June 25, 2012—The Automotive Lift Institute (ALI), a trade association of North American-based vehicle lift manufacturers, on Monday announced registration is now open to become a certified lift inspector through its new Lift Inspector Certification Program.
ALI developed its Lift Inspector Certification Program in response to growing demand from businesses that use vehicle lifts and governmental health and safety organizations that monitor them. ALI said annual vehicle lift inspections conducted by a qualified automotive lift inspector are required by the ANSI national standard, and are also included in U.S. and Canadian governmental regulations.
“Proper vehicle lift certification, installation and inspection have come under increased scrutiny in recent years by OSHA and other local, state, provincial and federal health and safety officers,” said R.W. O’Gorman, president of ALI. “This has resulted in an increase in shops looking for qualified automotive lift inspectors.”
But until now, no national vehicle lift inspection licensing or certification programs have existed. Without a certification program in place, vehicle lift inspection companies have not been able to offer independent validation that their inspectors are qualified, O’Gorman said.
O’Gorman said ALI’s certification program will provide third-party verification that a Certified Lift Inspector has been tested, and has proven competence to inspect an installed vehicle lift for suitability of continued use, maintenance and repair.
ALI said anyone who has a minimum of two years of experience as a vehicle lift inspector is able to apply for the certification program. The program includes printed training materials, a six-hour orientation workshop, a written pre-course exam, a final course exam and documented practical experience.
Participants will receive recognition as an automotive lift inspector certified by ALI, as well as a Certified Lift Inspector patch, upon completion of the program. In addition, companies with a Certified Lift Inspector on staff will be listed in the online directory on ALI’s website, which is searchable by ZIP code.
ALI said the program, which is currently in a pilot phase, will officially kick-off with an event during the 2012 SEMA Show, scheduled for Oct. 31-Nov. 2 in Las Vegas. For more information, or to register for the certification program, visit autolift.org.
