Elevator Installers and Repairers

Summary

Elevator mechanics also work on chair lifts.

Quick Facts: Elevator Installers and Repairers
2010 Median Pay	$70,910 per year $34.09 per hour
Entry-Level Education	High school diploma or equivalent
Work Experience in a Related Occupation	None
On-the-job Training	Apprenticeship
Number of Jobs, 2010	19,900
Job Outlook, 2010-20	11% (About as fast as average)
Employment Change, 2010-20	2,300

What Elevator Installers and Repairers Do

Elevator installers and repairers install, fix, and maintain elevators, escalators, moving walkways, and other lifts.

Work Environment

Elevator installers and repairers must lift and carry heavy equipment and parts. Workers may be required to work overtime when essential equipment must be repaired, and some workers are on call 24 hours.

How to Become an Elevator Installer and Repairer

Nearly all elevator installers and repairers learn their trade through a formal apprenticeship. A few states require licensure.

Pay

The median annual wage of elevator installers and repairers was $70,910 in May 2010.

Job Outlook

Employment of elevator installers and repairers is expected to grow 11 percent from 2010 to 2020, about as fast as the average for all occupations. New installation and maintenance of lift systems in stores and residential and commercial buildings should spur demand for workers. Job prospects for entry-level workers should be best for those who have postsecondary education in electronics or who have experience in the military.

Similar Occupations

Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of elevator installers and repairers with similar occupations.

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Contacts for More Information

Learn more about elevator installers and repairers by contacting these additional resources.

What Elevator Installers and Repairers Do About this section

Mechanics check many parts, including the rails of an escalator.

Elevator installers and repairers install, fix, and maintain elevators, escalators, moving walkways, and other lifts.

Duties

Elevator installers and repairers typically do the following:

• Read blueprints to determine the equipment needed for installation or repair
• Install or repair elevator doors, steel frames and cables, motors, and control systems
• Locate malfunctions in brakes, motors, switches, and control systems
• Connect electrical wiring to control panels and electric motors
• Use test equipment, such as ammeters and voltmeters, to diagnose problems
• Adjust counterweights, door mechanisms, and safety controls
• Test newly installed equipment to ensure that it meets specifications
• Comply with safety regulations and building codes
• Keep service records of all maintenance and repair tasks

Elevator installers and repairers, also called elevator constructors or elevator mechanics, assemble, install, and replace elevators, escalators, chairlifts, moving walkways, and similar equipment in buildings. When the equipment is in service, they maintain and repair it.

Elevator installers and repairers usually specialize in installation, maintenance, or repair work. Maintenance and repair workers generally need greater knowledge of electronics, hydraulics, and electricity than do installers because a large part of maintenance and repair work is troubleshooting. In fact, most elevators today have computerized control systems, resulting in more complex systems and troubleshooting than in the past.

After an elevator is operating correctly, elevator installers and repairers must regularly maintain and service it to keep the elevator working. They generally do preventive maintenance, such as oiling and greasing moving parts, replacing worn parts, and adjusting equipment for optimal performance. They also troubleshoot and may be called to do emergency repairs. Unlike most elevator installers, people who specialize in elevator maintenance typically service many of the same elevators on multiple occasions over time.

A service crew usually handles major repairs—for example, replacing cables, elevator doors, or machine bearings. These tasks may require the use of cutting torches or rigging equipment—tools that an elevator repairer would not normally carry. Service crews also do major modernization and alteration work, such as replacing electrical motors, hydraulic pumps, and control panels.

The following are types of elevator installers and repairers:

Adjusters specialize in fine-tuning all the equipment after installation. They ensure that an elevator operates according to specifications and stops correctly at each floor within a specified time. Adjusters need a thorough knowledge of electronics, electricity, and computers to ensure that newly installed elevators operate properly.

Assistant mechanics have completed a 4-year apprenticeship program. Even after they are fully trained, assistant mechanics start with easier tasks and are assigned more difficult tasks, such as wiring and adjusting counterweights, as they gain work experience.

Work Environment About this section

Elevator mechanics install hydraulic and cable lifts.

Elevator installers and repairers held about 19,900 jobs in 2010, of which 92 percent were employed in the building equipment contractors industry. In contrast to other construction trades, few elevator installers and repairers are self-employed.

Elevator installers and repairers must regularly lift and carry heavy equipment and parts. Although installation and major repairs require mechanics to work in teams, workers often work alone when troubleshooting small problems.

Because most of their work is indoors, elevator installers and repairers lose less work time due to bad weather than workers in many other construction occupations.

Injuries

Elevator installers and repairers have a rate of injury and illness that is slightly higher than the national average. Potential risks include injuries due to falls from ladders and scaffolding, burns or other injuries due to electrical shocks from control systems, and muscle strains from lifting and carrying equipment. As a result, workers must wear protective equipment such as hardhats, harnesses, and safety glasses.

