Lift Maintenance in Melbourne

Melbourne's lift maintenance market is shaped by its high density of owners corporation buildings across the inner and middle suburbs, a significant heritage building stock, and Victoria's distinct OHS regulatory framework — which differs in important ways from the WHS model adopted in other states.

In owners corporation buildings, the lift is common property and the owners corporation is the person with management or control of the plant for OHS purposes. This means the owners corporation — not individual lot owners — carries the WorkSafe Victoria compliance obligation for lift maintenance. Owners corporation managers in Melbourne are increasingly requiring lift maintenance contractors to provide WorkSafe Victoria registration documentation, current licences, and evidence of insurance before being added to an approved supplier list.

For home lift owners, Victoria's OHS framework requires that registrable plant (passenger lifts with rise over 2.5 m) be maintained in accordance with the plant item registration and relevant Australian Standards. The registered item must not be used if it is unsafe or not maintained in accordance with the registration documentation.