new Otis governors

For 200 fpm cars.

Qty 2 They got nice little rain covers on them.

$1500 for the pair, you pay shipping (and taxes, if any)

Originally ordered for a job where both original governors were frozen solid with rust. Evidently, their service provider never even so much as exercised the flyweights, and never noticed that both of them were seized up solid. If those cars ever fell, there would have been hell to pay. Anyway, I wasn't about to just oil them up, because for one thing, they had no cover to protect them from the direct rainwater coming in from the roof vents, and secondly, a governor is too important to just refurbish, with potentially galled pivot points, etc. It's not in the best interest of public safety to refurbish a governor that was so damaged from rust, best to replace it. It's just too damm important, to mickey-mouse around with a mere clean-up. So I gave the homeowners association a contract for two new ones. While the governors were on their way, the customer decided to go cheap, and got another company to just refurbish them. They cared more about money, than their safety. Then they sued me for their down payment, and lied to the arbitrator at small claims court, saying that there was never any problem with the governors at all. The dummass arbitrator bought their stinking line of lies, and the arbitrator convinced me that the judge would not understand, and I'd probably lose. I settled for a compromise, but never ever forgot that bad experience. Next time, if there is any safety concerns, get the State to come out and red tag the equipment, so it wont be "your word against their word" later on. Actually, I tried that twice since then, and couldnt get the State to react. We're turning into a third world country. Sigh....

That state inspector should be reprimanded. That sort of thing would never fly anywhere on the west coast that I have worked.

I never got him on the phone, just left a message, which uhm, uh, accidently got erased? I really don't know, but I never got a call back.

Make offer. You pay shipping, or pick them up

Had a similar situation. Went to do a load test on a non-contract 1930's Otis geared. Found the governor frozen so bad, it took a half an hour with a prybar and a can of Liquid Wrench to even move the jaws. Safeties were frozen too. I LOTO and we gave the customer a list of needed repairs. Turns out L.A. Elevator did the prior load test 5 years prior and it passed with flying colors. The customer called L.A. Elevator that same day and VOILA! It passed with flying colors again! It's a miracle. I had notified the City Inspectors and they "investigated". Never heard another word, customer wouldn't pay the invoice and the equipment is still in the same condition.

Elevator mechanics are frequently the line of defense for public safety.

Regretfully, incentive checks for managers might put the public at significant risk. (Money wins over safety.)

This risk is noted at the beginning of the Labor Code Section 7300.
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=lab&group=07001-08000&file=7300-7324.2

There should never be a situation where a conveyance inspector is in the back pocket of an elevator company or property management company.

The public depends on elevator mechanics, the companies they work for and conveyance inspectors doing the right thing. California Code of Regulations http://www.dir.ca.gov/Title8/3003.html specifies the requirements for a Conveyance inspector. Of importance is the following subsection:

(d) Performance of Duties. A candidate shall be of good character, free from disabling defects, and possessing sufficient agility to perform his duties safely and efficiently.

My employer runs credit checks, audits of records about our civil and criminal behaviors, drug testing as well as audits of our written reports to assure our compliance with the above requirement.

May I respectfully suggest that any valid claims of inappropriate behavior be reported to the following agency: http://www.bsa.ca.gov/hotline

Respectfully Submitted,

Robert L Krieger Jr.

Great post Robert....