I received the following email from Danmar Lifts this morning ... thought it prudent to share with you boys and girls.


"Greetings!

We're contacting you to remind you of ALI certification and safety before considering buying a lift.

* All Dannmar 4-Post Lifts are ALI certified.
* ALI Certification & Weight Capacity
* What you must know before putting your investment and your life in the arms of a car lift.

'Informed automotive lift purchasers are not taking the salesman's word for it any longer. They are demanding that an "ALI/ETL Lift Certification Label" be affixed to every lift they purchase, thus obtaining assurance that the auto lift meets the current national safety standard. ALI is pleased to offer its automotive lift Certification Program to assist purchasers and specifiers in identifying the safest products within the industry' - Automotive Lift Institute (www.autolift.org)

What is ALI certification?

An automotive lift bearing the ALI Certification Mark, an ETL or MET Listing Mark, as applicable, indicates that the lift complies with the following requirements. When considering the purchase of an automotive lift, always request the manufacturer's list of available model numbers representing "Certified Lifts", or click here to view the ALI-Directory of Certified Lifts.

1. Automotive lift models must be tested in accordance with the Program Procedural Guide and in accordance with the performance requirements of the American National Standard "Automotive Lifts - Safety Requirements for Construction, Testing, and Validation" ANSI/ALI ALCTV (current edition).


2. All motor operated automotive lift models must be listed by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL), in accordance with ANSI/UL 201 entitled "American National Standard for Safety for Garage Equipment"; and for installation in Canada, in accordance with CAN/CSA C22.2 No. 68.


3. The Certification Program participant's Authorized Production Facility (APF) must meet quality control requirements set forth in the Program Procedural Guide, as verified by frequent surveillance and plant inspections.


4. Manufacturer-provided instructions and manuals, as well as lift operator safety documents, must be comprehensive and conform to the requirements of the Program Procedural Guide.


Dannmar is a proud member of the Automotive Lift Institute. We share ALI's mission in promoting safer products.

ALI has been around since 1945, providing laboratory testing and review services for auto lift design, engineering, construction and even installation. They test lifts rigorously and scrutinize every aspect of design to ensure that, above all, it is a safe lift.

ALI is the only nationally recognized standard for automotive lifts of all designs. If it doesn't have the badge, it's not ALI certified.

Click to view attachment

When it comes to this little gold sticker, some may argue that it is trivial and unimportant. We advise strongly against this, as your life and your investments are sitting on a lift that may not even be able to lift to its rated capacity.

All ALI certified lifts are tested 1.5 TIMES past their rated capacity, they cycle the lift load several times at 150% capacity, and several times at rated capacity to ensure that if you put 10,000-lbs. on a 10,000-lb. rated capacity lift, it will not bend, break, destroy your car, or in the worst of situations: kill you.

There is a list of ALI members here.
But beware, not all lifts are ALI certified. To see a list of ALI certified lifts, see here.

A lot of companies recognize the gravitas that the ALI certification holds, and its selling power. These companies attempt to mimic certification in some form, and to be blunt, they are scamming you. No question about it. They pretend that their lifts are ALI certified, just to sell more, with complete disregard for the customer and their safety. Buyer BEWARE, these lifts will most likely crush upon itself when you try to lift it at it's "Rated" capacity.

"The Automotive Lift Institute, Inc. (ALI) is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) as an independent, third party, product certification body. This means that ALI meets the rigorous and continuing requirements of ANSI for authorization to apply the ALI and ANSI marks to automotive lifting products that are judged by an OSHA, Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) to conform to the current edition of the American National Standard governing automotive lifts. That standard is ANSI/ALI-ALCTV Standard for Automotive Lifts - Safety Requirements for Construction, Testing and Validation.

ALI has registered its name, safety materials, logos and marks relating to its business, including its certification program, with the appropriate domestic and foreign Federal Registrars for intellectual property. ALI will take all necessary steps to protect its intellectual property from unauthorized use.

Automotive lifting products bearing the ALI name, logos or marks, or the ANSI logo may be offered only by authorized Participants in the ALI accredited lift certification program. Only authorized Participants including direct and internet businesses are permitted to display the ALI name, logos or marks. Participant authorized agents including direct and internet businesses are NOT permitted to display the ALI name, logos, or ANSI logo on their marketing material or web sites. The ALI certification mark may be depicted by Participant authorized agents in strict accordance with ALI's Participation agreement and section 25 of the Certification Program Participation Manual.

A number of sellers of automotive lifts have been observed to be fraudulently applying the ALI name, logos or marks to the automotive lifting products they offer for sale. The offending products directly incorporate the ALI name, logos, marks or text to indicate or otherwise infer that the automotive lifting products offered for sale are approved, certified or endorsed by ALI, ANSI, OSHA, a NRTL or some other real or imagined authority. These retailers have either never been an official, authorized Participant or an ALI Member and are simply attempting to confuse buyers or, they have lost their certification or membership by violating ALI policy. Because they show product images in their catalogs or on their websites that include the ALI name, logos or marks does not necessarily mean they are official Participants or ALI Members.

To ensure that you receive the quality products, service and factory warranty to which you are entitled, it is important that all of your ALI lift certification related purchases be made through ALI authorized Participants, ALI member companies or through their approved distribution channels."

Common Scams:

* Any website claiming to be affiliated with "autolift.com" is NOT affiliated with ALI. "autolift.org" is the website URL for the Automotive Lift Institute. It is a non-profit organization.

* Companies will post the ALI badge on their website, even though none of their lifts meet ALI/ANSI standards. Make sure to CHECK first if this is true. ALI keeps records of all certified lifts and companies, and a lot of companies lie about this to sell more lifts.

* Companies will attempt to claim "Automotive Lift Institute Members", if it is not on the autolift.org website, it is a FALSE CLAIM.

To see a list of companies that have been proven to falsify the ALI member claim, see ALI's Buyer Beware Page.

Well crap, if I'd have waited a year I could have saved money. I bought a BendPak because it was ALI certified (they are Danmar's higher-end lifts).

Oh well, glad to hear they got certified too.

I can see some possible advantages to this, but it is not as though it is an independent agency regulating safety. It is a club with substantial dues and associated costs. Some companies might make a great product and choose not to pay the costs. Some might make a product that these guys don't want to have on the market because they are outright hazardous junk. One tragedy gives a bad name to all lift makers. Generally this is the motivation that brings companies who are actually competitors together like this. Still, in this case buyer better beware. You know, I have often wondered why Harbor Freight doesn't market a lift...not that I would necessarily go under one

You mean to tell me this is not safe?

No, that's about right. And convenient height.

The Lift or the Car?
SW

Sounds like an advert from the 60's


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLUjq6ijvVc