Lifting the Blame − Who is Responsible if a Passenger Lift Breaks Down?

The combination of technological advances and health and safety regulations has ensured that this is a rare circumstance. According to the Lift Operating and Lift Equipment Regulations (LOLER), owners and operators of lifts are required to make provisions for the quick release of any passengers that may be trapped in a lift.

Need for Trained Staff

The trapped occupants of a stationary lift are seldom at a serious risk. The enclosure of the lift car protects them. The lift owners or operators have to ensure that all lifts are equipped with a suitable communication method so that any trapped person is able to raise the alarm and to receive reassurance that prompt help is coming. The lift should also have fully working emergency lighting. Trained staff should be available who are capable of releasing any trapped lift passengers. If this is not possible in the case of a small business, the owner/operator should be able to contact a suitable lift company to perform the task.

No Longer a Fire Brigade Service

The release of trapped lift passengers is not a legal obligation for local fire brigades. Many of these have been reducing this service, unless it is a genuine emergency, as its represents an unnecessary drain on resources. The London Fire Brigade has reduced its lift-release services by half since 2009, but it is still attending about 17 such rescues daily. The Cambridgeshire fire service is taking similar action, stating that it will only release trapped lift passengers if they have been stuck there for over three hours.

Costs

The cost of a single lift rescue can be up to several hundred pounds, and local fire brigades feel that this should not be provided as a free service for businesses. A local fire brigade can now charge £362 for the first hour of a lift rescue and a further £90 for each extra 15 minutes the rescue requires.

Foreseeable Event

The reasoning behind these decisions is that the risk of a lift being stuck between floors of a building should be regarded as a foreseeable event. So the lift owner/operators should have made some contingency plans for such an event. The Lift and Escalator Industry Association’s (LEIA) Safety and Environment Committee has put together guidance for its members on the procedure for releasing trapped lift passengers. It stresses that an unsafe release procedure will expose trapped persons to a far greater risk of serious injury than just asking them to remain calm and patient until a competent person arrives to free them.

Lift Maintenance Companies’ Potential Liabilities

Unfortunately, many lift maintenance companies are reluctant to undertake trapped-passenger releases. Their fear is that they would be found liable for any personal injury or damage to property that occurs during the release.

Platform Lift Company

The Platform Lift Company take health and safety concerns very seriously. We offer spares for our lifts that can sit right alongside any maintenance package you may require, ensuring your lifts are always in the best possible working order. If you have any queries regarding the installation of a new lift, feel free to get in touch with us today.