Lifts in the UK are covered by a mix of regulations and technical standards. Here's an overview of the main ones and what they cover.
The Lifts Regulations 2016
These regulations set the essential safety requirements for new lifts placed on the market. Before a new lift is put into service, the installer must show it meets these requirements.
BS EN 81-20 and BS EN 81-50
These are the main technical standards for designing and installing new passenger and goods lifts. They replaced the older BS EN 81-1 and 81-2 standards in 2017 and brought in stronger requirements, including better protection for engineers working on top of the car and in the pit, and improved car door and lighting requirements.
BS EN 81-80: safety of existing lifts
Often called SNEL (Safety Norm for Existing Lifts), this standard helps owners assess older lifts against modern safety expectations. It isn't a legal requirement in itself, but it's widely used to identify and prioritise safety improvements, often as part of a modernisation.
Other important standards
- BS EN 81-28: remote alarms, ensuring trapped passengers can always call for help.
- BS EN 81-70: accessibility, covering things like car size, controls and signage.
- BS EN 81-72 and 81-76: firefighting lifts and evacuation lifts for people with disabilities.
- BS 7255: safe working practices for people working on lifts.
Using and maintaining lifts at work
Once a lift is in service, LOLER and PUWER (the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998) require it to be properly maintained and regularly examined. See our LOLER guide for more detail.
Need advice?
If you're not sure whether your lift meets current standards, we can carry out a survey and explain what improvements, if any, are recommended.