As a leading national vertical transportation consultant, BOCA Group has been considered an essential business throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Our field inspectors have been sent into buildings to perform necessary inspections and evaluations on elevators and escalators to keep the riding public safe. We are proud of these essential workers and their contributions to our company and the safety of the riding public. The health and safety of our employees is extremely important to us, and our inspectors have been following guidelines outlined by the CDC, BOCA Group and various building owners while performing their duties. Our field inspectors have always been required to wear personal protective equipment when inspecting elevators and escalators, but now they are not only protecting themselves, but our clients and other tenants in the building as well.

BOCA Group’s field inspectors have noticed that tenant populations in commercial office buildings remains low, but we expect an increase in traffic as more tenants return to work in the coming months. Residential buildings remain busy, even while tenants work from home. As cities return to “normal”, our field inspectors are prepared to take extra precautions for the sake of their health and the health of others.

One of our field inspectors working in the West region, Richard Marquez, acknowledges challenges of social distancing while working with multiple people on an elevator site. He explains:


“BOCA Group is in the business of transportation and assisting our clients in ensuring their vertical transportation is safe as well as ensuring maintenance is being performed to the highest standards. We also provide building-specific design for new elevators and elevator modernizations for equipment that has exceeded its useful life.

COVID-19 has provided challenges, but we assure our clients that we fully respect their concerns by following our own internal policies of wearing masks, gloves, and social distancing. We also ask elevator contractors, as we come in contact with them on job sites, to maintain the same standards.”

Field inspector Robert Wernon, located in Chicago, IL, is working hard to protect clients, tenants, himself and his family. He appreciates the necessary health assessments each building requires upon entering, including temperature checks and heath questionnaires. He expressed:

“Even during a pandemic, vertical transportation safety is essential. It is imperative that we continue to ensure the proper operation and safety of this equipment, not only for the people in residential buildings [that need elevators to get to their place of residence], but also for people who are going back to an outside place of business. As a member of the BOCA Group team, I feel we are continuing this service in a safe and healthy way, providing our clients with the comfort of knowing their elevators/escalators are being maintained.”

Robert Stroud, BOCA’s VP of Operations in the Central US, travels extensively and has adapted to many changes in his air travel by wearing protective gear and maintaining a safe social distance. Robert has been inspecting elevator equipment in many hospitals, noting that the safety precautions in these facilities are heightened. He mentioned “there is a certain amount of angst when walking into a hospital during a global pandemic.” While taking all precautions, Mr. Stroud has been proud to service clients throughout the pandemic.

Field inspector George Offe, based in New York City, has an optimistic outlook while acknowledging many changes to his normal routine. “Work has been different while maintaining as much normalcy as possible. The number of people in tight spaces has been capped, and distances must be maintained, but everyone can rise above their circumstances and achieve success if they are dedicated to, and passionate about, what they do. What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what differences we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.”