Work Schedules

Almost all elevator installers and repairers work full time. They may need to work overtime when emergency repairs need to be made or construction deadlines need to be met. Some workers are on call 24 hours a day.

How to Become an Elevator Installer and Repairer About this section

The fine tuning of an elevator is done by an adjustor.

Nearly all elevator installers and repairers learn through a formal apprenticeship. A few states require licensure.

Apprenticeship

Elevator installers and repairers learn their trade through a 4-year apprenticeship. For each year of the program, apprentices must have at least 144 hours of related technical instruction and 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training. During training, apprentices learn blueprint reading, electrical and electronic theory, mathematics, applied physics, and safety.

Unions and individual contractors offer apprenticeship programs. The basic qualifications for workers to enter an apprenticeship program are the following:

• Minimum age of 18
• High school diploma or equivalent
• Physically able to do the job
• Pass basic math, reading, and mechanical aptitude test

Education

A high school diploma or equivalent is required. High school classes in math, mechanical drawing, and shop may help applicants compete for apprenticeship openings.

Licenses

Several states require elevator installers and repairers to be licensed. To get a license, applicants must pass an exam about electrical systems. Check with your state’s individual licensing agencies for specific requirements.

Certification

Some associations offer certification for workers. Although not required, certification can show competence and proficiency in the field. The National Association of Elevator Contractors offers two certification programs for elevator installers and repairers:

• Certified Elevator Technician
• Certified Accessibility and Private Residence Lift Technician  

Advancement

Ongoing training is important for elevator installers and repairers to keep up with technological developments. Union elevator installers and repairers typically get training throughout their careers. This training improves a worker's chances of keeping their jobs and getting promoted. Some installers may get additional training in specialized areas and advance to be a mechanic-in-charge, adjustor, supervisor, or elevator inspector.

Important Qualities

Detail oriented. Elevator installers must keep accurate records of their service schedules. These records are used to schedule future maintenance times, which often help reduce breakdowns.

Mechanical skills. Elevator installers use a variety of power tools and handtools to install and repair lifts. Escalators, for example, run on tracks that must be installed using wrenches and screwdrivers.

Physical strength. Elevator installers must often lift heavy equipment and parts, including escalator steps, conduit, and metal tracks. Some apprentices must be able to lift 100 pounds to participate in a program.

Stamina. Elevators installers must be able to do hard work for long periods without getting overly tired.

Troubleshooting skills. Elevator installers and repairers must diagnose and repair problems. When an escalator stops moving, for example, mechanics must determine why it stopped and make the necessary repairs.

Pay About this section

The median annual wage for elevator installers and repairers was $70,910 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $39,060, and the top 10 percent earned more than $101,390.

The starting pay for apprentices is usually between 30 percent and 50 percent of what fully trained elevator installers and repairers make. They get pay increases as they become more skilled.

Assistant mechanics, by union contract, get 80 percent of the rate paid to journey elevator installers and repairers.

Nearly all elevator installers and repairers work full time, which may include evenings and weekends. They often are required to be on call to handle emergencies. Overtime is common on construction sites because deadlines must be met.

Many elevator installers and repairers are members of a union. Although no single union covers all elevator installers and repairers, the largest organizer of these workers is the International Union of Elevator Constructors.

Job Outlook About this section

Employment of elevator installers and repairers is expected to grow 11 percent from 2010 to 2020, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Demand for workers will depend on growth in nonresidential construction, such as office buildings and stores that have elevators and escalators. This sector of the construction industry is expected to grow rapidly during the projections decade as the economy rebounds from the recent recession.

In addition, the need to continually maintain, update, and repair old equipment; provide access to the disabled; and install increasingly sophisticated equipment and controls should add to the demand for elevator installers and repairers. 

Another factor causing an increase in demand for elevator installers and repairers is a growing number of elderly people who require stair lifts and elevators for easier access in their homes.

Job Prospects

Overall job opportunities should be excellent because the dangerous and physically challenging aspects of the work reduce the number of qualified applicants. Job prospects for entry-level workers should be best for those who have postsecondary education in electronics or who have experience in the military.

Elevators, escalators, lifts, moving walkways, and related equipment need to keep working year-round, so employment of elevator repairers is less affected by economic downturns and seasonality than employment in other construction occupations.

Contacts for More Information About this section

For information about apprenticeships or job opportunities as an elevator mechanic, contact local elevator contractors, a local chapter of the International Union of Elevator Constructors, a local joint union-management apprenticeship committee, or the nearest office of your state employment service or apprenticeship agency. Apprenticeship information is available from the U.S. Department of Labor’s toll-free help line, 1 (877) 872-5627, or Employment and Training Administration.

For more information about elevator installers and repairers, visit

International Union of Elevator Constructors

For more information about the Certified Elevator Technician program or the Certified Accessibility and Private Residence Lift Technician program, visit

National Association of Elevator Contractors