What is this standard about?
BS EN 81 defines lift safety rules to protect people from accidents caused by users, maintenance and the emergency operation of lifts. This part of the standard sets out safety rules for new passenger or goods passenger lifts.
Who is this standard for?
- Lift manufacturers
- Lift engineers
- Anyone responsible for the installation and maintenance of lifts
- Health and safety officers
- Fire safety officers
Why should you use this standard?
It specifies safety rules for permanently installed new passenger or goods passenger lifts. It covers lifts with traction, positive or hydraulic drive, serving defined landing levels, having a car designed for the transportation of people or people and goods, suspended by ropes or chains or jacks and moving between guide rails inclined not more than 15° to the vertical.
The requirements also apply in cases where the use of lifts is by people with disabilities, in case of fire, potentially explosive atmosphere, extreme climate conditions, seismic conditions, transporting dangerous goods, etc.
What’s changed since the last update?
The main changes to this edition of the standard include:
- Improvement in safety due to changes in proven technology
- Incorporation of essential health and safety requirements from the relevant EU Directives
- Elimination of reported errors
- Clarification of the text and incorporation of proposals resulting from interpretation requests
- Improvement of the references to other standards according to the progress in that field
This British Standard is the UK implementation of EN 81-20:2014. Together with BS EN 81-50:2014, it supersedes BS EN 81-1:1998+A3:2009 and BS EN 81-2:1998+A3:2009, which have been withdrawn.