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Labor Commission flags elevator inspection backlog and urges fee/authority fixes
Summary
Utah Labor Commission Commissioner Jason Maughan told the subcommittee that elevator and escalator inspection demand has outpaced inspector staffing, producing overdue units; the commission recommended fee increases and statutory changes to use restricted workplace-safety funds for compliance staff.
Jason Maughan, commissioner of the Utah Labor Commission, told the General Government Appropriation Subcommittee on Feb. 3 that demand for the agency’s inspection and safety services is growing faster than staffing levels, with elevator inspections singled out as an area of overdue units.
The nut graf: The commission said the number of elevators and escalators in Utah has nearly doubled in 15 years while inspector headcount has remained roughly flat, producing a measurable percentage of overdue inspections; the agency recommended adjusting inspection fees and allowing workplace-safety restricted funds greater flexibility to hire and retain compliance inspectors.
Maughan overviewed the Labor Commission’s divisions — Utah Anti-Discrimination and Labor Division (UALD), Utah Occupational Safety and Health (UOSH), Industrial Accidents (workers’ compensation), adjudication (administrative law judges), and Boiler/Elevator/Coal Mine Safety — and said the agency serves roughly 135,000 employers and 1.6 million employees across the state with 122 staff.
On elevator inspections, he said the growth in multifamily and large building projects has increased elevator counts and related inspection demands. The commission reported conducting 20,410 inspections in fiscal 2024 and issuing 12,190 operating permits; some units require multiple inspections to pass. Maughan said roughly 10–13% of elevator units were overdue at the time of briefing and that the agency’s inspector corps had not grown in step with unit growth — the commission listed 8.5 elevator inspectors (including a part-time inspector in a deputy role) and noted hiring and retention pressures.
The commission described recent administrative changes to accelerate inspection staffing: it revised an administrative rule so new inspectors can take a state‑certified exam rather than shadow for two years before fielding inspections, secured an agreement with the Division of Facilities and Construction Management (DFCM) to fund a state-projects-dedicated elevator inspector, developed owner checklists to reduce reinspection rates, and grouped inspectors geographically to reduce travel time.
Maughan proposed a statutory change discussed in the accountable‑budget process that would allow broader use of the Workplace Safety Account (funded by an assessment on workers’ compensation premiums) to pay for both consultation and compliance work. That measure, he said, could be used to narrow private-sector pay disparities that drive compliance inspector turnover and help hire additional inspectors. He noted the account currently holds surplus funds used in limited circumstances and that raising inspection fees also was under consideration.
Committee members asked about fee mechanics and whether restricted funds can be appropriated; staff confirmed the agency must request appropriation authority but that the workplace safety account has meaningful reserves. Maughan said fee increases and statutory authority changes would require legislative action.
Ending: The commission made no direct one-time ask beyond items included in the governor’s budget; members asked the agency to return with fee schedules and statutory language if it pursues the proposed workplace-safety-account change.
