Thousands Of Massachusetts Elevator Inspections Backlogged

It's not a good time to have an elevator phobia in Massachusetts. Apparently, thousands of elevators had expired certificates in 2012.

According to the Boston Globe, there were 14,211 expired elevator certificates in 2012, with more than 1,700 being past due for over four years.

The findings were released by office of state Auditor Suzanne M. Bump, saying, "Uninspected elevators not only represent a safety risk to the public but also lost revenue to the Commonwealth."

Massachusetts could have missed out on more than $3 million in inspection fees that the Department of Public Safety didn't collect during those years.

The Public Safety department said that the building owners are the ones responsible by law for renewing the certifications. The department began sending out notices to the owners in spring 2013 saying their inspection certificates will expire in 90 days.

To avoid this whole mess again, they also said the department will launch a new inspection system later this year.

Wondering if you can trust any elevators in the state today? The Public Safety department reported the compliance rate for elevator inspections grew to about 80 percent this month from 64 percent in October 2012.