Question: I know the public elevators at Honolulu District Court, 1111 Alakea St., are undergoing renovations. I was told that one has been completed for months, but is waiting inspection for an operating permit. Why is it taking so long?

Answer: The stalled elevator at District Court is symptomatic of a statewide problem, in which a longstanding shortage of state elevator inspectors has resulted in a huge backlog in issuing operating permits.

As of the end of July,

78 percent of the state’s 6,700 elevators and “related systems” (such as dumbwaiters) had expired operating permits, said William Kunstman, spokesman for the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. (The department’s Hawaii Occupational Safety and Health Division oversees the Boiler and Elevator Inspection Branch.)

That doesn’t mean it’s unsafe to ride in an elevator with an expired permit. But “the law requires that every elevator and related system must be examined and tested by a state elevator inspector annually,” Kunstman said.

The problem is there are only six inspectors, with one position vacant. The supervising position is also open, although being temporarily filled.

To deal with the backlog, the division is giving priority to inspecting older elevators and elevators that serve the physically disabled people, hospitals, senior homes, schools and similar facilities, Kunstman said. “An older elevator would get higher priority than an elevator installed and inspected two years ago,” he said.

He also said that because it is taking about six months or longer for an operating permit to be issued, the division is allowing elevators to operate with the verbal OK from an inspector.

In other words, if an inspector inspects and “passes” an elevator, the owner is informed on the spot and can decide whether to put the elevator into operation. In the private sector, most “take the inspector’s word and begin operating,” Kunstman said.

The state Department of Accounting and General Services, which manages most state buildings, has opted “to wait for the hard copy,” he said. That was confirmed by state Comptroller Bruce Coppa, the head of DAGS.

DAGS does not oversee maintenance of Judiciary buildings, but it is handling the $2,187,000 project to upgrade and modernize seven elevators at District Court.

A state elevator inspector inspected two District Court elevators in May and June, but a Judiciary spokeswoman said the elevator contractor has so far not been able to get an operating permit because of the backlog.

In addition to the permits, the contractor also has “other items of work” to complete “to ensure the safety of the building occupants and the general public using the elevators,” Kunstman said.

Hiring More Inspectors

“Historically,” it’s been difficult to recruit and retain qualified state elevator inspectors, because of the strict national testing requirements for certification, as well as lower salaries compared to the private sector, Kunstman explained. “It’s been a challenge for quite a while now.”

He noted that all state positions were frozen in 2008. When the reduction in force occurred, “it made the problem even more difficult,” with many open positions, including inspectors, abolished, he said.

He said the department has a plan to deal with the problem, which would entail legislative changes. He declined to go into details, saying it is premature. “We recognize it is a problem and public safety is a high priority,” he said.

Mahalo

To the couple who found my wallet (while) walking their dog by the Pearl City golf range and turned it in to the Pearl City Police Station on Aug. 25: I thought it was lost forever because a week had passed. I am so thankful for their honesty and want to wish them many blessings. — Clarence Puulei

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