ANSI/ALI ALOIM:2020 Standard Explained for Shop Managers

ANSI/ALI ALOIM:2020 is the American National Standard for automotive lift operation, inspection and maintenance. Published by the Automotive Lift Institute (ALI), it is the document OSHA and insurers reach for when they judge whether your lifts are being run safely. Here is what a busy service manager needs to know.

Who the standard puts on the hook

ALOIM puts the core responsibilities on the owner/employer, not the lift manufacturer. You are expected to make sure lifts are inspected, maintained, operated only by trained people, and removed from service when they are unsafe.

The inspection rhythm

• Operator checks: a trained operator checks the lift before use, as the manufacturer directs, looking at arms and restraints, cables, locks, hydraulics, controls and the floor around the lift.
• Periodic inspections: at least once a year, a qualified lift inspector examines each lift against the manufacturer’s requirements and the ALOIM checkpoints for that lift type.
• Maintenance: performed to the manufacturer’s schedule by qualified personnel, with replacement parts that meet the original specification.

When something fails

A lift with a deficiency that affects safe operation should be taken out of service until it is repaired. It is not enough to tell the team verbally. The lift should be physically tagged or locked out, and the decision should be recorded.

Training and records

Operators must be trained on each lift type they use, and the owner should be able to show who was trained and when. ALOIM also expects inspection and maintenance records to be kept, which is where most shops fall down.

Putting it into practice

AutoLift Pro’s checklists are mapped to ALOIM section codes for each lift type, so every inspection your team completes lines up with the standard an auditor will cite. Next, see how to pass an annual ALI lift inspection or grab our two-post daily checklist.