[Image: A SON inspector in protective gear examining a lift controller cabinet inside a Lagos commercial building machine room.]

One Month Before Inspection

Start your SON elevator inspection preparation one month early. Complete your elevator log book. Test the automatic rescue device by simulating a power failure. Clean the lift pit, machine room, and car top. These three steps remove the most common causes of failure in Lagos properties.

Your log book is a legal record. A hard fact: NIS 326:2017 and EN 81‑20 demand that every vertical transportation system keeps a daily check log. Write down each day’s faults, repairs, and routine checks. Do not leave pages blank. If the book is new, start today with honest entries. We see many Victoria Island office towers lose points because the log book stops three months back. The SON inspector will flip through every page. A complete log shows you maintain the equipment, not just react to breakdowns.

Next, test the automatic rescue device, or ARD. Switch off the main breaker to the lift system while the car is between floors. The ARD must power the car lights, unlock the door drive, and bring the cabin to the nearest landing within 10 seconds. West Africa’s grid instability makes ARD a critical safety feature. In a sudden Ikeja power dip, the unit must work without hesitation. If the ARD battery is over two years old, replace it. The coastal humidity in Lekki and Apapa shortens battery life. Our technicians can load‑test the battery and verify the charging circuit in one visit.

Finally, clean the three key areas. Clear the pit of water, dust, and rubbish. Lagos buildings with high water tables often find pit water after heavy rain. Pump it out, then check the sump pump. Wipe down the machine room surfaces and remove any stored items. The car top must be free of oil residue and tools. Dust builds up fast during harmattan months. A clean hoistway shows the inspector you respect the equipment. Once the month‑one tasks are done, you are ready for the focused checks one week before the visit.

One Week Before

One week before inspection, run a full load test with 125 per cent of the rated capacity. Confirm every door interlock works correctly. Test the emergency phone and intercom from inside the lift car. These three checks prove the traction drive and safety circuits perform under stress.

[Image: A PE Lifts technician loading test weights onto a lift car platform while a colleague monitors the controller display.]

The 125 per cent load test is a SON requirement. A hard fact: EN 81‑20 mandates that the lift holds 125 per cent of its rated load capacity without slipping or uncontrolled movement. For a 1,000 kg lift, you need 1,250 kg of test weights. We use calibrated steel weights, not random sandbags. The car must sit at the lowest landing with the brake applied. The motor must not rotate the sheave. This test also checks the overload sensor. If the sensor does not stop the car when overweight, the inspector will issue a notice. Many older Abuja commercial hub lifts have sensors that drift because of dust and vibration. We recalibrate them beforehand.

Next, check the door interlock on every floor. Stand outside the hoistway entrance. The door must not open unless the car is present at that landing. Try to force the doors with a small hand tool without power. If the mechanical lock does not hold, the lift fails immediately. Lagos passenger lifts in busy markets like Balogun see rough daily use. The door rollers and locking hooks wear faster in salty coastal air. Replace any loose catch before inspection day.

Then test the emergency communication system. Press the alarm bell and the intercom button inside the car. The signal must reach a manned security desk or a phone contact that answers. In a high‑rise in Eko Atlantic, this system must work even during a full power outage. We test the intercom battery backup and the sound clarity of the handsfree speaker. A broken emergency phone is a direct fail. With these one‑week checks done, you can gather everything needed on the inspection day.

Day of Inspection

On the day of the SON elevator inspection, have all your documents ready. Provide safe and lit access to the machine room, pit, and car top. Assign one responsible person to stay with the inspector for the entire visit. Organising these three areas removes stress and speeds up the process.

[Image: A table with neatly stacked documents: SON CAP certificate, factory test report, installation log book, and previous inspection paperwork.]

Begin with the paper file. You need the SON Conformity Assessment Programme certificate, known as SON CAP. This certificate proves your lift system was inspected at the factory or port before import. Next, include the factory test certificate from the manufacturer. This holds the load test results and safety component list. Add the installation log signed by the installing engineer. If you had a previous SON inspection, include that report and any corrective action letters. A hard fact: Under the SON Act 2015, operating a lift without a valid CAP certificate is a legal violation and can lead to facility shutdown. We keep digital copies of all our installed lifts, so our clients never lose track.

Access is a safety rule. The path to the machine room must have fixed lighting and a clear walkway. The pit ladder must be secure and free of rust. The car top must have a safe standing area with a guardrail. In many Lagos mainland buildings, the roof access is through a narrow hatch. The inspector must not climb over water tanks or air conditioning units to reach the hoistway. Remove any obstruction now. We can send a technician a day early to confirm all access points meet the COREN safety code.

Pick one trained staff member to walk with the inspector. That person should understand the lift controller, the ARD test points, and the door release tool. They will take notes on any observations. A prepared escort shows the inspector that you take vertical transportation seriously. When the visit ends, you will have a clear report and, hopefully, a pass.

Common Fails & How to Avoid

Even careful buildings can hit a snag. Below are the five most frequent failures we see during SON elevator inspection preparation visits in Lagos, and the exact fix for each one.

Failure	Solution
No ARD fitted	Retrofit urgently. A complete ARD system with battery backup costs ₦500,000 – ₦1,500,000 depending on car size and hoistway length. Install before booking the inspection.
Pit water	Pump out standing water immediately. Then waterproof the pit floor and walls. Install a sump pump with an automatic float switch for Lagos areas with high groundwater.
Overspeed governor tripped	Reset the governor if it was triggered by a maintenance error. If the governor rope is worn, replace it. A hard fact: EN 81‑20 requires a governor trip speed no higher than 115 per cent of rated speed.
Incomplete log book	Start a fresh daily log today. Do not backdate entries. The inspector will accept a new book with a genuine start date and consistent records going forward. We supply SON‑compliant log books.
Door interlock failure	Adjust or replace the locking roller and electrical contact. Test again after repair. Use stainless steel components near the coast to resist rust.

[Image: A close-up of a rusty door interlock mechanism being replaced by a technician wearing safety gloves.]

Humidity and power surges add extra strain in West Africa. Our pre‑inspection service includes checking the surge protection on the controller and the weather seals on landing doors. Fixing these small items before the inspector arrives makes a huge difference. If you want to see how SON regulations work alongside Lagos State LASG rules, read our post on SON & LASG Elevator Compliance. For more on the safety devices mentioned here, visit Elevator Safety Features.