truth be told, I've had a couple who did or tried to, but I've had many more who didn't or couldn't.

You have access to Otis Role right? Call them, thats what they are there for. They document their calls and can get you what you need. You dont need your supervisors permission to receive information and they can email you the documents you need to your home. Good luck. I wounldn't diss on they company you work for, you should be happy you are working and for one of the best out there. Just remember the grass is no greener on the other side.

I have the field installation manual for the hydro fit... we didn't really get trained on them though... the manual is pretty close . Hit me up if u have any questions.. I have done 4 hydro fits this yr... and 3 g2s .. 2 (4) stops and 1 (7) stop thanks Darrell

Be carful Darrell, the manuals you are referring to are tightly controlled.

All the companies have just about everyone's information. Some companies even seem to have more info than the original OEM....

Now i know it is tightly controlled that makes me want it even more

Yes (but not standing up for the mmanufacturers) if they got it from them it is illegal to have it..yes yes I know dont shoot me, I also know it feels good when you get hold of some info that noone else has outside that company!!!

Pah.. They are all up to it.. TKE even have ITS that created for this purpose.

More the reason to go Non-proprietary....Or let everyone have the tools needed to access the equipment like the auto manufacturers do? They have classes that qualify a person to work on equipment, Why can't that happen in our industry? As a union member I hear we need to give these work hours up to technological advances? It would seem these advancements should now sent the ball back and make it easier and safer to work on these products? My computer get serviced by an authorized or qualified tech that doesn't work for HP? How does that happen? And when I brought my computer to HP...They told me they would credit me to help pay for a new laptop? That's called a modernization in our language and it still working to this day? Repaired by someone else not OEM?

Totally agree, especially since the riding public's safety is involved...

We should also be notifed of any accident (causes and concerns) and future fixes on elevator equipment for these problems. The owners of these units should be notified also! Just like the automotive industry! Remember the GM keyswitch problems of late! I know....How do you get it out to the masses? Well we have association we all belong too Union or Non Union and all the consultants are grouped together in some form of association. Don't we preach that elevators are the "safest" mode of transportation? Now we need to act like it?

Halfpick, I couldn't agree more. As the safest mode of transportation known to man think how much safer we really could be. We are one of the few if not the only modes of public transportation that are not federally regulated. If there is a plane or train accident it is investigated thoroughly and a full report is made public that will include time temperature and even humidity. And of course all the pertinent details of the accident along with suggestions or mandates to make Shure these accidents do not happen again. In our industry it is hard to get any information on the cause of malfunctions or accidents. If a small company is involved you will immediately hear their name on the news. Larger companies do much better at keeping their names from being attached with these problems. And when these cases finally reach court they are mainly settled with stipulations that the compensation amounts be held secret along with no accusations of fault can be made by the plaintiffs. It is my belief that until companies are held to their own standards things will only get worse. When I say their own standards I refer to when check charts were mandated by manufacturing companies to ensure proper maintenance was done on weekly monthly or yearly basis. My question is how the same equipment that is now 20 years old now only needs less than a quarter of the maintenance time it needed when it was brand-new?

This is what happens when you let lawyers run a company. I use to
think all these issues were motivated by greed. I now realize that it is stupidity. (Just like the US CONGRESS) North America is only about 7 percent of their business, so they dont care. The plan is to get grab all the bucks they can and when the business tanks, so be it. As most know, otis is the only OEM left doing any engineering in the US and that is quickly ending as well. How many more will be killed or injured before change comes? I think I wont live to see it. I thought NYC'S hi profile
deaths would change it. NOT!!