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NEII Organization Update, CA Elevator Summit and much more
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NEII Organization Update

On October 16, long-time NEII Vice President of Government Affairs, Amy Blankenbiller, stepped into the Executive Director role. Amy brings over 30 years of leadership, advocacy, strategic planning and management experience to this new position.
  
Formerly, Amy was the President and founder of AjB Strategies, LLC, a consulting firm working with associations, organizations and private businesses to implement government policy strategies, and President/CEO of the Kansas Chamber of Commerce. She also spent nearly twenty years in the Washington, DC area where she worked on federal and state policy efforts, as well as association management issues. Most notably, Amy received an appointment from President George H.W. Bush and served in his Administration. She also worked on Capitol Hill for both a U.S. Representative and a U.S. Senator.  
  
The Board of Directors thanks NEII’s former Executive Director Karen Penafiel for her valuable contributions over the last four years, which includes assembling a top-notch staff, spearheading the development of a professional website and branding, and overseeing a strong advocacy program.

Elevator Industry Stakeholders Convene for California Elevator Summit

Over 60 elevator industry stakeholders participated in the California Elevator Summit held October 30 and November 2. Individuals from elevator manufacturers, labor unions, safety advocates, industry trade associations, and California’s state government came together for the first interactive stakeholder discussion of the California Department of Occupational Safety and Health’s (DOSH) proposed Group V elevator regulations since 2014. These draft rules would cover the installation and maintenance of all elevators in the state of California.

The Summit was moderated by labor attorney Ben Ebbink, a partner at Fisher Phillips in Sacramento. Over two days, the major changes within six categories of the Group V regulations were described and participants were provided the opportunity to raise questions, voice concerns and suggest changes to the draft rule language. Through this collaborative process, stakeholders from all corners of the elevator industry and impacted parties were able to contribute feedback on the draft requirements.

As the California Department of Industrial Relations moves forward with the Administrative Procedure Act rulemaking process, elevator industry stakeholders will continue to seek opportunities where impacted parties can offer feedback on the draft rules.

Industry Response to COVID-19 Challenges

See NEII’s most recent COVID-19 newsletter for detailed information on the states and jurisdictions that have increased restrictions and those with travel requirements related to the pandemic. See also NEII’s recommended policies, safety tips for the riding public, and recommendations for facility managers.

Last Chance to Complete NEII's COVID-19 Survey

NEII is looking for your thoughts on the innovations, efficiencies and work-arounds that have been developed to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. Help us tell the industry’s story of resilience, collaboration and leadership by filling out our 5 minute survey today. The survey will close on Friday, November 6. Complete the survey here.

OSHA Issues FAQs Related to the Coronavirus


The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently published frequently asked questions and answers related to the reporting of employees’ in-patient hospitalizations and fatalities resulting from work-related cases of the coronavirus.

A wide variety of questions are included like: “Has OSHA waived any requirements of its standards in response to the COVID-19 pandemic?” and “Does OSHA have any COVID-19 guidance for the construction industry?”. Access the FAQs here.

Nevada Emergency Rule to Update ASME Safety Code


In Nevada, the 2019 ASME A17.1/CSA B44 code with state specific amendments went into effect immediately due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The emergency rules recently expired, but the state decided to permanently adopt the rules with the state specific modifications. NEII provided comments on several of the modifications prior to their adoption and is continuing to work with the state to resolve some of the concerns. 

Help Us Improve our Industry Guidelines by Completing our NEII-1 Survey

For decades, NEII has developed and maintained the Best Practices and Guidelines for the Building Transportation Industry, called NEII-1. The best practices are industry specifications to help architects, designers and contractors accommodate for the space and details of elevators in building plans. Some of our member companies also direct new employees to NEII-1 to provide some basics of the industry as a training tool. NEII-1 is available to everyone, and we are looking for input on how we can improve this valuable industry resource. Please complete this brief survey to help us continue to improve NEII-1.

United 2020 Recap

Nearly 900 participants representing the vertical transportation industry all over globe took part in the first ever 2020 UNITED Virtual Convention & Exposition from September 14-16. In a time of reduced access to events, this year’s trade show and programming has added accessibility.

The event traditionally takes place every four years hosted by the UNITED Partners: the Canadian Elevator Contractors Association (CECA), Elevator U, International Association of Elevator Consultants (IAEC) and the National Association of Elevator Contractors (NAEC).

Originally slated to be a live event in Houston, national events changed best-laid plans to re-invent this event in new and creative ways. During the three-day event, industry professionals gathered online to take part in UNITED 2020 which comprised of 70 exhibitors with over 80 booths, 11 education sessions and discussions, and three on-demand educational sessions. Read the complete media release to learn more.

Calendar of Events

  • November 9-11 - Central Code Committee teleconferences
  • November 13 & 18 - Government Affairs/Central Code Committees joint teleconferences
  • November 17 - Field Employee Safety Committee teleconference
  • NEII BOD teleconference - December 4

 
 

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National Elevator Industry, Inc., 5537 SW Urish Road, Topeka, KS 66610, United States

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