Most building owners treat a compliance audit the same way they treat a speeding fine — an inconvenience to manage and move on from. That framing is precisely what makes compliance risk expensive.
What AS1735 actually requires
AS1735 is Australia's national standard for lifts, escalators and moving walks. It is the benchmark SafeWork inspectors, insurers and courts apply when assessing whether a building owner exercised reasonable duty of care. Under Australian WHS legislation, building owners are classified as PCBUs — Persons Conducting a Business or Undertaking. The duty of care that classification carries is non-delegable. It cannot be transferred to a maintenance contractor, regardless of what the maintenance contract says.
A compliance audit verifies your position against that benchmark independently of the contractor who services the lift. It covers:
- Whether safety devices, door protection and levelling accuracy meet current AS1735.2 specifications — including the ±6mm levelling tolerance
- Whether emergency communication and fire service systems are operational and compliant
- Whether your elevator maintenance contractor is delivering what the contract requires
- Whether gaps exist between the installed standard and current NCC requirements, including DDA accessibility provisions
A maintenance service record is not a compliance audit. It records what was attended to on a given day. It does not establish your independent compliance position.
The cost of not having one
SafeWork Australia and state regulators issue improvement notices and prohibition orders on non-compliant lift systems every year. In each case, the compliance position was knowable before the event. Building owners with an independent assessment and a documented remediation record are defensible. Those without are not — regardless of what their contractor's service records show.
For context on how liability is shared across owners, contractors and managing agents when something goes wrong, see our article on who is responsible when a lift accident occurs.
Compliance audit vs maintenance inspection — the actual difference
| Independent AS1735 Compliance Audit | Maintenance Contractor Service Inspection | |
|---|---|---|
| Conducted by | Independent lift consultants; no supplier ties | Contractor who profits from the lift |
| Benchmark | Current AS1735 and NCC requirements | Contractor's own internal standards |
| Scope | Full compliance position including contractor performance | Items completed in that service visit |
| Output | Compliance gap report with remediation priorities | Service record and invoice |
| Legal standing | Defensible independent assessment | Does not establish independent compliance position |
| Protection for owner | Strong; documented and audit-ready | Minimal; self-assessed by an interested party |
How often is independent assessment needed?
Every two years is the baseline for most commercial and strata buildings. Any change in maintenance contractor, tenancy load or system configuration should trigger a fresh assessment outside that cycle. If you are uncertain whether your current maintenance programme meets an independent standard, our article on the importance of lift servicing explains where proper servicing ends and independent compliance verification begins.
ILCPL has been producing independent AS1735 compliance assessments for building owners, strata managers and property managers across Australia for over 40 years. Our reports are clear, prioritised and produced without any relationship to the maintenance contractor or any equipment supplier.
